An operating a vehicle impaired (OVI) arrest in Dayton, Ohio, can lead to a number of consequences. These include the possibility of license suspension, jail time, fines, and more. The severity and applicability of these penalties will depend on various factors, including the facts and circumstances of the particular case.

However, the $475 license reinstatement fee imposed by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is a near-constant, applying to most OVI cases in the state. If you’ve recently had to pay this fee or wonder how Ohio’s government uses that money, you’ve come to the right place.

Driver’s License Suspensions in Dayton, OH

When you’re arrested for OVI in Dayton, Ohio, the state generally has broad authority to suspend your license. This is true for two key reasons. 

One, Ohio has an implied consent law in place. Under this law, you impliedly consent to a chemical or breath test if law enforcement suspects you are driving impaired – simply by operating a motor vehicle on the state’s roads. 

Two, the BMV can issue an Administrative License Suspension (ALS) even if you refuse to take the breath or chemical test (in addition to if you take the test and it returns positive). The state’s implied consent law gives the BMV the authority to suspend your license without a positive test result.

As a result of these two reasons, the primary (and sometimes only) way to avoid a driver’s license suspension after an OVI arrest is to take the chemical or breath test and receive a negative result. Otherwise, an ALS is essentially automatic.

How the State of Ohio Uses Your OVI License Reinstatement Fee

If your license is suspended in Dayton, Ohio, you will almost always have to pay a $475 license reinstatement fee to return it to your pocket. This is a substantial amount of money, and it is reasonable to question how the state uses it. We have the answer:

  • State Bureau of Motor Vehicles Fund: $30
  • Drug Abuse Resistance Education Programs Fund: $75
  • Victims of Crime/Reparations Fund: $75
  • Indigent Drivers Interlock and Alcohol Monitoring Fund: $50
  • Services for Rehabilitation Fund: $75
  • Indigent Drivers Alcohol Treatment Fund: $37.50
  • Statewide Treatment and Prevention Fund: $112.50
  • Trauma & Emergency Medical Services Grant Fund: $20

Altogether, these amounts add up to a total of $475. 

Were you recently charged with an OVI in Dayton, Ohio? This area of the law is complex, leaving room for a wide variety of defenses. You can potentially assert your constitutional rights, challenge the validity of the evidence against you, uncover procedural issues with how your charges unfolded, and more. 

If you hire an experienced Dayton OVI lawyer to represent you, you’ll have a strong legal advocate on your side who can investigate your case and determine your best legal course of action. Most criminal defense attorneys in the area offer free consultations, so it won’t cost you anything to reach out for legal assistance.


Suhre & Associates, LLC – Dayton
130 West Second Street #17-129
Dayton, OH 45402
United States