Driving with a suspended or revoked license in Ohio is considered a crime and can result in heavy fines and possible jail time.

Section 4510.11 of the Ohio Revised Codes is titled driving under suspension or in violation of license restriction. Here it states that no person whose driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit or nonresident operating privilege has been suspended under any provision of the Revised Code, other than Chapter 4509. of the Revised Code, or under any applicable law in any other jurisdiction in which the person’s license or permit was issued shall operate any motor vehicle upon the public roads and highways or upon any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking within this state during the period of suspension unless the person is granted limited driving privileges and is operating the vehicle in accordance with the terms of the limited driving privileges.

Subsection C (1) goes on to state that whoever violates this section is guilty of driving under suspension or in violation of a license restriction, a misdemeanor of the first degree. The court shall impose upon the offender a class seven suspension of the offender’s driver’s 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 Revised Code.

For a class seven suspension, a definite period not to exceed one year is listed under 4510.02. We also should note that a misdemeanor of the first degree in Ohio, which driving with a suspended license is listed as, has a maximum penalty of up to a $1,000.00 fine and/or six months in jail.

Ohio law also allows that in addition to other penalties imposed on the offender a vehicle registered in the offender’s name can be ordered immobilized, if it was involved in the offense, for thirty days in accordance with section 4503.233 of the Revised Code and the impoundment of that vehicle’s license plates for thirty days.

If this is the second or subsequent time a person has been found driving on a suspended license the penalties go up, such as the impoundment of the vehicle’s license plate for 60 days or even criminal forfeiture of the offender’s vehicle.

If you have been cited for driving on a suspended driver's license in the state of Ohio you should contact the court listed on the ticket to find out what penalties and fines you may be facing.