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Ohio ID Scanning Laws & Regulations

Can you scan an ID in Ohio?

Ohio law specifically regulates a business’s practice of scanning driver’s licenses in the context of selling age-restricted goods such as alcohol, tobacco, and pseudoephedrine/ephedrine.  Otherwise, there is no law generally regulating a business’s practice of scanning IDs.

Overview of Ohio ID Scanning Laws

Businesses selling alcohol, tobacco, or pseudoephedrine/ephedrine products may scan a driver’s license (or identification card) solely to verify the validity of the license as a condition to the sale.

Such businesses are not allowed to (1) electronically or mechanically record or maintain any information obtained from a scan except for the (a) name, (b) date of birth, (c) expiration date, (d) identification number, and, (e) for pseudoephedrine/ephedrine, address and issuing agency; or (2) use such information except in defense to a charge of unlawful sale.  Information obtained from a scan is not allowed to be sold or disseminated to third parties except as permitted by law.

In the absence of a statute expressly regulating a business’s practice of scanning IDs in general, businesses other than those engaged in selling age-restricted goods listed above are likely allowed to scan driver’s licenses (and retain information obtained).  However, based on the language of the statutes governing consumer privacy issues in connection with sale of age-restricted goods, the Ohio General Assembly appears to see a need for overseeing issues related to consumer privacy and may take action in the near future.

Penalty:  A civil penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation.

Does Ohio offer affirmative defense for ID scanning?

Yes. Ohio has extremely explicit affirmative defense for ID scanning for alcohol sales, tobacco sales, and sales of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.

Ohio Revised Code. Section 4301.61 – Transaction scans to check the validity of driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card

(A) As used in this section and section 4301.611 of the Revised Code:

  1. “Card holder” means any person who presents a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card to a permit holder, or an agent or employee of a permit holder, for either of the purposes listed in division (A)(4)(a) or (b) of this section.
  2. “Identification card” means an identification card issued under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code or an equivalent identification card issued by another state.
  3. “Permit holder” means the holder of a permit issued under Chapter 4303. of the Revised Code.
  4. “Transaction scan” means the process by which a permit holder or an agent or employee of a permit holder checks, by means of a transaction scan device, the validity of a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card that is presented as a condition for doing either of the following:

(a) Purchasing any beer, intoxicating liquor, or low-alcohol beverage;

(b) Gaining admission to a premises that has been issued a liquor permit authorizing the sale of beer or intoxicating liquor for consumption on the premises where sold, and where admission is restricted to persons twenty-one years of age or older.(

5) “Transaction scan device” means any commercial device or combination of devices used at a point of sale that is capable of deciphering in an electronically readable format the information encoded on the magnetic strip or bar code of a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card.

(B)(1) A permit holder or an agent or employee of a permit holder may perform a transaction scan by means of a transaction scan device to check the validity of a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder for either of the purposes listed in division (A)(4)(a) or (b) of this section.

(2) If the information deciphered by the transaction scan performed under division (B)(1) of this section fails to match the information printed on the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by the card holder, or if the transaction scan indicates that the information so printed is false or fraudulent, neither the permit holder nor any agent or employee of the permit holder shall sell any beer, intoxicating liquor, or low-alcohol beverage to the card holder.

(3) Division (B)(1) of this section does not preclude a permit holder or an agent or employee of a permit holder from using a transaction scan device to check the validity of a document other than a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card, if the document includes a bar code or magnetic strip that may be scanned by the device, as a condition of a sale of beer, intoxicating liquor, or a low-alcohol beverage or of granting admission to a premises described in division (A)(4) of this section.(

C) The registrar of motor vehicles, with the approval of the liquor control commission, shall adopt, and may amend or rescind, rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that do both of the following:

(1) Govern the recording and maintenance of information described in divisions (D)(1)(a) and (b) of this section, divisions (D)(1)(a) and (b) of section 2927.021 of the Revised Code, and divisions (D)(1)(a) and (b) of section 2925.57 of the Revised Code;

(2) Ensure quality control in the use of transaction scan devices under this section and sections 2927.021, 2927.022, 2925.57, 2925.58, and 4301.611 of the Revised Code.

(D)(1) No permit holder or agent or employee of a permit holder shall electronically or mechanically record or maintain any information derived from a transaction scan, except the following:

  • The name and date of birth of the person listed on the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder;
  • The expiration date and identification number of the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder.

(2) No permit holder or agent or employee of a permit holder shall use the information that is derived from a transaction scan or that is permitted to be recorded and maintained by division (D)(1) of this section, except for purposes of section 4301.611 of the Revised Code.

(3) No permit holder or agent or employee of a permit holder shall use a transaction scan device for a purpose other than a purpose listed in division (A)(4)(a) or (b) of this section.

(4) No permit holder or agent or employee of a permit holder shall sell or otherwise disseminate the information derived from a transaction scan to any third party, including, but not limited to, selling or otherwise disseminating that information for any marketing, advertising, or promotional activities, but a permit holder or agent or employee of a permit holder may release that information pursuant to a court order or as specifically authorized by section 4301.611 or another section of the Revised Code.

(E) Nothing in this section or section 4301.611 of the Revised Code relieves a permit holder or an agent or employee of a permit holder of any responsibility to comply with any other applicable state or federal laws or rules governing the sale of beer, intoxicating liquor, or low-alcohol beverages.

(F) Whoever violates division (B)(2) or (D) of this section is guilty of an illegal liquor transaction scan, and the court may impose upon the offender a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars for each violation. The clerk of the court shall pay each collected civil penalty to the county treasurer for deposit into the county treasury.

Ohio Revised Code. Section 4301.611 – Transaction scan as affirmative defense where age of purchaser is element of crime.

Effective Date: 09-21-2000

(A) A permit holder or an agent or employee of a permit holder may not be found guilty of a charge of a violation of this chapter or any rule of the liquor control commission in which the age of a purchaser of any beer, intoxicating liquor, or low-alcohol beverage is an element of the alleged violation, if the permit holder, agent, or employee raises and proves as an affirmative defense that all of the following occurred:

(1) The card holder attempting to purchase any beer, intoxicating liquor, or low-alcohol beverage presented a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card.

(2) A transaction scan of the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card that the card holder presented indicated that the license or card was valid.

(3) The beer, intoxicating liquor, or low-alcohol beverage was sold to the card holder in reasonable reliance upon the identification presented and the completed transaction scan.

(B) In determining whether a permit holder or an agent or employee of a permit holder has proven the affirmative defense provided by division (A) of this section, the liquor control commission or the trier of fact in a court of record shall consider any written policy that the permit holder has adopted and implemented and that is intended to prevent violations of division (A)(1) or (2) of section 4301.22 and of sections 4301.63 to 4301.636, 4301.69, and 4301.691 of the Revised Code. For purposes of division (A)(3) of this section, the commission or trier of fact shall consider that reasonable reliance upon the identification presented and the completed transaction scan may require a permit holder or an agent or employee of a permit holder to exercise reasonable diligence to determine, and that the use of a transaction scan device does not excuse a permit holder or an agent or employee of a permit holder from exercising reasonable diligence to determine, the following:

(1) Whether a person to whom the permit holder or agent or employee of a permit holder sells any beer or intoxicating liquor is twenty-one years of age or older or sells any low-alcohol beverage is eighteen years of age or older;

(2) Whether the description and picture appearing on the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder is that of the card holder.

(C) The affirmative defense provided by division (A) of this section is in addition to the defense provided by section 4301.639 of the Revised Code.

(D) In any hearing before the liquor control commission and in any criminal action in which the affirmative defense provided by division (A) of this section is raised, the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar who issued an identification card under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code shall be permitted to submit certified copies of the records of that issuance in lieu of the testimony of the personnel of or contractors with the bureau of motor vehicles in the hearing or action.

Ohio Revised Code Section 2927.021 Engaging in illegal tobacco product transaction scan.

(1) “Card holder” means any person who presents a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card to a seller, or an agent or employee of a seller, to purchase or receive cigarettes or other tobacco products from the seller, agent, or employee.

(2) “Identification card” means an identification card issued under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code.

(3) “Seller” means a seller of cigarettes or other tobacco products and includes any person whose gift of or other distribution of cigarettes or other tobacco products is subject to the prohibitions of section 2927.02 of the Revised Code.

(4) “Transaction scan” means the process by which a seller or an agent or employee of a seller checks, by means of a transaction scan device, the validity of a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card that is presented as a condition for purchasing or receiving cigarettes or other tobacco products.

(5) “Transaction scan device” means any commercial device or combination of devices used at a point of sale that is capable of deciphering in an electronically readable format the information encoded on the magnetic strip or bar code of a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card.

(B)

(1) A seller or an agent or employee of a seller may perform a transaction scan by means of a transaction scan device to check the validity of a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder as a condition for selling, giving away, or otherwise distributing to the card holder cigarettes or other tobacco products.

(2) If the information deciphered by the transaction scan performed under division (B)(1) of this section fails to match the information printed on the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by the card holder, or if the transaction scan indicates that the information so printed is false or fraudulent, neither the seller nor any agent or employee of the seller shall sell, give away, or otherwise distribute any cigarettes or other tobacco products to the card holder.

(3) Division (B)(1) of this section does not preclude a seller or an agent or employee of a seller from using a transaction scan device to check the validity of a document other than a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card, if the document includes a bar code or magnetic strip that may be scanned by the device, as a condition for selling, giving away, or otherwise distributing cigarettes or other tobacco products to the person presenting the document.

(C) Rules adopted by the registrar of motor vehicles under division (C) of section 4301.61 of the Revised Code apply to the use of transaction scan devices for purposes of this section and section 2927.022 of the Revised Code.

(D)

(1) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall electronically or mechanically record or maintain any information derived from a transaction scan, except the following:

(a) The name and date of birth of the person listed on the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder;

(b) The expiration date and identification number of the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder.

(2) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall use the information that is derived from a transaction scan or that is permitted to be recorded and maintained under division (D)(1) of this section, except for purposes of section 2927.022 of the Revised Code.

(3) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall use a transaction scan device for a purpose other than the purpose specified in division (B)(1) of this section.

(4) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall sell or otherwise disseminate the information derived from a transaction scan to any third party, including, but not limited to, selling or otherwise disseminating that information for any marketing, advertising, or promotional activities, but a seller or agent or employee of a seller may release that information pursuant to a court order or as specifically authorized by section 2927.022 or another section of the Revised Code.

(E) Nothing in this section or section 2927.022 of the Revised Code relieves a seller or an agent or employee of a seller of any responsibility to comply with any other applicable state or federal laws or rules governing the sale, giving away, or other distribution of cigarettes or other tobacco products.

(F) Whoever violates division (B)(2) or (D) of this section is guilty of engaging in an illegal tobacco product transaction scan, and the court may impose upon the offender a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars for each violation. The clerk of the court shall pay each collected civil penalty to the county treasurer for deposit into the county treasury.

Ohio House Bill 258. Relating to increasing fines for repeatedly selling tobacco products to minors

Passed the House; referred to Senate Judiciary Committee 01/10/2024.

Would increase fines for repeatedly selling tobacco products to minors. Under this code, “age verification” means a service provided by an independent third party (other than a manufacturer, producer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer of cigarettes, other tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, or papers used to roll cigarettes) that compares information available from a commercially available database, or aggregate of databases, that regularly are used by government and businesses for the purpose of age and identity verification to personal information provided during an internet sale or other remote method of sale to establish that the purchaser is twenty-one years of age or older.

Ohio Revised Code Section 2927.022 Affirmative defense to cigarette or tobacco product charge

A) A seller or an agent or employee of a seller may not be found guilty of a charge of a violation of section 2927.02 of the Revised Code in which the age of the purchaser or other recipient of cigarettes or other tobacco products is an element of the alleged violation, if the seller, agent, or employee raises and proves as an affirmative defense that all of the following occurred:

(1) A card holder attempting to purchase or receive cigarettes or other tobacco products presented a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card.

(2) A transaction scan of the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card that the card holder presented indicated that the license or card was valid.

(3) The cigarettes or other tobacco products were sold, given away, or otherwise distributed to the card holder in reasonable reliance upon the identification presented and the completed transaction scan.

(B) In determining whether a seller or an agent or employee of a seller has proven the affirmative defense provided by division (A) of this section, the trier of fact in the action for the alleged violation of section 2927.02 of the Revised Code shall consider any written policy that the seller has adopted and implemented and that is intended to prevent violations of section 2927.02 of the Revised Code. For purposes of division (A)(3) of this section, the trier of fact shall consider that reasonable reliance upon the identification presented and the completed transaction scan may require a seller or an agent or employee of a seller to exercise reasonable diligence to determine, and that the use of a transaction scan device does not excuse a seller or an agent or employee of a seller from exercising reasonable diligence to determine, the following:

(1) Whether a person to whom the seller or agent or employee of a seller sells, gives away, or otherwise distributes cigarettes or other tobacco products is eighteen years of age or older;

(2) Whether the description and picture appearing on the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder is that of the card holder.

(C) In any criminal action in which the affirmative defense provided by division (A) of this section is raised, the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar who issued an identification card under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code shall be permitted to submit certified copies of the records of that issuance in lieu of the testimony of the personnel of or contractors with the bureau of motor vehicles in the action.

Ohio HB 295. Enact the Innocence Act. Relating to age verification for harmful websites.

No organization who sells, delivers, furnishes, disseminates, provides, exhibits, or presents any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet shall recklessly fail to verify that any person attempting to access the material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles is eighteen years of age or older through reasonable age verification methods.

“Reasonable age verification methods” means verifying that the person attempting to access the material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles is eighteen years of age or older through the use of a commercial age verification system that uses photo identification or public or private transactional data to verify the person’s age

Ohio Revised Code. Section 2925.57. Illegal pseudoephedrine or ephedrine product transaction scan.

Effective 3/22/2013.

(1) “Card holder” means any person who presents a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card to a seller, or an agent or employee of a seller, to purchase or receive any pseudoephedrine product or ephedrine product from the seller, agent, or employee.

(2) “Identification card” and “transaction scan device” have the same meanings as in section 2927.021 of the Revised Code.

(3) “Seller” means a retailer or terminal distributor of dangerous drugs.

(4) “Transaction scan” means the process by which a seller or an agent or employee of a seller checks by means of a transaction scan device the validity of a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card that is presented as a condition for purchasing or receiving any pseudoephedrine product or ephedrine product.

(B)

(1) A seller or an agent or employee of a seller may perform a transaction scan by means of a transaction scan device to check the validity of a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder as a condition for selling, giving away, or otherwise distributing to the card holder a pseudoephedrine product or ephedrine product.

(2) If the information deciphered by the transaction scan performed under division (B)(1) of this section fails to match the information printed on the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by the card holder, or if the transaction scan indicates that the information so printed is false or fraudulent, neither the seller nor any agent or employee of the seller shall sell, give away, or otherwise distribute any pseudoephedrine product or ephedrine product to the card holder.

(3) Division (B)(1) of this section does not preclude a seller or an agent or employee of a seller as a condition for selling, giving away, or otherwise distributing a pseudoephedrine product or ephedrine product to the person presenting the document from using a transaction scan device to check the validity of a document other than a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card if the document includes a bar code or magnetic strip that may be scanned by the device.

(C) Rules adopted by the registrar of motor vehicles under division (C) of section 4301.61 of the Revised Code apply to the use of transaction scan devices for purposes of this section and section 2925.58 of the Revised Code.

(D)

(1) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall electronically or mechanically record or maintain any information derived from a transaction scan, except the following:

(a) The name, address, and date of birth of the person listed on the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder;

(b) The expiration date , identification number, and issuing agency of the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder.

(2) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall use the information that is derived from a transaction scan or that is permitted to be recorded and maintained under division (D)(1) of this section except for purposes of section 2925.58or division (A)(1) of section 3715.052 of the Revised Code.

(3) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall use a transaction scan device for a purpose other than the purpose specified in division (B)(1) of this section.

(4) No seller or agent or employee of a seller shall sell or otherwise disseminate the information derived from a transaction scan to any third party, including, but not limited to, selling or otherwise

disseminating that information for any marketing, advertising, or promotional activities, but a seller or agent or employee of a seller may release that information pursuant to a court order or as specifically authorized by section 2925.58 or another section of the Revised Code.

(E) Nothing in this section or section 2925.58 of the Revised Code relieves a seller or an agent or employee of a seller of any responsibility to comply with any other applicable state or federal laws or rules governing the sale, giving away, or other distribution of pseudoephedrine products or ephedrine products.

(F) Whoever violates division (B)(2) or (D) of this section is guilty of engaging in an illegal pseudoephedrine product or ephedrine product transaction scan, and the court may impose upon the offender a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars for each violation. The clerk of the court shall pay each collected civil penalty to the county treasurer for deposit into the county treasury.

Ohio Revised Code. 2925.58 Unlawful sale of pseudoephedrine product to minor – affirmative defense.

A) A seller or an agent or employee of a seller may not be found guilty of a charge of a violation of section 2925.56 of the Revised Code in which the age of the purchaser or other recipient of a pseudoephedrine product is an element of the alleged violation if the seller, agent, or employee raises and proves as an affirmative defense that all of the following occurred:

(1) A card holder attempting to purchase or receive a pseudoephedrine product presented a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or an identification card.

(2) A transaction scan of the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card that the card holder presented indicated that the license or card was valid.

(3) The pseudoephedrine product was sold, given away, or otherwise distributed to the card holder in reasonable reliance upon the identification presented and the completed transaction scan.

(B) In determining whether a seller or an agent or employee of a seller has proven the affirmative defense provided by division (A) of this section, the trier of fact in the action for the alleged violation of section 2925.56 of the Revised Code shall consider any written policy that the seller has adopted and implemented and that is intended to prevent violations of section 2925.56 of the Revised Code. For purposes of division (A)(3) of this section, the trier of fact shall consider that reasonable reliance upon the identification presented and the completed transaction scan may require a seller or an agent or employee of a seller to exercise reasonable diligence to determine, and that the use of a transaction scan device does not excuse a seller or an agent or employee of a seller from exercising reasonable diligence to determine, the following:

(1) Whether a person to whom the seller or agent or employee of a seller sells, gives away, or otherwise distributes a pseudoephedrine product is eighteen years of age or older;

(2) Whether the description and picture appearing on the driver’s or commercial driver’s license or identification card presented by a card holder is that of the card holder.

(C) In any criminal action in which the affirmative defense provided by division (A) of this section is raised, the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar who issued an identification card under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code shall be permitted to submit certified copies of the records of that issuance in lieu of the testimony of the personnel of or contractors with the bureau of motor vehicles in the action.