Ohio § 4503.181

§ 4503.181.

(A) As used in this section, “ historical motor vehicle ” means any motor vehicle that is more than twenty-five years old and that is owned

solely as a collector's item and for participation in club activities, exhibitions,

tours, parades, and similar uses.  A historical motor vehicle shall not be used for general transportation, but may

be operated on the public roads and highways to and from a location where maintenance

is performed on the vehicle. (B) In lieu of the annual license tax levied in sections 4503.02 and 4503.04 of the Revised Code , a license fee of ten dollars is levied on the operation of a historical motor vehicle. (C) A person who owns a historical motor vehicle and applies for a historical license

plate under this section shall execute an affidavit that the vehicle for which the

plate is requested is owned and operated solely for the purposes enumerated in division

(A) of this section.  The affidavit also shall set forth that the vehicle has been inspected and found

safe to operate on the public roads and highways in the state.  A person who owns a historical motor vehicle and desires to display a model year

license plate on the vehicle as permitted by this section shall execute at the time

of registration an affidavit setting forth that the model year license plate the person

desires to display on the person's historical motor vehicle is a legible and serviceable

license plate that originally was issued by this state.  No registration issued pursuant to this section need specify the weight of the vehicle. (D) A vehicle registered under this section may display either a historical vehicle license

plate issued by the registrar of motor vehicles or a model year license plate procured

by the applicant.  A historical vehicle license plate shall not bear a date, but shall bear the inscription

“Historical Vehicle--Ohio” and the registration number, which shall be shown thereon.  A model year license plate shall be a legible and serviceable license plate issued

by this state and inscribed with the date of the year corresponding to the model year

when the vehicle was manufactured.  Two model year license plates, duplicates of each other, may be displayed on the

historical motor vehicle at any time, one plate on the front and one plate on the

rear of the vehicle.  The registration certificate and the historical vehicle license plate issued by

the registrar shall be kept in the vehicle at all times the vehicle is operated on

the public roads and highways in this state. Notwithstanding section 4503.21 of the Revised Code , the owner of a historical motor vehicle that was manufactured for military purposes

and that is registered under this section may display the assigned registration number

of the vehicle by painting the number on the front and rear of the vehicle.  The number shall be painted, in accordance with the size and style specifications

established for numerals and letters shown on license plates in section 4503.22 of the Revised Code , in a color that contrasts clearly with the color of the vehicle, and shall be legible

and visible at all times.  Upon application for registration under this section and payment of the license

fee prescribed in division (B) of this section, the owner of such a historical motor

vehicle shall be issued a historical vehicle license plate.  The registration certificate and the license plate shall be kept in the vehicle

at all times the vehicle is operated on the public roads and highways in this state.  If ownership of such a vehicle is transferred, the transferor shall surrender the

historical vehicle license plate or transfer it to another historical motor vehicle

the transferor owns, and remove or obliterate the registration numbers painted on

the vehicle. (E) Historical vehicle and model year license plates are valid without renewal as long

as the vehicle for which they were issued or procured is in existence.  A historical vehicle plate is issued for the owner's use only for such vehicle unless

later transferred to another historical motor vehicle owned by that person.  In order to effect such a transfer, the owner of the historical motor vehicle that

originally displayed the historical vehicle plate shall comply with division (C) of

this section.  In the event of a transfer of title, the transferor shall surrender the historical

vehicle license plate or transfer it to another historical motor vehicle owned by

the transferor, but a model year license plate or plates may be retained by the transferor.  The registrar may revoke license plates issued under this section, for cause shown

and after hearing, for failure of the applicant to comply with this section.  Upon revocation, a historical vehicle license plate shall be surrendered;  a model

year license plate or plates may be retained, but the plate or plates are no longer

valid for display on the vehicle. (F) The owner of a historical motor vehicle bearing a historical vehicle license plate

may replace it with a model year license plate by surrendering the historical vehicle

license plate and motor vehicle certificate of registration to the registrar.  The owner, at the time of registration, shall execute an affidavit setting forth

that the model year plate is a legible and serviceable license plate that originally

was issued by this state.  Such an owner is required to pay the license fee prescribed by division (B) of this

section, but the owner is not required to have the historical motor vehicle reinspected

under division (C) of this section. A person who owns a historical motor vehicle bearing a model year license plate may

replace it with a historical vehicle license plate by surrendering the motor vehicle

certificate of registration and applying for issuance of a historical vehicle license

plate.  Such a person is required to pay the license fee prescribed by division (B) of this

section, but the person is not required to have the historical motor vehicle reinspected

under division (C) of this section.