(A) Any person who is a member in good standing of the international association of firefighters may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of any passenger car, noncommercial vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar that the person owns or leases and the issuance of international association of firefighters license plates. The application shall be accompanied by the written evidence that the registrar may require by rule showing that the person is a member in good standing of the international association of firefighters. The application for international association of firefighters license plates may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code.

Upon receipt of an application for registration of a vehicle under this section and presentation of satisfactory evidence showing that the person is a member in good standing of the international association of firefighters, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registrations, sets of license plates and validation stickers, or validation stickers alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, international association of firefighters license plates shall be inscribed with a Maltese cross emblem designed by the international association of firefighters and approved by the registrar. International association of firefighters license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration as required under section 4503.19 of the Revised Code.

The license plates and validation stickers shall be issued upon payment of the regular license fee as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, payment of any local motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, and payment of an additional fee of ten dollars for the purpose of compensating the bureau of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing of license plates under this section. If the application for international association of firefighters license plates is combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, the license plate and validation sticker shall be issued upon payment of the fees and taxes contained in this division and the additional fee prescribed under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code. The registrar shall deposit the additional fee of ten dollars in the public safety - highway purposes fund created by section 4501.06 of the Revised Code.

Whenever a person no longer is eligible to be issued international association of firefighters license plates, the person shall surrender the international association of firefighters license plates to the bureau in exchange for license plates without the Maltese cross emblem described in this section. A fee of five dollars shall be charged for the services required in the issuing of replacement plates when a person no longer is eligible to be issued international association of firefighters license plates.

A person may make application for international association of firefighters license plates at any time of year, and the registrar shall issue international association of firefighters license plates and replacement plates at any time of year.

(B) No person who is not a member in good standing of the international association of firefighters shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is a member in good standing of the international association of firefighters for the purpose of obtaining international association of firefighters license plates under this section. No person shall own or lease a vehicle bearing international association of firefighters license plates unless the person is eligible to be issued international association of firefighters license plates.

(C) Whoever violates division (B) of 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.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 159, §1, eff. 9/14/2016.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004; 09-29-2005