At a glance
- Federal rule
- 49 CFR Part 580
- Who discloses
- The seller; the buyer signs too
- Must disclose in 2026
- Model year 2011 and newer
- Exempt in 2026
- Model year 2010 and older, over 16,000 lb GVWR, or not self-propelled
- Mileage format
- Whole miles, no tenths
- Dealer records
- Keep copies for five years
On this page
- What is an odometer disclosure statement?
- Who fills out and signs an odometer disclosure?
- What goes on an odometer disclosure statement?
- Which vehicles are exempt from odometer disclosure?
- Odometer disclosure on the title or on a separate form?
- How to fill out an odometer disclosure statement
- How long do dealers keep odometer statements?
- Where do the odometer disclosure rules come from?
- Common questions
- Sources
What is an odometer disclosure statement?
An odometer disclosure statement is the seller's signed, written statement of a vehicle's mileage when ownership changes hands. Federal law requires one on most vehicle transfers, and the rules for what it says are in 49 CFR Part 580. If the seller knows the odometer is wrong, the statement has to say so.
Most of the time the disclosure goes in the odometer section of the title itself. Federal rules say a seller who holds the title discloses on the title, paper or electronic, not on a separate reassignment form. The statement you make here puts the same information on its own page, signed by both sides: a record for your files, a page for your bill of sale packet, or proof of mileage for an exempt vehicle whose buyer still wants it in writing.
Who fills out and signs an odometer disclosure?
The seller (the transferor) fills it out, certifies the mileage and signs with their printed name. When two owners sell together, only one of them has to sign.
The buyer (the transferee) then signs too, adds their printed name, and makes a copy available to the seller. No one can sign as both seller and buyer in the same deal, except under the power of attorney rules covered below.
What goes on an odometer disclosure statement?
Federal rules (49 CFR 580.5) list what the disclosure must contain, and the form above prints each item:
- The odometer reading at the time of transfer, not including tenths of miles
- The date of transfer
- The seller's printed name and current address
- The buyer's printed name and current address
- The vehicle's make, model, year, body type and VIN
- A statement referencing federal law and stating that failure to complete the disclosure or providing false information may result in fines and/or imprisonment
- The seller's signature, then the buyer's, each with a printed name
The seller also certifies exactly one of these:
- To the best of their knowledge, the odometer reading reflects the actual mileage.
- The mileage exceeds the odometer's mechanical limits. This is for an odometer that has rolled over past its highest reading.
- The odometer reading does not reflect the actual mileage and should not be relied upon. This one carries a warning that there's a discrepancy between the reading and the actual mileage.
Which vehicles are exempt from odometer disclosure?
Federal rules exempt five kinds of vehicles. Here is how 49 CFR 580.17 words them:
| Exemption | Rule text, 49 CFR 580.17(a) |
|---|---|
| Heavy vehicles | "A vehicle having a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, as defined in § 571.3 of this title, of more than 16,000 pounds" |
| Not self-propelled | "A vehicle that is not self-propelled" |
| Model year 2010 and older | "A vehicle manufactured in or before the 2010 model year that is transferred at least 10 years after January 1 of the calendar year corresponding to its designated model year" |
| Model year 2011 and newer | "A vehicle manufactured in or after the 2011 model year that is transferred at least 20 years after January 1 of the calendar year corresponding to its designated model year" |
| Sold to the federal government | "A vehicle sold directly by the manufacturer to any agency of the United States in conformity with contractual specifications" |
The rule's own examples: "For vehicle transfers occurring during calendar year 2020, model year 2010 or older vehicles are exempt." And: "For vehicle transfers occurring during calendar year 2031, model year 2011 or older vehicles are exempt."
What that means in 2026: every model year 2011 or newer vehicle needs a disclosure when it changes hands, unless it's over 16,000 pounds GVWR or isn't self-propelled. Model year 2010 and older vehicles are exempt. Model year 2011 vehicles become exempt for transfers in 2031, model year 2012 in 2032, and so on.
A new vehicle also needs no disclosure before "its first transfer for purposes other than resale" (49 CFR 580.17(b)).
Odometer disclosure on the title or on a separate form?
Start with the title. When the seller holds the title, federal rules require the mileage disclosure on the title itself, paper or electronic. Titles, reassignment forms and powers of attorney used for odometer disclosure have to be secure documents issued by your state, so a printed statement can't stand in for them.
A separate statement still earns its place when:
- you've filled in the title and want a signed copy of the same numbers for your records
- the vehicle is exempt, but the buyer still wants the mileage in writing
- you're putting a sale packet together with a bill of sale
- your state asks for an odometer statement on its own page
Two situations have their own rules. If a lender holds the title or it's lost, the seller can, where state law allows it, give the buyer power of attorney for the mileage disclosure, but only on the form your state issues (49 CFR 580.13). And when a leased vehicle is sold, the lessee gives the lessor a signed mileage statement after the lessor gives notice of the requirement (49 CFR 580.7).
If your state has its own odometer form, use it. Our guide to transferring a car title covers the rest of the title paperwork.
How to fill out an odometer disclosure statement
Read the odometer
Write the reading in whole miles. Leave off the tenths: 84,312.7 is written as 84,312.
Copy the VIN
Take it from the title or the plate at the base of the windshield and check it against the car. Not sure the year, make or body type are right? Match them to the title. You can also run the VIN through the VIN decoder.
Enter both parties
Printed names and current addresses for the seller and the buyer, and the date of transfer.
Choose the certification
Most sellers certify actual mileage. Choose exceeds mechanical limits for an odometer that has rolled over, and not the actual mileage if you know the reading is wrong, for example after an instrument cluster was replaced.
Print and sign
Print two copies. The seller signs and prints their name first, then the buyer. Each keeps a copy with the title paperwork and the bill of sale.
How long do dealers keep odometer statements?
Five years. Dealers and distributors must keep a copy of every odometer statement they issue and receive for five years, at their primary place of business and filed so they can be found (49 CFR 580.8). Lessors keep lessee statements for five years after transferring the vehicle, and auction companies keep the most recent owner, the buyer, the VIN and the odometer reading for every vehicle they sell for five years (49 CFR 580.9).
Getting licensed? The dealer license guide covers the rest of the setup, and the FTC Buyers Guide is the window form the federal Used Car Rule requires on used cars you offer to consumers.
Where do the odometer disclosure rules come from?
This is general information, not legal advice. The federal rules are in 49 CFR Part 580, which NHTSA amended in 2019 to cover electronic titles and to move model year 2011 and newer vehicles to a 20-year exemption. Your state can add its own requirements, such as its own odometer form or a notary, so check with your DMV before you sign.