(A)(1) Upon the filing of an application for registration and the payment of the tax for registration, the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar shall determine whether the owner previously has been issued a license plate for the motor vehicle described in the application. If no license plate previously has been issued to the owner for that motor vehicle, the registrar or deputy registrar shall assign to the motor vehicle a distinctive number and issue and deliver to the owner in the manner that the registrar may select a certificate of registration, in the form that the registrar shall prescribe. The registrar or deputy registrar also shall charge the owner any fees required under division (C) of section 4503.10 of the Revised Code.

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(2) The registrar or deputy registrar then shall deliver a license plate and, when required, a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone, to be attached to the number plate as provided in section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

If an owner wishes to have two license plates, the registrar or deputy registrar shall deliver two license plates, duplicates of each other, and, when required, a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone, to be attached to the number plates as provided in section 4503.191 of the Revised Code. The owner shall display the license plate and, when required, the validation sticker on the rear of the vehicle. However, a commercial tractor shall display the license plate on the front of the commercial tractor and a chauffeured limousine shall display a livery sticker along with a validation sticker as provided in section 4503.24 of the Revised Code.

(3) The registrar or deputy registrar shall not issue a license plate for a school bus. A school bus shall display identifying numbers in the manner prescribed by section 4511.764 of the Revised Code.

(4) The certificate of registration shall be issued and delivered to the owner in person, by mail, or by electronic delivery. The license plate and, when required, validation sticker, or validation sticker alone, shall be issued and delivered to the owner in person or by mail.

(5) In the event of the loss, mutilation, or destruction of any certificate of registration, or of any license plate or validation sticker, or if the owner chooses to replace a license plate previously issued for a motor vehicle, or if the registration certificate and license plate have been impounded as provided by division (B)(1) of section 4507.02 and section 4507.16 of the Revised Code, the owner of a motor vehicle, or manufacturer or dealer, may obtain from the registrar, or from a deputy registrar if authorized by the registrar, a duplicate thereof or a new license plate bearing a different number, if the registrar considers it advisable, upon filing an application prescribed by the registrar, and upon paying a fee of one dollar for such certificate of registration. The registrar shall deposit the one dollar fee into the state treasury to the credit of the public safety – highway purposes fund created in section 4501.06 of the Revised Code. The registrar or deputy registrar shall charge a fee of seven dollars and fifty cents for each set of two license plates or six dollars and fifty cents for each single license plate or validation sticker issued, which the registrar shall deposit into the state treasury to the credit of the public safety – highway purposes fund.

(6) Each applicant for a replacement certificate of registration, license plate, or validation sticker also shall pay the fees provided in divisions (C) and (D) of section 4503.10 of the Revised Code and any applicable fee under section 4503.192 of the Revised Code.

Additionally, the registrar and each deputy registrar who either issues a license plate and a validation sticker for use on any vehicle other than a commercial tractor, semitrailer, or apportioned vehicle, or who issues a validation sticker alone for use on such a vehicle and the owner has changed the owner’s county of residence since the owner last was issued a county identification sticker, also shall issue and deliver to the owner a county identification sticker, which shall be attached to the license plate in a manner prescribed by the director of public safety. The county identification sticker shall identify prominently by name or number the county in which the owner of the vehicle resides at the time of registration.

(B) A certificate of registration issued under this section shall have a portion that contains all the information contained in the main portion of the certificate except for the address of the person to whom the certificate is issued. Except as provided in this division, whenever a reference is made in the Revised Code to a motor vehicle certificate of registration that is issued under this section, the reference shall be deemed to refer to either the main portion of the certificate or the portion containing all information in the main portion except the address of the person to whom the certificate is issued. If a reference is made in the Revised Code to the seizure or surrender of a motor vehicle certificate of registration that is issued under this section, the reference shall be deemed to refer to both the main portion of the certificate and the portion containing all information in the main portion except the address of the person to whom the certificate is issued.

(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.