Section 4503.547 | Blue Star Banner license plates.
(A) As used in this section, "member of the immediate family" of a person who is a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States that is serving on active duty means all of the following:
(1) A spouse;
(2) A parent, stepparent, or other person who acted in loco parentis;
(3) A sibling, whether of the whole or half-blood, or by adoption;
(4) A child, including those by adoption, or a stepchild;
(5) A grandparent.
(B) Any member of the immediate family of a person currently serving on active duty of any branch of the armed forces of the United States, including those on active duty in the reserves or national guard, may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar that the family member owns or leases and for issuance of "Blue Star Banner" license plates for that motor vehicle. The application may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the completed application and compliance by the applicant with divisions (C) and (D) of this section, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration and a set of "Blue Star Banner" license plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.
In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, "Blue Star Banner" license plates shall display an appropriate logo and words that are selected by representatives of the department of veterans services and approved by the registrar. "Blue Star Banner" license plates shall display county identification stickers that identify the county of registration as required under section 4503.19 of the Revised Code.
(C) "Blue Star Banner" license plates and a validation sticker, or validation sticker alone, shall be issued upon receipt of an application for registration of a motor vehicle under this section; supporting documentation certifying that the applicant's family member who is on active duty is currently serving on active duty as may be required by the registrar; payment of the regular license tax as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, any applicable motor vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, any applicable additional fee prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, an additional administrative fee of ten dollars; and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles.
(D) The registrar shall deposit the administrative fee of ten dollars, the purpose of which is to compensate the bureau of motor vehicles for additional services required in the issuing of "Blue Star Banner" license plates, into the state treasury to the credit of the public safety - highway purposes fund created in section 4501.06 of the Revised Code.
(E) No person who is not a member of the immediate family of a person currently serving on active duty of any branch of the armed forces of the United States shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is such a family member for the purpose of obtaining license plates under this section.
Last updated February 20, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Available Versions of this Section
- April 7, 2009 – House Bill 273 - 127th General Assembly [ View April 7, 2009 Version ]
- April 9, 2025 – Enacted by Senate Bill 163 - 135th General Assembly [ View April 9, 2025 Version ]