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Bill Summary · SB 459

Overview

SB 459 (136th General Assembly, Ohio) introduced by Senator Schaffer aims to exempt motor vehicle donations from the state’s casual sales limits, effectively allowing charitable donations of motor vehicles without triggering the standard casual sales licensing requirements for dealers.

Main purpose and intent

  • Clarify that a motor vehicle donation to a nonprofit organization is exempt from the motor vehicle casual sales license requirements that apply when someone makes more than five casual sales of motor vehicles in a 12-month period.
  • Remove the prohibition on casual sales limits as applied to charitable donations, aligning with charitable or nonprofit activities.

Key provisions and changes

  • Amends Ohio Revised Code § 4517.02 to modify the section that governs licensing requirements for various motor vehicle activities.
  • New provision (A)(6)(b) explicitly states that the casual sales limit exemption for charitable donations applies to motor vehicles donated to a nonprofit organization.
  • Retains existing licensing and conduct requirements for other motor vehicle businesses (new, used, leasing, auction, distribution, adaptive mobility vehicles, etc.) as currently defined in the statute, with no broad changes to those provisions beyond the donation exception.
  • Maintains related penalties and enforcement framework:
    • Minor misdemeanor with a mandatory $100 fine for violations, escalating to a misdemeanor of the first degree with a $1,000 fine for repeat violations (where applicable).
    • Acknowledges strict liability for the specified offenses, with the caveat that other offenses may have different culpability standards.
  • Keeps existing disclaimers about certain activities that are not subject to § 4517.02 (e.g., some commercial sales, certain mortgagee sales, public utility vehicle operations, etc.) and the existing operating provisions for partnerships dissolved by death, remanufacturers’ warranty conditions, and adaptive mobility vehicle restrictions.

Who/what is affected

  • Primary effect is on individuals or entities engaged in casual or occasional motor vehicle sales who would otherwise be subject to licensing if they exceeded the five-vehicle threshold in a year.
  • Charitable organizations and donors: the donation pathway is recognized as exempt from casual sales licensing, facilitating transfers of motor vehicles via nonprofit entities.
  • Dealers, auctioneers, distributors, and other licensed motor vehicle professionals: existing licensing structure remains intact; SB 459 provides a targeted exemption only for charitable donations, not for other casual sale activities.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Introduced in 2026 (Action History shows 2026-06-17).
  • Amends and repeals: The bill repeals the current § 4517.02 and enacts an amended version with the donation-related clarification.
  • Effective date: Not specified in the text provided; typically, such amendments would take effect on a specified future date or upon enactment, to be determined in the final bill language.

Notable details

  • The bill emphasizes that the charitable donation exception does not overturn other licensing requirements for non-donation casual sales or for other motor vehicle business activities.
  • The text retains the broader structure of section 4517.02, including licensing categories for new, used, leasing, auctioning, distribution, and adaptive mobility vehicle sectors, with a narrow exception carved out for nonprofit motor vehicle donations.

If you’d like, I can compare SB 459’s proposed language to the current § 4517.02 text to highlight every exact textual change.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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