As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session S. B. No. 358

2025-2026

Senator Manning

To enact section 4503.511 of the Revised Code to create the "Blackout" license plate.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 4503.511 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 4503.511. (A) The owner or lessee of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar of motor vehicles may apply to the registrar for the registration of the vehicle and issuance of a blackout license plate. 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. Upon receipt of the completed application and compliance by the applicant with divisions (B) and (C) of this section, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a blackout license plate and 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, blackout license plates shall have a black background with white letters or numbers. Blackout license plates shall not display the slogan "BIRTHPLACE OF AVIATION" as required under section 4503.22 of the Revised Code. Blackout license plates also shall not display county identification stickers that identify the county of registration as required under section 4503.19 of the Revised Code.

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

(C) For each application for registration and registration renewal notice the registrar receives under this section, the registrar shall collect a blackout license plate fee of twenty dollars. The registrar shall deposit both of the following into the state treasury to the credit of the public safety - highway purposes fund created in section 4501.06 of the Revised Code:

(1) The twenty-dollar blackout license plate fee;

(2) The ten-dollar administrative fee, the purpose of which is to compensate the bureau of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing of blackout license plates.