(A) Except as provided in divisions (B) and (C) of this section, the following shall apply:

(1) No person shall drive a commercial motor vehicle on a highway in this state unless the person holds, and has in the person's possession, any of the following:

(a) A valid commercial driver's license with proper endorsements for the motor vehicle being driven, issued by the registrar of motor vehicles or by another jurisdiction recognized by this state;

(b) A valid examiner's commercial driving permit issued under section 4506.13 of the Revised Code;

(c) A valid restricted commercial driver's license and waiver for farm-related service industries issued under section 4506.24 of the Revised Code;

(d) A valid commercial driver's license temporary instruction permit issued by the registrar, provided that the person is accompanied by an authorized state driver's license examiner or tester or a person who has been issued and has in the person's immediate possession a current, valid commercial driver's license and who meets the requirements of division (B) of section 4506.06 of the Revised Code.

(2) No person's commercial driver's license temporary instruction permit shall be upgraded, and no commercial driver's license shall be upgraded, renewed, or issued to a person until the person surrenders to the registrar of motor vehicles all valid licenses and permits issued to the person by this state or by another jurisdiction recognized by this state. If the license or permit was issued by any other state or another jurisdiction recognized by this state, the registrar shall report the surrender of a license or permit to the issuing authority, together with information that a license or permit is now issued in this state. The registrar shall destroy any such license or permit that is not returned to the issuing authority.

(3) No person who has been a resident of this state for thirty days or longer shall drive a commercial motor vehicle under the authority of a commercial driver's license issued by another jurisdiction.

(B) Nothing in division (A) of this section applies to any qualified person when engaged in the operation of any of the following:

(1) A farm truck;

(2) Fire equipment for a fire department, volunteer or nonvolunteer fire company, fire district, joint fire district, or the state fire marshal;

(3) A public safety vehicle used to provide transportation or emergency medical service for ill or injured persons;

(4) A recreational vehicle;

(5) A commercial motor vehicle within the boundaries of an eligible unit of local government, if the person is employed by the eligible unit of local government and is operating the commercial motor vehicle for the purpose of removing snow or ice from a roadway by plowing, sanding, or salting, but only if either the employee who holds a commercial driver's license issued under this chapter and ordinarily operates a commercial motor vehicle for these purposes is unable to operate the vehicle, or the employing eligible unit of local government determines that a snow or ice emergency exists that requires additional assistance;

(6) A vehicle operated for military purposes by any member or uniformed employee of the armed forces of the United States or their reserve components, including the Ohio national guard. This exception does not apply to United States reserve technicians.

(7) A commercial motor vehicle that is operated for nonbusiness purposes. "Operated for nonbusiness purposes" means that the commercial motor vehicle is not used in commerce as "commerce" is defined in 49 C.F.R. 383.5, as amended, and is not regulated by the public utilities commission pursuant to Chapter 4905., 4921., or 4923. of the Revised Code.

(8) A motor vehicle that is designed primarily for the transportation of goods and not persons, while that motor vehicle is being used for the occasional transportation of personal property by individuals not for compensation and not in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise;

(9) A police SWAT team vehicle;

(10) A police vehicle used to transport prisoners.

(C) Nothing contained in division (B)(5) of this section shall be construed as preempting or superseding any law, rule, or regulation of this state concerning the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles.

(D) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Amended by 133rd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 166, §101.01, eff. 10/17/2019.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 53, §101.01, eff. 7/1/2015.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 6/11/2012.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004; 09-29-2005; 2008 HB215 04-07-2009.