Ohio Legal Limits Defined
Legal limits are the upper thresholds of things that are regulated by the state of Ohio. These legal limits exist for a wide variety of things, but types can be broken down into two broad categories: those that are legal only if you stay within the limits and those that are illegal only if you exceed the limits. Also known as tolerances, legal limits are used to identify when someone has exceeded the maximum levels permitted by Ohio law.
One of the most common examples of legal limits in terms of tolerances in Ohio relates specifically to alcohol. See O.R.C. 4511.19. Ohio has established a legal limit of .08 percent blood alcohol concentration, meaning a motorist or motorcyclist is permitted to have up to . 08 percent BAC in their system while operating a motor vehicle. BAC is measured in their blood so if someone has a BAC that exceeds that level, they are in violation of legal limits and subject to not only apprehension and citation by law enforcement, but also a criminal charge that can have serious penalties attached.
O.R.C. 2913.14, for example, establishes the legal limit on the amount of property one person can appropriate given their role as a public servant. This law outlines what constitutes an appropriate amount and how much the individual can actually keep, while violating the legal limit on what they are permitted to keep.
Ohio DUI Blood Alcohol Limits
Unfortunately, Ohio has the same blood alcohol content limits that you have read about in most states across the Country.
If you are 21 years or older:
If you are under 21 years of age, the legal limit is .02, and there are no allowances for rising blood alcohol levels. This means that if you have something to drink that ever puts you at or above .02, you are breaking the law. A first offense DUI could cost you your license for up to 2 years, and can also result in other fines and penalties. For commercial drivers in the State of Ohio the blood alcohol limit is .04. Commercial driver’s license holders are held to a higher standard while driving a commercial vehicle. If you are a CDL holder caught operating a commercial vehicle with a reading above .04, you will be subject to all of the usual penalties for DUI as well as additional penalties for driving under the influence while holding a commercial driver’s license.
Ohio Marijuana Possession Limits
So when you buy marijuana at a dispensary what are the legal limits for possession? A patient may have no more than a 90-day supply of usable marijuana. Amounts greater than the following are considered at any one time to be greater than a 90-day supply of usable marijuana and are therefore illegal. If you’re a patient or a caregiver, you can possess these amounts: 30 Ohio Administrative Code 3796:8-2-07 defines calculation of supply. (C)(1) For the purpose of division of section 3796.07 of the Revised Code, amounts in excess of all of the following shall not be considered to be greater than a ninety-day supply of usable medical marijuana and, therefore illegal at any one time: (a) Twenty-five and one-half grams of plant material; and, (b) Twenty-five and one-half grams of plant material equivalent in a combination of oils, tincture, edibles, or other forms of medical marijuana; and, (c) Two-and-one-half grams of THC in an inhaler system, syringes, or other concentrated forms of medical marijuana. (2) A patient or caregiver in possession of an amount of usable medical marijuana equal to or less than the amounts described in paragraph (C)(1) of this rule is presumed to be in compliance with division of section 3796.07 of the Revised Code.
Limitations for Fishing and Hunting Licenses
For Ohio residents, the daily limit for taking sport fish is catfish – 2, sauger or saugeye – 6 (not to exceed 3 sauger or 3 saugeye in any combination), white bass – 30, yellow perch – 30, trout – 5, channel catfish – 6, flathead catfish – 6, white bass – 30, striped bass – 6, hybrid striped bass – 6, or rock bass – 25. The daily limit for non-residents is the same, except for channel catfish – 3, flathead catfish – 3, white bass – 15, striped bass – 3, hybrid striped bass – 3 , or rock bass – 10. The daily limit for a non-resident who has obtained a 1-day, 3-day, or 7-day fishing license is the daily limit for Ohio residents. It is unlawful to take in any one day more than 30 pounds of sport fish, in the aggregate, including at least one fish of each species in any combination. Bag limits state that it is unlawful to take, catch, or have in possession on the waters of the state, regardless of size or number of hook, more fish than allowed by the species bag limit table.
Ohio Legal Limits Based on Age
For the most part, the legal age limits differ from activity to activity. Aside from the legal voting age of 18, which is the same all over the United States, the legal age for virtually everything else depends almost exclusively on the nature of the activity in question and is set from there. By large, legal age limits are set according to health and safety concerns. The following is a brief overview of how Ohio handles age limits.
In Ohio, drinking is a contentious issue; however, the legal drinking age for all forms of alcoholic beverages in Ohio is 21. Because alcohol has the potential to affect all aspects of an individual’s life, distributing, selling, purchasing or consuming alcohol as a minor is illegal. Penalties may range from fines to community service to suspension, and in extreme cases could even lead to jail time. In addition, new penalties are being enforced for businesses that serve and sell alcohol to minors.
The legal vote age is 18 in all U.S. states. To be eligible to vote in Ohio, you must be a resident of the state, at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen. You can register if you are 17 and a half, but you will not be able to cast a vote until you are 18. Registration ends 30 days before election day.
In Ohio, the general age limit for employment and contracting is at the age of 18. Those under 18 cannot sign any legal contracts without the express consent of their parents or guardians.
The legal age of consent in Ohio is 16.
Ohio Road Speed Limits
Ohio maintains a set of speed limits for every type of road. Residential streets, country highways, interstate highways, and city roads all have different requirements that drivers must find and adhere to. Scattered throughout the state of Ohio are residential areas that either have a sign indicating the speed limit or have a posted speed limit that is part of their local ordinance. If there is no sign, the speed limit is 25 miles per hour (mph). If there is a posted speed limit, they are generally 25 or 35 mph. The agricultural or "modified" zone in Ohio comes next – typically 35 mph. In rural areas that do not have a sign indicating the speed limit, the speed limit is 55 mph. In cities and townships, the speed limit is 55 mph unless otherwise noted. The speed limit is 55 mph on most two-lane roads in Ohio. In some situations, if there are two lanes in each direction, the speed limit increases to 65 mph rather than 55 mph. On 4-lane limited-access highways, the speed limit is generally 65 mph. Two-lane limited-access highways , or interstates, have a speed limit of 70 mph. The penalties for speeding vary per state. In Ohio, it is a misdemeanor to drive above or below the speed limit. There are some cities in Ohio that have a set fine for certain speed ranges. These fines can be up to $100 for exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 mph as well as 4 points on your driving record. In most areas, the fines for exceeding the local speed limit are set and range from $0-$150 plus court costs. The number of points will also vary if you exceed the local speed limit by more than 30 mph. Most tickets in Ohio are enforced with radar often by police. In Ohio, officers who give tickets cannot enforce a speeding ticket unless they clocked you going over the speed limit. An officer cannot pull you over for speeding unless at the time of the stop, they have evidence that the speed limit was broken. They can ask for ID, ask you a few questions about your purpose of driving, and have you sign a ticket. Painfully, it usually ends there.