In the event of the transfer of ownership of an off-highway motorcycle or all-purpose vehicle by operation of law, as upon inheritance, devise, bequest, order in bankruptcy, insolvency, replevin, or execution of sale, or when repossession is had upon default in performance of the terms of a security agreement as provided in Chapter 1309. of the Revised Code, a clerk of a court of common pleas, upon the surrender of the prior certificate of title or the manufacturer's or importer's certificate, or, when that is not possible, upon presentation to the clerk of satisfactory proof of ownership and rights of possession to the off-highway motorcycle or all-purpose vehicle, and upon payment of the fee prescribed in section 4519.59 of the Revised Code and presentation of an application for certificate of title, may issue to the applicant a certificate of title to the off-highway motorcycle or all-purpose vehicle. Only an affidavit by the person or agent of the person to whom possession of the off-highway motorcycle or all-purpose vehicle has passed, setting forth the facts entitling the person to the possession and ownership, together with a copy of the journal entry, court order, or instrument upon which the claim of possession and ownership is founded, is satisfactory proof of ownership and right of possession. If the applicant cannot produce that proof of ownership, the applicant may apply directly to the registrar of motor vehicles and submit the evidence the applicant has, and the registrar, upon finding the evidence sufficient, may authorize the clerk to issue a certificate of title. If, from the records in the office of the clerk, there appears to be any lien on the off-highway motorcycle or all-purpose vehicle, the certificate of title shall contain a statement of the lien unless the application is accompanied by proper evidence of its extinction.

Effective Date: 10-31-2001.