UNDER-SPEED VEHICLES (INCLUDING NON-MODIFIED GOLF CARTS)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland pt. FOUR, tit. V, ch. 450

in effect

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 450.01 Under-Speed Vehicles Permitted on City Streets

§ 450.01 Under-Speed Vehicles Permitted on City Streets Subject to the requirements of this chapter, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Director of Public Safety or their designee (“Director”), the use of under-speed vehicles shall be permitted on City streets where the speed limit is thirty-five (35) miles per hour or less, and only for legitimate business purposes as determined by the Director. For the purposes of this section, under-speed vehicle rentals and private use shall not be included as a legitimate business purpose. (Ord. No. 1215-2025. Passed 10-13-25, eff. 10-14-25)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 450.02 Title and Registration Required

§ 450.02 Title and Registration Required (a) Prior to the operation of an under-speed vehicle on City streets, the vehicle must be titled in accordance with RC Chapter 4505 and registered in accordance with RC Chapter 4503. (b) Only under-speed vehicles that are titled and registered in the State of Ohio are permitted on City streets. (Ord. No. 1215-2025. Passed 10-13-25, eff. 10-14-25)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 450.03 Annual Vehicle Inspection

§ 450.03 Annual Vehicle Inspection (a) Prior to the operation of an under-speed vehicle on City streets, the under-speed vehicle must pass an annual inspection conducted by the Cleveland Division of Police. The inspection fee shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) per vehicle. (b) At the time of the inspection, the owner of the under-speed vehicle must present all of the following: (1) A valid driver’s license. If the owner of the under-speed vehicle is a business, the business must require that all persons operating the under-speed vehicles have a valid driver’s license; (2) Proof of insurance; (3) Proof of ownership; (4) Proof of the gross vehicle weight; (5) Payment for the inspection fee; (6) Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of the State of Ohio; and (7) Service area map. (c) Following a successful annual inspection, the Cleveland Division of Police will provide a sign indicating that the vehicle passed inspection that must be visibly displayed on every approved under-speed vehicle and shall transmit the service area map to the Clerk of Council. (Ord. No. 1215-2025. Passed 10-13-25, eff. 10-14-25)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 450.04 Compliance with Traffic Laws

§ 450.04 Compliance with Traffic Laws All under-speed vehicles must be operated on City streets in accordance with all applicable state and local laws, including but not limited to the following: (a) For the purposes of this section, under-speed vehicles are defined as vehicles under the Revised Code and the Codified Ordinances of the City of Cleveland and are subject to all vehicle traffic laws of the Revised Code and Codified Ordinances of the City of Cleveland. (b) Anyone who operates a vehicle on the City streets must have a valid driver’s license; (c) A vehicle must have the required license plates; and (d) A vehicle must have at least minimum liability insurance coverage as required by the State of Ohio. (Ord. No. 1215-2025. Passed 10-13-25, eff. 10-14-25)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 450.05 Rules and Regulations by Director of Public Safety

§ 450.05 Rules and Regulations by Director of Public Safety All under-speed vehicles shall conform to the rules and regulations governing their use, imposed by the Director, as deemed necessary for the protection of life and property. The Director may create a restricted service area map, implement any special event restrictions, and may charge a fee for pick up and drop off zones in an amount to be determined by the Board of Control. Such rules and regulations shall become effective seven (7) days after publication in the City Record. (Ord. No. 1215-2025. Passed 10-13-25, eff. 10-14-25)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 450.06 Required Equipment

§ 450.06 Required Equipment An under-speed vehicle, at a minimum, must have all of the following in the manner required by the equipment provisions of RC Chapter 4513: (a) Brake lights (2 lights); (b) Head lights (2 lights); (c) Tail lights (2 lights); (d) Turn signals (2 front, 2 rear); (e) A horn; (f) A rearview mirror; (g) A windshield; (h) Brakes and a brake system; (i) A steering mechanism; (j) Appropriate tires that are free of major bumps, bulges, breaks, or any other unsafe conditions; and (k) Seat belts sufficient for the maximum occupancy of the vehicle. (Ord. No. 1215-2025. Passed 10-13-25, eff. 10-14-25)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 450.07 Required Information to Display

§ 450.07 Required Information to Display An under-speed vehicle, at a minimum, must display all of the following information: (a) Rates and fees schedule, if applicable; (b) The telephone number, email address, and name or dba designation filed with the Secretary of State for the entity responsible for operating the under-speed vehicle; (c) A properly placed inspection sign issued by the Cleveland Division of Police; and (d) Any other required business permits or licenses. (Ord. No. 1215-2025. Passed 10-13-25, eff. 10-14-25)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 450.08 Suspension or Revocation of Permission to Operate; Appeal

§ 450.08 Suspension or Revocation of Permission to Operate; Appeal (a) Consent to operate under-speed vehicles under this chapter may be suspended or revoked by the Director at any time if it is determined that the rules and regulations of this section are violated. Additionally, if the operation of under-speed vehicles on City streets becomes a hazard or risk to the health, safety, and welfare of the public, the Director may revoke existing permissions and discontinue the acceptance of applications to operate under this chapter. (b) The Director shall give written notice of suspension or revocation of consent to the under-speed vehicle operator or his or her agent stating the reasons therefor. The action shall be effective upon giving such notice to the operator or to his or her agent. If the business owner or operator fails to comply, the Cleveland Division of Police may seize and hold the under-speed vehicle. (c) Within five (5) business days of receipt of the notice, the operator may request a hearing before the Director. The Director shall forthwith hold the requested hearing, at which time the operator shall be afforded the opportunity to give his or her version of the facts which gave rise to the Director's action. After the hearing the Director shall determine whether to reinstate consent to operate or to permanently rescind it. The action of the Director may be appealed in accordance with the provisions of the Charter. (Ord. No. 1215-2025. Passed 10-13-25, eff. 10-14-25)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 450.99 Penalty

§ 450.99 Penalty Any person who violates any provision of this Chapter 450 for which a penalty is not already provided in another section of this Traffic Code is guilty of a minor misdemeanor, and shall face potential impoundment of the under-speed vehicle pursuant to Section 450.08. In addition to any other method of enforcement provided for in this Chapter 450, any violation of the provisions of this chapter which is a minor misdemeanor may be enforced by the issuance of a citation in compliance with Rule 4.1 of the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure. Each day of non-compliance shall constitute a separate violation. Individuals, corporations, companies, or other commercial or legal entities so named on the title of said vehicle shall be responsible for all safety equipment and shall also be responsible for all penalties set forth in this section. (Ord. No. 1215-2025. Passed 10-13-25, eff. 10-14-25)

Source: City of Cleveland, Ohio, Codified Ordinances and City Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/cleveland/latest/cleveland_oh/0-0-0-53886Fetched: 11/1/2026