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Rule 4501:1-8-01 | Entry into international registration plan.
The registrar of motor vehicles has entered into the international registration plan, an agreement providing for the payment beginning March 1, 1991, of taxes and fees on an apportioned basis with other jurisdictions. The operator of a fleet of vehicles based in any of the member jurisdictions may register the operator's fleet under this agreement. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 10:55 AM Supplemental Information |
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Rule 4501:1-8-02 | Definitions.
As provided in this chapter: (A) "Fleet" means one or more apportionable vehicles. (B) "Apportionable vehicle" means any vehicle, except recreational vehicles, vehicles displaying restricted plates, city pickup and delivery vehicles, and government-owned vehicles, used or intended for use in two or more member jurisdictions that allocate or proportionally register vehicles and is used for the transportation of persons for hire or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property and: (1) Is a power unit having two axles and a gross weight or registered gross vehicle weight in excess of twenty-six thousand pounds; or (2) Is a power unit having three or more axles regardless of weight; or (3) Is used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds twenty-six thousand pounds gross vehicle weight. (C) "Hunter's permit" means a limited permit which may be obtained by an owner-operator not operating as a lessor allowing the movement of the carrier's vehicle with a registered gross weight not in excess of the unladen weight of the vehicle. (D) "IRP" means international registration plan. (E) "Trip permit" means a temporary permit issued by a jurisdiction in lieu of regular apportioned license plates and cab card. (F) "Trip lease" means lease of a vehicle to a lessee for a one trip operation only. (G) "Unladen weight" means actual weight of a vehicle including the cab, body, and all accessories with which the vehicle is equipped for normal use on the highway, excluding the weight of any load. (H) "Jurisdiction" means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or a state, province, or territory of another country. (I) "Member jurisdiction" means a state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or a state, province, or territory of another country and which is a signatory of the IRP. (J) "Base jurisdiction" means the member jurisdiction, selected in accordance with section 305 of the IRP plan, to which an applicant applies for apportioned registration under the plan or the member jurisdiction that issues apportioned registration to a registrant under the plan. The registrar may require documentation in the name of the applicant, registrant, or the principal owner, to verify an Ohio IRP applicant or registrant's claim of Ohio as their base jurisdiction. (K) "Rental fleet" means five or more vehicles rented or offered for rent with or without drivers; the giving of possession and control of vehicles for a specified time and which have been designated as a rental fleet. (L) "Owner-operator" means a lessor who leases a vehicle with a driver to a carrier. (M) "Established place of business" means a physical structure located within the base jurisdiction that is owned by the applicant or registrant, or leased between the property owner and the applicant or registrant where such lease agreements shall be for no less than twelve months. The street address of the established place of business shall be specified by the applicant or registrant. The physical structure shall have clear company signage with hours of operation posted, be open for business and shall be staffed a minimum of twenty hours per week by one or more persons employed by the applicant or registrant on a permanent basis (i.e., not an independent contractor) for the purpose of the general management of the applicant's or registrant's trucking related business (i.e., not limited to credentialing, distance and fuel reporting, and answering telephone inquiries). Virtual, co-working, shared, and/or member service agreement contracts for shared office spaces shall not qualify as an established place of business lease regardless of the length of the agreement. Shared office spaces are physical structures where multiple businesses or individuals share common facilities, and resources, such as office space, meeting rooms, and administrative services. Trucking-related business encompasses a wide range of activities related to the transportation of goods by trucks. These operations involve several key components, such as: (1) Logistics planning; (2) Fleet management including vehicle maintenance; (3) Driver managment; (4) Load handling; (5) Regulatory compliance; (6) Customer service; (7) Technology integration. (N) "Residence" is a declared address within a member jurisdiction which is reflected on the driver license of the registrant, applicant, or principal owner and any additional documentation authorized to support the selection of the member jurisdiction as the applicant's base jurisdiction. All submitted documents must reflect the declared address and clearly evidence the applicant's legal residency to the satisfaction of the member jurisdiction. If an applicant, or registrant, has an established place of business in a member jurisdiction, they may not select their base jurisdiction by using this residence definition. Last updated February 2, 2026 at 8:27 AM Supplemental Information |
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Rule 4501:1-8-08 | Application for registration in international registration plan.
(A) Either the owner or the lessee of an apportionable vehicle may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for registration of the vehicle in the applicant's name. If the lessee is the applicant the registration shall also include the name of the owner. The registration (cab card) and license plates shall remain the property of the applicant/registrant and are the sole responsibility of the applicant/registrant. If the lease between the owner of a registered vehicle and the applicant/registrant is terminated or expires, it is the responsibility of the applicant/registrant to retrieve the plate issued to the owner or lessee of the vehicle. Applicants for IRP shall complete the IRP application required by the bureau, located at https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/vr-irp-geninfo.aspx (revised April 2021). (B) Applications shall be renewed annually. Any renewed application must show mileage in Ohio and at least one other member jurisdiction. (C) The applicant shall pay all base and foreign jurisdiction taxes and fees in full at the time of the initial registration. (D) All issues of compliance and interpretation related to the denial of the international registration plan apportionable vehicle registration application shall be raised before before the IRP board as described in section XIV of the international registration plan. Last updated February 2, 2026 at 8:27 AM Supplemental Information |
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Rule 4501:1-8-09 | Contents of application for registration in the international registration plan.
(A) The registrar of motor vehicles shall prescribe the contents of the application for registration for the international registration plan which shall include the following information: (1) The information required by section 4503.10 of the Revised Code; (2) A uniform mileage schedule; (3) The gross vehicle weight of the vehicle or combined gross vehicle weight of the combination vehicle as declared by the applicant; (4) The United States department of transportation number (USDOT number) issued to the applicant; (5) Any other information the registrar prescribes on the application. (B) The failure of the applicant to provide any information required by the registrar on the application or the failure to provide any required support documentation shall be grounds for denial of the application. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 11:18 AM Supplemental Information |
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Rule 4501:1-8-10 | Registration by electronic means.
(A) Pursuant to section 4503.62 of the Revised Code, the registrar of motor vehicles hereby establishes a program to accept applications for vehicle registration transactions for apportionable vehicles electronically over the internet. The registrar shall establish an internet web site for this purpose. This program will initially permit the acceptance of applications for the renewal of vehicle registration transactions for apportionable vehicles, and shall be expanded by the registrar, at the registrar's discretion, to permit initial and other applications for vehicle registration transactions. (B) Any owner or lessee of an apportionable commercial motor vehicle may apply for initial or renewal registration for that vehicle in accordance with the provisions of this rule. At the discretion of the registrar of motor vehicles, the program also may provide for initial or renewal registration of nonapportionable commercial motor vehicles over the internet. (C) The internet web site established by the registrar shall contain an application in electronic form containing essentially the same information as prescribed in rule 4501:1-8-09 of the Administrative Code. The vehicle owner shall verify the information contained therein, affix the owner's electronic signature, and return it together with payment of all the registration taxes, fees, and costs due to the registrar by electronic or other approved means, all in accordance with this rule and any instructions prescribed by the registrar. (D) The completed application shall contain all essential initial or renewal registration information. The vehicle owner or lessee making the application shall verify that the registration information is correct and that the owner or lessee is in full compliance with all state and federal registration requirements, including compliance with Ohio's financial responsibility laws. (E) The registrar shall prescribe the elements that constitute the owner's or lessee's electronic signature for initial or renewal motor vehicle registrations. The elements may include, but are not limited to, the vehicle's license plate number, the owner's or lessee's social security or taxpayer identification number, a personal identification number (PIN) assigned by the registrar, a derivative of any of the foregoing numbers, or any other electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with the registration record. Compliance with the elements prescribed by the registrar shall evidence the owner's or lessee's intent to sign the application and shall constitute the signature of the vehicle owner or lessee. In addition, the registrar may establish guidelines for accepting documents and signatures by electronic scanning, by facsimile transmission, or by any other reliable means. If necessary to complete the initial or renewal registration process, the registrar may require that additional information be submitted by regular mail or by delivery to a designated registration office. (F) The internet registration program shall provide an option for the payment of all registration taxes and fees for eligible commercial vehicles by use of a financial transaction device. As used in this rule, "financial transaction device" means a credit card, a debit card, an e-check, or any other device or method for making an electronic payment or transfer of funds approved by the registrar of motor vehicles. The registrar, with the approval of the director of public safety, may contract with a third party to accept and process payments made by use of a financial transaction device on behalf of the bureau of motor vehicles. (G) All fees associated with payment by use of a financial transaction device shall be borne by the applicants seeking the initial or renewal registration of apportionable or other vehicles under the program established pursuant to this rule. The bureau of motor vehicles shall not pay any costs, and shall not retain any additional fees, associated with the use of a financial transaction device. In providing for payment by the use of a financial transaction device, the registrar may, but is not required to, comply with section 113.40 of the Revised Code. (H) The registrar may reject any application for initial or renewal registration by electronic means if the application does not comply with any applicable statute, any applicable rule, or any of the instructions prescribed by the registrar. (I) In carrying out the registrar's duties under this rule, the registrar may contract with outside sources to process any information, send and receive any information or notices, and take any actions on behalf of the registrar as the registrar may prescribe. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 11:18 AM Supplemental Information |
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Rule 4501:1-8-11 | Temporary authority and permits to operate apportioned vehicles.
(A) A temporary authority to operate an apportioned vehicle may be issued in conjunction with IRP registration Upon issuance, a temporary authority becomes an authority to operate the vehicle until the physical place arrives via mail. Said temporary authority shall be valid for not more than forty-five days. The fee for issuance of a temporary authority shall be two dollars. (B) The registrar shall prescribe the terms and conditions for the issuance of a hunter's permit. A hunter's permit shall be valid for not more than thirty days. The fee for a hunter's permit shall be twenty-five dollars. (C) The registrar shall prescribe the terms and conditions for the issuance of a trip permit. A trip permit shall be valid seventy-two hours. The fee for a trip permit shall be fifteen dollars. Last updated February 2, 2026 at 8:27 AM Supplemental Information |
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Rule 4501:1-8-12 | Credits for unused portion of vehicle registration.
(A) Credit for the unused portion of the registration of an apportioned vehicle which has been deleted from a fleet may be applied to a replacement vehicle in the same fleet per the fee schedules of all apportioned jurisdictions, provided the credit is used within the same registration year. Credits exceeding the replacement vehicle's fee per the fee schedules of all apportioned jurisdictions are not eligible for refund. (B) Ohio will allow an error variance not to exceed five dollars per individual carrier account when transmitting funds between jurisdictions. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 11:18 AM Supplemental Information |
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Rule 4501:1-8-15 | Registration of vehicles based in jurisdictions that are not members of the IRP.
Owners of vehicles based in jurisdictions which are not members of the IRP must comply with Title 45 of the Ohio Revised Code with respect to the operation of their vehicles within the state of Ohio. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 11:19 AM Supplemental Information |
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Rule 4501:1-8-16 | Household goods carriers.
(A) Household goods carriers using equipment leased from service representatives may elect, with respect to such equipment, to base such equipment in the base jurisdiction of the service representative or that of the carrier. (B) In cases where the household goods carrier's equipment is elected to be registered in the base jurisdiction of the service representative, the equipment shall be registered in the service representative's name and that of the carrier as lessee with apportionment of the fees according to the combined records of the service representative and those of the carrier. (C) If the election to register is the base jurisdiction of the carrier, and such jurisdiction is an IRP member jurisdiction, the equipment shall be registered by and in the name of the carrier and that of the service representative as lessor with the apportionment of the fees according to the records of the carrier and service representative which must include the intra-jurisdiction miles operated by those vehicles applicable under this agreement. The records shall be kept or made available in the base jurisdiction of the carrier. Service representatives properly registered under this election shall be fully registered for operations under their own authority as well as under the authority of the carrier. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 11:19 AM Supplemental Information |