Hunting and fishing licenses, wetlands habitat stamps, deer and wild turkey permits, fur taker permits, and any other licenses, permits, or stamps that are required under this chapter or Chapter 1531. of the Revised Code and any reissued license, permit, or stamp may be issued by the clerk of the court of common pleas, village clerks, township fiscal officers, and other authorized agents designated by the chief of the division of wildlife. When required by the chief, a clerk, fiscal officer, or other agent shall give bond in the manner provided by the chief. All bonds, reports, except records prescribed by the auditor of state, and moneys received by those persons shall be handled under rules adopted by the director of natural resources.

The premium of any bond prescribed by the chief under this section may be paid by the chief. Any person who is designated and authorized by the chief to issue licenses, stamps, and permits as provided in this section, except the clerk of the court of common pleas, a village clerk, and a township fiscal officer, shall pay to the chief a premium in an amount that represents the person's portion of the premium paid by the chief under this section, which amount shall be established by the chief and approved by the wildlife council created under section 1531.03 of the Revised Code. The chief shall pay all moneys that the chief receives as premiums under this section into the state treasury to the credit of the wildlife fund created under section 1531.17 of the Revised Code.

Every authorized agent, for the purpose of issuing hunting and fishing licenses, wetlands habitat stamps, deer and wild turkey permits, and fur taker permits, may administer oaths to and take affidavits from applicants for the licenses, stamps, or permits when required. An authorized agent may appoint deputies to perform any acts that the agent is authorized to perform, consistent with division rules.

Every applicant for a hunting or fishing license, wetlands habitat stamp, deer or wild turkey permit, or fur taker permit, unless otherwise provided by division rule, shall provide the applicant's name, date of birth, weight, height, and place of residence and any other information that the chief may require. The clerk, fiscal officer, or other agent authorized to issue licenses, stamps, and permits shall charge each applicant a fee of one dollar or four per cent of the cost of the license, stamp, or permit, whichever is greater, for taking the information provided by the applicant and issuing the license, stamp, or permit. The application, license, stamp, permit, and other blanks required by this section shall be prepared and furnished by the chief, in the form the chief provides, to the clerk, fiscal officer, or other agent authorized to issue them. The licenses and permits shall be issued to applicants by the clerk, fiscal officer, or other agent. The record of licenses and permits kept by the clerks, fiscal officers, and other agents shall be uniform throughout the state and in the form or manner as the auditor of state prescribes and shall be open at all reasonable hours to the inspection of any person. Unless otherwise provided by division rule, each annual hunting license, deer or wild turkey permit, and fur taker permit issued shall remain in force until the first day of March. Application for any such license or permit may be made and a license or permit issued prior to the date upon which it becomes effective.

The chief may require an applicant who wishes to purchase a license, stamp, or permit by mail or telephone or via the internet to pay a nominal fee for postage and handling and credit card transactions.

The court before whom a violator of any laws or division rules for the protection of wild animals is tried, as a part of the punishment, shall revoke the license, stamp, or permit of any person convicted. The license, stamp, or permit fee paid by that person shall not be returned to the person. The person shall not procure or use any other license, stamp, or permit or engage in hunting wild animals or trapping fur-bearing animals during the period of revocation as ordered by the court.

No person under sixteen years of age shall engage in hunting unless accompanied by the person's parent or another adult person.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 257, §1, eff. 9/28/2018.

Effective Date: 09-26-2003; 12-20-2005.