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The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation. Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.

Chapter 4504 | Local Motor Vehicle License Tax

 
 
 
Section
Section 4504.01 | Local motor vehicle license tax definitions.
 

As used in this chapter:

(A) "Motor vehicle" means all vehicles included within the definition of motor vehicle in sections 4501.01 and 4505.01 of the Revised Code and also includes motorized bicycles. "Motor vehicle" does not include a concrete pump or a concrete conveyor.

(B) "County motor vehicle license tax" means a tax imposed by a county pursuant to this chapter.

(C) "Township motor vehicle license tax" means a tax imposed by a township pursuant to this chapter.

(D) "Municipal motor vehicle license tax" means a tax imposed by a municipal corporation pursuant to this chapter.

(E) "Registrar" means the registrar of motor vehicles as provided in section 4501.02 of the Revised Code.

(F) "Deputy registrar" means any deputy appointed by the registrar of motor vehicles pursuant to sections 4501.02 and 4503.03 of the Revised Code.

Section 4504.02 | Purpose of levy.
 

For the purpose of paying the costs of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section; and for planning, constructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing public roads, highways, and streets; maintaining and repairing bridges and viaducts; paying the county's portion of the costs and expenses of cooperating with the department of transportation in the planning, improvement, and construction of state highways; paying the county's portion of the compensation, damages, cost, and expenses of planning, constructing, reconstructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing roads; paying any costs apportioned to the county under section 4907.47 of the Revised Code; paying debt service charges on notes or bonds of the county issued for such purposes; paying all or part of the costs and expenses of municipal corporations in planning, constructing, reconstructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing highways, roads, and streets designated as necessary or conducive to the orderly and efficient flow of traffic within and through the county pursuant to section 4504.03 of the Revised Code; purchasing, erecting, and maintaining street and traffic signs and markers; purchasing, erecting, and maintaining traffic lights and signals; and to supplement revenue already available for such purposes, any county by resolution adopted by its board of county commissioners may levy an annual license tax, in addition to the tax levied by sections 4503.02, 4503.07, and 4503.18 of the Revised Code, upon the operation of motor vehicles on the public roads or highways. Such tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the district of registration of which, as defined in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code, is located in the county levying the tax and shall be in addition to the taxes at the rates specified in sections 4503.04 and 4503.16 of the Revised Code, subject to reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code and the exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.171, 4503.173, 4503.41, 4503.43, and 4503.46 of the Revised Code.

Prior to the adoption of any resolution under this section, the board of county commissioners shall conduct two public hearings thereon, the second hearing to be not less than three nor more than ten days after the first. Notice of the date, time, and place of such hearings shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, once a week on the same day of the week for two consecutive weeks, the second publication being not less than ten nor more than thirty days prior to the first hearing.

No resolution under this section shall become effective sooner than thirty days following its adoption, and such resolution is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code, unless such resolution is adopted as an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, in which case it shall go into immediate effect. Such emergency measure must receive an affirmative vote of all of the members of the board of county commissioners, and shall state the reasons for such necessity. A resolution may direct the board of elections to submit the question of levying the tax to the electors of the county at the next primary or general election in the county occurring not less than seventy-five days after such resolution is certified to the board; no such resolution shall go into effect unless approved by a majority of those voting upon it.

Section 4504.021 | Repeal of county permissive tax adopted as emergency measure.
 

The question of repeal of a county permissive tax adopted as an emergency measure pursuant to section 4504.02, 4504.15, or 4504.16 of the Revised Code may be initiated by filing with the board of elections of the county not less than ninety days before the general election in any year a petition requesting that an election be held on such question. Such petition shall be signed by qualified electors residing in the county equal in number to ten per cent of those voting for governor at the most recent gubernatorial election.

After determination by it that such petition is valid, the board of elections shall submit the question to the electors of the county at the next general election. The election shall be conducted, canvassed, and certified in the same manner as regular elections for county offices in the county. Notice of the election shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the district, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, once a week for two consecutive weeks prior to the election. If the board of elections operates and maintains a web site, notice of the election also shall be posted on that web site for thirty days prior to the election. The notice shall state the purpose, time, and place of the election. The form of the ballot cast at such election shall be prescribed by the secretary of state. The question covered by such petition shall be submitted as a separate proposition, but it may be printed on the same ballot with any other proposition submitted at the same election other than the election of officers. If a majority of the qualified electors voting on the question of repeal approve the repeal, the result of the election shall be certified immediately after the canvass by the board of elections to the county commissioners, who shall thereupon, after the current year, cease to levy the tax.

Section 4504.03 | Comprehensive map of roadways of county.
 

The county engineer of any county levying a county motor vehicle license tax shall within ninety days after the effective date of the resolution levying the tax prepare and file with the board of county commissioners a comprehensive map of the roadways of the county, designating separately thereon interstate highways, state highways, intercounty roads, county and township roads forming a part of the system of county highways established pursuant to Chapter 5541. of the Revised Code, and those streets located within municipal corporations in the county not included in any of the foregoing which are determined by the county engineer to be necessary or conducive to the orderly and efficient flow of traffic within and through the county. Such municipal streets may be designated by the county engineer as primary and secondary based upon their relative importance to the orderly and efficient flow of traffic within and through the county.

The county engineer may consult with the officers of the municipal corporations within the county in charge of the construction, improvement, and maintenance of municipal streets and he may designate on the map prepared pursuant to this section any proposed streets which he determines will be necessary or conducive to the orderly and efficient flow of traffic within and through the county.

Upon adoption by the board of county commissioners of such map, with such modifications as they deem necessary, a copy of such map shall be made a part of its records and copies thereof shall be filed in the office of the county engineer and with the state director of transportation and the clerk of the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the county. Such map may be revised from time to time by the county engineer upon approval of the board of county commissioners, and copies of the revised map shall be filed in the same manner as the original map.

Section 4504.04 | Disbursing county tax.
 

Any municipal corporation that is not levying a municipal motor vehicle license tax under section 4504.06 of the Revised Code and that is located within a county levying a county motor vehicle license tax under section 4504.02 of the Revised Code may at any time following adoption by the board of county commissioners of a map prepared pursuant to section 4504.03 of the Revised Code make application in writing to the board for funds available under division (B)(1) of section 4504.05 of the Revised Code to plan, construct, reconstruct, improve, maintain, or repair any of the streets within the municipality shown on such map, to pay the municipal corporation's portion of the cost of cooperating with the county or with the department of transportation in the planning, construction, reconstruction, improvement, maintenance, or repairing of any of the roads or highways designated on such map, to pay the municipal corporation's portion of the compensation, damages, cost, and expenses of planning, constructing, reconstructing, improving, maintaining and repairing roads and streets designated on such map, to pay any cost apportioned to the municipal corporation under section 4907.47 of the Revised Code with respect to any of the highways, roads or streets designated on such map, or to purchase, erect, and maintain traffic signs and markers and traffic lights and signals which the municipal corporation is authorized to erect and maintain on such highways, roads, or streets.

In addition to such application there shall be filed with the county engineer, in the case of any proposed construction or permanent improvement, a copy of the preliminary plans and an estimate of cost of such construction or improvement or, in any other case, a general statement of the work to be done and the location. Upon approval by the county engineer of such preliminary plans and estimate of cost or proposed use, and upon his finding that the proposed construction, improvement, or other use of funds requested by the municipal corporation is necessary or conducive to the orderly and efficient flow of traffic within and through the county, the board of county commissioners may allocate to such municipal corporation, from funds available for such purpose as provided in division (B)(1) of section 4504.05 of the Revised Code, all or part of the cost of such construction, improvement, repair, or other use, bearing in mind the needs of the county as a whole, and in the case of municipal streets, the board may give priority to those streets designated as primary on the map prepared pursuant to section 4504.03 of the Revised Code. A municipality which has prepared plans required to be submitted by this section to the county engineer shall be reimbursed from the fund established by division (B)(1) of section 4504.05 of the Revised Code for the cost of preparing such plans submitted to the engineer.

The board shall certify to the county auditor the amount of any funds allocated to a municipal corporation under this section.

After submission of final and detailed plans or statements of work to be done to the county engineer and after his approval, the board of county commissioners shall have encumbered the moneys necessary to fulfill awarded contractual or other obligations for approved project costs. The county auditor shall draw a warrant for such encumbered amount, upon notification by the municipality that work on an approved project has commenced, on the county treasurer payable to the auditor or village clerk of the municipal corporation. Moneys received by a municipal corporation under this section shall be used for the purpose for which they are encumbered, and any moneys not so used shall be returned for deposit in the fund established by division (B)(1) of section 4504.05 of the Revised Code.

Section 4504.05 | Allocating and disbursing tax proceeds.
 

The moneys received from a county motor vehicle license tax shall be allocated and distributed as follows:

(A) First, for payment of the costs and expenses incurred by the county in the enforcement and administration of the tax;

(B) The remainder of such moneys shall be credited to funds as follows:

(1) With respect to county motor vehicle tax moneys received under section 4504.02 of the Revised Code, that part of the total amount which is in the same proportion to the total as the number of motor vehicles registered in the municipal corporations in the county that did not levy a municipal motor vehicle license tax immediately prior to the adoption of the county motor vehicle license tax is to the total number of motor vehicles registered in the county in the most recent registration year, shall be placed in a separate fund to be allocated and distributed as provided in section 4504.04 of the Revised Code.

The remaining portion shall be placed in the county motor vehicle license and gasoline tax fund and shall be allocated and disbursed only for the purposes specified in section 4504.02 of the Revised Code, other than paying all or part of the costs and expenses of municipal corporations in constructing, reconstructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing highways, roads, and streets designated as necessary and conducive to the orderly and efficient flow of traffic within and through the county pursuant to section 4504.03 of the Revised Code.

(2) With respect to county motor vehicle tax moneys received under section 4504.15 of the Revised Code:

(a) That arising from motor vehicles the district of registration of which is a municipal corporation within the county that is not levying the tax authorized by section 4504.17 of the Revised Code shall be allocated fifty per cent to the county and fifty per cent to such municipal corporation in an amount equal to the amount of the tax per motor vehicle registered during the preceding month in that part of the municipal corporation located within the county. Moneys allocated to a municipal corporation under this section shall be paid directly into the treasury of the municipal corporation as provided in section 4501.042 of the Revised Code and used only for the purposes described in section 4504.06 of the Revised Code. The first distribution shall be made to a municipal corporation under this division in the second month after the county motor vehicle license tax is imposed under section 4504.15 of the Revised Code.

(b) That arising from motor vehicles the district of registration of which is in an unincorporated area of the county shall be allocated seventy per cent to the county and thirty per cent to the townships in which the owners of the motor vehicles reside in an amount equal to the amount of the tax per motor vehicle owned by such a resident in each such township and registered during the preceding month in the county. The moneys allocated to townships shall be paid into the treasuries of the townships and shall be used only for the purposes described in section 4504.18 of the Revised Code. The first distribution shall be made under this division in the second month after the county motor vehicle license tax is imposed under section 4504.15 of the Revised Code.

(3) With respect to county motor vehicle tax moneys received under section 4504.16 of the Revised Code:

(a) That arising from motor vehicles the district of registration of which is a municipal corporation within the county that is not levying the tax authorized by section 4504.171 of the Revised Code shall be allocated to the county;

(b) That arising from motor vehicles the district of registration of which is in an unincorporated area of the county shall be allocated seventy per cent to the county and thirty per cent to the townships in which the owners of the motor vehicles reside in an amount equal to the amount of the tax per motor vehicle owned by such a resident in each such township and registered during the preceding month in the county unless the allocation is modified under section 4504.051 of the Revised Code. The moneys allocated to townships shall be paid into the treasuries of the townships and shall be used only for the purposes described in section 4504.18 of the Revised Code. The first distribution shall be made under this division in the second month after the county motor vehicle license tax is imposed under section 4504.16 of the Revised Code.

(4) With respect to county motor vehicle tax moneys received under section 4504.24 of the Revised Code, the total amount shall be allocated and distributed to the county.

Section 4504.051 | Allocation of money to townships.
 

(A) The county motor vehicle tax moneys received under section 4504.16 of the Revised Code that arise from motor vehicles the district of registration of which is in an unincorporated area of the county may be allocated according to either of the following proceedings rather than according to the allocation established under division (B)(3)(b) of section 4504.05 of the Revised Code:

(1)(a) Each year, a board of township trustees may pass a resolution requesting an increase in the percentage of moneys allocated to the township under division (B)(3)(b) of section 4504.05 of the Revised Code. Upon passage, the board shall forward the resolution to the board of county commissioners.

(b) After receipt of a resolution under division (A)(1)(a) of this section, the board of county commissioners shall consider and, prior to the first day of October, may pass a resolution increasing the percentage of moneys otherwise allocated to the township under division (B)(3)(b) of section 4504.05 of the Revised Code.

(2) Each year, a board of county commissioners may propose increasing or decreasing the percentage of moneys otherwise allocated to a township under division (B)(3)(b) of section 4504.05 of the Revised Code, but only if the board of county commissioners has obtained a resolution from the board of township trustees consenting to the percentage of the increase or decrease. The board of county commissioners, prior to the first day of October, then may pass a resolution increasing or decreasing the percentage of money allocated to a township, but only by the percentage to which the board of township trustees consented.

(B) If a board of county commissioners passes a resolution under division (A)(1)(b) or (2) of this section, it promptly shall forward a copy of the resolution to the board of trustees of the involved township, the county engineer, and the county treasurer.

(C) The county treasurer shall make the first distribution under any new allocation established by a resolution passed by the board of county commissioners under division (A)(1)(b) or (2) of this section in January of the year next following the date on which the resolution is passed. The moneys allocated to townships under this section shall be paid into the treasuries of the townships and shall be used only for the purposes described in section 4504.18 of the Revised Code.

(D) A resolution passed by a board of county commissioners under division (A)(1)(b) or (2) of this section is valid only for the county fiscal year next following the date on which the resolution is passed.

Section 4504.06 | Levy of municipal corporation.
 

For the purpose of paying the costs and expenses of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section; and for planning, constructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing public roads, highways, and streets; maintaining and repairing bridges and viaducts; paying the municipal corporation's portion of the costs and expenses of cooperating with the department of transportation in the planning, improvement, and construction of state highways; paying the municipal corporation's portion of the compensation, damages, cost, and expenses of planning, constructing, reconstructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing roads and streets; paying any costs apportioned to the municipal corporation under section 4907.47 of the Revised Code; paying debt service charges on notes or bonds of the municipal corporation issued for such purposes; purchasing, erecting, and maintaining street and traffic signs and markers; purchasing, erecting and maintaining traffic lights and signals; and to supplement revenue already available for such purposes, the legislative authority of any municipal corporation may by proper legislation levy an annual license tax, in addition to the tax levied by sections 4503.02, 4503.07, and 4503.18 of the Revised Code, upon the operation of motor vehicles on the public roads or highways. Such tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the district of registration of which, as defined in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code, is in the municipal corporation levying the tax and which are not subject to a county motor vehicle license tax levied by a resolution adopted pursuant to section 4504.02 of the Revised Code. Such tax shall be in addition to the taxes at the rates specified in sections 4503.04 and 4503.16 of the Revised Code, subject to reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code and the exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.171, 4503.173, 4503.41, 4503.43, and 4503.46 of the Revised Code.

No municipal corporation shall enact any ordinance, resolution, or other measure levying a tax pursuant to this section on any motor vehicle registration which would be subject to a resolution previously adopted levying a county motor vehicle license tax where such resolution has not become effective solely because of the filing of a referendum petition pursuant to sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code or because the thirty-day period following adoption of the resolution has not expired.

No ordinance, resolution, or other measure levying a municipal motor vehicle license tax shall be enacted as an emergency measure under section 731.30 of the Revised Code or pursuant to the charter of any municipal corporation and each such ordinance, resolution, or other measure is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 731.29 to 731.41 of the Revised Code or by the charter of the municipal corporation.

Section 4504.08 | Filing resolution or ordinance levying tax with registrar of motor vehicles.
 

A resolution, ordinance, or other measure levying a county motor vehicle license tax, municipal motor vehicle license tax, township motor vehicle license tax, transportation improvement district motor vehicle license tax, or regional transportation improvement project motor vehicle license tax shall not be applicable to motor vehicle registrations for a registration year beginning at the time established in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code unless a copy of such resolution or ordinance is certified to the registrar of motor vehicles not later than the first day of July of the year preceding that in which such registration year begins.

Section 4504.09 | Payment at time of application for registration.
 

Any county, township, municipal, transportation improvement district, or regional transportation improvement project motor vehicle license tax shall be paid to the registrar of motor vehicles or to a deputy registrar at the time application for registration of a motor vehicle as provided in sections 4503.10 and 4503.102 of the Revised Code is made and no certificate of registration, numbered license plates and validation stickers, or validation stickers alone, shall be issued to the owner of a motor vehicle for which any amount of county, township, municipal, transportation improvement district, or regional transportation improvement project motor vehicle license tax due thereon has not been paid. Payment of the tax shall be evidenced by a stamp on the certificate of registration by the official issuing such certificate.

Upon the transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle, the registrar or deputy registrar shall collect any additional county, township, municipal, transportation improvement district, or regional transportation improvement project motor vehicle license tax due thereon, computed in the manner provided in section 4503.12 of the Revised Code.

Section 4504.10 | Preemption of right to levy.
 

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the levy of any excise, license, income, or property tax by the state or by any political subdivision thereof shall not be construed as preempting the power of a county to levy a county motor vehicle license tax pursuant to section 4504.02, 4504.15, 4504.16, or 4504.24 of the Revised Code, of a township to levy a township motor vehicle license tax pursuant to sections 4504.18 and 4504.181 of the Revised Code, or of a municipal corporation to levy a municipal motor vehicle license tax pursuant to section 4504.06, 4504.17, 4504.171, 4504.172, or 4504.173 of the Revised Code.

Section 4504.11 | No liability of county for road defects.
 

Nothing in Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code shall be construed as imposing liability upon a county for injury to persons or property as a result of any defect in a street or county road within a municipal corporation in any case where the municipal corporation has primary responsibility fo maintenance and repair of such street or road.

Section 4504.12 | No fee or tax on ridesharing arrangement.
 

As used in this section, "ridesharing arrangement" means the transportation of persons in a motor vehicle where such transportation is incidental to another purpose of a volunteer driver and includes ridesharing arrangements known as carpools, vanpools, and buspools.

No charter county or municipal corporation shall impose a fee or tax, other than that authorized by Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, on the operation of a motor vehicle in a ridesharing arrangement or require a special license or permit for the operator of such a vehicle.

Section 4504.15 | Supplemental county license tax.
 

For the purpose of paying the costs of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section; for the various purposes stated in section 4504.02 of the Revised Code; and to supplement revenue already available for those purposes, any county may, by resolution adopted by its board of county commissioners, levy an annual license tax, that shall be in addition to the tax levied by sections 4503.02, 4503.07, and 4503.18 of the Revised Code, upon the operation of motor vehicles upon the public roads and highways. The tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the district of registration of which, as defined in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code, is located in the county levying the tax but is not located within any municipal corporation levying the tax authorized by section 4504.17 of the Revised Code, and shall be in addition to the taxes at the rates specified in sections 4503.04 and 4503.16 of the Revised Code, subject to reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code and the exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.171, 4503.41, and 4503.43 of the Revised Code.

Prior to the adoption of any resolution under this section, the board of county commissioners shall conduct two public hearings thereon, the second hearing to be not less than three nor more than ten days after the first. Notice of the date, time, and place of such hearings shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, once a week for two consecutive weeks. The second publication shall be not less than ten nor more than thirty days prior to the first hearing.

No resolution under this section shall become effective sooner than thirty days following its adoption, and such resolution is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code, unless the resolution is adopted as an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, in which case it shall go into immediate effect. The emergency measure must receive an affirmative vote of all of the members of the board of county commissioners, and shall state the reasons for the necessity. A resolution may direct the board of elections to submit the question of levying the tax to the electors of the county at the next primary or general election occurring not less than ninety days after the resolution is certified to the board; no such resolution shall go into effect unless approved by a majority of those voting upon it. A county is not required to enact the tax authorized by section 4504.02 of the Revised Code in order to levy the tax authorized by this section, but no county may have in effect the tax authorized by this section if it repeals the tax authorized by section 4504.02 of the Revised Code after April 1, 1987.

Section 4504.16 | Second supplemental county license tax.
 

For the purpose of paying the costs of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section; for the various purposes stated in section 4504.02 of the Revised Code; and to supplement revenue already available for those purposes, any county that currently levies the tax authorized by section 4504.15 of the Revised Code may, by resolution adopted by its board of county commissioners, levy an annual license tax, that shall be in addition to the tax levied by that section and by sections 4503.02, 4503.07, and 4503.18 of the Revised Code, upon the operation of motor vehicles upon the public roads and highways. The tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the district of registration of which, as defined in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code, is located in the county levying the tax but is not located within any municipal corporation levying the tax authorized by section 4504.171 of the Revised Code, and shall be in addition to the taxes at the rates specified in sections 4503.04 and 4503.16 of the Revised Code, subject to reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code and the exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.171, 4503.41, and 4503.43 of the Revised Code.

Prior to the adoption of any resolution under this section, the board of county commissioners shall conduct two public hearings thereon, the second hearing to be not less than three nor more than ten days after the first. Notice of the date, time, and place of such hearings shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, once a week for two consecutive weeks. The second publication shall be not less than ten nor more than thirty days prior to the first hearing.

No resolution under this section shall become effective sooner than thirty days following its adoption, and such resolution is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code, unless the resolution is adopted as an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, in which case it shall go into immediate effect. The emergency measure must receive an affirmative vote of all of the members of the board of county commissioners, and shall state the reasons for the necessity. A resolution may direct the board of elections to submit the question of levying the tax to the electors of the county at the next primary or general election occurring not less than ninety days after the resolution is certified to the board; no such resolution shall go into effect unless approved by a majority of those voting upon it.

Nothing in this section or in section 4504.15 of the Revised Code shall be interpreted as preventing a county from levying the county motor vehicle license taxes authorized by such sections in a single resolution.

Section 4504.17 | Supplemental municipal license tax starting 4-1-89.
 

For the purpose of paying the costs and expenses of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section; to supplement revenue already available to municipal corporations under section 4504.04, 4504.06, 4504.171, or 4504.172 of the Revised Code, and to provide additional revenue for the purposes set forth in those sections, the legislative authority of any municipal corporation located in a county that is not levying the tax authorized by section 4504.15 of the Revised Code may, after the first day of April, 1989, and regardless of any tax being levied pursuant to section 4504.06 or received pursuant to section 4504.04 of the Revised Code, levy an annual license tax, that shall be in addition to the tax levied by sections 4503.02, 4503.07, and 4503.18 of the Revised Code, upon the operation of motor vehicles on the public roads or highways. The tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the district of registration of which, as defined in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code, is in the municipal corporation levying the tax, and shall be in addition to the taxes at the rates specified in sections 4503.04 and 4503.16 of the Revised Code, subject to reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code and the exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.171, 4503.41, and 4503.43 of the Revised Code.

No municipal corporation shall enact any ordinance, resolution, or other measure levying a tax pursuant to this section on any motor vehicle registration that would be subject to a resolution previously adopted levying a county motor vehicle license tax under section 4504.15 of the Revised Code where such resolution has not become effective solely because of the filing of a referendum petition pursuant to sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code or because the thirty-day period following adoption of the resolution has not expired.

No ordinance, resolution, or other measure levying a municipal motor vehicle license tax pursuant to this section shall be enacted as an emergency measure under section 731.30 of the Revised Code or pursuant to the charter of any municipal corporation and each such ordinance, resolution, or other measure is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 731.29 to 731.41 of the Revised Code or by the charter of the municipal corporation.

A municipal motor vehicle license tax levied under this section shall continue in effect until repealed.

Section 4504.171 | Supplemental municipal license tax starting 4-1-91.
 

For the purpose of paying the costs and expenses of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section; to supplement revenue already available to municipal corporations under section 4504.04, 4504.06, 4504.17, or 4504.172 of the Revised Code, and to provide additional revenue for the purposes set forth in those sections, the legislative authority of any municipal corporation located in a county that is not levying the tax authorized by section 4504.16 of the Revised Code may, after the first day of April, 1991, and regardless of any tax being levied pursuant to sections 4504.06 or 4504.17, or received pursuant to section 4504.04 of the Revised Code, levy an annual license tax, that shall be in addition to the tax levied by sections 4503.02, 4503.07, and 4503.18 of the Revised Code, upon the operation of motor vehicles on the public roads or highways. The tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the district of registration of which, as defined in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code, is in the municipal corporation levying the tax, and shall be in addition to the taxes at the rates specified in sections 4503.04 and 4503.16 of the Revised Code, subject to reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code and the exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.171, 4503.41, and 4503.43 of the Revised Code.

No municipal corporation shall enact any ordinance, resolution, or other measure levying a tax pursuant to this section on any motor vehicle registration that would be subject to a resolution previously adopted levying a county motor vehicle license tax under section 4504.16 of the Revised Code where such resolution has not become effective solely because of the filing of a referendum petition pursuant to sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code or because the thirty-day period following adoption of the resolution has not expired.

No ordinance, resolution, or other measure levying a municipal motor vehicle license tax pursuant to this section shall be enacted as an emergency measure under section 731.30 of the Revised Code or pursuant to the charter of any municipal corporation and each such ordinance, resolution, or other measure is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 731.29 to 731.41 of the Revised Code or by the charter of the municipal corporation.

A municipal motor vehicle license tax levied under this section shall continue in effect until repealed.

Section 4504.172 | Supplemental municipal license tax.
 

For the purpose of paying the costs and expenses of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section; to supplement revenue already available to municipal corporations under section 4504.04, 4504.06, 4504.17, or 4507.171 of the Revised Code, and to provide additional revenue for the purposes set forth in those sections, the legislative authority of any municipal corporation may levy an annual license tax, without regard to any tax being levied pursuant to section 4504.06, 4504.17, or 4504.171, or received pursuant to section 4504.04 of the Revised Code, and in addition to the tax levied by sections 4503.02, 4503.07, and 4503.18 of the Revised Code, upon the operation of motor vehicles on the public roads or highways. The tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the district of registration of which, as defined in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code, is in the municipal corporation levying the tax, and shall be in addition to the taxes at the rates specified in sections 4503.04 and 4503.16 of the Revised Code, subject to reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code and the exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.171, 4503.41, and 4503.43 of the Revised Code.

No ordinance, resolution, or other measure levying a municipal motor vehicle license tax pursuant to this section shall be enacted as an emergency measure under section 731.30 of the Revised Code or pursuant to the charter of any municipal corporation and each such ordinance, resolution, or other measure is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 731.29 to 731.41 of the Revised Code or by the charter of the municipal corporation.

A municipal motor vehicle license tax levied under this section shall continue in effect until repealed.

Section 4504.173 | Authority to levy license tax for operation of motor vehicles.
 

(A)(1) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may levy an annual license tax upon the operation of motor vehicles on the public roads and highways in that municipal corporation for any authorized purpose. A tax levied under this section is in addition to the tax levied by sections 4503.02 and 4503.07 of the Revised Code and any other tax levied under this chapter. The tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the district of registration of which is located in the municipal corporation levying the tax, as defined in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code. The rate of the tax is in addition to the tax rates prescribed in sections 4503.04 and 4503.042 of the Revised Code and is subject to both of the following:

(a) The reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code;

(b) The exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.172, 4503.173, 4503.18, 4503.41, 4503.43, 4503.46, and 4503.571 of the Revised Code.

(2) As used in division (A)(1) of this section, "authorized purpose" means any of the following:

(a) Paying the costs and expenses of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section;

(b) Planning, constructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing public roads, highways, and streets;

(c) Maintaining and repairing bridges and viaducts;

(d) Paying the municipal corporation's portion of the costs and expenses of cooperating with the department of transportation in the planning, improvement, and construction of state highways;

(e) Paying the municipal corporation's portion of the compensation, damages, costs, and expenses of planning, constructing, reconstructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing roads and streets;

(f) Paying any costs apportioned to the municipal corporation under section 4907.47 of the Revised Code;

(g) Paying debt service charges on notes or bonds of the municipal corporation issued for such purposes;

(h) Purchasing, erecting, and maintaining street and traffic signs and markers;

(i) Purchasing, erecting, and maintaining traffic lights and signals;

(j) Supplementing revenue already available for the aforementioned purposes.

(B)(1) No ordinance, resolution, or other measure levying a municipal motor vehicle license tax pursuant to this section shall be enacted as an emergency measure under section 731.30 of the Revised Code or pursuant to the charter of the municipal corporation.

(2) An ordinance, resolution, or other measure levying a municipal motor vehicle license tax pursuant to this section is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 731.29 to 731.41 of the Revised Code or by the charter of the municipal corporation.

(C) A municipal motor vehicle license tax levied under this section continues in effect until repealed.

Section 4504.18 | Supplemental township license tax.
 

For the purpose of paying the costs and expenses of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section; for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, maintenance, and repair of township roads, bridges, and culverts; for purchasing, erecting, and maintaining traffic signs, markers, lights, and signals; for purchasing road machinery and equipment, and planning, constructing, and maintaining suitable buildings to house such equipment; for paying any costs apportioned to the township under section 4907.47 of the Revised Code; and to supplement revenue already available for such purposes, the board of township trustees may levy an annual license tax, in addition to the tax levied by sections 4503.02, 4503.07, and 4503.18 of the Revised Code, upon the operation of motor vehicles on the public roads and highways in the unincorporated territory of the township. The tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the owners of which reside in the unincorporated area of the township and shall be in addition to the taxes at the rates specified in sections 4503.04 and 4503.16 of the Revised Code, subject to reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code and the exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.171, 4503.41, and 4503.43 of the Revised Code.

Prior to the adoption of any resolution under this section, the board of township trustees shall conduct two public hearings thereon, the second hearing to be not less than three nor more than ten days after the first. Notice of the date, time, and place of such hearings shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the township or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, once a week on the same day of the week for two consecutive weeks, the second publication being not less than ten nor more than thirty days prior to the first hearing.

No resolution under this section shall become effective sooner than thirty days following its adoption, and such resolution is subject to a referendum in the same manner, except as to the form of the petition, as provided in division (H) of section 519.12 of the Revised Code for a proposed amendment to a township zoning resolution. In addition, a petition under this section shall be governed by the rules specified in section 3501.38 of the Revised Code. No resolution levying a tax under this section for which a referendum vote has been requested shall go into effect unless approved by a majority of those voting upon it.

A township license tax levied under this section shall continue in effect until repealed.

Section 4504.181 | Authority to levy tax for operation of motor vehicles.
 

(A)(1) The board of township trustees of a township may, by resolution, levy an annual license tax upon the operation of motor vehicles on the public roads and highways in the unincorporated territory of the township for any authorized purpose. A tax levied under this section is in addition to the tax levied by sections 4503.02 and 4503.07 of the Revised Code and any other tax levied under this chapter. The tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the district of registration of which is located in the unincorporated area of the township levying the tax, as defined in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code. The rate of the tax is in addition to the tax rates prescribed in sections 4503.04 and 4503.042 of the Revised Code and is subject to both of the following:

(a) The reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code;

(b) The exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.172, 4503.173, 4503.18, 4503.41, 4503.43, 4503.46, and 4503.571 of the Revised Code.

(2) As used in division (A)(1) of this section, "authorized purpose" means any of the following:

(a) Paying the costs and expenses of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section;

(b) Paying for construction, reconstruction, improvement, maintenance, and repair of township roads, bridges, and culverts;

(c) Purchasing, erecting, and maintaining traffic signs, markers, lights, and signals;

(d) Purchasing road machinery and equipment, and planning, constructing, and maintaining suitable buildings to house such equipment;

(e) Paying any costs apportioned to the township under section 4907.47 of the Revised Code;

(f) Supplementing revenue already available for the aforementioned purposes.

(B) Prior to the adoption of any resolution under this section, the board of township trustees shall conduct two public hearings on the resolution, the second hearing to be not less than three but not more than ten days after the first hearing. The board shall provide notice of the date, time, and place of both hearings by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, once a week on the same day of the week for two consecutive weeks. The second publication shall be not less than ten but not more than thirty days prior to the first hearing.

(C) No resolution adopted under this section shall become effective sooner than thirty days following its adoption. A resolution under this section is subject to a referendum in the same manner, except as to the form of the petition, as provided in division (H) of section 519.12 of the Revised Code for a proposed amendment to a township zoning resolution. In addition, a petition under this section shall be governed by the rules specified in section 3501.38 of the Revised Code.

No resolution levying a tax under this section for which a referendum vote has been requested shall go into effect unless approved by a majority of those voting upon it.

(D) A township license tax levied under this section continues in effect until repealed.

Section 4504.19 | County auditor's payments to townships.
 

Upon receipt by the county auditor of moneys pursuant to section 4501.043 of the Revised Code, the county auditor shall pay into the treasury of each township in the county levying a township motor vehicle license tax the portion of such money due the township as shown by the certificate of the registrar of motor vehicles prepared pursuant to section 4501.031 of the Revised Code. The money shall be used by the township only for the purposes described in section 4504.18 of the Revised Code.

Section 4504.20 | Exempting noncommercial trailers not exceeding 1,000 pounds.
 

The legislative authority of a municipal corporation, county, or township levying or proposing to levy a municipal, county, or township motor vehicle license tax pursuant to this chapter may, by ordinance or resolution, exempt noncommercial trailers weighing one thousand pounds or less from application of the tax. Any person registering a noncommercial trailer weighing one thousand pounds or less, the district of registration of which is a municipal corporation, county, or township that has exempted such trailers under this section, may apply to register the trailer without payment of the tax to which the trailer would otherwise be subject, upon presentation of such evidence of the trailer's weight as the registrar of motor vehicles requires. The exemption may be included in the ordinance or resolution levying the tax or, if the tax is in effect at the time the legislative authority decides to authorize the exemption, in a separate ordinance or resolution. Upon its adoption, the legislative authority shall immediately forward to the registrar a copy of the separate ordinance or resolution authorizing such a tax exemption.

As used in this section, "noncommercial trailer" has the same meaning as in division (N) of section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.

Section 4504.201 | Taxation of commercial cars or buses taxed under the IRP.
 

No commercial car that is taxed under division (A) of section 4503.65 of the Revised Code, and no commercial bus that is taxed under division (B) of section 4503.65 of the Revised Code, is subject to a tax established under section 4504.02, 4504.06, 4504.15, 4504.16, 4504.17, 4504.171, 4504.172, 4504.173, 4504.18, 4504.181, or 4504.24 of the Revised Code.

Section 4504.21 | Levying transportation improvement district license tax.
 

(A) For the purpose of paying the costs and expenses of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section; for planning, constructing, reconstructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing roads, bridges, and culverts; for purchasing, erecting, and maintaining traffic signs, markers, lights, and signals; for paying debt service charges on obligations issued for those purposes; and to supplement revenue already available for those purposes, a transportation improvement district created in accordance with section 5540.02 of the Revised Code may levy an annual license tax upon the operation of motor vehicles on the public roads and highways in the territory of the district. The tax shall be levied in increments of five dollars and shall not exceed twenty dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the owners of which reside in the district and shall be in addition to all other taxes levied under this chapter, subject to reduction in the manner provided in division (B)(2) of section 4503.11 of the Revised Code. The tax may be levied in all or part of the territory of the district.

(B) The board of trustees of a transportation improvement district proposing to levy a motor vehicle license tax under this section shall put the question of the tax to the electors of the district or of that part of the district in which the tax would be levied. The election shall be held on the date of a primary or general election held not less than ninety days after the board of trustees certifies to the county board of elections its resolution proposing the tax. The resolution shall specify the rate of the tax. The board of elections shall submit the question of the tax to the electors at the primary or general election. The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of the ballot for the election. If approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question of the tax, the board of trustees shall levy the tax as provided in the resolution.

(C) A transportation improvement district license tax levied under this section shall continue in effect until repealed, or until the dissolution of the transportation improvement district that levied it.

(D) Money received by the registrar of motor vehicles pursuant to section 4504.09 of the Revised Code that consists of the taxes levied under this section shall be deposited in the local motor vehicle license tax fund created by section 4501.031 of the Revised Code and distributed to the transportation improvement district levying such tax. The registrar may assign to the transportation improvement district a unique code to facilitate the distribution of such money, which may be the same unique code assigned to a county under section 4501.03 of the Revised Code.

Section 4504.22 | Annual license tax upon the operation of motor vehicles on public roads in counties participating in regional transportation improvement project.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Business" means a sole proprietorship, a corporation for profit, or a pass-through entity as defined in section 5733.04 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Owner" means a partner of a partnership, a member of a limited liability company, a majority shareholder of an S corporation, a person with a majority ownership interest in a pass-through entity, or any officer, employee, or agent with authority to make decisions legally binding upon a business.

(3) "Truck," "trailer," and "semitrailer" have the same meanings as in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Commercial trailer" means any trailer that is not a noncommercial trailer as defined in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) The governing board of a regional transportation improvement project created under Chapter 5595. of the Revised Code may request that the board of county commissioners of each county participating in the project propose an annual license tax upon the operation of motor vehicles on public roads in the respective counties. If a governing board makes such a request, the governing board shall make the request to the boards of commissioners of all counties participating in the project. The request shall be in writing and, if the governing board adopted a resolution to allocate revenue from such taxes to fund supplemental transportation improvements as provided in division (B) of section 5595.06 of the Revised Code, shall be accompanied by a copy of the resolution adopted under that division. If the governing board intends for the taxes to apply to trucks, the request shall so state. The purposes of each of the taxes shall be to pay the costs of transportation improvements and opportunity corridor improvements, as those terms are defined by section 5595.01 of the Revised Code, to pay the costs of supplemental improvements necessary to develop or complete the project, to pay debt service charges on obligations issued for those purposes, to supplement other revenue already available for such purposes, and to pay the cost of enforcing and administering the tax. No such tax may be levied unless the board of commissioners of each participating county consents to propose levying the tax and a majority of electors voting on the tax in each county as provided in this section approve the resolution levying the tax in that county.

Each county's tax shall be levied in an increment of five dollars, not exceeding twenty-five dollars, per motor vehicle as determined by the governing board of the regional transportation improvement project. Commercial trailers and semitrailers shall not be subject to the tax. Trucks shall not be subject to the tax unless the governing board's request states that trucks shall be subject to the tax. If trucks are to be subject to the tax, the governing board shall proceed as required by division (D) of this section before the governing board submits its request to the boards of county commissioners under this division. The owner of each motor vehicle subject to the tax who resides in the county where the tax applies shall pay the tax levied by the board of county commissioners. The tax is in addition to all other taxes levied under this chapter and subject to reduction in the manner provided in division (B)(2) of section 4503.11 of the Revised Code. Each tax shall apply at a uniform rate throughout the county. Taxes levied under this section shall not apply to registrations for any registration year beginning before January 1, 2017. The taxes shall continue in effect until expiration or repeal or until the dissolution of the regional transportation improvement project for which the taxes are levied.

(C) If the board of commissioners of each county participating in the regional transportation improvement project consents, by resolution, to the governing board's request to levy a tax under this section, the board of commissioners of each such county shall adopt a resolution levying the tax and proposing to submit the question of the tax to the electors of the county. The resolution shall specify the rate of the tax, the date on which the tax will terminate, and, if the request of the governing board of the regional transportation improvement project indicates that a portion of the revenue will be used for supplemental transportation improvements, the portion of the tax revenue that will be used for such supplemental improvements. The rate of the tax levied in each county, the election at which the question is to be submitted, the first registration year the tax will be levied, the date on which the tax will terminate, and whether the tax applies to trucks shall be identical for all the counties.

The board of elections of each county shall submit the question of the tax to the electors at the primary or general election to be held not less than ninety days after the board of county commissioners certifies to the county board of elections its resolution proposing the tax. The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of the ballot for the election. If the question of the tax is approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question of the tax in each county, the board of county commissioners of each county shall levy the tax as provided in the resolution.

A tax shall not be levied in any of the counties participating in the regional transportation improvement project unless the majority of electors voting on the question in each of those counties approve the question. If the question of the tax is approved in each county, the board of commissioners of the most populous of such counties as determined by the most recent federal decennial census shall certify the copies of all counties' resolutions to the registrar of motor vehicles as provided in section 4504.08 of the Revised Code.

(D) If the taxes to be levied under this section would apply to the operation of trucks on public highways in the counties levying the tax, the governing board of the regional transportation improvement project that requested the levy of the taxes shall appoint a transportation advisory council. The council shall review the proposed license taxes in conjunction with the cooperative agreement for the project and determine if the agreement and taxes are in the best interests of businesses operating in the counties in which the taxes would be imposed. The governing board shall not submit a proposed tax to boards of county commissioners under division (B) of this section unless the tax is approved by the transportation advisory council or the tax does not apply to trucks.

The transportation advisory council is a public body for the purposes of section 121.22 of the Revised Code and is a public office for the purposes of section 149.43 of the Revised Code. Members of the council shall not be considered to be holding a direct or indirect interest in a contract or expenditure of money by a county or a regional transportation improvement project because of their affiliation with the council.

The transportation advisory council shall consist of one member for each county participating in the regional transportation improvement project. For each county, the governing board of the project shall first appoint an owner of the business that owns the most trucks that would be subject to the license tax if it was imposed in that county, or an individual designated by the owner to serve in the owner's place. If the owner of the business is unable or unwilling to serve on the council or to designate an individual to serve in the owner's place, the governing board shall appoint an owner of the business that owns the next most trucks that would be subject to the license tax if it was imposed in that county, or an individual designated by the owner to serve in the owner's place. The governing board shall repeat this appointment procedure until each position on the council has been filled. No business may have more than one representative on the council. If the appointment procedure results in an owner of the same business being appointed to the council more than once, the governing board shall skip that business in the appointment order in one of the participating counties and instead appoint an owner of the business that owns the next most trucks that would be subject to the license tax if it was imposed in that county, or an individual designated by the owner to serve in the owner's place. Two businesses are the same business for the purposes of this division if more than fifty per cent of the controlling interest in each of the businesses is owned by the same person or persons.

The transportation advisory council shall hold at least one public meeting before voting on whether to approve the proposed license tax or taxes. Meetings shall be held in the most populous county in which a proposed license tax would be levied. Population shall be determined by reference to the most recent federal decennial census. Attendance by a majority of the members of the council constitutes a quorum to conduct the business of the council. At the meeting, the council shall consider the question of whether the license taxes and the cooperative agreement are in the best interests of the businesses operating in the counties in which the taxes would be imposed. In considering this question, the council shall allow the governing board, or a representative thereof, the opportunity to present testimony on the license taxes and the cooperative agreement. The council also shall allow time, during the meeting or meetings, for public comment on the license tax or taxes and the cooperative agreement. The council may hold an executive session in the manner provided in and subject to the limitations of section 122.22 of the Revised Code.

If the council, by majority vote of the membership of the council, determines that the license taxes and the cooperative agreement are in the best interests of the businesses operating within counties in which the tax would be levied, the governing board may submit requests to the appropriate boards of county commissioners that the license tax be placed on the ballot in accordance with division (C) of this section. If the council does not approve the license taxes and the cooperative agreement, the council shall provide recommendations to the governing board for ways in which the proposed license taxes and the cooperative agreement may be modified to meet the approval of the council. Such recommendations shall be in writing and shall be sent to the governing board within fourteen days after the vote of the council on the license taxes and the cooperative agreement.

The transportation advisory council shall dissolve by operation of law upon approving a license tax proposal under this division.

The governing board shall make appropriations as are necessary to pay the costs incurred by the council in the exercise of its functions under this division.

(E) The registrar of motor vehicles shall deposit revenue from each of the taxes levied under this section that is received by the registrar under section 4504.09 of the Revised Code in the local motor vehicle license tax fund created by section 4501.031 of the Revised Code. The registrar shall distribute the revenue from each tax to the appropriate board of county commissioners. The registrar may assign to each board of county commissioners a unique code to facilitate the distribution of the revenue, which may be the same unique code assigned to that county under section 4501.03 of the Revised Code. The board of county commissioners then shall pay the money to the governing board of the regional transportation improvement project that requested that the question of the levying of the tax be placed on the ballot.

Last updated October 6, 2023 at 12:13 PM

Section 4504.24 | County tax upon operation of motor vehicles on public roads and highways.
 

(A)(1) The board of county commissioners of a county may, by resolution, levy an annual license tax upon the operation of motor vehicles on the public roads and highways in that county for any authorized purpose. A tax levied under this section is in addition to the tax levied by sections 4503.02 and 4503.07 of the Revised Code and any other tax levied under this chapter. The tax shall be at the rate of five dollars per motor vehicle on all motor vehicles the district of registration of which is located in the county levying the tax, as defined in section 4503.10 of the Revised Code. The rate of the tax is in addition to the tax rates prescribed in sections 4503.04 and 4503.042 of the Revised Code and is subject to both of the following:

(a) The reductions in the manner provided in section 4503.11 of the Revised Code;

(b) The exemptions provided in sections 4503.16, 4503.17, 4503.172, 4503.173, 4503.18, 4503.41, 4503.43, 4503.46, and 4503.571 of the Revised Code.

(2) As used in division (A)(1) of this section, "authorized purpose" means any of the following:

(a) Paying the costs and expenses of enforcing and administering the tax provided for in this section;

(b) Planning, constructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing public roads, highways, and streets;

(c) Maintaining and repairing bridges and viaducts;

(d) Paying the county's portion of the costs and expenses of cooperating with the department of transportation in the planning, improvement, and construction of state highways;

(e) Paying the county's portion of the compensation, damages, costs, and expenses of planning, constructing, reconstructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing roads and streets;

(f) Paying any costs apportioned to the county under section 4907.47 of the Revised Code;

(g) Paying debt service charges on notes or bonds of the county issued for such purposes;

(h) Paying all or part of the costs and expenses of municipal corporations in planning, constructing, reconstructing, improving, maintaining, and repairing highways, roads, and streets designated as necessary or conducive to the orderly and efficient flow of traffic within and through the county pursuant to section 4504.03 of the Revised Code;

(i) Purchasing, erecting, and maintaining street and traffic signs and markers;

(j) Purchasing, erecting, and maintaining traffic lights and signals;

(k) Supplementing revenue already available for the aforementioned purposes.

(B) Prior to the adoption of any resolution under this section, the board of county commissioners shall conduct two public hearings on the resolution, the second hearing to be not less than three but not more than ten days after the first hearing. The board shall provide notice of the date, time, and place of both hearings by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, once a week on the same day of the week for two consecutive weeks. The second publication shall be not less than ten but not more than thirty days prior to the first hearing.

(C) No resolution adopted under this section shall become effective sooner than thirty days following its adoption. A resolution under this section is subject to a referendum as provided in sections 305.31 to 305.41 of the Revised Code. No resolution levying a tax under this section for which a referendum vote has been requested shall go into effect unless approved by a majority of those voting upon it.

(D) If a board of county commissioners adopts a resolution to levy a county license tax under this section, the board shall provide written notice of the adoption of the resolution to the legislative authority of each municipal corporation that is located in the county and to the board of township trustees of each township that is located in the county.

(E) A county license tax levied under this section continues in effect until repealed.