(A) (1) (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 Vehicle 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 § 130.99 or 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 § 130.99(E) or R.C. § 2929.26; notwithstanding § 130.99(G)(1)(b)1. and R.C. § 2929.28(A)(2)(a), the offender may be fined up to $1,000; and, notwithstanding § 130.99(F)(1)(c) and R.C. § 2929.27(A)(3), the offender may be ordered pursuant to § 130.99(F)(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.
(b) 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.
(2) No person shall receive a driver's license, or a motorcycle operator's endorsement of a driver's or commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card unless and until the person surrenders to the Registrar or a deputy registrar all valid licenses, temporary instruction permits, and identification cards issued to the person by another jurisdiction recognized by this state.
(3) The Registrar shall report the cancellation of a license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card to the issuing authority, together with information that the license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card is now issued in this state. The Registrar or a deputy registrar shall destroy any such license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card that is not returned to the issuing authority.
(4) No person shall possess more than one valid license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card at any time.
(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 the person's 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) Whoever violates any provisions of this section is guilty of the following:
(1) If the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit was expired at the time of the offense for no more than six months, subject to divisions (C)(3) to (5), below, the offense is a minor misdemeanor.
(2) If the license or permit was expired at the time of the offense for more than six months, subject to divisions (C)(3) to (5), below, the offense is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(3) If the offender previously was convicted of or pleaded guilty to one offense of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license or one violation of a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance within the past three years, the offense is a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(4) If the offender previously was convicted of or pleaded guilty to two offenses of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license or violations of a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance within the past three years, the offense is a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(5) If the offender previously was convicted of or pleaded guilty to three or more offenses of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license or violations of a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance within the past three years, the offense is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(6) Whoever violates any of the other provisions of this section not covered by divisions (C)(l) through (5) above is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.
If the offender was convicted of or pleaded guilty to one or more offenses of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license or violations of a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance within the past three years, and if the offender's license was expired for more than six months at the time of the offense, the act requires the court to impose a Class 7 (a definite period not to exceed one year) suspension of the offender's license, permit, or privilege. The court may not impose a license suspension for a first violation or operating a motor vehicle without a valid license or if more than three years have passed since the offender's last violation of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. The penalty shall be as specified in § 70.99.
(Ord. 2004-05, passed 2-2-04)
(D) 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 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.
(R.C. § 4507.04)