Classic Cars for Sale in Ohio
16 listings
Verified seller locations from Ohio. New listings added daily.
Browse classic cars for sale in Ohio from local owners and dealers. Nationwide consignment listings (where the vehicle isn't actually in the listed location) are excluded.
Buying a classic car in Ohio: what the asking price doesn't include
In Ohio you pay sales tax to the county clerk when you title the car, at your own county's rate: 5.75% state plus a county rate, 6.50% to 8.00% combined. Private sales are taxed on the price paid, and a trade-in lowers the tax only on a new vehicle. The title fee is $18 ($23 in some counties), and the clerk adds $5 after 30 days. The seller must sign the back of the title in front of a notary, so confirm that before you hand over money. A false price on the title carries up to six months in jail or a fine of up to $1,000.
Salted winter roads are the Ohio problem. Check the floors, trunk pan, rocker panels, frame rails and the bottoms of doors and fenders, and get the car on a lift. E-Check emissions testing covers only seven northeast counties, and vehicles more than 25 years old are exempt. A bill of sale alone does not give you ownership. Without a title, the BMV describes a petition to the county Court of Common Pleas for a court-ordered title, which is not guaranteed.
Historical plates for cars more than 25 years old cost $10 but limit use to club activities, exhibitions and parades.
Classic car dealers in Ohio
We profile 36 classic car dealers in Ohio, starting with these 6. See all of them, on a map and by specialty, in Ohio classic car dealers.
Buying a classic car in Ohio: FAQ
Can I buy a classic from an Ohio dealer and take it to another state without paying Ohio tax? +
Generally yes. Out-of-state buyers who take the car straight out of Ohio and sign the nonresident statement (form STEC-NR) pay no Ohio tax. Buyers taking it to Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan or South Carolina pay the lesser of 6% or their home state's tax.
Does Ohio tax a private classic car sale on the price I paid? +
Yes. Private sales are taxed on the price paid, and a trade-in lowers the tax only on a new vehicle. The Department of Taxation audits title transfers, and a false price on the title carries up to six months in jail or a fine of up to $1,000.
What should I check for rust when buying a classic car in Ohio? +
Ohio winters bring salted roads, so inspect the floors, trunk pan, rocker panels, frame rails and the bottoms of doors and fenders, and ask how the car was stored. Get it on a lift before you pay. The seller should also hand you the original title, assigned and notarized.
Can I return a classic car to an Ohio dealer after I buy it? +
Usually not. Under Ohio law an "as is" sale removes the implied warranties, the Attorney General notes that the lemon law generally does not cover used cars, and a car usually cannot be returned once you drive it off the lot. A dealer must still disclose a salvage title it knows about.