Ohio Rev. Code § 1907.25 (2026)

(A)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code, if at the time of sentencing or at any time after sentencing a county court finds that a person who is found guilty of an offense is unable to pay costs, the court may order the offender to perform community service in lieu of costs.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Revised Code, if at the time of sentencing or at any time after sentencing a county court finds that a person who is found guilty of an offense will not be able to pay costs in full when they are due, the court may order the offender to pay the costs in installments according to a schedule set by the court.

(B) If a person is charged with an offense in county court and fails to appear in court at the required time and place to answer the charge, the court may enter information relative to the person's failure to appear on a form prescribed or approved by the registrar of motor vehicles pursuant to division (C) of this section and send the form to the registrar. Upon receipt of the form, the registrar shall take any measures necessary to ensure that neither the registrar nor any deputy registrar accepts any application for the registration or transfer of registration of any motor vehicle owned or leased by the person. However, for a motor vehicle leased by the person, the registrar shall not implement this requirement until the registrar adopts procedures for that implementation under section 4503.39 of the Revised Code.

The period of denial relating to the issuance or transfer of a certificate of registration for a motor vehicle imposed under this section remains in effect until the person appears in the court relative to the offense. The court shall inform the registrar of the appearance by entering information relative to the appearance on a form prescribed or approved by the registrar pursuant to division (C) of this section and sending the form to the registrar.

(C) The registrar shall prescribe and make available to county courts forms to be used for a notice to the registrar of failure to appear and a notice to the registrar of appearance under division (B) of this section. The registrar may approve the use of other forms for these purposes.

The registrar may require that any of the forms prescribed or approved pursuant to this section be transmitted to the registrar electronically. If the registrar requires electronic transmission, the registrar shall not be required to give effect to any form that is not transmitted electronically.