Section 4503.031 | Office space for carrying out deputy registrars' duties.
(A)(1) If the registrar of motor vehicles determines that space is available at a deputy registrar's office, the clerk of the court of common pleas in the county where the deputy is located shall be given the opportunity to use the space for the purpose of carrying out the clerk's duties related to the titling of motor vehicles. Each clerk of the court of common pleas using space in a deputy registrar's office shall remit to the deputy a rental fee equal to the percentage of space occupied by the clerk in the deputy's office multiplied by the rental fee or mortgage cost paid for the entire deputy registrar's office plus a pro rata share of all utility costs.
(2) If the clerk of the court of common pleas determines that space is available at any location at which the clerk has an office, the clerk shall inform the registrar of that fact and shall provide the registrar with all pertinent information about the available space. After giving due consideration to the locations of deputy registrar offices existing in the county in which the clerk of the court of common pleas is located, the registrar shall inform the appropriate deputy registrars, if any, of the available space of the clerk of the court of common pleas. Each such deputy registrar shall be given the opportunity to use the space for the purpose of carrying out the deputy registrar's duties. Each deputy registrar using space in the office of the clerk of a court of common pleas shall remit to the clerk a rental fee equal to the percentage of space occupied by the deputy registrar in the clerk's office multiplied by the rental fee or mortgage cost, if any, paid for the entire clerk's office plus a pro rata share of all utility costs.
If no current deputy registrar elects to utilize the available space of the clerk of the court of common pleas, the registrar shall inform all persons who express an interest to the registrar in becoming a deputy registrar in that county of the available space of the clerk if the space in fact continues to be available.
(3) A clerk of the court of common pleas and a deputy registrar may elect to occupy a location at which neither the clerk nor the deputy currently is an occupant. Any such arrangement is subject to the approval of the registrar, who shall give due consideration to all issues and aspects of the proposed arrangement, including security at the location and service to the public.
(B) When possible, as determined by the director of public safety and the registrar, a driver's license examination station shall be located at or near a deputy registrar's office. For each driver's license examination station located at a deputy registrar's office, the director shall remit to the deputy a rental fee equal to the percentage of space occupied for the driver's license examination station multiplied by the rental fee or mortgage cost paid for the entire deputy registrar's office plus a pro rata share of all utility costs.
(C) During the regular business hours of deputy registrars, the registrar shall keep the central office open and sufficiently staffed to be able to respond to the technical needs of the deputies.
(D) The registrar shall adopt rules to promote public information regarding motor vehicle registration. The rules shall include:
(1) The operation by the registrar, during the regular business hours of deputy registrars, of a toll-free telephone number to give information and receive complaints;
(2) The listing by the registrar, of each deputy registrar, together with the toll-free telephone number required under division (D)(1) of this section, in the local business and advertising telephone directory for the area served by the deputy, under the heading of the bureau of motor vehicles.
Available Versions of this Section
- September 10, 2012 – House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly [ View September 10, 2012 Version ]