OH · rules
Ohio Traf.R. 3
Complaint and Summons; Form; Use
(A) Traffic complaint and summons
In traffic cases, the complaint and summons shall be the "Ohio Uniform Traffic Ticket" as
set out in the Appendix of Forms.
(B) Traffic complaint and summons form
The Ohio Uniform Traffic Ticket shall consist of four sheets, padded together and bound
at the top or bottom edge. Each sheet shall be four and one-fourth inches in width and nine
and one-half inches in length from a perforation below the binding to the bottom edge. The
first sheet shall be white and the second sheet shall be canary yellow. Where an additional
copy is needed by an agency, it may be added. The first and second sheets shall be at least
fifteen pound paper.
The first sheet shall be the court record.
The second sheet shall be the abstract of court record for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles as
required by section 4507.021 of the Revised Code. The second sheet may be omitted from
the Ticket if the court reports violations to the Bureau by electronic or other means
acceptable to the Bureau.
The third sheet shall be the defendant's copy.
The fourth sheet shall be the enforcement agency record.
A wrap-around may be added to the first sheet. The issuing authority may use the front
and back of the wrap-around for any data or information it may require.
Each ticket sheet shall be perforated tab bound at the edge or end with carbon paper
interleaved so that all carbon paper is securely bound to the tab and removable with it, or
shall be on treated paper so that marking from the top sheet is transferred legibly to
successive sheets in the group.
(C) Use of ticket
The Ohio Uniform Traffic Ticket shall be used in all moving traffic cases, but its use for
parking and equipment violations is optional in each local jurisdiction. Any ticket properly
issued by a law enforcement officer shall be accepted for filing and disposition in any court
having jurisdiction over the offense alleged. An officer may include more than one alleged
violation on a single ticket provided the alleged violations are numbered sequentially on
the face of the ticket. An officer who completes a ticket at the scene of an alleged offense
shall not be required to rewrite or type a new complaint as a condition of filing the ticket,
unless the original complaint is illegible or does not state an offense. If a new complaint
is executed, a copy shall be served upon defendant as soon as possible.
(D) Issuance of tickets to enforcement agency
The judge in a single-judge court, and the administrative judge in multi-judge courts, shall
designate the issuing authority for tickets and prescribe the conditions of issuance and
accountability. The issuing authority may be the clerk of the court, the violations clerk, or
the enforcement agency of the municipality.
When a single enforcement agency, except the State Highway Patrol, regularly has cases
in more than one court, the ticket used by the agency shall be issued through the court for
adults in the most populous area in the jurisdiction of the agency. Tickets used by the State
Highway Patrol shall be issued by the Superintendent of the State Highway Patrol.
(E) Duty of law enforcement officer
(1) A law enforcement officer who issues a ticket shall complete and sign the ticket,
serve a copy of the completed ticket on the defendant, and, without unnecessary
delay, file the court record with the court. If the issuing officer personally serves a
copy of the completed ticket on the defendant, the issuing officer shall note the date
of personal service on the ticket in the space provided. If the issuing officer is
unable to serve a copy of the completed ticket on the defendant, the completed
ticket may be served by another law enforcement officer of the law enforcement
agency issuing the ticket or filed with the clerk of the court for issuance of a warrant
or summons pursuant to Crim.R. 4. Tickets that solely allege one or more minor
misdemeanor violations must initially be issued by summons.
(2) The officer shall notify defendant that if defendant does not appear at the time and
place stated in the citation or comply with division (C) of section 2935.26 of the
Revised Code, defendant's license will be cancelled, defendant will not be eligible
for the reissuance of the license or the issuance of a new license for one year after
cancellation, and defendant will be subject to any applicable criminal penalties.
(F) Use of electronically produced tickets
(1) Local rules adopted by a court pursuant to the Supreme Court Rules of
Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio may provide for the use of a ticket that is
produced by computer or other electronic means. A ticket produced by computer
or other electronic means shall not require the signature of the defendant. A ticket
produced by computer or other electronic means shall conform in all substantive
respects to the “Ohio Uniform Traffic Ticket” set forth in the Appendix of Forms.
The provisions of division (B) of this rule relative to the color and weight of paper,
size, and method of binding shall not be applicable to a ticket that is produced by
computer or other electronic means. The ticket paper shall be of sufficient quality
to allow the court record copy to remain unchanged for the period of the retention
schedule for the various traffic offenses as prescribed by Rule 11.33 of the Rules
of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio. The court record of the ticket shall be
filed with the court or may be filed electronically as authorized by local rule and
division (F)(2) of this rule.
(2) Local rules adopted by a court pursuant to the Supreme Court Rules of
Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio may also provide for the filing of the ticket
by electronic means. If a ticket is issued at the scene of an alleged offense, the local
rule shall require that the issuing officer serve the defendant with the defendant’s
paper copy of the ticket as required by division (E) of this rule. A law enforcement
officer who files a ticket pursuant to divisions (F)(1) or (F)(2) of this rule and
electronically affixes the officer’s signature thereto, shall be considered to have
certified the ticket and shall have the same rights, responsibilities, and liabilities as
with all other tickets issued pursuant to these rules.
(G) Issuance of supplemental citation
When a clerk of courts is required by the Revised Code to issue a supplemental citation on
a minor misdemeanor offense, notice of the supplemental citation may be executed via any
of the following methods:
(1) Electronic mail if the clerk has been provided an electronic mail address for
the offender by a law enforcement officer;
(2) SMS text messaging if the clerk has been provided a text address for the
offender by a law enforcement officer;
(3) Any method for the service of a summons provided in Crim.R. 4;
(4) Regular United States mail.
Traffic Rules Review Commission
History
Effective Date: January 1, 1975 Amended: August 4, 1980; February 26, 1990; November 28, 1990; June 1, 1992, February 1, 2002; October 1, 2006; May 1, 2008; January 1, 2010; January 1, 2014; July 1, 2014; July 1, 2026 Commentary (February 1, 2002 Amendment) The February 1, 2002 amendment added division (F) to authorize the use of traffic tickets that are produced by computer or other electronic means and the adoption of local rules relative to the electronic filing of traffic tickets. The intent of division (F)(1) is to retain the uniform substance of traffic tickets produced by jurisdictions throughout Ohio from the standpoint of the layout and content of the ticket, but recognize that electronically generated tickets need not comply with certain requirements applicable to traditional printed forms of traffic tickets. In developing electronic traffic tickets, courts, clerks, and law enforcement agencies should ensure that the electronic ticket comports as closely as possible to the Uniform Traffic Ticket contained in the Appendix of Forms The amendment to add division (F)(2) is based on a recommendation from the Digital Signatures Committee of the Ohio Judicial Conference. The amendment authorizes the adoption of local rules, consistent with standards contained in the Rules of Superintendence, relative to the electronic filing of traffic tickets. The amendment requires that the defendant be provided a paper copy of the ticket and states the issuing officer’s responsibility with respect to issuance of an electronically filed ticket. Traffic Rules Review Commission Commentary (October 1, 2006 Amendment) The October 1, 2006 amendment added language to division (E)(1) to provide an alternative means of serving the defendant with a completed traffic ticket. At least one trial court and three courts of appeal have held that former Traf.R. 3(E) and the Uniform Traffic Ticket, when read together, require a law enforcement officer who issues a traffic citation to personally serve the defendant with a copy of the citation. See Akron v. Detweiler (1978), 54 Ohio Misc. 5, 6; Oregon v. Fox (Jan. 21, 1983), Lucas A pp. No. L-82- 317; State v. Campbell, 150 Ohio App. 3d 90, 2002- Ohio-6064; and Columbus v. Ford, 2004- Ohio-5715. Although personal service is easily accomplished when a typical traffic citation is issued, compliance is difficult in “hit-skip” cases and other situations where the offender is not cited at the time of the violation or in cases where the defendant resides outside the jurisdiction in which the offense occurred. The amendment to division (E)(1) retains the requirement that the issuing officer serve the ticket and, together with the Uniform Traffic Ticket, contemplates that service will be made personally in the majority of cases by the issuing officer. However, i f the issuing officer is unable to personally serve the ticket on the defendant, service may be accomplished through issuance of a warrant or summons pursuant to Rule 4 of the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure. Staff Note (January 1, 2014 Amendment) The amendments to division (F)(1) and (2) are intended to clarify the signature requirements for the electronic filing of traffic tickets yet retain the uniform substance of the tickets. Although the amendments make it clear that the signature of the defendant is not necessary, the amendment to division (F)(2) added language setting forth the law enforcement officer's signature obligation. The phrase "electronically affixes the officer's signature thereto" may include a cursive signature, officer's unit number, or a typed name applied by computer or other electronic means.
Provenance
- Source
- supremecourt.ohio.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-14
- Edition
- 2026-09-14
- Content hash
9273a3beeda47ef49e0fd0916c8f77d45010909a1ffa96a4f13425206d27f6cc
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