§ 74.38  SAFETY INSPECTION DECALS FOR BUSES.
   (A)   Definitions. As used in this section:
      BUS.
         (a)   Means any vehicle used for the transportation of passengers that meets at least one of the following:
            1.   Was originally designed by the manufacturer to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver;
            2.   Either the gross vehicle weight rating or the gross vehicle weight exceeds 10,000 pounds.
         (b)   The term does not include a church bus as defined in R.C. § 4503.07 or a school bus unless the church bus or school bus is used in the transportation of passengers by a motor carrier.
         (c)   The term also does not include any of the following:
            1.   Any vehicle operated exclusively on a rail or rails;
            2.   A trolley bus operated by electric power derived from a fixed overhead wire furnishing local passenger transportation similar to street-railway service;
            3.   Vehicles owned or leased by government agencies or political subdivisions.
      MOTOR CARRIER. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 4923.01
(R.C. § 4513.50)  (Rev. 2013)
   (B)   Safety inspection decals.
      (1)   Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section, on and after July 1, 2001, no person shall operate a bus, nor shall any person being the owner of a bus or having supervisory responsibility for a bus, permit the operation of any bus unless the bus displays a valid, current safety inspection decal issued by the State Highway Patrol under R.C. § 4513.52.
      (2)   For the purpose of complying with the requirements of this section and R.C. § 4513.52, the owner or other operator of a bus may drive the bus directly to an inspection site conducted by the State Highway Patrol and directly back to the person’s place of business without a valid registration and without displaying a safety inspection decal, provided that no passengers may occupy the bus during such operation.
(R.C. § 4513.51(A), (B))
   (C)   Whoever violates division (B)(1) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(R.C. § 4513.51(D))  (Rev. 2004)