(A) Every owner registering a chauffeured limousine shall furnish and maintain proof of financial responsibility with respect to the limousine by filing with the registrar of motor vehicles any of the following:

(1) A certificate of insurance as provided in section 4509.46 or 4509.47 of the Revised Code;

(2) A policy of liability insurance, a declaration page of a policy of liability insurance, or liability bond, if the policy or bond provides coverage in accordance with division (B) of this section and otherwise complies with sections 4509.49 to 4509.61 of the Revised Code, and if the policy or bond provides that such policy or bond shall not be canceled or terminated prior to not less than ten days after a written notice of cancellation or termination is filed with the registrar;

(3) A bond or certification of the issuance of a bond if the bond provides coverage in the amount of three hundred thousand dollars and otherwise complies with section 4509.59 of the Revised Code;

(4) A certificate of deposit of money or securities if the certificate of deposit provides coverage in the amount of three hundred thousand dollars and otherwise complies with section 4509.62 of the Revised Code;

(5) A certificate of self-insurance as provided in section 4509.72 of the Revised Code.

(B) As used in this section and section 4509.81 of the Revised Code, "proof of financial responsibility" means proof of ability to respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring subsequent to the effective date of such proof, arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a chauffeured limousine in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, three hundred thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and fifty thousand dollars because of injury to property of others in any one accident.

(C) Upon the request of a law enforcement officer, the operator of any chauffeured limousine shall produce proof of compliance with this section. The law enforcement officer requesting such proof shall notify the registrar of any violation of this section. The notice to the registrar shall be on a form prescribed by the registrar and supplied by the registrar at the registrar's expense, and shall include the license plate number of the chauffeured limousine and any other information the registrar requires.

(D) The owner, or the owner's designee, shall provide written notice to the registrar of cancellation or termination of the coverage required by this section not less than ten days prior to the effective date of cancellation, and, on or before the effective date of cancellation, shall voluntarily surrender the livery license plate sticker for the vehicle or vehicles for which the cancellation is effective. If the livery license plate sticker is timely and voluntarily surrendered, the registrar shall, upon the filing of proof of financial responsibility as required by this section, reinstate the livery registration of the vehicle and issue a current livery license plate sticker for the vehicle.

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

Effective Date: 01-01-2004.