Section 4503.581.

(A) As used in this section, "vehicle" includes a passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, recreational vehicle, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar of motor vehicles.

(B) Any woman who is a retired or honorably discharged veteran of any branch of the armed forces of the United States may apply to the registrar for the registration of any vehicle the woman owns or leases and the issuance of "Women Veterans" license plates. An applicant shall include with an application such written evidence that the registrar shall require by rule documenting that the applicant is a retired or honorably discharged veteran of any branch of the armed forces of the United States. 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.

(C) The registrar shall issue to an applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration and a set of "Women Veterans" license plates and a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code, upon the occurrence of all of the following:

(1) Receipt by the registrar of an application for registration of a motor vehicle under this section;

(2) Presentation to the registrar of satisfactory evidence documenting that the applicant is a retired or honorably discharged veteran of a branch of the armed forces of the United States;

(3) Payment of the regular license fee as prescribed in section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, any local motor vehicle license tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, and any applicable additional fee prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code; and

(4) Compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles.

(D) In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed thereon, "Women Veterans" license plates shall contain the words "Women Veterans." The license plates also shall contain one of the following inscriptions, as appropriate: "U.S. ARMED FORCES RETIRED--(BRANCH OF SERVICE)" or "U.S. ARMED FORCES VETERAN--(BRANCH OF SERVICE)." Depending upon the format of the inscription, the registrar shall determine whether or not the inscription contains the dash. The license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration by name or number.

(E) Sections 4503.77 and 4503.78 of the Revised Code do not apply to license plates issued under this section.

(F)

(1) No person who is not a woman and is not a retired or honorably discharged veteran of any branch of the armed forces of the United States shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is such a veteran for the purpose of obtaining license plates under this section. No person shall permit a motor vehicle owned or leased by the person to bear license plates issued under this section unless the person is eligible to be issued such license plates.

(2) Whoever violates division (F)(1) of this section is guilty of falsification.

Added by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.