(A)(1) The registrar of motor vehicles may adopt rules to permit any person or lessee, other than a person receiving an apportioned license plate under the international registration plan, who owns or leases one or more motor vehicles to file a written application for registration for no more than five succeeding registration years. The rules adopted by the registrar may designate the classes of motor vehicles that are eligible for such registration. At the time of application, all annual taxes and fees shall be paid for each year for which the person is registering.

Ask a traffic law question, get an answer ASAP!
Thousands of highly rated, verified traffic lawyers.
Parking violations, accidents, DUI/DWI, licensing, registration, and more
Protect your vehicle and your rights with expert legal help now
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(2)(a) The registrar shall adopt rules to permit any person or lessee who owns or leases a trailer or semitrailer that is subject to the tax rate prescribed in either division (C)(1) or, beginning January 1, 2022, (C)(2) of section 4503.042 of the Revised Code to file a written application for registration for any number of succeeding registration years, including a permanent registration, for such trailers or semitrailers.

At the time of application, the applicant shall pay all of the following:

(i) As applicable, either the annual tax prescribed in division (C)(1) of section 4503.042 of the Revised Code for each year for which the applicant is registering or the annual tax prescribed in division (C)(2) of section 4503.042 of the Revised Code, unless the applicant previously paid the tax specified in division (C)(2) of that section for the trailer or semitrailer being registered. However, an applicant paying the annual tax under division (C)(1) of section 4503.042 of the Revised Code shall not pay more than eight times the annual taxes due, regardless of the number of years for which the applicant is registering.

(ii) The additional fee established under division (C)(1) of section 4503.10 of the Revised Code for each year of registration, provided that not more than eight times the additional fee due shall be paid, regardless of the number of years for which the applicant is registering.

(iii) One single deputy registrar service fee in the amount specified in division (D) of section 4503.10 of the Revised Code or one single bureau of motor vehicles service fee in the amount specified in division (G) of that section, as applicable, regardless of the number of years for which the applicant is registering.

(b) In addition, each applicant registering a trailer or semitrailer under division (A)(2)(a) of this section shall pay any applicable local motor vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504 of the Revised Code for each year for which the applicant is registering, provided that not more than eight times any such annual local taxes shall be due upon registration.

(c) The period of registration for a trailer or semitrailer registered under division (A)(2)(a) of this section is exclusive to the trailer or semitrailer for which that certificate of registration is issued and is not transferable to any other trailer or semitrailer if the registration is a permanent registration.

(3) Except as provided in division (A)(4) of this section, the registrar shall adopt rules to permit any person who owns a motor vehicle to file an application for registration for not more than five succeeding registration years. At the time of application, the person shall pay the annual taxes and fees for each registration year, calculated in accordance with division (C) of section 4503.11 of the Revised Code. A person who is registering a vehicle under division (A)(3) of this section shall pay for each year of registration the additional fee established under division (C)(1) or (3) of section 4503.10 of the Revised Code, as applicable. The person shall also pay the deputy registrar service fee or the bureau of motor vehicles service fee equal to the amount established under section 4503.038 of the Revised Code.

(4) Division (A)(3) of this section does not apply to a person receiving an apportioned license plate under the international registration plan, or the owner of a commercial car used solely in intrastate commerce, or the owner of a bus as defined in section 4513.50 of the Revised Code.

(5) A person registering a noncommercial trailer permanently shall register the trailer under section 4503.107 of the Revised Code.

(B) No person applying for a multi-year registration under division (A) of this section is entitled to a refund of any taxes or fees paid.

(C) The registrar shall not issue to any applicant who has been issued a final, nonappealable order under division (D) of this section a multi-year registration or renewal thereof under this division or rules adopted under it for any motor vehicle that is required to be inspected under section 3704.14 of the Revised Code the district of registration of which, as determined under section 4503.10 of the Revised Code, is or is located in the county named in the order.

(D) Upon receipt from the director of environmental protection of a notice issued under rules adopted under section 3704.14 of the Revised Code indicating that an owner of a motor vehicle that is required to be inspected under that section who obtained a multi-year registration for the vehicle under division (A) of this section or rules adopted under that division has not obtained a required inspection certificate for the vehicle, the registrar in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code shall issue an order to the owner impounding the certificate of registration and identification license plates for the vehicle. The order also shall prohibit the owner from obtaining or renewing a multi-year registration for any vehicle that is required to be inspected under that section, the district of registration of which is or is located in the same county as the county named in the order during the number of years after expiration of the current multi-year registration that equals the number of years for which the current multi-year registration was issued.

An order issued under this division shall require the owner to surrender to the registrar the certificate of registration and license plates for the vehicle named in the order within five days after its issuance. If the owner fails to do so within that time, the registrar shall certify that fact to the county sheriff or local police officials who shall recover the certificate of registration and license plates for the vehicle.

(E) Upon the occurrence of either of the following circumstances, the registrar in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code shall issue to the owner a modified order rescinding the provisions of the order issued under division (D) of this section impounding the certificate of registration and license plates for the vehicle named in that original order:

(1) Receipt from the director of environmental protection of a subsequent notice under rules adopted under section 3704.14 of the Revised Code that the owner has obtained the inspection certificate for the vehicle as required under those rules;

(2) Presentation to the registrar by the owner of the required inspection certificate for the vehicle.

(F) The owner of a motor vehicle for which the certificate of registration and license plates have been impounded pursuant to an order issued under division (D) of this section, upon issuance of a modified order under division (E) of this section, may apply to the registrar for their return. A fee of two dollars and fifty cents shall be charged for the return of the certificate of registration and license plates for each vehicle named in the application.