Chapter 4521 | Local, Noncriminal Parking Infractions

Section 4521.01 | Local, noncriminal parking infraction definitions.

• Effective: April 6, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 281 - 134th General Assembly

As used in this chapter:

(A) "Parking infraction" means a violation of any ordinance, resolution, or regulation enacted by a local authority that regulates the standing or parking of vehicles and that is authorized pursuant to section 505.17 or 4511.07 of the Revised Code, or a violation of any ordinance, resolution, or regulation enacted by a local authority as authorized by this chapter, if the local authority in either of these cases also has enacted an ordinance, resolution, or regulation of the type described in division (A) of section 4521.02 of the Revised Code in relation to the particular regulatory ordinance, resolution, or regulation.

(B) "Vehicle" has the same meaning as in section 4511.01 of the Revised Code.

(C) "Court" means a municipal court, county court, juvenile court, or mayor's court, unless specifically identified as one of these courts, in which case it means the specifically identified court.

(D) "Local authority" means every county, municipal corporation, township, or other local board or body having authority to adopt police regulations pursuant to the constitution and laws of this state.

(E) "Accessible parking space" means a motor vehicle parking location that is reserved for the exclusive standing or parking of a vehicle that is operated by or on behalf of a person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk and displays a placard or license plates issued under section 4503.44 of the Revised Code.

(F) "Person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk" has the same meaning as in section 4503.44 of the Revised Code.

Last updated March 10, 2023 at 12:37 PM

Section 4521.02 | Creation of noncriminal parking violations.

• Effective: April 6, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 281 - 134th General Assembly

(A) A local authority that enacts any ordinance, resolution, or regulation that regulates the standing or parking of vehicles and that is authorized pursuant to section 505.17 or 4511.07 of the Revised Code also by ordinance, resolution, or regulation may specify that a violation of the regulatory ordinance, resolution, or regulation shall not be considered a criminal offense for any purpose, that a person who commits the violation shall not be arrested as a result of the commission of the violation, and that the violation shall be handled pursuant to this chapter. If such a specification is made, the local authority also by ordinance, resolution, or regulation shall adopt a fine for a violation of the regulatory ordinance, resolution, or regulation and prescribe an additional penalty or penalties for failure to answer any charges of the violation in a timely manner. In no case shall any fine adopted or additional penalty prescribed pursuant to this division exceed the fine established by the municipal or county court having territorial jurisdiction over the entire or a majority of the political subdivision of the local authority, in its schedule of fines established pursuant to Traffic Rule 13(C), for a substantively comparable violation. Except as provided in this division, in no case shall any fine adopted or additional penalty prescribed pursuant to this division exceed one hundred dollars, plus costs and other administrative charges, per violation.

If a local authority chooses to adopt a specific fine for a violation of an ordinance, resolution, or regulation that regulates the standing or parking of a vehicle in an accessible parking space, the fine the local authority establishes for such offense shall be an amount not less than two hundred fifty dollars but not more than five hundred dollars.

(B) A local authority that enacts an ordinance, resolution, or regulation pursuant to division (A) of this section also may enact an ordinance, resolution, or regulation that provides for the impoundment or immobilization of vehicles found standing or parked in violation of the regulatory ordinance, resolution, or regulation and the release of the vehicles to their owners. In no case shall an ordinance, resolution, or regulation require the owner of the vehicle to post bond or deposit cash in excess of one thousand dollars in order to obtain release of the vehicle.

(C) A local authority that enacts any ordinance, resolution, or regulation pursuant to division (A) of this section also shall enact an ordinance, resolution, or regulation that specifies the time within which a person who is issued a parking ticket must answer in relation to the parking infraction charged in the ticket.

Last updated March 10, 2023 at 12:37 PM

Section 4521.03 | Adoption of parking ticket.

• Effective: January 1, 1983
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 707 - 114th General Assembly

(A) Each local authority that enacts any ordinance, resolution, or regulation pursuant to division (A) of section 4521.02 of the Revised Code shall adopt a parking ticket to be used by its law enforcement officers. The "Ohio Uniform Traffic Ticket" described in Traffic Rule 3(A) and (B) may be used as the parking ticket. The parking ticket adopted by a local authority shall be the summons and complaint for purposes of this chapter.

(B) The parking ticket adopted by a local authority pursuant to division (A) of this section shall be used by its law enforcement officers in all cases in which a person is charged with committing a parking infraction in its political subdivision. Each parking ticket shall contain provisions that advise the person upon whom it is served that the person must answer in relation to the parking infraction charged in the ticket and that certain penalties may result from a failure to timely answer, indicate the allowable answers that may be made and that the person will be afforded a hearing if he denies in his answer that he committed the parking infraction, specify the entity to which, the time within which, and the allowable manners in which the answer must be made, indicate the penalties that may result from failure to timely answer and the fine that arises from the parking infraction, warn that failure to timely answer or to appear at a requested hearing will be considered an admission of the parking infraction, and warn that a default civil judgment potentially may be entered against the person and, if different, the owner of the vehicle if the person fails to timely answer or to appear at a requested hearing.

(C) A law enforcement officer who issues a parking ticket for a parking infraction shall complete the ticket by identifying the parking infraction charged, recording the license plate number, type, and make or model of the vehicle, and indicating the date, time, and place of the parking infraction charged. The officer shall sign the ticket and affirm the facts it contains. If the operator of the vehicle is present, the officer also shall record on the ticket the name of the operator in a space provided on the ticket for identification of the offender, and then shall personally serve the parking ticket upon the operator. If the operator of the vehicle is not present, the officer shall insert the word "owner" in the space provided on the ticket for identification of the offender, and then shall constructively serve the parking ticket upon the owner of the vehicle by affixing the ticket to the vehicle in a conspicuous place.

Constructive service of a parking ticket upon an owner of a vehicle by affixation as provided in this division, or by the procedure described in division (E) of this section, has the same force and effect, and potentially subjects both the owner and the operator of the vehicle whose act or omission resulted in the parking infraction, if different, to the same fine and the same penalties for failure to timely answer or to appear, if a hearing is requested, as if the parking ticket were personally served on both the owner and operator of the vehicle at the time of the violation.

(D) The original of a parking ticket issued pursuant to this section or any true copy of it shall be considered a record kept in the ordinary course of business of the local authority and of the law enforcement agency whose officer issued it, and shall be prima-facie evidence of the facts it contains.

(E) An operator of a vehicle who is not the owner of the vehicle, but who operates it with the express or implied permission of the owner is the agent of the owner for purposes of the receipt of parking tickets served in accordance with this section, and personal service of a parking ticket upon the operator in accordance with this section constitutes constructive service upon the owner for purposes of this chapter. The operator of a rented or leased vehicle whose act or omission resulted in an alleged parking infraction shall not be considered an agent of the owner if the owner is engaged in the business of renting and leasing vehicles pursuant to a written rental or lease agreement and if the owner follows the procedures set forth in section 4521.09 of the Revised Code.

(F) Except as provided in section 4521.09 of the Revised Code, when a parking ticket is issued for a parking infraction and is served pursuant to this section, the operator of the vehicle whose act or omission resulted in the parking infraction for which the ticket was issued and the owner of the vehicle involved in the parking infraction, if different, are jointly liable for the parking infraction and any fine or penalty arising out of the parking infraction under an ordinance, resolution, or regulation enacted by the local authority pursuant to division (A) of section 4521.02 of the Revised Code. Any owner of a vehicle who pays any fine or penalty imposed for a parking infraction pursuant to this chapter may recover the amount paid from the operator of the vehicle whose act or omission resulted in the parking infraction.

(G) No person upon whom a parking ticket charging a parking infraction is personally or constructively served pursuant to this section shall be arrested as a result of the commission of the parking infraction.

Section 4521.04 | Establishing parking violations bureau.

• Effective: January 1, 1983
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 707 - 114th General Assembly

(A)(1) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation or township, by ordinance or resolution, may request the municipal court or county court having territorial jurisdiction over the municipal corporation or township to authorize the municipal corporation or township to establish a parking violations bureau to handle all parking infractions occurring within the territory of the municipal corporation or the unincorporated area of the township, including parking infractions that are violations of ordinances, resolutions, or regulations of other local authorities and that occur within the territory of the municipal corporation or the unincorporated area of the township.

(2) The legislative authorities of two or more municipal corporations, two or more townships, or one or more municipal corporations and one or more townships that are within the territorial jurisdiction of the same municipal court or county court may join together and, by ordinance or resolution, request the municipal court or county court to authorize the municipal corporations or townships to jointly establish a joint parking violations bureau to handle all parking infractions occurring within the territories of the municipal corporations or the unincorporated area of the townships that have joined together in making the request, including parking infractions that are violations of ordinances, resolutions, or regulations of other local authorities and that occur within the territories of the municipal corporations or the unincorporated area of the townships.

(B) A request made pursuant to division (A) of this section shall be filed with the clerk of the municipal court or county court. Upon the filing of such a request, the court shall authorize the municipal corporation or township that made the request, or the municipal corporations or townships that joined together in making the request, by journal entry, to establish a parking violations bureau or to jointly establish a joint parking violations bureau. Upon the grant of such authority by a court, the municipal corporation or township, or the municipal corporations or townships that joined together may establish the parking violations bureau or jointly establish the joint parking violations bureau.

Section 4521.05 | Jurisdiction.

• Effective: August 3, 1992
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 256 - 119th General Assembly

(A) If a parking violations bureau or a joint parking violations bureau is established pursuant to section 4521.04 of the Revised Code, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the bureau or joint bureau has jurisdiction over each parking infraction that is a violation of an ordinance, resolution, or regulation of any local authority and that occurs within the territory of the municipal corporation or the unincorporated area of the township that established the bureau or the territory of any of the municipal corporations or the unincorporated area of any of the townships that joined together to jointly establish the joint bureau, regardless of whether the local authority was the municipal corporation or township that established the bureau or was one of the municipal corporations or townships that joined together to jointly establish the joint bureau. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, each parking infraction that is a violation of an ordinance, resolution, or regulation of any local authority and that occurs within the jurisdiction of the bureau or the joint bureau and the enforcement of each such parking infraction shall be handled pursuant to and be governed by the provisions of this chapter. No traffic violations bureau established pursuant to Traffic Rule 13 that otherwise would have jurisdiction over such a parking infraction shall have jurisdiction over it.

The operating costs of a parking violations bureau shall be paid by the municipal corporation or township that establishes it, and the operating costs of a joint parking violations bureau shall be paid by all of the municipal corporations or townships that jointly establish it, in the proportions agreed upon by the legislative authorities of the municipal corporations or townships. The legislative authority of the municipal corporation or township that establishes a parking violations bureau and the legislative authorities of all of the municipal corporations or townships that join together to establish a joint parking violations bureau, by agreement, shall appoint a violations clerk for the bureau or joint bureau, and, subject to the exception provided in this division, shall appoint hearing examiners and necessary clerical employees for the bureau or joint bureau. The legislative authority of the municipal corporation or township that establishes a bureau and the legislative authorities of all of the municipal corporations or townships that join together to establish a joint bureau, by agreement, may delegate its or their duty to appoint either hearing examiners or necessary clerical personnel, or both, to the violations clerk appointed for the bureau or joint bureau, in which case the violations clerk, upon his appointment, shall make those appointments in accordance with the delegation. No person shall be employed as a hearing examiner unless the person is an attorney admitted to the practice of law in this state or formerly was employed as a law enforcement officer.

The fine and penalties established for a parking infraction by any local authority shall be collected, retained, and disbursed by the violations clerk if the parking infraction out of which the fine or penalties arose occurred within the jurisdiction of the bureau or joint bureau. The fine and penalties collected by a violations clerk for a parking infraction shall be disbursed by the clerk to the local authority whose ordinance, resolution, or regulation was violated.

(B) A juvenile court and a traffic violations bureau established by a court pursuant to Traffic Rule 13 shall retain jurisdiction over each parking infraction that occurs within the territorial jurisdiction of the court or the court that established the bureau, and that is not within the jurisdiction of a parking violations bureau or a joint parking violations bureau, as determined under division (A) of this section. However, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, each such parking infraction and the enforcement of each such parking infraction shall be handled by the juvenile court or the traffic violations bureau pursuant to and be governed by the provisions of this chapter. The fine and penalties established for a parking infraction by any local authority shall be collected, retained, and disbursed by the clerk of the juvenile court or the violations clerk of the traffic violations bureau if the parking infraction occurred within the territorial jurisdiction of the court or the court that established the bureau and if it did not occur within the jurisdiction of a parking violations bureau or joint parking violations bureau. The fine and penalties collected by a clerk for a parking infraction shall be disbursed by the clerk to the local authority whose ordinance, resolution, or regulation was violated.

(C) If a local authority does not enact an ordinance, resolution, or regulation of the type described in division (A) of section 4521.02 of the Revised Code in relation to an ordinance, resolution, or regulation enacted by the local authority that regulates the standing or parking of vehicles and that is authorized by section 505.17 or 4511.07 of the Revised Code, a violation of the particular regulatory ordinance, resolution, or regulation is not a parking infraction for purposes of this chapter.

(D) A municipal corporation or township that establishes a parking violations bureau, the municipal corporations or townships that jointly establish a joint parking violations bureau, by agreement, or a court that establishes a traffic violations bureau may contract with any governmental or nongovernmental entity to provide services in processing, collecting, and enforcing parking tickets issued by law enforcement officers and civil judgments and default civil judgments entered pursuant to this chapter.

Section 4521.06 | Answer to charge of parking infraction.

• Effective: January 1, 1983
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 707 - 114th General Assembly

(A) A person who is personally or constructively served with a parking ticket charging the commission of a parking infraction may answer the charge by personal appearance before the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, traffic violations bureau, or juvenile court, whichever is applicable, or by mail. A local authority may, by ordinance, resolution, or regulation, also authorize the answer to a charge of a parking infraction that is a violation of any of its ordinances, resolutions, or regulations to be made by telephone, in which case the parking ticket adopted by the local authority shall indicate such fact. An answer shall be made within the time specified by the local authority and indicated on the ticket, and shall be in one of the following forms:

(1) An admission that the person committed the parking infraction, by payment of any fine arising out of the parking infraction;

(2) An admission that the person committed the parking infraction, with an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the parking infraction;

(3) A denial that the person committed the parking infraction and a request for a hearing relative to the infraction. If the person desires the presence, at the hearing, of the law enforcement officer who issued the parking ticket, the person must request his presence in his answer.

(B)(1) A person who admits that he committed a parking infraction shall, and a person who admits that he committed a parking infraction with explanation may, when he makes his answer, pay the fine arising out of the infraction admitted to the violations clerk of the bureau, or to the clerk of the juvenile court, to which the answer is made.

(2) A person who admits that he committed a parking infraction with explanation shall submit evidence to the bureau or juvenile court to which the answer is made that explains the circumstances surrounding the parking infraction. The evidence may be submitted in person or, to avoid the necessity of personal appearance, may be sent as affidavits and other documentary evidence, by mail. A bureau or juvenile court that receives an answer admitting that a person committed a parking infraction with explanation shall promptly determine whether the explanation mitigates the fact that the person committed the parking infraction and notify the person, in writing, of its determination.

If the bureau or juvenile court determines that the explanation mitigates the fact that the person committed the parking infraction, the bureau or juvenile court shall eliminate or reduce the amount of the fine arising out of the parking infraction. If the fine is eliminated or reduced and the person has previously paid the fine, the amount paid in excess of the revised fine shall be returned to the person; if the fine is eliminated or reduced and the person has not previously paid the fine, the person shall pay only the amount of the revised fine. If the bureau or juvenile court determines that the explanation does not mitigate the fact that the person committed the parking infraction, the person owes the entire amount of the fine arising out of the parking infraction, and if the person has not previously paid the fine, the person shall pay the entire amount of the fine. If a person admits that he committed a parking infraction with explanation and the person fails to pay the amount of the fine due within ten days after receiving notice of the bureau's or juvenile court's determination, unless the amount due has previously been paid, the bureau's or juvenile court's determination and the amount of the fine due shall be considered a judgment and shall be treated as if it were a judgment rendered subsequent to a hearing held pursuant to division (B) of section 4521.08 of the Revised Code.

(3) A person who denies that he committed a parking infraction shall be granted a hearing concerning the infraction. The bureau or juvenile court shall set a date for the hearing and notify the person, in writing, of the date, time, and place of the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted by a hearing examiner of the parking violations bureau or joint parking violations bureau, or a hearing examiner or referee of the traffic violations bureau, or a referee of the juvenile court, whichever is applicable, in accordance with section 4521.08 of the Revised Code.

(C) If a person who is personally or constructively served with a parking ticket charging the commission of a parking infraction fails to timely answer the charge, as provided in division (A) of this section, the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court, whichever is applicable, shall issue the proper notifications of infraction pursuant to section 4521.07 of the Revised Code, and proceed according to that section. Failure to timely answer a charge may result in the imposition of the additional penalties prescribed by ordinance, resolution, or regulation of the local authority enacted pursuant to section 4521.02 of the Revised Code or by the court.

(D) The issuance of a parking ticket, the filing of or failure to file an answer by a person personally or constructively served with the ticket, the substance of an answer, the payment of any fine, and any other relevant information shall be entered in the records of the particular bureau or juvenile court.

Section 4521.07 | Failure to answer parking infraction charge.

• Effective: January 1, 1983
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 707 - 114th General Assembly

(A) When a person is personally or constructively served with a parking ticket charging the commission of a parking infraction in accordance with section 4521.03 of the Revised Code and the person fails to answer the charge within the time specified by the local authority pursuant to section 4521.02 of the Revised Code, the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court, that has jurisdiction over the parking infraction shall send notifications of infraction as follows:

(1) If the person who fails to answer was the operator of the vehicle involved in the parking infraction at the time of the commission of the parking infraction and was personally served with the parking ticket, a notification of infraction shall be sent to that person, and additionally if such person is not the owner of the vehicle, as determined from the records of the bureau of motor vehicles, a notification of infraction also shall be sent to the owner at his most recent address appearing in such records;

(2) If the person who fails to answer was the owner of the vehicle and was constructively served with the parking ticket, a notification of infraction shall be sent to the owner at his most recent address appearing in the records of the bureau of motor vehicles.

(B) A notification of infraction shall be sent within twelve months after the expiration of the time specified by the local authority pursuant to section 4521.02 of the Revised Code for the making of an answer, shall be sent by first class mail, and shall contain all of the following:

(1) An identification of the parking infraction with which the person was charged and the time and date of the parking infraction, which identification may be a copy of the parking ticket charging the parking infraction that was personally or constructively served upon the person;

(2) An identification of the amount of the fine, penalties, and costs arising out of the parking infraction that are due;

(3) A warning that the person must answer the parking infraction charged in the ticket within thirty days or a default civil judgment in the amount of the fine, penalties, and costs due may be entered against the person;

(4) A description of the allowable answers that may be made and notification that the person will be afforded a hearing before the bureau or juvenile court if he denies in his answer that he committed the parking infraction;

(5) An identification of the manners in which and the entity to which an answer may be made;

(6) A warning that if the person fails to appear at a requested hearing, a default civil judgment in the amount of the fine, penalties, and costs due may be entered against the person;

(7) A warning that the registration of the vehicle involved in the parking infraction, if the vehicle is registered in this state, may not be renewed or transferred if a civil judgment or a default civil judgment is entered against the person until the judgment is paid or until it is otherwise finally disposed of in a manner specified in this chapter.

(C) A person who receives a notification of infraction pursuant to this section may answer the parking infraction with which he is charged that is identified in the notification of infraction in any of the manners provided in division (A) of section 4521.06 of the Revised Code for answers to parking infractions charged in a parking ticket. An answer under this section shall be made within thirty days after the date on which the notification of infraction was mailed, and shall be in one of the forms specified in divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of section 4521.06 of the Revised Code for answers to parking infractions charged in a parking ticket, except that if the answer includes payment of the fine arising out of the parking infraction any penalty arising out of such infraction also shall be paid. The answer shall be governed by the provisions of division (B) of section 4521.06 of the Revised Code for answers relative to parking infractions charged in a parking ticket, except that any determination of the amount to be paid under an answer admitting the commission of the parking infraction with explanation also shall consider any penalty arising out of such infraction.

(D) If a person who is issued a notification of infraction fails to timely answer, as provided in division (C) of this section, the failure to answer shall be considered an admission that the person committed the parking infraction, and a default civil judgment, in the amount of the fine, penalties, and costs due may be entered against the person. Failure to timely answer the parking infraction identified in the notification of infraction may result in the imposition of the additional penalties prescribed by ordinance, resolution, or regulation of the local authority enacted pursuant to section 4521.02 of the Revised Code or by the court.

(E) The sending of a notification of infraction, the filing of or failure to file an answer by the person to whom it is sent, the substance of an answer, the payment of any fine, and any other relevant information shall be entered in the records of the particular bureau or juvenile court.

Section 4521.08 | Hearing upon denial of parking infraction charge.

• Effective: October 9, 1989
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 373 - 117th General Assembly

(A) If a person who is personally or constructively served with a parking ticket charging the commission of a parking infraction or who receives a notification of infraction, in his answer to the charge denies that he committed the infraction, the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court, that has jurisdiction shall conduct a hearing to determine if the person committed the parking infraction. Each hearing shall be conducted by a hearing examiner of the parking violations bureau or joint parking violations bureau, a hearing examiner or referee of the traffic violations bureau, or a referee of the juvenile court. Each hearing shall be conducted in such manner as the hearing examiner or referee considers appropriate. Rules regarding the admissibility of evidence shall not be strictly applied in the hearing, but all testimony shall be under oath.

At the hearing, the local authority whose ordinance, resolution, or regulation allegedly was violated and resulted in the charge has the burden of proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the person for whom the hearing is being conducted committed the parking infraction. If the person, in his answer, denied that he committed the parking infraction and requested the presence at the hearing of the law enforcement officer who issued the parking ticket, the officer shall be required to attend the hearing unless the hearing examiner or referee determines that the officer's presence is not required. If the officer's presence at the hearing has been requested and the officer is unable to attend the hearing on the day and at the time scheduled, the hearing examiner or referee may grant a reasonable continuance. The person for whom the hearing is being conducted may present any relevant evidence and testimony at the hearing. The person does not have to attend the hearing if he submits documentary evidence to the hearing examiner or referee prior to the day of the hearing.

The local authority shall submit the original parking ticket that was personally or constructively served on the person or a true copy of that ticket, and information from the bureau of motor vehicles that identifies the owner of the vehicle. The ticket and the information in proper form is prima-facie evidence that the registered owner of the vehicle was the person who committed the parking infraction. The local authority may present additional evidence and testimony at the hearing. The local authority does not have to be represented at the hearing by an attorney.

(B)(1) If a person for whom a hearing is to be conducted under division (A) of this section appears at the scheduled hearing or submits evidence in accordance with that division, the hearing examiner or referee shall consider all evidence and testimony presented and shall determine whether the local authority has established, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the person committed the parking infraction. If the hearing examiner or referee determines that the person committed the infraction, an order indicating the determination as a judgment against the person and requiring the person to pay the appropriate fine and any additional penalties shall be entered in the records of the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court, whichever is applicable.

(2) If a person for whom a hearing is to be conducted under division (A) of this section fails to appear at the scheduled hearing and fails to submit evidence in accordance with that division, the hearing examiner or referee shall, if he determines from any evidence and testimony presented at the hearing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the person committed the parking infraction, enter a default judgment against the person and require the person to pay the appropriate fine and any additional penalties. A default judgment entered under this division shall be entered in the records of the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court, whichever is applicable.

(3) If a person who is sent a notification of infraction pursuant to section 4521.07 of the Revised Code does not timely answer, as provided in division (C) of that section, the hearing examiner of the parking violations bureau or joint parking violations bureau, the hearing examiner or referee of the traffic violations bureau, or the referee of the juvenile court, whichever is applicable, shall, if he determines from any evidence and testimony presented to him by the local authority, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the person committed the parking infraction, enter a default judgment against the person and require the person to pay the appropriate fine and any additional penalties. A default judgment entered under this division shall be entered in the records of the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court, whichever is applicable.

(4) If the hearing examiner or referee does not determine, by a preponderance of the evidence, that a person in any of the classes described in division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section committed the parking infraction, the hearing examiner or referee shall enter judgment against the local authority whose ordinance, resolution, or regulation allegedly was violated, shall dismiss the charge of the parking infraction against the person, and shall enter the judgment and dismissal in the records of the traffic violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or parking violations bureau, or the juvenile court, whichever is applicable.

(5) A default judgment entered under this section may be vacated by the hearing examiner or referee who entered it if all of the following apply:

(a) The person against whom the default judgment was entered files a motion with the proper parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the proper juvenile court within one year of the date of entry of the judgment;

(b) The motion sets forth a sufficient defense to the parking infraction out of which the judgment arose;

(c) The motion sets forth excusable neglect as to the person's failure to attend the hearing or answer the notification of infraction.

(C) Payment of any judgment or default judgment entered against a person pursuant to this section shall be made to the violations clerk of the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or to the clerk of the juvenile court, in which the judgment was entered within ten days of the date of entry. All money paid in satisfaction of a judgment or default judgment shall be disbursed by the clerk to the local authority whose ordinance, resolution, or regulation was violated, and the clerk shall enter the fact of payment of the money and its disbursement in the records of the bureau or juvenile court. If payment is not made within this time period, the judgment or default judgment may be filed with the clerk of the municipal court or county court within whose territorial jurisdiction the ordinance, resolution, or regulation was violated, and when so filed, shall have the same force and effect as a money judgment in a civil action rendered in that court.

Judgments and default judgments filed with a court pursuant to this division shall be maintained in a separate index and judgment roll from other judgments rendered in the court. Computer printouts, microfilm, microdot, microfiche, or other similar data recording techniques may be utilized to record such judgments. When a judgment or default judgment is filed with a court, execution may be levied, and such other measures may be taken for its collection as are authorized for the collection of an unpaid money judgment in a civil action rendered in that court. The municipal or county court may assess costs against the judgment debtor, in an amount not exceeding ten dollars for each parking infraction, to be paid upon satisfaction of the judgment.

(D) Any person against whom a judgment or default judgment is entered pursuant to this section and any local authority against whom a judgment is entered pursuant to this section may appeal the judgment or default judgment to the municipal court or county court within whose territorial jurisdiction the ordinance, resolution, or regulation was violated if the judgment or default judgment was entered by a bureau, or to a judge of the juvenile court within whose territorial jurisdiction the ordinance, resolution, or regulation was violated if the judgment or default judgment was entered by a referee of a juvenile court, by filing notices of appeal with the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the referee of the juvenile court, in which the judgment was entered, and the municipal or county court or the clerk of the juvenile court within fifteen days of the date of entry of the judgment and by the payment of such reasonable costs as the court or juvenile judge requires. Upon the filing of an appeal, the court or juvenile judge shall schedule a hearing date and notify the parties of the date, time, and place of the hearing. The hearing shall be held by the court or juvenile judge in accordance with the rules of the court. Service of a notice of appeal under this division by a person does not stay enforcement and collection of the judgment or default judgment from which appeal is taken by the person unless the person who files the appeal posts bond with the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court, in the amount of the judgment, plus court costs, at or before service of the notice of appeal.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the judgment on appeal of the municipal or county court or of the juvenile judge is final, and no other appeal of the judgment of the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or of the referee of the juvenile court, whichever is applicable, and no appeal of the judgment of the municipal or county court or of the juvenile judge may be taken.

(E) A judgment or default judgment entered pursuant to this section may be filed with a municipal court or county court under division (C) of this section at any time within three years after the date of issuance of the parking ticket charging the parking infraction out of which the judgment arose. This division applies to any ticket issued for an offense that would be a parking infraction on or after the effective date of this section, if the ticket was issued within three years prior to the effective date of this section and a warrant has not been issued and served on the operator or owner of the vehicle involved in the offense.

Section 4521.09 | Liability of owner.

• Effective: October 9, 1989
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 373 - 117th General Assembly

(A) An owner of a vehicle is not jointly liable with an operator of the vehicle whose act or omission resulted in a parking infraction for the parking infraction or any fine, penalty, or processing fee arising out of the parking infraction under this chapter if either of the following apply:

(1) The owner answers the charge of the parking infraction under section 4521.06 or 4521.07 of the Revised Code, the answer denies that he committed the infraction and requests a hearing concerning the infraction, the owner additionally asserts and provides reasonable evidence at that time to prove that the vehicle, at the time of the commission of the parking infraction, was being used by the operator without the owner's express or implied consent, and the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court, that has jurisdiction over the parking infraction determines that the vehicle was being used without the owner's express or implied consent at that time. If the bureau or juvenile court does not so determine, it shall conduct the hearing concerning the infraction according to section 4521.08 of the Revised Code.

(2) The owner answers the charge of the parking infraction under section 4521.06 or 4521.07 of the Revised Code, the answer denies that he committed the parking infraction, the owner additionally submits evidence at that time that proves that, at the time of the alleged commission of the infraction, the owner was engaged in the business of renting or leasing vehicles under written rental or lease agreements, and the owner additionally submits evidence that proves that, at the time of the alleged commission of the parking infraction, the vehicle in question was in the care, custody, or control of a person other than the owner pursuant to a written rental or lease agreement.

If the owner does not so prove, the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court, shall conduct a hearing relative to the infraction according to section 4521.08 of the Revised Code.

(3) The owner, at a hearing concerning the parking infraction conducted in accordance with section 4521.08 of the Revised Code, proves that the vehicle, at the time of the parking infraction, was being used by the operator without the owner's express or implied consent or proves the facts described in division (A)(2) of this section.

(B) An owner of a vehicle who is engaged in the business of renting or leasing vehicles under written rental or lease agreements, but who does not satisfy the additional requirements of division (A)(2) of this section is not liable for any penalties or processing fees arising out of a parking infraction involving the vehicle if at the time of the commission of the parking infraction, the vehicle was in the care, custody, or control of a person other than the owner pursuant to a written rental or lease agreement, and if the owner answers the charge of the parking infraction by denying that he committed the parking infraction or by paying the fine arising out of the parking infraction within thirty days after actual receipt of the parking ticket charging the infraction or, if the owner did not receive the parking ticket, within thirty days after receipt of the notification of infraction.

Proof that the vehicle was in the care, custody, or control of a person other than the owner pursuant to a written rental or lease agreement at the time of the alleged parking infraction shall be established by sending a true copy of the rental or lease agreement or an affidavit to that effect to the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court that has jurisdiction over the alleged parking infraction within thirty days after the date of receipt by the owner of the parking ticket charging the infraction or, if the owner did not receive the parking ticket, within thirty days after receipt of the notification of infraction. The submission of a true copy of a written rental or lease agreement or affidavit shall be prima-facie evidence that a vehicle was in the care, custody, or control of a person other than the owner. The affidavit authorized by this section shall be accompanied by a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope, shall be in a form the registrar of motor vehicles shall prescribe, and shall include space for the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau, or the juvenile court that has jurisdiction over the alleged parking infraction to indicate receipt of the affidavit. Within thirty days of receipt of the affidavit, the bureau or court shall return a receipted copy of the affidavit to the rental or lease company. In addition, any information required by division (A)(2) of this section may be provided on magnetic tape or another computer readable media in a format acceptable to the particular local authority.

Section 4521.10 | Notice of unpaid or default judgments.

• Effective: April 6, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 281 - 134th General Assembly

(A)(1) If a judgment or default judgment is entered against a person pursuant to section 4521.08 of the Revised Code for a violation of an ordinance, resolution, or regulation that regulates the standing or parking of a vehicle in an accessible parking space and the person has not paid the judgment or default judgment within ten days of the date of entry of the judgment, the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau in which the judgment was entered may give notice of that fact to the registrar of motor vehicles. The notice, if given, shall be given not earlier than sixteen days nor later than three years after the date of entry of the judgment, and shall be in a form and manner, and contain such information, as the registrar prescribes.

(2) If three or more judgments or default judgments have been entered against a person pursuant to section 4521.08 of the Revised Code and the person has not paid the judgments or default judgments within ten days of the date of entry of the third judgment, the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau in which the judgments were entered may give notice of that fact to the registrar. The notice, if given, shall be given not earlier than sixteen days nor later than three years after the date of entry of the third judgment, and shall be in a form and manner, and contain such information, as the registrar prescribes.

(B)(1) Upon receipt of a notice as provided in division (A) of this section, neither the registrar nor any 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 notice unless the person presents a release as provided in division (C) of this section or unless the registrar is properly notified by the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau that the judgment or default judgment described in division (A)(1) of this section or the judgments or default judgments described in division (A)(2) of this section have been paid, dismissed, or reversed on appeal, or that the initial notice was given in error and is therefore canceled.

(2) The registrar shall not be required to give effect to any notice provided by a parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau under division (A) of this section unless the information contained in the "Ohio uniform traffic tickets" described in Traffic Rule 3 (A) and (B) that the bureau processes is transmitted to the registrar by means of an electronic transfer system.

(C) When a notice as provided in division (A) of this section is given to the registrar and the judgments or default judgments are subsequently paid, dismissed, or reversed on appeal, or it is discovered that the notice was given in error and is therefore canceled, the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau giving the initial notice shall immediately notify the registrar of such payment, dismissal, reversal, or cancellation. The notification shall be in a form and manner, and contain such information, as the registrar prescribes. If the initial notice was not given in error, the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau shall charge the person a five dollar processing fee for each judgment or default judgment to cover the costs of the bureau of motor vehicles in administering this section. Upon payment of the fee, the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau shall give to the person a release to be presented at the time of registering or transferring the registration of a motor vehicle owned or leased by the person. All fees collected under this division shall be transmitted monthly to the registrar for deposit in the public safety - highway purposes fund established by section 4501.06 of the Revised Code.

(D) The registrar shall cause the information contained in each notice received pursuant to division (A) of this section to be removed from the records of the bureau of motor vehicles and of the deputy registrars thirteen months after the date the information was entered into the records, unless the registrar receives a further notice from the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau submitting the initial notice that the judgments or default judgments are still outstanding.

(E) When any application for the registration or transfer of registration of a motor vehicle is refused as provided in division (B) of this section, the registrar or deputy registrar to whom application is made shall inform the person that no such application may be accepted unless the person presents a release as provided in division (C) of this section or the records of the bureau of motor vehicles and of the deputy registrar indicate that each judgment and default judgment against the person is paid, dismissed, reversed on appeal, or canceled.

(F) When any person named in a notice as provided in division (A) of this section applies for the registration or transfer of registration of any motor vehicle owned or leased by the person and presents a release as provided in division (C) of this section or the records of the bureau of motor vehicles and of any deputy registrar to whom the application is made indicate that each judgment and default judgment against the person has been paid, dismissed, or reversed on appeal, the registrar or deputy registrar shall accept the application for registration or transfer of registration and may issue a certificate of registration or amended certificate of registration for the motor vehicle.

(G) In determining whether the judgments or default judgments that have been entered against a person as provided in division (A)(2) of this section total three or more, the parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau may apply to that total any violation the person committed during the relevant time period by illegally standing or parking a vehicle in an accessible parking space, irrespective of the amount of the fine imposed for such violation.

(H) The registrar shall adopt such rules as the registrar considers necessary to ensure the orderly operation of sections 4521.09 and 4521.10 of the Revised Code, and any parking violations bureau, joint parking violations bureau, or traffic violations bureau shall conform to those rules.

Last updated March 10, 2023 at 12:38 PM