Ohio state law mandates the display of two license plates, one on the front and one on the back, on every "motor vehicle." However, according to section 4509.01 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC), "vehicles propelled by power other than muscular power" that are not made for general highway transportation, including "farm machinery," do not need license plates to be street-legal.
Tractors, other farm machinery and even animal-drawn carriages must be equipped with a lamp shining white light at least 1,000 feet in front of the vehicle, and two lamps displaying red light at least 1,000-feet behind the vehicle. In lieu of two red lamps, the vehicle may display one red light and two red reflectors visible from 100 to 600 feet by an oncoming car's low-beam headlights. Multi-wheel agricultural tractors made in 2001 or before must also have illuminated amber lamps on the "extreme left and right projections of the tractor." These lamps should flash, but they do not have to flash simultaneously or with turning signals. Farm machinery vehicles built after 2002 already have these lamps, but they need to be in top operating form.
Farm machinery vehicles not designed to exceed 25 miles per hour must prominently display the triangular slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblem. The emblem must be visible at least 500 feet from the rear of the vehicle. If the vehicle is designed to exceed 25 miles per hour, the vehicle must display the SMV emblem as well as a speed identification symbol (SIS) showing the maximum speed the vehicle can travel as outlined by the manufacturer. Both of these emblems must be within specifications of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers' standards.
Agricultural tractors may tow trailers with produce or production materials, as well as other farm machinery vehicles, on highways, but must have a hitch on the towing vehicle connected to a drawbar "of sufficient strength to pull all the weight towed," according to the ORC. The tractor may not exceed 25 miles per hour and should not tow anything farther than 10 miles.
Collector's or historical agricultural tractors are exempt from laws regarding emissions, noise control or fuel usage enacted after the tractor was made, and "no person shall be prohibited from operating" such a vehicle. The vehicle need not be physically inspected prior to issuance of title.
