Section 4507.12 | Vision screening prior to license renewal - examiner to retain license upon failure to meet vision standards.
(A)(1) Except as provided in division (C) of section 4507.10 of the Revised Code, each person applying for the renewal of a driver's license shall submit to a screening of the person's vision before the license may be renewed. Except as provided in division (A)(2) of this section, the vision screening shall be conducted at the office of the deputy registrar receiving the application for license renewal.
(2) A person applying for the renewal of a driver's license who is capable of meeting the standards required for licensing, but who is not capable of passing the vision screening conducted at the office of the deputy registrar, may have the vision screening conducted at a licensed optometrist's or ophthalmologist's office of the person's choice. The person shall have the vision screening performed within ninety days prior to the time the person applies for the driver's license renewal. The person shall bring any forms required by the registrar to the vision screening conducted at the optometrist's or ophthalmologist's office to be completed by the optometrist or ophthalmologist. The person shall submit such forms to a deputy registrar at the time the person applies for the driver's license renewal to verify that the vision screening results meet the vision standards required for licensing.
(B) When the results of a vision screening given under division (A) of this section indicate that the vision of the person examined meets the standards required for licensing, the deputy registrar may renew the person's driver's license at that time.
(C) When the results of a vision screening given under division (A) of this section indicate that the vision of the person screened may not meet the standards required for licensing, the deputy registrar shall not renew the person's driver's license at that time but shall refer the person to a driver's license examiner appointed by the director of public safety under section 5502.05 of the Revised Code for a further examination of the person's vision.
(D) When a person referred to a driver's license examiner by a deputy registrar does not meet the vision standards required for licensing, the driver's license examiner shall retain the person's operator's license and shall immediately notify the registrar of motor vehicles of that fact. The driver's license examiner shall refer the person to a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist of the person's choice. The person may have the optometrist or ophthalmologist conduct a vision screening and shall request the optometrist or ophthalmologist to certify the vision screening results on any forms required by the registrar. The person shall submit such forms to a deputy registrar or driver's license examiner to verify that the vision screening results meet the vision standards required for licensing.
(E) No driver's license shall be issued to a person, until the person's vision is corrected to meet the standards required for licensing by this section. Any person who operates a motor vehicle on a highway, or on any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking, during the time the person's driver's license is held by a driver's license examiner under this division, shall be deemed to be operating a motor vehicle in violation of division (A) of section 4510.12 of the Revised Code.
(F) The registrar shall adopt rules and shall provide any forms necessary to properly conduct vision screenings at the office of a deputy registrar, a driver examination station, or at the office of a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist.
(G) A person conducting vision screenings under this section is not personally liable for damages for injury or loss to persons or property and for death caused by the operation of a motor vehicle by any person whose driver's license was renewed by the deputy registrar under division (B) of this section.
Available Versions of this Section
- September 10, 2012 – House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly [ View September 10, 2012 Version ]
- October 17, 2019 – Amended by House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly [ View October 17, 2019 Version ]
- June 30, 2021 – Amended by House Bill 74 - 134th General Assembly [ View June 30, 2021 Version ]