(a) No person shall permit the operation of a motor vehicle upon any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking, knowing the operator does not have a valid driver’s license issued to the operator by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles or a deputy registrar under R.C. Chapter 4507 or a valid commercial driver’s license issued under R.C. Chapter 4506. Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever violates this division is guilty of an unclassified misdemeanor. When the offense is an unclassified misdemeanor, the offender shall be sentenced pursuant to § 698.02, § 698.03, R.C. §§ 2929.21 to 2929.28, except that the offender shall not be sentenced to a jail term; the offender shall not be sentenced to a community residential sanction pursuant to § 698.02(d) or R.C. § 2929.26; notwithstanding § 698.02(f)(1)B.1. and R.C. § 2929.28(A)(2)(a), the offender may be fined up to $1,000; and, notwithstanding § 698.02(e)(1)C. and R.C. § 2929.27(A)(3), the offender may be ordered pursuant to § 698.02(e)(3) or R.C. § 2929.27(C) to serve a term of community service of up to 500 hours. The failure of an offender to complete a term of community service imposed by the court may be punished as indirect criminal contempt under R.C. § 2705.02(A) that may be filed in the underlying case. If, within three years of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of this section or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, the offense is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(R.C. 4507.02(A))
(b) (1) No person shall be required to obtain a driver’s or commercial driver’s license for the purpose of temporarily driving, operating, drawing, moving, or propelling a road roller or road machinery upon a street or highway.
(2) No person shall be required to obtain a driver’s or commercial driver’s license for the purpose of temporarily driving, operating, drawing, moving, or propelling any agricultural tractor or implement of husbandry upon a street or highway at a speed of 25 miles per hour or less.
(3) No person shall drive, operate, draw, move, or propel any agricultural tractor or implement of husbandry upon a street or highway at a speed greater than 25 miles per hour unless the person has a current, valid driver’s or commercial driver’s license.
(4) No person having a valid driver’s or commercial driver’s license shall be required to have a motorcycle operator’s endorsement to operate a motorcycle having three wheels with a motor of not more than 50 cubic centimeters piston displacement.
(5) No person having a valid driver’s or commercial driver’s license shall be required to have a motorcycle operator’s endorsement to operate an autocycle or a cab-enclosed motorcycle.
(6) Every person on active duty in the military or naval forces of the United States, when furnished with a driver’s permit and when operating an official motor vehicle in connection with such duty, is exempt from the license requirements of R.C. Chapters 4506 and 4507. Every person on active duty in the military or naval forces of the United States or in service with the peace corps, volunteers in service to America, or the foreign service of the United States, is exempt from the license requirements of such sections for the period of the person’s active duty or service and for six months thereafter, provided such person was a licensee under such sections at the time the person commenced such active duty or service. This section does not prevent such a person or the person’s spouse or dependent from making an application, as provided in R.C. § 4507.10(C), for the renewal of a driver’s license or motorcycle operator’s endorsement or as provided in R.C. § 4506.14 for the renewal of a commercial driver’s license during the period of the person’s active duty or service.
(7) Whoever violates division (b)(3) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(R.C. § 4507.03)
(c) Nonresidents, permitted to drive upon the highways of their own state, may operate any motor vehicle upon any highway in this State without examination or license under Ohio R.C. 4507.01 to 4507.39, inclusive, upon condition that such nonresident may be required at any time or place to prove lawful possession or their right to operate such motor vehicle, and to establish proper identity.
(ORC 4507.04)
(d) Surrender of Driver’s License from Another State.
(1) Any person who becomes a resident of this state, within 30 days of becoming a resident, shall surrender any driver’s license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card issued by another state to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles or a deputy registrar. If such a person intends to operate a motor vehicle upon the public roads or highways, the person shall apply for a temporary instruction permit or driver’s license in this state. If the person fails to apply for a driver’s license or temporary instruction permit or within 30 days of becoming a resident, the person shall not operate any motor vehicle in this state under a license or permit issued by another state.
(2) A. Whoever violates division (d)(1) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
B. The offense established under division (d)(2)A. of this section is a strict liability offense and strict liability is a culpable mental state for purposes of R.C. § 2901.20. The designation of this offense as a strict liability offense shall not be construed to imply that any other offense, for which there is no specified degree of culpability, is not a strict liability offense.
(3) For purposes of division (d)(1) of this section, “resident” means any person to whom any of the following applies:
A. The person maintains their principal residence in this state and does not reside in this state as a result of the person’s active service in the United States armed forces.
B. The person is determined by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to be a resident in accordance with standards adopted by the Registrar under R.C. § 4507.01.
(R.C. § 4507.213)