Vehicle license or registration - Ohio

License plate display

Ohio requires apportioned plates to be displayed on the rear of straight trucks, buses, and on the front of all tractors. Trailer plates are displayed on the rear. Vehicles issued two plates must display one on the front and one on the rear.

International Registration Plan

Ohio is a member of the International Registration Plan (IRP). The IRP is a base state system for vehicle registration fees allowing a carrier to apply for vehicle registration and pay fees to a single jurisdiction.

Under the IRP, carriers from the member states and provinces, operating vehicles having a gross weight in excess of 26,000 pounds, or three or more axles regardless of weight, or used in combination when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds, may prorate in lieu of full registration.

The original cab card issued to the vehicle must be carried in the vehicle at all times. Renewed credentials must be displayed by the June 1 enforcement date.

Temporary Permit: A temporary permit is a 45 day permit issued by the IRP Processing Center to allow immediate operation and authorization to modify a current IRP account. A temporary permit covers a specific vehicle and cannot be transferred from one vehicle to another. There is a fee for the permit, plus a Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) fee. A customer must have an IRP account in good standing to obtain a permit.

Hunter's permit: An unladen weight permit is available to an owner operator who has broken his/her lease with a carrier. The permit allows travel from point of origin to point of destination and is good for 30 days. The permit will be issued for the registered gross weight not to exceed the empty weight of the vehicle or combination of vehicles being registered. Once issued the carrier is required to submit the registration fee within 10 days of receipt of the unladen weight permit.

Agency: The Bureau of Motor Vehicles; see Regulatory Agencies for address(es).