Ohio Admin. Code 5537-4-07 - Unpaid tolls and administrative charges

(A) The commission may collect an unpaid toll and related administrative charges from the registered owner, lessee or operator of a motor vehicle that traveled on the turnpike without paying the toll at the time of travel. The commission may issue a manual unpaid toll report to the operator of the motor vehicle in person to assess an unpaid toll or may utilize an electronic monitoring system to issue an invoice to the registered owner of the vehicle to collect the unpaid toll.

(B) Use of an electronic monitoring system by the commission.

(1) If a motor vehicle travels on the turnpike and the toll is not paid at the time of travel, the commission may use an electronic monitoring system to determine if the registered owner of the motor vehicle has established an account for the payment of the toll. If such an account has been established and has sufficient funds, the commission shall charge the account holder the appropriate toll. If the commission cannot locate an established account, or if the established account cannot be charged the appropriate toll, the commission may send an invoice for the unpaid toll and any fees determined by the commission. The commission shall send the invoice to the registered owner of the motor vehicle as documented in the records of any of the following:

(a) The bureau of motor vehicles;

(b) The department, division, bureau, office, or other unit of government of any state or jurisdiction other than the state of Ohio that is functionally equivalent to the bureau of motor vehicles;

(c) An established toll account associated with the motor vehicle that cannot be charged the appropriate toll; or

(d) An updated address as provided by the United States postal service or other third-party source.

(2) With respect to any toll, fee, fine and other administrative charge, the commission, in the commission's sole discretion, may determine not to pursue collection of that toll, fee, fine or other administrative charge or to terminate collection measures in relation to that toll, fee, fine or other administrative charge.

(C) If the commission sends an invoice for the unpaid toll and any fees, fines or other administrative charges in accordance with paragraph (B)(1) of this rule, then the invoice shall not be sent before fifteen days after the date of travel of the trip for which the unpaid toll was assessed, or longer than two years after the date of travel of the trip for which the unpaid toll was assessed.

(D) If a registered owner of a motor vehicle fails to pay or contest an invoice by the payment due in the invoice, the commission may send to the registered owner by regular first class mail a second invoice and additional notices in an attempt to collect the unpaid amounts. The commission may assess an administrative fee for each subsequent invoice and notice, the purpose of which is to enable the commission to recover the expenses of collecting the unpaid toll.

(E) The commission shall establish the amounts of the fees or other administrative charges for unpaid tolls, invoices, second invoices and subsequent notices and shall publish such amounts on its website at www.ohioturnpike.org .

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 5537-4-07

Effective: 9/1/2023
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 03/20/2028
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 5537.16
Rule Amplifies: 5537.16