Section
Motor Vehicle Licensing
71.01 Display of license plates or validation stickers; registration
71.02 Improper use of noncommercial motor vehicle
71.03 Operating motor vehicle ordered immobilized; forfeiture
71.04 Operation or sale without certificate of title
71.05 Display of certificate of registration
71.06 Use of unauthorized plates
71.07 Operating without dealer or manufacturer license plates
Driver’s Licenses
71.20 Prohibited acts
71.21 Permitting minor to operate vehicle prohibited; temporary instruction permit; probationary license
71.22 License required as driver or commercial driver on public or private property; nonresident exemption
71.23 Employment of a minor to operate a taxicab prohibited
71.24 Restriction against owner lending vehicle for use of another
71.25 Suspension of driver’s licenses; license suspended by court of record
71.26 Display of license
71.27 Prohibition against false statements
71.28 Driving under suspension or in violation of license restriction
71.29 Operating motor vehicle or motorcycle without valid license
71.30 Driving under OVI suspension
71.31 Driving under financial responsibility law suspension or cancellation; driving under a nonpayment of judgment suspension
71.32 Failure to reinstate license
Commercial Driver’s Licenses
71.45 Definitions
71.46 Use of actual gross weight in lieu of rating
71.47 Prohibited acts
71.48 Prerequisites to operation of commercial motor vehicle
71.49 Physical qualification to operate commercial motor vehicles
71.50 Criminal offenses
71.51 Application of federal regulations
71.52 Employment of drivers of commercial vehicles
71.99 Penalty
Statutory reference:
Commercial driver’s licenses, see R.C. Chapter 4506
Driver’s licenses, see R.C. Chapter 4507
Motor vehicle licensing, see R.C. Chapter 4504
Municipal motor vehicle license tax, see R.C. § 4504.06
Notice of arrest of certain commercial drivers, see R.C. § 5577.14
Proof of financial responsibility required; civil penalties; peace officers as agents of Registrar of Motor Vehicles; procedures and rules, see R.C. §§ 4509.101 et seq.
Suspension and revocation of driver’s licenses, see R.C. Chapter 4510
Suspension of driver’s licenses; municipal power to suspend for a period not to exceed time permitted or required by state law, see R.C. § 4510.05
MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSING
(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)) (Rev. 2022)
(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)) (Rev. 2024)
(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 R.C. § 4507.01.
(R.C. § 4503.111(A), (C)) (Rev. 2016)
(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)) (Rev. 2020)
(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.
(R.C. § 4549.11(A)) (Rev. 2004)
(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.
(R.C. § 4549.12(A)) (Rev. 2004)
(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)) (Rev. 2022)
(2) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(R.C. § 4503.11(D)) (Rev. 2016)
(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 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.
(R.C. § 4503.111(B)) (Rev. 2016)
(4) Whoever violates division (D) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(R.C. § 4503.12(D)) (Rev. 2020)
(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.
(R.C. § 4549.11(B)) (Rev. 2004)
(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.
(R.C. § 4549.12(B)) (Rev. 2010)
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