(A) If a pawnbroker licensed under Chapter 4727. of the Revised Code makes a loan that is secured by a motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor and has taken possession of the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor and the certificate of title to the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor, and the owner of the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor fails to redeem or pay interest on the loan for which the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor was pledged within two months from the date of the loan or the date on which the last interest payment is due, and the pawnbroker notifies the owner by mail, with proof of mailing, as required by division (A) of section 4727.11 of the Revised Code, of the possible forfeiture of the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor, and the owner fails to redeem the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor within the thirty-day period required by that division to be specified in the notice, the pawnbroker shall proceed to obtain a certificate of title to the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor in the pawnbroker's name in the manner provided in this section.

(B) The pawnbroker shall execute an affidavit stating all of the following:

(1) That the pawnbroker is a pawnbroker licensed under Chapter 4727. of the Revised Code;

(2) That the pawnbroker has made a loan to the owner of a motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor, and the security for the loan is the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor;

(3) That both the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor and the certificate of title to the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor are in the possession of the pawnbroker;

(4) That the owner of the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor has failed to redeem the pledged motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor or pay interest on the loan for which the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor was pledged within two months from the date of the loan or the date on which the last interest payment was due;

(5) That the pawnbroker has notified the owner of the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor by mail, with proof of mailing, as required by division (A) of section 4727.11 of the Revised Code, and the owner has failed to redeem the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor within the thirty-day period required by that division to be specified in the notice.

Upon presentation by the pawnbroker of a copy of the affidavit, a copy of the pawn form, a copy of the proof of mailing, and the certificate of title to the motor vehicle, watercraft, or outboard motor, a clerk of a court of common pleas shall issue, if the record shows no lien or encumbrances exist, a certificate of title, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, to the pawnbroker.

(C) No person shall execute or present the affidavit required by this section, knowing any entry on the affidavit to be false.

(D) Whoever violates this section shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars, imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004.