Driver’s License Exam Stations
Town and Country Center
(614) 728-5853
54 County Rd.
Columbus OH 43213
Great Western Shopping Center
(614) 728-5853
3415 South Blvd.
Columbus OH 43204
Once you are an Ohio resident, you need to become an official Ohio driver as soon as possible. You are considered an Ohio resident once you: take a job, sign a lease, buy a home, register to vote, or enroll children in school.
1. Take your driver’s license and proof of social security number to the nearest Ohio State Patrol exam station. You will then be asked to surrender your valid-out-of-state driver’s license, take a vision screening and written test on Ohio traffic laws and signs.
(Written test is usually waived if you have a valid out of state license.)
2. Within 60 days you must take the “examination passed” form to a deputy registrar license agency where your driver’s license will be issued. Individual driver licenses are valid for four years and expire on your birthday.
Registration and Local Laws
Ohio of Highway Safety
(614) 466-2550
240 Parsons Ave.
Columbus, OH 43206
Bureau of Motor Vehicles
(614) 752-7500
4300 Kimberly Park East
Columbus, OH 43227
Franklin County Auto Title Department
(614) 462-3090
410 High Street
Columbus, OH 43215
If you own a vehicle, you will need to have it inspected. The purpose is to avoid registration of stolen vehicles. All license agencies offer this service and many, but not all, new car dealers do also, so call ahead to be sure. Ask for the service department at the car dealers. The inspection of your vehicle will verify the make, model, body type, and manufacturer’s serial number or vehicle identification number. You will be given the completed inspection form. This takes about five minutes. There is a $3.50 fee to the dealer or license agency and a $1.50 fee to be collected at your next stop, the auto title office.
Next, follow this checklist:
• Go to any county’s Clerk of Courts, auto title office.
• If your vehicle has two owners, both of you have to handle this unless you get a notarized power of attorney (Power of Attorney for Certificate of Title & Power of Attorney for Vehicle Registration) for the one who can’t come;
• If you have a lien on your car, you will have to request that your original title be sent directly to the title office so the lien can be recorded on the Ohio title as well as supply an original or copy of the loan papers;
• You will need to phone the Clerk of Courts to determine the charge for your title transfer. If sales tax is due, it will be collected before the title is issued. The title transfer must be paid for in cash. If you lease a car, contact your leasing agency to find out how they want you to handle the title transfer. It varies from company to company;
• Now it’s off to the license agency to get your new license plates. To register your vehicle in Ohio, you must present your new Ohio title (or memorandum of title, if your car has a lien).
• The license agency will collect the proper registration fees depending on when you purchase your tags, what taxing district you reside in, and when your birthday is. For passenger vehicles and non-commercial trucks, the cost will range from $35 to $105. Again, as with your title, the legal owners of the car must apply.
Registration
License plates expire on the owner’s birthday or if the vehicle is leased, the registration expires on the 20th of the month designated for the leasing company. There is no grace period. Registrations can be renewed by going to a deputy registrar license agency, mail-in registration, by logging onto www.OPLATES.com or by calling the toll-free number 1-866-OPLATES (1-866-675-2837).
Addresses can be updated by filling out a form at the deputy registrar license agency or by logging onto www.OPLATES.com.
Ohio’s motor vehicle laws that may differ from other states’ laws.
Safety Belts – Ohio’s mandatory safety belt usage law requires drivers and front-seat occupants of most passenger vehicles to wear their safety belts whenever they drive or ride in a motor vehicle on Ohio’s roadways. If you are a driver under 18 years of age, all occupants, front and back seats, must wear safety belts while operating on Ohio’s roadways. A violation of the safety belt law is not a moving violation and carries no points on your permanent driving record.
Child Restraint Law – Any child who is less than four years of age or weighs less than 40 pounds is required to use a child safety restraint that meets federal motor vehicle standards.
Window Tinting – The acceptable percentages of light transmission for motor vehicles are as follows: for the windshield, the tinting must allow 70 percent light transmission; for all other windows, the tinting must allow 50 percent light transmission, plus or minus three percent.
Use of Earphones – The use of earphones while driving a motor vehicle is illegal, except motorcycle operators for communication purposes.
License Plates Display – Two license plates are required for all cars, trucks, and motor homes.
Financial Responsibility Law – No one can operate a motor vehicle without proof of insurance. To comply with the law, liability coverage of $12,500-$25,000 for personal injury or death and $7,500 for property damage is required.
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