(a) No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle upon the public roads and highways in this Municipality if it displays a license plate or a distinctive number or identification mark that meets any of the following criteria:
(1) It is fictitious;
(2) It is a counterfeit or an unlawfully made copy of any distinctive number or identification mark;
(3) It belongs to another motor vehicle, provided that this section does not apply to a motor vehicle that is operated on the public roads and highways in this Municipality when the motor vehicle displays license plates that originally were issued for a motor vehicle that previously was owned by the same person who owns the motor vehicle that is operated on the public roads and highways in this Municipality during the 30-day period described in Ohio R.C. 4503.12(A)(4).
(b) A person who fails to comply with the transfer of registration provisions of Ohio R.C. 4503.12 and is charged with a violation of that section shall not be charged with a violation of this section.
(ORC 4549.08)