More than 400,000 Ohioans see driver's license suspensions lifted under new law
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — More than 400,000 Ohioans have seen their driver's license suspensions lifted in just one month since a new law was implemented, according to Sen. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati).
Ingram said as of Tuesday, 429,501 Ohioans have had total suspensions or blocks removed, and more than $8.3 million in reinstatement fees have been forgiven; 201,024 eligible drivers have been sent notifications.
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'These aren't just numbers,' Ingram said. 'These are lives of workers, parents, and students who now have one less barrier standing in their way.'
The bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Louis W. Blessing III (R-Colerain Township) and became law on April 9. It fully went into effect at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles on May 9. Watch previous coverage in the player above.
The law ends the practice of suspending driver's licenses for failure to pay court fines or fees, along with some other minor offenses. The law does not apply to any 'drug abuse offense' in which a vehicle was used 'to further the commission of the offense.'
The law also allows those who have had their license suspended for being in default on child support payments to prove that a suspended license prevents them from making the payments, and they could be granted 'limited driving privileges.'
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A 2022 report from the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland found that 60% of driver's licenses suspended in Ohio were suspended due to reasons not related to driving.
Drivers are encouraged to make sure their information is current with the BMV so that if they're eligible for reinstatement, they can be notified.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio applauded the law, which makes Ohio the 25th state to shift away from debt-related penalties.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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