Ohio Rev. Code » Chapter 2923
Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17 (2026)

Unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance - illegally manufacturing or processing explosives

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
March 23, 2015
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 234 - 130th General Assembly
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(A) No person shall knowingly acquire, have, carry, or use any dangerous ordnance.

(B) No person shall manufacture or process an explosive at any location in this state unless the person first has been issued a license, certificate of registration, or permit to do so from a fire official of a political subdivision of this state or from the office of the fire marshal.

(C) Division (A) of this section does not apply to:

(1) Officers, agents, or employees of this or any other state or the United States, members of the armed forces of the United States or the organized militia of this or any other state, and law enforcement officers, to the extent that any such person is authorized to acquire, have, carry, or use dangerous ordnance and is acting within the scope of the person's duties;

(2) Importers, manufacturers, dealers, and users of explosives, having a license or user permit issued and in effect pursuant to the "Organized Crime Control Act of 1970," 84 Stat. 952, 18 U.S.C. 843, and any amendments or additions thereto or reenactments thereof, with respect to explosives and explosive devices lawfully acquired, possessed, carried, or used under the laws of this state and applicable federal law;

(3) Importers, manufacturers, and dealers having a license to deal in destructive devices or their ammunition, issued and in effect pursuant to the "Gun Control Act of 1968," 82 Stat. 1213, 18 U.S.C. 923, and any amendments or additions thereto or reenactments thereof, with respect to dangerous ordnance lawfully acquired, possessed, carried, or used under the laws of this state and applicable federal law;

(4) Persons to whom surplus ordnance has been sold, loaned, or given by the secretary of the army pursuant to 70A Stat. 262 and 263, 10 U.S.C. 4684, 4685, and 4686, and any amendments or additions thereto or reenactments thereof, with respect to dangerous ordnance when lawfully possessed and used for the purposes specified in such section;

(5) Owners of dangerous ordnance registered in the national firearms registration and transfer record pursuant to the act of October 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1229, 26 U.S.C. 5841, and any amendments or additions thereto or reenactments thereof, and regulations issued thereunder.

(6) Carriers, warehouses, and others engaged in the business of transporting or storing goods for hire, with respect to dangerous ordnance lawfully transported or stored in the usual course of their business and in compliance with the laws of this state and applicable federal law;

(7) The holders of a license or temporary permit issued and in effect pursuant to section 2923.18 of the Revised Code, with respect to dangerous ordnance lawfully acquired, possessed, carried, or used for the purposes and in the manner specified in such license or permit;

(8) Persons who own a dangerous ordnance that is a firearm muffler or suppressor attached to a gun that is authorized to be used for hunting by section 1533.16 of the Revised Code and who are authorized to use such a dangerous ordnance by section 1533.04 of the Revised Code.

(D) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance, a felony of the fifth degree.

(E) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of illegally manufacturing or processing explosives, a felony of the second degree.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 87 cases (22 in the last 5 years), 1982–2026 · leading case: State v. Jordan, 733 N.E.2d 601 (Ohio 2000).
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State v. Jordan, 733 N.E.2d 601 (Ohio 2000). · cites it 31× “R.C. 2923.17(A) sets forth the offense of unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance and provides that “[n]o person shall knowingly acquire, have, carry, or use any dangerous ordnance.”
State v. Butler, 538 N.E.2d 98 (Ohio 1989). · cites it 5× “Nor does R.C. 2923.17, the statute defining the offense of unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance, to which the defendant pleaded guilty and of which he was convicted.”
State v. Musleh, 2017 Ohio 8166 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “: {¶1} Defendant-appellant Mohammad Musleh appeals from his conviction after he pled no contest to one count of unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance in violation of R.C. 2923.17(A). Musleh contends that the trial court did not comply with Crim.”
State v. Jordan, 2000 Ohio 225 (Ohio 2000). · cites it 35× “] Criminal procedure—Prosecution for unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance in violation of R.C. 2923.17—State not required to prove that defendant knows of the specific characteristics of the weapon or item possessed that bring it within the statutory definition of…”
In re B.J., 2014 Ohio 5701 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 9× “{¶28} As it applies in R.C. 2923.17, “dangerous ordnance” means “[a]ny explosive device or incendiary device[.”
State v. Johnson, 2010 Ohio 6301 (Ohio 2010). · cites it 2× “2d 601 (R.C. 2923.17); State v. Maxwell, 95 Ohio St.”
State v. Creech, 936 N.E.2d 79 (Ohio Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 3× “13(A), (4) three counts of unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance in violation of R.C. 2923.17(A), and (5) the illegal manufacturing or processing of explosives in violation of R.”
In Re Travis, 675 N.E.2d 36 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 7× “On March 11, 1994, a complaint was filed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations, Juvenile Branch, charging appellant, Chad Travis, with possession of dangerous ordnance in violation of R.C. 2923.17. The matter was heard before a referee, who…”
State v. Short, 2011 OH 3641 (Ohio 2011). “11(A)(2); and one count of possession of dangerous ordnance (the sawed-off shotgun), R.C. 2923.17(A). Each count of the indictment carried a firearm specification under R.”
State v. Sheldon, 2019 Ohio 4123 (Ohio Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 2× “R.C. 2923.17, Ohio’s unlawful- possession-of-dangerous-ordnance statute, provides that “[n]o person shall knowingly acquire, carry, or use any dangerous ordnance.”
State v. Anderson, 2023 Ohio 945 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 3× “STATEMENT OF THE CASE {¶2} On July 15, 2021, Appellant was indicted for unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance, a fifth-degree felony in violation of R.C. 2923.17(A), and having a weapon while under disability, a third-degree felony in violation of R.”
State v. Dommer, 833 N.E.2d 796 (Ohio Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 5× “11(M) states that, as used in R.C. 2923.17, the term “ ‘Explosive’ does not include ‘fireworks,’ as defined in section 3743.”
Show all 87 citing cases →
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(A) — 48 cases
State v. Jordan, 733 N.E.2d 601 (Ohio 2000). “R.C. 2923.17(A) sets forth the offense of unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance and provides that “[n]o person shall knowingly acquire, have, carry, or use any dangerous ordnance.”
State v. Musleh, 2017 Ohio 8166 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017). “: {¶1} Defendant-appellant Mohammad Musleh appeals from his conviction after he pled no contest to one count of unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance in violation of R.C. 2923.17(A). Musleh contends that the trial court did not comply with Crim.”
State v. Jordan, 2000 Ohio 225 (Ohio 2000). “] Criminal procedure—Prosecution for unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance in violation of R.C. 2923.17—State not required to prove that defendant knows of the specific characteristics of the weapon or item possessed that bring it within the statutory definition of…”
State v. Butler, 538 N.E.2d 98 (Ohio 1989). “Nor does R.C. 2923.17, the statute defining the offense of unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance, to which the defendant pleaded guilty and of which he was convicted.”
State v. Short, 2011 OH 3641 (Ohio 2011). “11(A)(2); and one count of possession of dangerous ordnance (the sawed-off shotgun), R.C. 2923.17(A). Each count of the indictment carried a firearm specification under R.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(A)(C) — 1 case
State v. Wilson, 2012 Ohio 1505 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(A)(D) — 1 case
State v. Ropp, 2018 Ohio 3815 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(B) — 12 cases
State v. Dommer, 833 N.E.2d 796 (Ohio Ct. App. 2005). “11(M) states that, as used in R.C. 2923.17, the term “ ‘Explosive’ does not include ‘fireworks,’ as defined in section 3743.”
In re B.J., 2014 Ohio 5701 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014). “{¶28} As it applies in R.C. 2923.17, “dangerous ordnance” means “[a]ny explosive device or incendiary device[.”
State v. Creech, 936 N.E.2d 79 (Ohio Ct. App. 2010). “13(A), (4) three counts of unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance in violation of R.C. 2923.17(A), and (5) the illegal manufacturing or processing of explosives in violation of R.”
State v. Creech, 2013 Ohio 3791 (Ohio Ct. App. 2013).
Erie Ins. Exch. v. Cotten, 2017 Ohio 9 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(B)(E) — 1 case
State v. Fasline, 2014 Ohio 1470 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(C) — 1 case
State v. Butler, 538 N.E.2d 98 (Ohio 1989). “Nor does R.C. 2923.17, the statute defining the offense of unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance, to which the defendant pleaded guilty and of which he was convicted.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(D) — 3 cases
City of Cincinnati v. Baskin, 112 Ohio St. 3d 279 (Ohio 2006).
State v. Dawson, 2023 Ohio 1965 (Ohio Ct. App. 2023).
State v. Lloyd, 2025 Ohio 2764 (Ohio Ct. App. 2025).
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