(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person may drive a commercial motor vehicle on a highway in this state if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The person has a valid commercial driver's license or commercial driver's license temporary instruction permit issued by any state or jurisdiction in accordance with the minimum standards adopted by the federal motor carrier safety administration under the "Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986," 100 Stat. 3207-171, 49 U.S.C.A. App. for issuance of commercial driver's licenses;

(2) The person's commercial driver's license or temporary instruction permit is not suspended, revoked, or canceled, and the person has the appropriate endorsements for the vehicle that is being driven;

(3) The person is not disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle;

(4) The person is not subject to an out-of-service order;

(5) The person is medically certified as physically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle in accordance with this chapter .

(a)

A person who submitted a medical examiner's certificate to the registrar in accordance with division (A)(1) of section 4506.10 of the Revised Code and whose medical certification information is maintained in the commercial driver's license information system is not required to have the medical examiner's certificate in the person's possession when on duty.

(b) A person whose medical certification information is not maintained in the commercial driver's license information system shall have in the person's possession when on duty the original or a copy of the current medical examiner's certificate that was submitted to the registrar. However, the person may operate a commercial motor vehicle with such proof of medical certification for not more than fifteen days after the date the current medical examiner's certificate was issued to the person.

(c) A person who has a medical variance shall have in the person's possession the original or copy of the medical variance documentation at all times while on duty.

(B) No person shall drive a commercial motor vehicle on a highway in this state if the person does not meet the conditions specified in division (A) of this section.

(C) Except as set forth in 49 C.F.R. 390.3(f), 391.2, 391.62, 391.67, and 391.68, no person holding a commercial driver's license temporary instruction permit or a commercial driver's license issued under this chapter may drive a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce until the person is at least twenty-one years of age.

(D)

(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(2) The offenses established under this section are strict liability offenses and section 2901.20 of the Revised Code does not apply. The designation of these offenses as strict liability offenses shall not be construed to imply that any other offense, for which there is no specified degree of culpability, is not a strict liability offense.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 53, §101.01, eff. 7/1/2015.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.71, HB 337, §1, eff. 1/27/2012.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004; 03-29-2005