What is required of all motorcyclists in Ohio?

Posted by Jim Half on April 28th, 2024

The Ohio Department of Public Safety requires that every motorcyclist have a license for their vehicle and an endorsement on their driver's license to operate a motorcycle. You will also need eye protection, a working muffler, turn signals and headlights, a mirror and a properly installed steering wheel.

Ohio requires drivers who are under 18 years of age to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle, as well as drivers who have been licensed to ride for less than one year.

Ohio Motorcycle Insurance Laws

In Ohio, all motorcyclists, like car drivers, are required to have insurance coverage. The minimum motorcycle insurance limits in Ohio are as follows:

• liability for bodily injury (Bodily injury) – 25,000 per person and 50,000 per accident;
• Death liability – 25,000 per person and 50,000 per accident;
• Property damage liability – ,000 per accident.

Unfortunately, the minimum insurance is often not enough to cover all possible expenses in the event of an accident. Therefore, insurance companies can also obtain basic coverage for a larger amount, or obtain insurance with additional motorcycle insurance coverage.

What are the additional insurance options for motorcycles in Ohio?

Additional insurance is not required to be purchased, but can help you out much more than a standard motorcycle insurance policy. You can customize them depending on what exactly you need in Ohio. Below are some of the additional insurances you can take out.

• Roadside assistance in Ohio. This coverage will help you if your vehicle experiences electrical or mechanical problems. This insurance may also include towing services or other other assistance (gasoline filling, battery charging, etc.).
• Lay-up motorcycle insurance can help Ohio residents who only use their motorcycle during certain seasons and leave their vehicle stationary the rest of the time. Such insurance will leave comprehensive coverage active for you, and suspend the rest for a while.
• Comprehensive insurance coverage will protect you from unwanted expenses when your motorcycle is damaged not as a result of an accident, but due to vandalism, fire or other things.
• Replacement cost coverage can reimburse you for the cost of repairing your motorcycle or the actual value of the vehicle if it is a total loss.
• Collision insurance coverage can help you pay for repair costs if your motorcycle is damaged in an accident. This coverage has some limitations, which you can always discuss with the specialists at 51 State Insurance.

In addition to the listed additions, insurance companies also provide a number of other coverages. At 51 State Insurance, you can learn more about each coverage and have our staff help you decide what you might need.

Which cities in Ohio are covered: 

Akron, Cincinnati, Cuyahoga Falls, Hamilton, Canton, Dayton, Beavercreek, Toledo, Elyria, Lakewood, Cleveland, Strongsville, Parma, Euclid, Cleveland Heights, Middletown, Mansfield, Columbus, Kettering, Mentor, Newark, Youngstown, Springfield, Lorraine.

Are there penalties for driving without insurance?

According truck accident attorney since motorcycle insurance is a requirement in Ohio, the penalties for not having it can be quite severe for you. The level of punishment, if you are noticed to have no insurance policy, will depend on the time you were noticed for such a violation.

You may have your driver's license suspended for up to two years and your motorcycle registration and license plates will be suspended. You will have to pay between 0 and 0 for reinstatement (the more times you violate your insurance requirements, the higher your fee).

Your insurance company will also be required to file Form SR-22 for three to five years. Without this form, you will not be able to restore your vehicle registration and license plates.

In addition to all of the above, for the first violation your motorcycle will be confiscated for 30 days, for the second - for 60. For a third or more violation, the motorcycle may be confiscated and a ban on vehicle registration for at least 5 years.