§ 2141.12. Operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.

(A)

(1)

No person, except those expressly exempted under Sections 4507.03, 4507.04, and 4507.05 of the Ohio Revised Code, shall operate any motor vehicle upon a street or highway or any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking in this City unless the person has a valid driver's license issued under Chapter 4507 of the Ohio Revised Code or a commercial driver's license issued under Chapter 4506 of the Ohio Revised Code.

(2)

No person, except a person expressly exempted under Sections 4507.03, 4507.04, and 4507.05 of the Ohio Revised Code, shall operate any motorcycle upon a street or highway or any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking in this City unless the person has a valid license as a motorcycle operator that was issued upon application by the registrar of motor vehicles under Chapter 4507 of the Ohio Revised Code. The license shall be in the form of an endorsement, as determined by the registrar, upon a driver's or commercial driver's license, if the person has a valid license to operate a motor vehicle or commercial motor vehicle, or in the form of a restricted license as provided in Section 4507.14 of the Ohio Revised Code, if the person does not have a valid license to operate a motor vehicle or commercial motor vehicle.

(B)

Whoever violates this section is guilty of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, and shall be punished as follows:

(1)

If the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit was expired at the time of the offense for no more than six (6) months, the offender is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

(2)

If at the time of the offense the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit was expired for more than six (6) months; the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit privileges were cancelled for reasons other than pursuant to Chapter 4509 of the Ohio Revised Code; or the offender never has held a valid driver's or commercial driver's license or permit, the offender is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(C)

The court shall not impose a license suspension for a first violation of this section or if more than three (3) years have passed since the offender's last violation of this section or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance.

(D)

If the offender was convicted of or pleaded guilty to one or more violations of this section, Section 4510.12 of the Ohio Revised Code, or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance within the past three (3) years, and if the offender's license was expired for more than six (6) months at the time of the offense, the court may impose a class seven suspension of the offender's driver license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in division (A)(7) of Section 4510.02 of the Ohio Revised Code.

(ORC 4510.12; Ord. 2120-03 § 1 (part).)