(A) The owner or lessee of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, or vehicle of a class approved by the registrar of motor vehicles may apply to the registrar for registration of the vehicle and for issuance of collegiate license plates. 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.

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Upon receipt of the completed application for registration of a vehicle in accordance with any rules adopted under this section and upon compliance with divisions (B) and (C) of this section, the registrar shall issue to the applicant appropriate vehicle registration and a set of collegiate license plates with 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, collegiate license plates shall display the name of a university or college that is participating with the registrar in the issuance of collegiate license plates, or any other identifying marking or design selected by such a university or college and approved by the registrar. Collegiate license plates shall display county identification stickers that identify the county of registration as required under section 4503.19 of the Revised Code.

(B) The collegiate license plates and 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 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, an additional administrative fee of ten dollars, and a contribution as provided in division (C)(1) of this section; and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles.

(C)(1) For each application for registration and registration renewal notice the registrar receives under this section, the registrar shall collect a contribution of twenty-five dollars.

The registrar shall deposit this contribution into the state treasury to the credit of the license plate contribution fund created in section 4501.21 of the Revised Code.

(2) The registrar shall deposit the administrative fee of ten dollars, which is to compensate the bureau of motor vehicles for the additional services required in the issuing of the collegiate license plates, into the state treasury to the credit of the public safety – highway purposes fund created in section 4501.06 of the Revised Code.

(D) The registrar, in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules necessary for the efficient administration of the collegiate license plate program.

(E) As used in this section, “university or college” means a state university or college or a private university or college located in this state that possesses a certificate of authorization issued by the Ohio board of regents pursuant to Chapter 1713 of the Revised Code. “University or college” also includes community colleges created pursuant to Chapter 3354 of the Revised Code, university branches created pursuant to Chapter 3355 of the Revised Code, technical colleges created pursuant to Chapter 3357 of the Revised Code, and state community colleges created pursuant to Chapter 3358 of the Revised Code.