(A) Any person or organization owning any number of canoes, rowboats, inflatable watercraft, or sailboats for the purpose of rental to the public may apply with the chief of the division of parks and watercraft for and receive an annual certificate of livery registration. No watercraft shall be rented to the public from a livery or other place of business in this state unless it first has been numbered and registered in accordance with this section or section 1547.54 of the Revised Code. Certificates of livery registration shall be issued by an authorized agent who is selected by the chief from among those designated under section 1547.54 of the Revised Code. The certificate shall display all of the following:

(1) The name of the owner of the livery;

(2) The date of issuance;

(3) The date of expiration;

(4) The number of watercraft registered;

(5) The fee paid;

(6) An authorized facsimile of the signature of the chief provided by the authorized agent who is selected to issue the certificate;

(7) The signature of the livery owner;

(8) The livery watercraft registration number assigned to the livery owner.

The owner of the livery shall be issued a tag for each watercraft that has been registered in accordance with this section. The tag shall be affixed to each such watercraft in accordance with this section prior to the watercraft's being rented to the public. The chief shall prescribe the content and form of the tag in rules .

The owner of a livery shall obtain an amended certificate of livery registration from the chief whenever the composition of the fleet changes.

(B) Not later than March 15, 2015, the owner of a livery shall identify each watercraft in the fleet for which a certificate of registration has been issued under this section in one of the following ways:

(1) By displaying the livery watercraft registration number assigned to the livery owner on the forward half of both sides of the watercraft in block characters that are of a single color that contrasts with the color of the hull and are at least three inches in height. The livery watercraft registration number shall be displayed in such a manner that the number is visible under normal operating conditions. In addition, the tag that has been issued to the watercraft under this section shall be placed not more than six inches from the livery watercraft registration number on the port side of the watercraft.

(2) By displaying the livery name on the rear half of the watercraft in such a manner that it is clearly visible under normal operating conditions. If there is insufficient space or it is impractical to display the livery name on the sides of the watercraft, the livery name may be displayed on the rear half of the watercraft's deck, provided that the display of the name does not interfere with the placement of the tag that has been issued to the watercraft. In addition, the tag shall be placed in one of the following locations:

(a) In the upper right corner of the transom so that the tag does not interfere with the legibility of the hull identification number of the watercraft;

(b) Six inches from the stern on the outside of the watercraft below the port side gunwale;

(c) On the inside of the watercraft on the upper portion of the starboard side gunwale so that the tag is visible from the port side of the watercraft;

(d) On a deck on the rear half of the watercraft.

For purposes of division (B) of this section, each watercraft in a livery fleet shall be identified in a uniform and consistent manner.

(C) The fee for each watercraft registered under this section shall be an annual registration fee. The fee shall be one-third of the triennial registration fees prescribed in section 1547.54 of the Revised Code. However, if the size of the fleet does not increase, the fee for an amended certificate of livery registration shall be the fee prescribed for issuing a duplicate registration certificate under section 1547.54 of the Revised Code, and the chief shall not refund to the livery owner all or any portion of an annual registration fee applicable to a watercraft transferred or abandoned by the livery owner. If the size of the fleet increases, the livery owner shall be required to pay the applicable annual registration fee for each watercraft registered under an amended certificate of livery registration that is in excess of the number of watercraft contained in the annual certificate of livery registration.

In addition to the fees established in this section, watercraft that are not powercraft shall be charged a waterways conservation assessment fee. The fee shall be collected at the time of the issuance of an annual livery registration under this section and shall be one dollar and fifty cents for each watercraft included in the registration. The fee shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to a distinct account in the waterways safety fund created in section 1547.75 of the Revised Code.

(D) The certificate of livery registration, rental agreements, and required safety equipment are subject to inspection at any time at the livery's place of business by any authorized representative of the division of parks and watercraft or any law enforcement officer in accordance with section 1547.63 of the Revised Code.

(E) Except as provided in this section, all watercraft registered under this section are subject to this chapter and Chapter 1548. of the Revised Code.

(F) The chief may issue an order temporarily restricting or suspending a livery certificate of registration and the privileges associated with it without a hearing if the chief finds that the holder of the certificate has violated this chapter.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 293, §1, eff. 9/14/2016.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 7/17/2009.

Effective Date: 07-05-2002 .