(A) Except as provided in division (L) of this section, no person shall be employed as driver of a school bus or motor van, owned and operated by any school district or educational service center or privately owned and operated under contract with any school district or service center in this state, who has not received a certificate from either the educational service center governing board that has entered into an agreement with the school district under section3313.843or3313.845of the Revised Code or the superintendent of the school district, certifying that such person is at least eighteen years of age and is qualified physically and otherwise for such position. The service center governing board or the superintendent, as the case may be, shall provide for an annual physical examination that conforms with rules adopted by the department of education and workforce of each driver to ascertain the driver's physical fitness for such employment. The examination shall be performed by one of the following:
(1) A person licensed under Chapter 4731. or 4734. of the Revised Code or by another state to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or chiropractic;
(2) A physician assistant;
(3) A certified nurse practitioner;
(4) A clinical nurse specialist;
(5) A certified nurse-midwife;
(6) A medical examiner who is listed on the national registry of certified medical examiners established by the federal motor carrier safety administration in accordance with 49 C.F.R. part 390.
Any certificate may be revoked by the authority granting the same on proof that the holder has been guilty of failing to comply with division (D)(1) of this section, or upon a conviction or a guilty plea for a violation, or any other action, that results in a loss or suspension of driving rights. Failure to comply with such division may be cause for disciplinary action or termination of employment under division (C) of section3319.081, or section124.34of the Revised Code.
(B) Except as provided in division (L) of this section, no person shall be employed as driver of a school bus or motor van not subject to the rules of the department pursuant to division (A) of this section who has not received a certificate from the school administrator or contractor certifying that such person is at least eighteen years of age and is qualified physically and otherwise for such position. Each driver shall have an annual physical examination which conforms to the state highway patrol rules, ascertaining the driver's physical fitness for such employment. The examination shall be performed by one of the following:
(1) A person licensed under Chapter 4731. or 4734. of the Revised Code or by another state to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or chiropractic;
(2) A physician assistant;
(3) A certified nurse practitioner;
(4) A clinical nurse specialist;
(5) A certified nurse-midwife;
(6) A medical examiner who is listed on the national registry of certified medical examiners established by the federal motor carrier safety administration in accordance with 49 C.F.R. part 390.
Any written documentation of the physical examination shall be completed by the individual who performed the examination.
Any certificate may be revoked by the authority granting the same on proof that the holder has been guilty of failing to comply with division (D)(2) of this section.
(C) Any person who drives a school bus or motor van must give satisfactory and sufficient bond except a driver who is an employee of a school district and who drives a bus or motor van owned by the school district.
(D) No person employed as driver of a school bus or motor van under this section who is convicted of a traffic violation or who has had the person's commercial driver's license suspended shall drive a school bus or motor van until the person has filed a written notice of the conviction or suspension, as follows:
(1) If the person is employed under division (A) of this section, the person shall file the notice with the superintendent, or a person designated by the superintendent, of the school district for which the person drives a school bus or motor van as an employee or drives a privately owned and operated school bus or motor van under contract.
(2) If employed under division (B) of this section, the person shall file the notice with the employing school administrator or contractor, or a person designated by the administrator or contractor.
(E) In addition to resulting in possible revocation of a certificate as authorized by divisions (A) and (B) of this section, violation of division (D) of this section is a minor misdemeanor.
(F)(1) Not later than thirty days after June 30, 2007, each owner of a school bus or motor van shall obtain the complete driving record for each person who is currently employed or otherwise authorized to drive the school bus or motor van. An owner of a school bus or motor van shall not permit a person to operate the school bus or motor van for the first time before the owner has obtained the person's complete driving record. Thereafter, the owner of a school bus or motor van shall obtain the person's driving record not less frequently than semiannually if the person remains employed or otherwise authorized to drive the school bus or motor van. An owner of a school bus or motor van shall not permit a person to resume operating a school bus or motor van, after an interruption of one year or longer, before the owner has obtained the person's complete driving record.
(2) The owner of a school bus or motor van shall not permit a person to operate the school bus or motor van for ten years after the date on which the person pleads guilty to or is convicted of a violation of section4511.19of the Revised Code or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance.
(3) An owner of a school bus or motor van shall not permit any person to operate such a vehicle unless the person meets all other requirements contained in rules adopted by the department prescribing qualifications of drivers of school buses and other student transportation.
(G) No superintendent of a school district, educational service center, community school, or public or private employer shall permit the operation of a vehicle used for pupil transportation within this state by an individual unless both of the following apply:
(1) Information pertaining to that driver has been submitted to the department, pursuant to procedures adopted by that department. Information to be reported shall include the name of the employer or school district, name of the driver, driver license number, date of birth, date of hire, status of physical evaluation, and status of training.
(2) The most recent criminal records check required by division (J) of this section has been completed and received by the superintendent or public or private employer.
(H) A person, school district, educational service center, community school, nonpublic school, or other public or nonpublic entity that owns a school bus or motor van, or that contracts with another entity to operate a school bus or motor van, may impose more stringent restrictions on drivers than those prescribed in this section, in any other section of the Revised Code, and in rules adopted by the department.
(I) For qualified drivers who, on July 1, 2007, are employed by the owner of a school bus or motor van to drive the school bus or motor van, any instance in which the driver was convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of section4511.19of the Revised Code or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance prior to two years prior to July 1, 2007, shall not be considered a disqualifying event with respect to division (F) of this section.
(J)(1) This division applies to persons hired by a school district, educational service center, community school, chartered nonpublic school, or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code to operate a vehicle used for pupil transportation.
(a) For each person to whom this division applies who is hired on or after November 14, 2007, the employer shall request a criminal records check in accordance with section3319.39of the Revised Code and every six years thereafter.
(b) For each person to whom this division applies who is hired prior to November 14, 2007, the employer shall request a criminal records check by a date prescribed by the department and every six years thereafter.
(c) If, on October 3, 2023, the most recent criminal records check requested for a person to whom division (J)(1) of this section applies was completed more than one year prior to that date or does not include information gathered pursuant to division (A) of section109.57of the Revised Code, the employer shall request a new criminal records check that includes information gathered pursuant to division (A) of section109.57of the Revised Code by a date prescribed by the state board of education and every six years thereafter.
(2) This division applies to persons hired by a public or private employer not described in division (J)(1) of this section to operate a vehicle used for pupil transportation.
(a) For each person to whom this division applies who is hired on or after November 14, 2007, the employer shall request a criminal records check prior to the person's hiring and every six years thereafter.
(b) For each person to whom this division applies who is hired prior to November 14, 2007, the employer shall request a criminal records check by a date prescribed by the department and every six years thereafter.
(c) If, on October 3, 2023, the most recent criminal records check requested for a person to whom division (J)(2) of this section applies was completed more than one year prior to that date or does not include information gathered pursuant to division (A) of section109.57of the Revised Code, the employer shall request a new criminal records check that includes information gathered pursuant to division (A) of section109.57of the Revised Code by a date prescribed by the state board and every six years thereafter.
(3) Each request for a criminal records check under division (J) of this section shall be made to the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation in the manner prescribed in section3319.39of the Revised Code, except that if both of the following conditions apply to the person subject to the records check, the employer shall request the superintendent only to obtain any criminal records that the federal bureau of investigation has on the person:
(a) The employer previously requested the superintendent to determine whether the bureau of criminal identification and investigation has any information, gathered pursuant to division (A) of section109.57of the Revised Code, on the person in conjunction with a criminal records check requested under section3319.39of the Revised Code or under division (J) of this section.
(b) The person presents proof that the person has been a resident of this state for the five-year period immediately prior to the date upon which the person becomes subject to a criminal records check under this section.
Upon receipt of a request, the superintendent shall conduct the criminal records check in accordance with section109.572of the Revised Code as if the request had been made under section3319.39of the Revised Code. However, as specified in division (B)(2) of section109.572of the Revised Code, if the employer requests the superintendent only to obtain any criminal records that the federal bureau of investigation has on the person for whom the request is made, the superintendent shall not conduct the review prescribed by division (B)(1) of that section.
(4) Notwithstanding anything in the Revised Code to the contrary, the bureau of criminal identification and investigation shall make the initial criminal records check requested of a person by an employer under division (J)(1) or (2) of this section on or after October 3, 2023, available to the state board of education. The state board shall use the information received to enroll the person in the retained applicant fingerprint database, established under section109.5721of the Revised Code, in the same manner as any teacher licensed under sections3319.22to3319.31of the Revised Code. If the state board is unable to enroll the person in the retained applicant fingerprint database because the person has not satisfied the requirements for enrollment, the state board shall notify the employer that the person has not satisfied the requirements for enrollment. However, the bureau shall not be required to make available to the state board the criminal records check of any person who is already enrolled in the retained applicant fingerprint database on the date the person's employer requests a records check of the person under division (J)(1) or (2) of this section.
If the state board receives notification of the arrest, guilty plea, or conviction of a person who is subject to this section, the state board shall promptly notify the person's employer in accordance with division (B) of section3319.316of the Revised Code.
(K)(1) Until the effective date of the amendments to rule 3301-83-23 of the Ohio Administrative Code required by the second paragraph of division (E) of section3319.39of the Revised Code, any person who is the subject of a criminal records check under division (J) of this section and has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any offense described in division (B)(1) of section3319.39of the Revised Code shall not be hired or shall be released from employment, as applicable, unless the person meets the rehabilitation standards prescribed for nonlicensed school personnel by rule 3301-20-03 of the Ohio Administrative Code.
(2) Beginning on the effective date of the amendments to rule 3301-83-23 of the Ohio Administrative Code required by the second paragraph of division (E) of section3319.39of the Revised Code, any person who is the subject of a criminal records check under division (J) of this section and has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any offense that, under the rule, disqualifies a person for employment to operate a vehicle used for pupil transportation shall not be hired or shall be released from employment, as applicable, unless the person meets the rehabilitation standards prescribed by the rule.
(L) The superintendent of a school district or an educational service center governing board shall issue a certificate as a driver of a school bus or motor van or a certificate to operate a vehicle used for pupil transportation in accordance with Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code to an applicant if either of the following applies:
(1) The applicant holds a certificate in another state.
(2) The applicant has satisfactory work experience, a government certification, or a private certification as described in that chapter as a school bus or motor van driver or a pupil transportation vehicle operator in a state that does not issue one or both of those certificates.
(M) As used in this section, "school bus" includes a multifunction school activity bus, as defined in section4511.01of the Revised Code.
Last updated July 21, 2025 at 10:17 AM