Ohio Administrative Code › Title 5537 - Turnpike Commission › Chapter 5537-4 - Tolls › Section 5537-4-01 - Payment of toll

Current through all regulations passed and filed through July 1, 2024
(A)
								Every owner, lessee or operator of a motor vehicle
			 shall obtain either a toll ticket upon entering the turnpike or shall have in
			 their possession at the time of entry a valid and properly mounted electronic
			 tolling transponder recognized by the E-ZPass group of tolling authorities.
			 Upon exiting the turnpike, every operator using traveling on the turnpike shall
			 pay the toll prescribed, as determined and set by the commission, through by
			 either cash, remittance credit card, an electronic tolling transponder, or
			 electronic means, any additional method of payment approved by the commission
			 except when such use of the turnpike shall have been exempted from such payment
			 by the commission. The toll prescribed shall be based upon the vehicle class
			 assigned by the toll collection system and the distance traveled on the turn
			 pike such other factors as determined by the commission for the operation and
			 maintenance of the turnpike. The commission may issue one or more invoices to
			 collect unpaid tolls from the registered owner, lessee or operator of a vehicle
			 with unpaid tolls including late fees as identified in the published toll
			 schedule.
(B)
								Contesting liability for tolls, fees, fines, or other
			 administrative charges.
(1)
									The registered owner may submit a notice to contest
			 liability for tolls, fees, fines, or other administrative charges upon receipt
			 of the first or second invoice. If the commission issues a second invoice to
			 the registered owner as provided in division (A)(16)(b) of section
			 5537.04 of the Revised Code, the
			 registered owner must submit the notice to contest liability within sixty days
			 after the invoice date of the second invoice.
(2)
									On receipt of a
			 timely notice to contest liability, the commission shall schedule a hearing at
			 which the registered owner may contest liability. The commission shall send
			 reasonable notice in advance to the registered owner of the time, date, and
			 location of the hearing.
(3)
									A hearing officer of the commission shall preside over
			 the hearing. The hearing officer shall conduct the hearing at the location of
			 the commission's principal office. The registered owner may present evidence at
			 the hearing as to the reasons why the registered owner is not liable for
			 payment of the toll, fee, fine or other administrative charge. At the hearing,
			 the hearing officer shall determine if the registered owner is liable for the
			 payment of any toll, fee, fine or other administrative charge.
(4)
									Upon a finding by
			 the hearing officer that the registered owner is not liable, the hearing
			 officer shall enter that finding into the records of the commission and direct
			 the cancellation of the contested toll, fee, fine or other administrative
			 charge.
(5)
									If the vehicle is registered in Ohio and the hearing
			 officer finds that the registered owner is liable, the hearing officer shall
			 enter that finding into the records of the commission. If payment in full of
			 all unpaid tolls, fees, fines and other administrative charges is not made
			 within thirty days after the date of the hearing officer's decision, the
			 commission may notify the Ohio registrar of motor vehicles of the hearing
			 officer's decision that the registered owner is liable for payment of the
			 tolls, fees, fines and other administrative charges. The commission also may
			 include with the notification to the registrar a motor vehicle certificate of
			 registration issuance prevention order. The commission shall give the
			 registered owner a copy of the order. The order shall remain in effect until
			 the commission notifies the registrar that all unpaid tolls, fees, fines and
			 other administrative charges have been paid in full or that any remaining
			 balance for tolls, fees, fines and other administrative charges has been
			 dismissed.
(6)
									If the vehicle is registered in a state other than Ohio
			 and the hearing officer finds that the registered owner is liable for payment
			 of the toll, fee, fine or other administrative charge, the commission may send
			 notice of the hearing officer's decision to the department, division, bureau,
			 office, or other unit of government that is functionally equivalent to the
			 state of Ohio bureau of motor vehicles. The commission may include with the
			 notice the registration issuance prevention order, which shall have the same
			 effect in another state or jurisdiction as in the state of Ohio. The commission
			 shall give the registered owner a copy of the order. Upon full payment of all
			 unpaid tolls, fees, fines and other administrative charges, the commission
			 shall notify unit of government that is functionally equivalent to the state of
			 Ohio bureau of motor vehicles.
(7)
									If, upon being
			 held liable, the registered owner does not pay all unpaid tolls, fees, fines
			 and other administrative charges within thirty days after the date of the
			 hearing officer's decision, and the registered owner does not file an appeal as
			 described in paragraph (C) of this rule within that same thirty-day time
			 period, the commission may file a civil suit against the registered owner in a
			 court of competent jurisdiction as provided in section
			 5537.04 of the Revised
			 Code.