Section 311.37. Regulation of transient vendors

(A) No transient vendor, as defined in section 5739.17 of the Revised Code, who obtains a transient vendor's license pursuant to section 5739.17 of the Revised Code, intending to provide goods and services of a retail value of more than five hundred dollars, shall negligently fail to file with the county sheriff all of the following before doing business as a transient vendor anywhere in that county:

(1) Proof of the transient vendor's identity and proof that a transient vendor's license has been obtained in this state;

(2) A statement describing the goods or services to be provided by the transient vendor and an estimate of the amount of the goods or services that the vendor expects to sell in that county, as documented by invoices indicating the wholesale value of goods to be sold;

(3) The transient vendor's permanent business address;

(4) The times and days during which, and the temporary places of business, as defined in section 5739.17 of the Revised Code, at which the transient vendor plans to do business in that county.

(B) The sheriff shall maintain a record of the information required under division (A) of this section for a period of two years, which shall be open to the inspection of any person. The sheriff shall be allowed a fee of up to one hundred dollars for collection of the bond required by this section. The bond shall be fifty per cent of the wholesale value of the goods and services provided, but in no case shall the bond exceed ten thousand dollars. The bond shall be in a form approved by the attorney general. The bond shall remain in effect for two years after the transient vendor last does business in that county.

(C) No transient vendor, as defined in section 5739.17 of the Revised Code, intending to provide goods and services of a retail value of more than five hundred dollars, shall negligently fail to file a bond within ten days before doing business as a transient vendor anywhere in that county.

(D) The bond filed by any transient vendor pursuant to this section shall be given to the attorney general by the county sheriff within ten working days after a transient vendor ceases to do business in that county, and shall be in favor of the state for the benefit of any person who suffers loss or damage as a result of the purchase of goods from the transient vendor or as the result of the negligent or intentionally tortious acts of the transient vendor in the conduct of business in the county. The bond may be used to compensate any state or local agency for damages caused by the transient vendor, for costs incurred by the agency for the illegal acts of the transient vendor, or for failure to pay any amount owed by the transient vendor to the state or local agency. The bond also may be used to compensate the state for any sales tax not paid by the transient vendor. Except for the amount of unpaid sales taxes to be deducted from the bond, if any, the attorney general shall pay any portion of the bond to any person or agency in accordance with the order of a court without making an independent finding as to the amount of the bond that is payable to that person or agency.

(E) This section does not apply to any of the following:

(1) A transient vendor making retail sales at a temporary exhibition, show, fair, world trade center, flea market, or similar event, as permitted by section 5739.17 of the Revised Code;

(2) Any nonprofit corporation, community chest, fund, or foundation organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes when no part of the entity's earnings benefit any private shareholder or individual;

(3) Any person who operates a permanent business in this state, occupies temporary premises, and prominently displays the permanent business' name and permanent address while business is conducted from the temporary premises.

(4) Any person who sells goods by sample, brochure, or catalog for future delivery or any person who makes sales as the result of the invitation of an owner or occupant of a residence to the person.

(5) Any person who sells handmade or handcrafted items, or who sells fresh farm produce.

Nothing in this section shall prohibit the legislative authority of a municipal corporation from adopting an ordinance regulating transient vendors, as defined in section 5739.17 of the Revised Code, except that a municipal corporation may not require a transient vendor who obtains a bond in compliance with this section to obtain or pay for any additional bond or require that persons exempt pursuant to division (E) of this section obtain a bond. A municipal corporation may require that a transient vendor exhibit the transient vendor's license and any proof of bond required to such officer or employee of the municipal corporation as the municipal corporation designates by ordinance.

Effective Date: 06-21-2002