Any public utility whose articles of incorporation or license certificate to do or transact business in this state has expired or has been canceled or revoked by the secretary of state, as provided by law for failure to make any report or return or to pay any tax or fee, upon payment to the secretary of state of any additional fees and penalties required to be paid to the secretary of state, and upon the filing with the secretary of state of a certificate from the tax commissioner that it has complied with all the requirements of law as to franchise or excise tax reports and paid all franchise or excise taxes, fees, or penalties due thereon for every year of its delinquency, and upon the payment to the secretary of state of an additional fee of ten dollars, shall be reinstated and again entitled to exercise its rights, privileges, and franchises in this state, and the secretary of state shall cancel the entry of cancellation or expiration to exercise its rights, privileges, and franchises. If the reinstatement is not made within one year from the date of the cancellation of its articles of incorporation or date of the cancellation or expiration of its license to do business, and it appears that articles of incorporation or license certificate have been issued to a corporation of the same or similar name, the applicant for reinstatement shall be required by the secretary of state, as a condition prerequisite to such reinstatement, to amend its articles by changing its name. A certificate of reinstatement may be filed in the county recorder's office of any county in the state, for which the recorder shall charge and collect a base fee of three dollars for services and a housing trust fund fee of three dollars pursuant to section 317.36 of the Revised Code.

If a domestic public utility applying for reinstatement has not previously designated an agent upon whom process may be served as required by section 1701.07 of the Revised Code, such public utility shall at the time of reinstatement and as a prerequisite thereto designate an agent in accordance with such section.

Any officer, shareholder, creditor, or receiver of any such public utility may at any time take all steps required by this section to effect such reinstatement, and in such case the designation of an agent upon whom process may be served shall not be a prerequisite to the reinstatement of the public utility.

Effective Date: 08-01-2003 .