Ohio Code 4511.521 – Operation of motorized bicycles
(A) No person shall operate a motorized bicycle upon a highway or any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking, unless all of the following conditions are met:
Attorney's Note
Under the Ohio Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Minor misdemeanor | up to $150 |
Terms Used In Ohio Code 4511.521
- Another: when used to designate the owner of property which is the subject of an offense, includes not only natural persons but also every other owner of property. See Ohio Code 1.02
- Bicycle: means every device, other than a device that is designed solely for use as a play vehicle by a child, that is propelled solely by human power upon which a person may ride, and that has two or more wheels, any of which is more than fourteen inches in diameter. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- highway: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way open to the use of the public as a thoroughfare for purposes of vehicular travel. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Motorcycle: means every motor vehicle, other than a tractor, having a seat or saddle for the use of the operator and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground, including, but not limited to, motor vehicles known as "motor-driven cycle" "motor scooter" "autocycle" "cab-enclosed motorcycle" or "motorcycle" without regard to weight or brake horsepower. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Operate: means to cause or have caused movement of a vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Person: means every natural person, firm, co-partnership, association, or corporation. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Roadway: means that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, except the berm or shoulder. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Traffic: means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars, trackless trolleys, and other devices, either singly or together, while using for purposes of travel any highway or private road open to public travel. See Ohio Code 4511.01
- Whoever: includes all persons, natural and artificial; partners; principals, agents, and employees; and all officials, public or private. See Ohio Code 1.02
(1) The person is fourteen or fifteen years of age and holds a valid probationary motorized bicycle license issued after the person has passed the test provided for in this section, or the person is sixteen years of age or older and holds either a valid commercial driver’s license issued under Chapter 4506. or a driver’s license issued under Chapter 4507 of the Revised Code or a valid motorized bicycle license issued after the person has passed the test provided for in this section, except that if a person is sixteen years of age, has a valid probationary motorized bicycle license and desires a motorized bicycle license, the person is not required to comply with the testing requirements provided for in this section;
(2) The motorized bicycle is equipped in accordance with the rules adopted under division (B) of this section and is in proper working order;
(3) The person, if under eighteen years of age, is wearing a protective helmet on the person’s head with the chin strap properly fastened and the motorized bicycle is equipped with a rear-view mirror.
(4) The person operates the motorized bicycle when practicable within three feet of the right edge of the roadway obeying all traffic rules applicable to vehicles.
(B) The director of public safety, subject to sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, shall adopt and promulgate rules concerning protective helmets, the equipment of motorized bicycles, and the testing and qualifications of persons who do not hold a valid driver’s or commercial driver’s license. The test shall be as near as practicable to the examination required for a motorcycle operator’s endorsement under section 4507.11 of the Revised Code. The test shall also require the operator to give an actual demonstration of the operator’s ability to operate and control a motorized bicycle by driving one under the supervision of an examining officer.
(C) Every motorized bicycle license expires on the birthday of the applicant in the fourth or eighth year after the date it is issued, based on the period of renewal requested by the applicant. No motorized bicycle license shall be issued for a period longer than eight years. A person who is sixty-five years of age or older may only apply for a motorized bicycle license that expires on the birthday of the applicant in the fourth year after the date it is issued.
(D) No person operating a motorized bicycle shall carry another person upon the motorized bicycle.
(E) The protective helmet and rear-view mirror required by division (A)(3) of this section shall, on and after January 1, 1985, conform with rules adopted by the director under division (B) of this section.
(F) Whoever violates division (A), (D), or (E) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.