Ohio Auto Dealer Association Membership Built for Northeast Ohio
NOADA membership connects your dealership to the one trade association built specifically for franchised new-car and -truck dealers in Northeast Ohio. Since 1927, the Northeast Ohio Automobile Dealers Association has been the local voice of the dealers who employ this region’s technicians, salespeople, and office staff - and the practical partner that handles the work most dealers would rather not do in-house. An Ohio auto dealer association membership with NOADA is local where it counts, and it stacks neatly on top of your state (OADA) and national (NADA) memberships rather than duplicating them.
If you run a store in Summit County or anywhere across Northeast Ohio, this page explains why dealers join, what the membership returns on your dues, who is eligible, and where to go next. When you are ready, you can apply online in minutes or browse the full benefits breakdown.
Why dealers join NOADA
National and state associations do important work, but they operate at altitude. NOADA operates on the ground in Akron. We are the association that can walk a title across the counter at the Akron BMV, get a fast answer from a relationship built over decades with local agencies, and put your dealership’s name in front of regional media. Three things make membership worth the dues line:
- It is local and specific. Our advocacy, relationships, and services are tuned to Northeast Ohio - the BMV, the County Clerk of Courts title offices, regional media, and the legislators who represent this district. A statewide body cannot own that the way a regional association can.
- It replaces vendors you already pay for. Background checks, document shredding, an HR hotline, credit-card-fee audits, abandoned-vehicle removal, title and registration processing - these are line items in most dealership budgets. Membership folds many of them into one relationship, often at member pricing.
- It is member-owned, not a for-profit middleman. NOADA exists to advance and protect the interests of local dealers, the buying public, and the automotive trade in Northeast Ohio. Decisions are made by dealers, for dealers.
The value and ROI of membership
Most dealer principals evaluate an association the same way they evaluate any spend: what comes back for what goes out. NOADA is designed so the non-dues value - the savings, services, and avoided costs available through membership and our endorsed partners - can return more than the dues themselves for an active store.
Consider where the return shows up:
- Title and registration labor. Our dealer title services - Akron BMV Express with daily dealership drop-off and pick-up - take title and registration work off your F&I and office staff. For a busy store, that is hours back every week.
- Vendor consolidation. Pre-employment background checks with FBI fingerprinting and driving-record review, secure document shredding with the annual audit your federal compliance reporting needs, and a monthly credit-card-processing-fee audit each replace or sharpen a vendor relationship you are already managing.
- Risk avoided. An HR hotline that answers a termination or wage-and-hour question correctly the first time can save a store far more than a year of dues. The same is true of compliance guidance that keeps you out of an FTC Safeguards or advertising problem.
- Revenue captured. Our 24/7/365 abandoned-vehicle removal program includes a dealership revenue share - turning a nuisance into a small line of income.
- Market intelligence. The AUTO KNOW market report gives you Ohio new-vehicle registration and market-share data with an individual dealer penetration scorecard - the kind of competitive insight stores otherwise buy.
The strongest associations keep dues affordable precisely because endorsed partners and member services carry much of the load. NOADA follows that model. Membership dues are based on your dealership; contact NOADA at (330) 272-9011 for current rates.
Who is eligible
NOADA membership is built for franchised new-car and -truck dealers operating in Northeast Ohio. If your dealership holds a franchise agreement with a manufacturer and sells and services new vehicles in the region, you are our core member.
- Dealer (regular) members - franchised new-vehicle dealerships in Northeast Ohio. Membership is typically organized by rooftop/location.
- Associate / allied members - businesses that serve dealers (lenders, vendors, service providers) may participate through our endorsed-partner and associate programs. See endorsed partners.
If you are not sure whether your dealership falls within NOADA’s service area or qualifies for a particular membership class, contact NOADA at (330) 272-9011 and a staff member will confirm.
Decision-makers who get the most from membership are dealer principals, general managers, F&I directors, and office managers - the people who own the budget, the compliance exposure, and the day-to-day title and HR workload that membership is built to lighten.
A snapshot of member benefits
Membership is organized around the work dealers actually face. Here is the overview; the benefits page covers each in depth.
| Benefit area | What you get |
|---|---|
| Advocacy | Local representation on legislation and BMV/regulatory matters, in coordination with OADA and NADA. See Advocacy. |
| Title & tags | Akron BMV Express vehicle title and registration service with daily dealership drop-off and pick-up. See Title services. |
| HR hotline | A dedicated dealership HR hotline for fast, accurate answers on employment questions. |
| Background checks | Pre-employment background checks, FBI fingerprinting, and driving-record review. |
| Document shredding | Secure shredding with an annual audit for federal compliance reporting. |
| Compliance & education | Workshops, roundtables, and guidance on the rules that govern dealerships. See Education. |
| Market data | The AUTO KNOW Ohio market-share report with an individual dealer penetration scorecard. |
| Savings programs | Monthly credit-card-processing-fee audit, plus member pricing through endorsed partners. |
| Vehicle removal | 24/7/365 abandoned-vehicle removal with a dealership revenue share. |
| Media & visibility | “Voice of the Dealer” local media relations on behalf of members. |
| Endorsed partners | Pre-vetted auto-industry solution providers across F&I, HR, insurance, forms, and compliance. |
| Events | The NOADA auto show, golf outing, and member networking. See Events. |
How NOADA fits with OADA and NADA
A common question from dealers is whether a regional association duplicates the state and national groups. It does not. The three operate as a stack:
- NADA (Washington, D.C.) handles federal advocacy, the franchise-system defense, national programs, and the NADA Show.
- OADA (Columbus) handles Ohio statehouse advocacy and statewide programs, including the long-running group-rating workers’ compensation plan.
- NOADA (Akron) handles the local layer - the BMV and title relationships, regional media, Northeast Ohio market data, and the hands-on services that only a nearby association can deliver.
NOADA works in collaboration with both on the legal and regulatory developments that affect local auto businesses. Joining NOADA does not replace your OADA or NADA membership; it completes the picture at the regional level where a lot of the friction in your business actually lives.
Heritage that means something
Founded in 1927, NOADA is one of the region’s longest-standing trade organizations. That heritage is not decoration. Nearly a century of relationships with Akron drivers, Summit County dealers, and the state agencies our members work with every day is exactly what lets us move a title quickly, get a real answer on a regulatory question, and speak for dealers with credibility when it matters. When you join, you are not buying a logo for your website - you are joining an institution that has earned its standing in Northeast Ohio one decade at a time.
Frequently asked questions
Who can join NOADA? NOADA membership is built for franchised new-car and -truck dealerships operating in Northeast Ohio. Allied businesses that serve dealers can participate through our associate and endorsed-partner programs. For details on membership classes and eligibility for your dealership, contact NOADA at (330) 272-9011.
Does NOADA replace my OADA or NADA membership? No. NOADA is the local layer that complements your statewide (OADA) and national (NADA) memberships. The three work together - federal, state, and regional - rather than overlapping.
What does membership cost? Membership dues are based on your dealership. Contact NOADA at (330) 272-9011 for current rates.
What is the single biggest reason dealers join? It varies by store, but most cite the combination of local advocacy and the hands-on title, HR, and compliance services that take real work off their staff. See the full benefits list.
How do I apply? Start with Join NOADA to apply online, or call the association at (330) 272-9011.
Ready to join?
If you run a franchised dealership in Northeast Ohio, NOADA membership is the most local, most practical association dollar you can spend. Apply online, and a member of our team will follow up to confirm your details and get you connected to your benefits.
- Join NOADA - apply online in minutes
- See the full benefits - every program, in detail
- Browse endorsed partners - non-dues value from vetted providers
- Already a member? Renew - keep your benefits active