Ohio Rev. Code » Chapter 4513
Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.02 (2026)

Unsafe vehicles

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section ORCcodes.ohio.gov (official) Justiaon Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar
Effective:
September 28, 2012
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 337 - 129th General Assembly
PDF:
Download Authenticated PDF
 

(A) No person shall drive or move, or cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved, on any highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles which is in such unsafe condition as to endanger any person.

(B) When directed by any state highway patrol trooper, the operator of any motor vehicle shall stop and submit such motor vehicle to an inspection under division (B)(1) or (2) of this section, as appropriate, and such tests as are necessary.

(1) Any motor vehicle not subject to inspection by the public utilities commission shall be inspected and tested to determine whether it is unsafe or not equipped as required by law, or that its equipment is not in proper adjustment or repair, or in violation of the equipment provisions of Chapter 4513. of the Revised Code.

Such inspection shall be made with respect to the brakes, lights, turn signals, steering, horns and warning devices, glass, mirrors, exhaust system, windshield wipers, tires, and such other items of equipment as designated by the superintendent of the state highway patrol by rule or regulation adopted pursuant to sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code.

Upon determining that a motor vehicle is in safe operating condition and its equipment in conformity with Chapter 4513. of the Revised Code, the inspecting officer shall issue to the operator an official inspection sticker, which shall be in such form as the superintendent prescribes except that its color shall vary from year to year.

(2) Any motor vehicle subject to inspection by the public utilities commission shall be inspected and tested in accordance with rules adopted by the commission. Upon determining that the vehicle and operator are in compliance with rules adopted by the commission, the inspecting officer shall issue to the operator an appropriate official inspection sticker.

(C) The superintendent of the state highway patrol, pursuant to sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code, shall determine and promulgate standards for any inspection program conducted by a political subdivision of this state. These standards shall exempt licensed collector's vehicles and historical motor vehicles from inspection. Any motor vehicle bearing a valid certificate of inspection issued by another state or a political subdivision of this state whose inspection program conforms to the superintendent's standards, and any licensed collector's vehicle or historical motor vehicle which is not in a condition which endangers the safety of persons or property, shall be exempt from the tests provided in division (B) of this section.

(D) Every person, firm, association, or corporation that, in the conduct of its business, owns and operates not less than fifteen motor vehicles in this state that are not subject to regulation by the public utilities commission and that, for the purpose of storing, repairing, maintaining, and servicing such motor vehicles, equips and operates one or more service departments within this state, may file with the superintendent of the state highway patrol applications for permits for such service departments as official inspection stations for its own motor vehicles. Upon receiving an application for each such service department, and after determining that it is properly equipped and has competent personnel to perform the inspections referred to in this section, the superintendent shall issue the necessary inspection stickers and permit to operate as an official inspection station. Any such person who has had one or more service departments so designated as official inspection stations may have motor vehicles that are owned and operated by the person and that are not subject to regulation by the public utilities commission, excepting private passenger cars owned by the person or the person's employees, inspected at such service department; and any motor vehicle bearing a valid certificate of inspection issued by such service department shall be exempt from the tests provided in division (B) of this section.

No permit for an official inspection station shall be assigned or transferred or used at any location other than therein designated, and every such permit shall be posted in a conspicuous place at the location designated.

If a person, firm, association, or corporation owns and operates fifteen or more motor vehicles in the conduct of business and is subject to regulation by the public utilities commission, that person, firm, association, or corporation is not eligible to apply to the superintendent for permits to enable any of its service departments to serve as official inspection stations for its own motor vehicles.

(E) When any motor vehicle is found to be unsafe for operation, the inspecting officer may order it removed from the highway and not operated, except for purposes of removal and repair, until it has been repaired pursuant to a repair order as provided in division (F) of this section.

(F) When any motor vehicle is found to be defective or in violation of Chapter 4513. of the Revised Code, the inspecting officer may issue a repair order, in such form and containing such information as the superintendent shall prescribe, to the owner or operator of the motor vehicle. The owner or operator shall thereupon obtain such repairs as are required and shall, as directed by the inspecting officer, return the repair order together with proof of compliance with its provisions. When any motor vehicle or operator subject to rules of the public utilities commission fails the inspection, the inspecting officer shall issue an appropriate order to obtain compliance with such rules.

(G) Sections 4513.01 to 4513.37 of the Revised Code, with respect to equipment on vehicles, do not apply to implements of husbandry, road machinery, road rollers, or agricultural tractors except as made applicable to such articles of machinery.

(H) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 34 cases (8 in the last 5 years), 1960–2025 · leading case: State v. Carey, 2018 Ohio 831 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
State v. Carey, 2018 Ohio 831 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 9× “Code 4501:2-1-11 is expressly authorized by R.C. 4513.02 and carries the full force and effect of law, requiring windshield safety glass to be “free from, among other things, cracks”).”
State v. Taylor, 683 N.E.2d 367 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 5× “We agree that this could have reasonably caused Williams to suspect that Taylor’s vehicle was unsafe and in violation of R.C. 4513.02. This supports the trial court’s conclusion that the vehicle was lawfully stopped.”
State v. Myers, 580 N.E.2d 61 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 2× “” The second statute, R.C. 4513.02(B), provides in pertinent part that: “When directed by any state highway patrolman, the operator of any motor vehicle shall stop and submit such motor vehicle to an inspection and such tests as are necessary to determine whether it is unsafe or…”
Woods v. Ohio Dep't of Rehab. & Corr., 726 N.E.2d 547 (Ohio Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 7× “Appellant next contends appellee violated R.C. 4513.02(A), which states: “No person shall drive or move, or cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved, on any highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles which is in such unsafe condition as to endanger any person.”
State v. Goines, 474 N.E.2d 1219 (Ohio Ct. App. 1984). · cites it 3× “” R.C. 4513.02 provides, in pertinent part: “(A) No person shall drive or move, or cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved, on any highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles which is in such unsafe condition as to en-dariger any person.”
State v. Kordich, 2017 Ohio 234 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017). “18, 1995), citing R.C. 4513.02(A)-(B). It is unclear from the record here, however, whether the white light coming from Kordich’s vehicle posed a potential safety hazard to other drivers.”
In re M.M., 2015 Ohio 3485 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 2× “{¶9} During the suppression hearing, both Officer Colonel and Officer Horner testified that the only reason they stopped the car was because it had a cracked windshield in violation of R.C. 4513.02(A). That provision makes it a crime “to drive or move, or cause or knowingly…”
State v. Keserich, 2014 Ohio 5120 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014). “15; and cracked windshield, in violation of R.C. 4513.02. {¶2} On November 12, 2013, Appellant filed a motion to suppress, claiming an illegal stop, no reasonable suspicion to justify the administration of field sobriety tests, and no probable cause to arrest.”
State Auto. Mut. Ins. v. Rainsberg, 621 N.E.2d 520 (Ohio Ct. App. 1993). · cites it 2× “This court is hesitant to conclude that a vehicle which had to be jump-started on one previous occasion is “dangerous” within the meaning of R.C. 4513.02. Rainsberg further urges this court to conclude, as the trial court concluded, that Decime was at fault because he acted in…”
State v. Grimes, 2011 Ohio 4406 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011). “95108, 2011-Ohio-1074 , this court noted that the “the simple appearance of a crack in a windshield does not give rise to a reasonable suspicion of a violation of R.C. 4513.02(A).” Rather, the court must determine whether the particular facts surrounding the crack in the…”
Lipscomb v. Lewis, 619 N.E.2d 102 (Ohio Ct. App. 1993). “If the Ohio General Assembly wished to restrict “emergency alarms” to only those occasions when warning devices are deployed, it could have done so by defining “emergency alarm” or by including such a provision in R.C. 4513.02 or 4511.45. Furthermore, the Supreme Court of Ohio…”
State v. Moore, 677 N.E.2d 408 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996). “02(B), driving under suspension; R.C. 4513.02, unsafe vehicle; R.C. 4511.25, left of center; and R.”
Show all 34 citing cases →
— Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.02(A) — 13 cases
State v. Carey, 2018 Ohio 831 (Ohio Ct. App. 2018). “Code 4501:2-1-11 is expressly authorized by R.C. 4513.02 and carries the full force and effect of law, requiring windshield safety glass to be “free from, among other things, cracks”).”
Woods v. Ohio Dep't of Rehab. & Corr., 726 N.E.2d 547 (Ohio Ct. App. 1999). “Appellant next contends appellee violated R.C. 4513.02(A), which states: “No person shall drive or move, or cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved, on any highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles which is in such unsafe condition as to endanger any person.”
State v. Kordich, 2017 Ohio 234 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017). “18, 1995), citing R.C. 4513.02(A)-(B). It is unclear from the record here, however, whether the white light coming from Kordich’s vehicle posed a potential safety hazard to other drivers.”
In re M.M., 2015 Ohio 3485 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015). “{¶9} During the suppression hearing, both Officer Colonel and Officer Horner testified that the only reason they stopped the car was because it had a cracked windshield in violation of R.C. 4513.02(A). That provision makes it a crime “to drive or move, or cause or knowingly…”
State v. Grimes, 2011 Ohio 4406 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011). “95108, 2011-Ohio-1074 , this court noted that the “the simple appearance of a crack in a windshield does not give rise to a reasonable suspicion of a violation of R.C. 4513.02(A).” Rather, the court must determine whether the particular facts surrounding the crack in the…”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.02(B) — 4 cases
State v. Myers, 580 N.E.2d 61 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990). “” The second statute, R.C. 4513.02(B), provides in pertinent part that: “When directed by any state highway patrolman, the operator of any motor vehicle shall stop and submit such motor vehicle to an inspection and such tests as are necessary to determine whether it is unsafe or…”
State v. Goines, 474 N.E.2d 1219 (Ohio Ct. App. 1984). “” R.C. 4513.02 provides, in pertinent part: “(A) No person shall drive or move, or cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved, on any highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles which is in such unsafe condition as to en-dariger any person.”
State v. Wells, 464 N.E.2d 596 (Ohio Ct. App. 1983).
State v. Herron, 2014 Ohio 3166 (Ohio Ct. App. 2014).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.02(E) — 1 case
State v. Taylor, 683 N.E.2d 367 (Ohio Ct. App. 1996). “We agree that this could have reasonably caused Williams to suspect that Taylor’s vehicle was unsafe and in violation of R.C. 4513.02. This supports the trial court’s conclusion that the vehicle was lawfully stopped.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.02(G) — 1 case
Campbell v. DeWitt, 7 Ohio App. Unrep. 485 (Ohio Ct. App. 1990).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 4513.02(H) — 1 case
State v. Smith, 2024 Ohio 3344 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.