4501:1-7-03. Assignment of registration periods

(A) In accordance with section 4503.101 of the Revised Code, the registrar of motor vehicles shall assign vehicles required to be registered in this state to a registration period within the calendar year based upon the type of vehicle to be registered, the type of ownership of the vehicle, the class of license plate to be issued, or any other reasonable factor determined by the registrar. If there is good cause to do so, the registrar may reassign vehicles to a different registration period. To effect such a reassignment from the current registration period to the new registration period, the registrar may require the motor vehicle to be registered for more or less than a twelve-month period at the time the motor vehicle's current registration is subject to renewal. The registration taxes to be charged shall be determined by the registrar on the basis of the annual tax otherwise due on the motor vehicle, prorated in accordance with the number of months for which the motor vehicle is registered, rounded upward to the next highest dollar amount.

(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of this rule, all commercial bus registrations shall expire on the thirty-first day of May of each registration year.

(C) The registrations of all special vehicles governed by Chapter 4519. of the Revised Code, including snowmobiles, off-highway motorcycles, and all purpose vehicles, shall be in accordance with rule 4501:1-7-04 of the Administrative Code and shall expire on the thirty-first day of December of the third year of their registration.

(D) All commercial trucks, commercial trailers, and commercial semitrailers shall be registered in accordance with rule 4501:1-7-05 of the Administrative Code.

(E) Notwithstanding any other provision of this rule, all rental vehicles owned by motor vehicle renting dealers shall be registered in accordance with rule 4501:1-7-06 of the Administrative Code.

(F) Except as otherwise provided in this rule, the registrations of passenger cars, noncommercial trucks, noncommercial trailers, motor homes, motorcycles, manufactured homes, and motorized bicycles owned by individuals shall expire on the individual's date of birth. The registrar may add other types of vehicles to this category as the registrar sees fit. At the registrar's option, "individuals" may include individual trustees who own vehicles in trust and individual partners who own vehicles in partnership. If there is more than one individual motor vehicle owner residing at the same address, the owners may select the date of birth of any one of the owners as the date to register any of the vehicles at that residence address.

(G) Except as otherwise provided in this rule, vehicles owned by persons who are not individuals shall be assigned in accordance with the first letter of the owner's name as follows:

(1) If the owner's name begins with "A" or "B," the registration shall expire on the twentieth day of January;

(2) If the owner's name begins with "C" or "D," the registration shall expire on the twentieth day of February;

(3) If the owner's name begins with "E," "F," or "G," the registration shall expire on the twentieth day of March;

(4) If the owner's name begins with "H," "I," or "J," the registration shall expire on the twentieth day of June;

(5) If the owner's name begins with "K" or "L," the registration shall expire on the twentieth day of July;

(6) If the owner's name begins with "M," the registration shall expire on the twentieth day of August;

(7) If the owner's name begins with "N," "O," "P," or "Q," the registration shall expire on the twentieth day of September;

(8) If the owner's name begins with "R" or "T," the registration shall expire on the twentieth day of October;

(9) If the owner's name begins with "S," the registration shall expire on the twentieth day of November;

(10) If the owner's name begins with any of the letters "U" through "Z," the registration shall expire on the twentieth day of December.

(H) For all other registrations, the registrar shall specify the registration period and whether each class of license plate shall be issued only by the registrar or may also be issued by deputy registrars.

Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 11/30/2016 and 11/01/2021
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 4501.02, 4503.10, 4503.101
Rule Amplifies: 4503.10, 4503.101
Prior Effective Dates: 12/23/88 (Emer.), 04/09/89, 07/06/96, 01/17/04

Prior History: (R.C. 119.032 review dates: 12/29/2011 and 12/29/2016
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: R.C. 4503.10, R.C. 4503.101, R.C. 4501.02
Rule Amplifies: R.C. 4503.10, R.C. 4503.101
Prior Effective Dates: 12/23/88 (Emer.), 4/9/89, 7/6/96, 1/17/04 )