Ohio Code 4510.11 – Driving under suspension or in violation of license restriction
(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section and in sections 4510.111 and 4510.16 of the Revised Code, no person whose driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit or nonresident operating privilege has been suspended under any provision of the Revised Code, other than Chapter 4509. of the Revised Code, or under any applicable law in any other jurisdiction in which the person’s license or permit was issued, shall operate any motor vehicle upon the public roads and highways or upon any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking within this state during the period of suspension unless the person is granted limited driving privileges and is operating the vehicle in accordance with the terms of the limited driving privileges.
Attorney's Note
Under the Ohio Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor of the first degree | up to 180 days | up to $1,000 |
Terms Used In Ohio Code 4510.11
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
- state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
- suspension: means the permanent or temporary withdrawal, by action of a court or the bureau of motor vehicles, of a driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege for the period of the suspension or the permanent or temporary withdrawal of the privilege to obtain a license, permit, or privilege of that type for the period of the suspension. See Ohio Code 4510.01
- Whoever: includes all persons, natural and artificial; partners; principals, agents, and employees; and all officials, public or private. See Ohio Code 1.02
(B) No person shall operate any motor vehicle upon a highway or any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking in this state in violation of any restriction of the person’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit imposed under division (D) of section 4506.10 or under section 4507.14 of the Revised Code.
(C) Upon the request or motion of the prosecuting authority, a noncertified copy of the law enforcement automated data system report or a noncertified copy of a record of the registrar of motor vehicles that shows the name, date of birth, and social security number of a person charged with a violation of division (A) or (B) of this section may be admitted into evidence as prima-facie evidence that the license of the person was under suspension at the time of the alleged violation of division (A) of this section or the person operated a motor vehicle in violation of a restriction at the time of the alleged violation of division (B) of this section. The person charged with a violation of division (A) or (B) of this section may offer evidence to rebut this prima-facie evidence.
(D)(1) Whoever violates division (A) or (B) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. The court may impose upon the offender a class seven suspension of the offender’s driver’s license, commercial driver’s license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in division (A)(7) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code.
(2)(a) Except as provided in division (D)(2)(b) or (c) of this section, the court, in addition to any other penalty that it imposes on the offender and if the vehicle is registered in the offender’s name and if, within three years of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one violation of this section or section 4510.111 or 4510.16 of the Revised Code, or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, the court, in addition to or independent of any other sentence that it imposes upon the offender, may order the immobilization of the vehicle involved in the offense for thirty days and the impoundment of that vehicle’s license plates for thirty days in accordance with section 4503.233 of the Revised Code.
(b) If the vehicle is registered in the offender’s name and if, within three years of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two violations of this section, or any combination of two violations of this section or section 4510.111 or 4510.16 of the Revised Code, or of a substantially similar municipal ordinance, the court, in addition to any other sentence that it imposes on the offender, may order the immobilization of the vehicle involved in the offense for sixty days and the impoundment of that vehicle’s license plates for sixty days in accordance with section 4503.233 of the Revised Code.
(c) If the vehicle is registered in the offender’s name and if, within three years of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to three or more violations of this section, or any combination of three or more violations of this section or section 4510.111 or 4510.16 of the Revised Code, or of a substantially similar municipal ordinance, the court, in addition to any other sentence that it imposes on the offender, may order the criminal forfeiture of the vehicle involved in the offense to the state.
(E) Any order for immobilization and impoundment under this section shall be issued and enforced under sections 4503.233 and 4507.02 of the Revised Code, as applicable. The court shall not release a vehicle from immobilization ordered under this section unless the court is presented with current proof of financial responsibility with respect to that vehicle.
(F) Any order of criminal forfeiture under this section shall be issued and enforced under section 4503.234 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the copy of the order from the court, neither the registrar of motor vehicles nor a deputy registrar shall accept any application for the registration or transfer of registration of any motor vehicle owned or leased by the person named in the declaration of forfeiture. The period of registration denial shall be five years after the date of the order, unless, during that period, the court having jurisdiction of the offense that led to the order terminates the forfeiture and notifies the registrar of the termination. The registrar then shall take necessary measures to permit the person to register a vehicle owned or leased by the person or to transfer registration of the vehicle.
(G) The offender shall provide the court with proof of financial responsibility as defined in section 4509.01 of the Revised Code. If the offender fails to provide that proof of financial responsibility, then, in addition to any other penalties provided by law, the court may order restitution pursuant to section 2929.28 of the Revised Code in an amount not exceeding five thousand dollars for any economic loss arising from an accident or collision that was the direct and proximate result of the offender’s operation of the vehicle before, during, or after committing the offense for which the offender is sentenced under this section.