A buried provision in Ohio's SB52 eliminates registration fees for a specific group of motorists—and it affects how deputy registrars, including many salon owners, process transactions.
Most Ohio salon and personal care business owners don't realize that SB52, signed into law to designate a memorial highway, contains a provision that directly affects how they handle vehicle registration if they operate as a deputy registrar.
Here's what changed: Any Ohio motorist who has been awarded the Law Enforcement Purple Heart by the National Association of Chiefs of Police can now obtain motor vehicle registration plates completely free of charge. This waiver covers the base registration tax, all BMV fees, the deputy registrar service fee, and all local permissive motor vehicle license taxes.
If you operate a deputy registrar station—whether as a standalone service or alongside your salon—you need to understand the scope of this exemption. When a Law Enforcement Purple Heart recipient applies for registration plates through your location, you cannot collect any of the fees you normally would. This includes your own deputy registrar service fee, which is typically your revenue source for processing the transaction.
The provision is straightforward: it eliminates all registration costs for this specific group. There is no sunset date listed in the law, meaning this exemption remains in effect indefinitely unless the legislature changes it.
The eligibility is narrow and verifiable. The motorist must hold an official Law Enforcement Purple Heart designation from the National Association of Chiefs of Police. This is not a common credential, so you're unlikely to encounter it frequently. However, if you do, you'll need to verify the award and process the registration without collecting fees.
From a business operations perspective, this is a compliance issue more than a revenue problem for most deputy registrars. The number of Law Enforcement Purple Heart recipients seeking registration in Ohio is expected to be small. Still, it's important to know the rule exists so you can apply it correctly when it does come up.
You may want to familiarize your staff with how to identify and verify this credential if your location processes registrations. The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles can provide guidance on verification procedures if you need clarification.
The provision took effect upon enactment of SB52 and is codified in Ohio Revised Code Section 4503.472, Page 26. If you have questions about how this applies to your specific deputy registrar operations, the BMV's customer service line or your local BMV office can provide official guidance.
Source: Ohio Senate Bill 52, Section 4503.472