(a) (1) No person who is the owner or operator of a motor vehicle shall fail to display in plain view on the rear of the motor vehicle a license plate that displays the distinctive number and registration mark assigned to the motor vehicle by the Ohio Director of Public Safety, including any county identification sticker and any validation sticker when required by and issued under R.C. §§ 4503.19 and 4503.191. However, a commercial tractor shall display the license plate on the front of the commercial tractor.
(2) The license plate shall be securely fastened so as not to swing, and shall not be covered by any material that obstructs its visibility.
(3) No person to whom a temporary motor vehicle license registration has been issued for the use of a motor vehicle under R.C. § 4503.182, and no operator of that motor vehicle, shall fail to display the temporary motor vehicle license registration in plain view from the rear of the vehicle either in the rear window or on an external rear surface of the motor vehicle.
(4) No person shall cover a temporary motor vehicle license registration by any material that obstructs its visibility.
(R.C. § 4503.21(A))
(b) Except as otherwise provided by R.C. §§ 4503.103, 4503.107, 4503.173, 4503.41, 4503.43 and 4503.46, no person who is the owner or chauffeur of a motor vehicle operated or driven upon the public roads or highways shall fail to file annually the application for registration or to pay the tax therefor.
(R.C. § 4503.11(A))
(c) (1) Within 30 days of becoming a resident of this state, any person who owns a motor vehicle operated or driven upon the public roads or highways shall register the vehicle in this state. If such a person fails to register a vehicle owned by the person, the person shall not operate any motor vehicle in this state under a license issued by another state.
(2) For purposes of division (c)(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 Ohio R.C. 4507.01.
(ORC 4503.111(A), (C))
(d) Upon the transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle, the registration of the motor vehicle expires, and the original owner immediately shall remove the license plates from the motor vehicle, except as otherwise provided in R.C. § 4503.12.
(R.C. § 4503.12(A))
(e) No person shall operate or drive upon the highways of this municipality a motor vehicle acquired from a former owner who has registered the motor vehicle, while the motor vehicle displays the distinctive number or identification mark assigned to it upon its original registration.
(ORC 4549.11(A))
(f) No person who is the owner of a motor vehicle and a resident of this state shall operate or drive the motor vehicle upon the highways of this municipality while it displays a distinctive number or identification mark issued by or under the authority of another state, without complying with the laws of this state relating to the registration and identification of motor vehicles.
(ORC 4549.12(A))
(g) (1) A. Whoever violates division (a) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
B. The offenses established under division (a) of this section are strict liability offenses and R.C. § 2901.20 does not apply. The designation of these offenses as strict liability offenses 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.
(R.C. § 4503.21(B), (C))
(2) Whoever violates division (b) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(ORC 4503.11(D))
(3) A. Whoever violates division (c) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
B. The offense established under division (g)(3)A. of this section is a strict liability offense and strict liability is a culpable mental state for purposes of Ohio 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.
(ORC 4503.111(B))
(4) Whoever violates division (d) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(R.C. § 4503.12(D))
(5) Whoever violates division (e) of this section is guilty of operation of a motor vehicle bearing license plates or an identification mark issued to another, a minor misdemeanor on a first offense and a misdemeanor of the fourth degree on each subsequent offense.
(ORC 4549.11(B))
(6) Whoever violates division (f) of this section is guilty of illegal operation by a resident of this state of a motor vehicle bearing the distinctive number or identification mark issued by a foreign jurisdiction, a minor misdemeanor.
(ORC 4549.12(B))