Create the Blackout license plate

sb358_02_PS

As Passed by the Senate

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
Am. S. B. No. 358

2025-2026

Senator Manning

Cosponsors: Senators Antonio,
Brenner, Cirino, Craig, DeMora, Huffman, Landis, Patton, Reineke,
Roegner, Timken

To
enact section 4503.511 of the Revised Code
to
create the "Blackout" license plate.

BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section
1.
That
section 4503.511 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec.
4503.511.
(A)
The owner or lessee of any passenger car, noncommercial motor
vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle of a class approved
by the registrar of motor vehicles may apply to the registrar for the
registration of the vehicle and issuance of a blackout license plate.
The application 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 the completed application and compliance by the
applicant with divisions (B) and (C) of this section, the registrar
shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and
a blackout license plate 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 on the
license plates, blackout license plates shall have a black background
with white letters or numbers. Blackout license plates shall not
display the slogan "BIRTHPLACE OF AVIATION" as required
under section 4503.22 of the Revised Code. Blackout license plates
also shall not display county identification stickers that identify
the county of registration as required under section 4503.19 of the
Revised Code.

(B)
A blackout license plate and a validation sticker, or validation
sticker alone, shall be issued upon receipt of an application for
registration of a motor vehicle under this section; payment of the
regular license tax as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the
Revised Code, any applicable motor vehicle license tax levied under
Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, any applicable additional fee
prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, a
blackout license plate fee as provided in division (C) of this
section, and an additional administrative fee of ten dollars; and
compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the
registration of motor vehicles.

(C)
For each application for registration and registration renewal notice
the registrar receives under this section, the registrar shall
collect a blackout license plate fee of forty dollars. The registrar
shall deposit both of the following into the state treasury to the
credit of the public safety - highway purposes fund created in
section 4501.06 of the Revised Code:

(1)
The forty-dollar blackout license plate fee;

(2)
The ten-dollar administrative fee, the purpose of which is to
compensate the bureau of motor vehicles for additional services
required in the issuing of blackout license plates.