(A) Any person who is a volunteer firefighter may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of one passenger car or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar the person owns or leases. The application shall be accompanied by such written evidence as the registrar may require by rule, that the person is a volunteer firefighter.

Upon receipt of an application for the registration of a passenger car or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar under this section and presentation of satisfactory evidence of such volunteer firefighter status, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of license plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code. In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed thereon, the license plates shall be inscribed with the letters "F.D." inside a Maltese cross emblem. The license plates and validation stickers shall be issued upon payment of the regular license fees as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code and any local motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, and upon the payment of an additional fee of ten dollars for issuance under this section. The fee shall be for the purpose of compensating the bureau of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing of such license plates, and shall be transmitted by the registrar to the treasurer of state for deposit in the public safety - highway purposes fund created by section 4501.06 of the Revised Code. No person shall apply for more than one set of volunteer firefighter license plates annually.

The chief of a fire department or the fire chief shall immediately notify the registrar whenever any person under the chief's supervision is no longer a volunteer firefighter.

Whenever a person is no longer eligible to be issued volunteer firefighter license plates, the person shall surrender the volunteer firefighter license plates to the bureau in exchange for plates without the "F.D." emblem. A fee of five dollars shall be charged for the services required in the issuing of replacement plates when an individual is no longer eligible to be issued volunteer firefighter license plates.

Application for volunteer firefighter license plates may be made, and such license plates and replacement plates shall be issued, at any time of year.

No person who is not a volunteer firefighter shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is a volunteer firefighter for the purpose of obtaining volunteer firefighter license plates under this section. No person shall own a vehicle bearing such license plates unless the person is eligible to be issued such license plates.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 26, §101.01, eff. 6/30/2017; however, the modifications to provisions of law requiring the deposit of funds into the Public Safety - Highway Purposes Fund that are made in this section shall take effect not earlier than July 1, 2017.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004.