In-Transit Permit in Ohio: Eligibility, Costs, and Penalties

In Ohio, the “in-transit permit” under Ohio Revised Code 4503.33 is a commercial permit issued to businesses that transport vehicles for a living. It is not what an individual buyer uses to drive a newly purchased car home. If you just bought a vehicle and need to get it on the road while you sort out title and plates, what you actually need is a temporary motor vehicle license registration under ORC 4503.182, commonly called a temp tag, which is valid for 45 days.¹²

Both documents let someone move an unregistered vehicle on public roads, which is where the confusion starts. But they cover different people, have different fees, and follow different rules. Sort out which one applies to you before you head to a deputy registrar or start filling in forms online.

The Actual In-Transit Permit Under ORC 4503.33

The in-transit permit is an annual registration for businesses that transport and deliver motor vehicles, new or used, from a manufacturer or seller to a destination. Transporters use the full-mount method, saddle-mount method, tow bar method, or drive the vehicles under their own power. The registrar issues a certificate of registration along with a placard that has to be displayed on each vehicle while it is in transit, standing in for a regular plate.²

The annual fee is $50. Additional certified copies of the registration certificate, each paired with its own placard, cost $3 plus postage. Vehicles already registered under the International Registration Plan are not eligible for an in-transit placard.³

If you are not running a vehicle transport business, that permit does not apply to you. The rest of this guide covers the temp tag, which is what most people searching for an Ohio in-transit permit actually need.

Who Qualifies for a Temp Tag

You qualify for a temporary registration if you have purchased a motor vehicle and need to operate it on public roads while you finish getting title, plates, and a permanent certificate of registration. The statute covers passenger vehicles, motorcycles, motorized bicycles, and trucks.¹

One disqualification is worth knowing about up front. If you already own a valid license plate from the current registration year that can legally transfer to your new vehicle, you cannot get a temp tag. Ohio expects you to transfer the plate you have.

The vehicle must be operable and safe to drive, and you need a valid driver’s license, whether from Ohio or another state. The temp tag does not relax any standard licensing rules.

How to Get a Temp Tag

There are three practical routes: a dealer, a deputy registrar office, or online.

Through a Licensed Ohio Dealer

Buy from a licensed Ohio dealer and the dealer typically handles the temp tag as part of the sale. Dealers issue temporary registrations electronically. A dealer can only issue a temp tag when there is a legitimate purchase order for the vehicle, cannot issue a second temp tag to the same person for the same vehicle, and cannot issue a temp tag for a salvage vehicle. A replacement is allowed if you report the original lost or damaged before it expires.⁴

At a Deputy Registrar Office

Any deputy registrar license agency can issue a temp tag in person. Fill out the application, hand over your proof of purchase and ID, pay the fees, and walk out with the tag the same day.

Online at OPLATES.com

The Ohio BMV lets you buy a temporary tag online through OPLATES.com. Complete the order, pay, and print the temporary tag number right away.⁵

However you get it, the placard or windshield sticker has to be displayed in plain view from the rear of the vehicle, either in the rear window or on an external rear surface. Anything that blocks visibility is a violation.⁶

What It Costs

At a deputy registrar, the base fee is $2 plus a service fee established under ORC 4503.038. Each deputy registrar also collects an additional $13 per temporary registration to cover Department of Public Safety administration and enforcement costs.¹

Dealers pay $15 per temp tag to the registrar and can charge the customer up to $23, keeping the $8 difference.⁴

Fees are non-refundable. Plan for the full amount at the time of application.

What to Bring

You will need proof that you own the vehicle. Acceptable documents include:

Ohio Certificate of Title or Memorandum of Title if the vehicle was previously titled in Ohio.
Bill of sale or notarized Proof of Purchase Affidavit (BMV form 5752), used for vehicles weighing 4,000 pounds or less when a title is not yet available.
Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO) or Statement of Origin (MSO) for a new vehicle from a dealer, especially an out-of-state dealer. The MCO must be assigned and notarized if required by the originating state.⁷

Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Ohio residents should bring an Ohio driver’s license or state ID; out-of-state buyers can use a license from their home state. The name on the ID needs to match the ownership documents. If it does not, be ready to show more identity or residency proof.

Proof of vehicle weight may also be required, which can come from an official weight slip (BMV form 5721), the MCO or MSO, or a notarized Affidavit of Original Weight (BMV form 5728).⁵

How Long It Lasts and What You Can’t Do With It

A standard temp tag is valid for 45 days from the date of issuance. It is not transferable to another person and cannot be renewed. If the 45 days run out before you finish registration, you cannot simply extend the same tag. You would have to apply for a new temporary registration, and the statute does not guarantee one will be issued in that situation.¹

A separate 30-day version exists under ORC 4503.182(C) for “extreme hardship” situations where someone has tried to comply with registration laws but cannot due to unusual circumstances. That is a discretionary call by the registrar, not a route to plan around.

The temp tag is meant for transit while you complete registration. It only goes on the specific vehicle listed on the registration and cannot be moved to another vehicle. Get the tag before you transfer title into your name; once title is transferred and permanent plates are assigned, the temp tag is no longer valid.⁷

Vehicles being physically transported by a towing service or loaded onto an auto carrier do not need a temp tag, since they are not being driven under their own power. Licensed dealers use dealer or transporter plates to move vehicles between their locations.

Insurance Is Still Required

A temp tag does not exempt you from Ohio’s financial responsibility law. You have to carry liability insurance before driving the vehicle on public roads.⁸

Minimum liability coverage in Ohio is $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 per accident for property damage. Call your insurer before you take delivery so the vehicle is added to your policy or covered by a binder. Driving on a temp tag without insurance carries the same penalties as driving any uninsured vehicle, including license suspension.

Penalties if You Get It Wrong

Registration violations in Ohio range from minor tickets to more serious misdemeanors depending on what went wrong.

Operating a vehicle on public roads without registration is a minor misdemeanor under ORC 4503.11.⁹
Failing to display a temp tag properly in plain view from the rear of the vehicle is a minor misdemeanor and a strict liability offense, so ignorance is not a defense.⁶
Operating with invalid plates or markings, which can include an expired temp tag, is a fourth-degree misdemeanor on a first offense and a third-degree misdemeanor for subsequent offenses.¹⁰
Lying on a registration application about your registration district or other details is falsification under ORC 2921.13, which is more serious than a minor misdemeanor.

Beyond fines, driving without valid registration or insurance can lead to impoundment, adding towing and storage costs on top of whatever the court imposes. Finish your registration before the 45 days run out, keep the tag on the vehicle listed on the paperwork, and keep insurance in force from the moment you drive off the lot.

1
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4503.182 – Temporary Motor Vehicle License Registration
2
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4503.33 – In Transit Permits
3
Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Department of Public Safety Agency Fees
4
Ohio Dealer Licensing. Temporary Tag Information
5
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. New Registration
6
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4503.21 – Display of License Plates and Validation Stickers
7
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Ohio BMV – How to Title
8
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4509.101 – Operating Motor Vehicle Without Proof of Financial Responsibility
9
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4503.11 – Registration of Motor Vehicles
10
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4549.08 – Operating Motor Vehicle Bearing Invalid License Plate