Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 492 into law on July 9, 2026. Starting 90 days from that date, every driver operating a motor vehicle in Ohio must disclose their name, address, and date of birth to a law enforcement officer upon request during a lawful traffic stop — provided that stop was initiated for a violation of Title 45 of the Ohio Revised Code, which governs motor vehicles.
The disclosure requirement is verbal. According to the bill text reviewed by the Ohio Legislature, House Bill 492 does not change or eliminate any existing obligation to produce a physical driver's license. It adds a separate statutory duty: answer the officer's request for identifying information directly and clearly. Two requirements now coexist where before there was only one.
Failure to comply with the new disclosure requirement may result in legal consequences as defined by the statute, according to the Ohio House of Representatives. The bill does not specify criminal penalties beyond that framework, but noncompliance carries enforceable consequences under the new law.
Sponsors and Legislative Path
State Representatives Ray and Abrams sponsored the bill. It passed both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly — House and Senate — before Governor DeWine signed it. The 136th Ohio General Assembly considered the measure as one of several public safety bills during its session.
The bill received bipartisan support during the legislative process, according to the Ohio House of Representatives. That support in both chambers reflects agreement across party lines that the current framework left officers without a clear statutory tool to compel basic identifying information at roadside.
Why the Legislature Acted
The bill addresses a specific operational problem: during the opening moments of a traffic stop, officers sometimes cannot quickly confirm who they are speaking with. The legislation is designed to reduce ambiguity and potential conflict during those initial stages, according to the Ohio House of Representatives.
Discussions leading up to the bill's introduction centered on officer safety and the risks associated with traffic enforcement. Traffic stops remain among the most dangerous routine contacts officers make. An officer who cannot immediately verify whether the person behind the wheel has outstanding warrants, a suspended license, or a history of violent offenses faces an elevated risk before any further action takes place.
The law limits its reach to lawful stops. That boundary is not incidental — it preserves constitutional protections and ensures the disclosure requirement cannot be invoked during an unlawful detention. The Ohio House of Representatives confirmed the limitation is written into the statute.
The legislation is also described as part of a broader effort by the 136th Ohio General Assembly to support law enforcement operational safety, according to the Ohio House of Representatives. House Bill 492 was not a standalone measure conceived in isolation; it emerged from an ongoing series of legislative actions aimed at reducing risk for officers during field enforcement.
Implementation Timeline and Agency Guidance
The statute takes effect 90 days after the July 9, 2026, signing. That places the effective date in early October 2026, giving agencies roughly three months to update training materials, roll out policy revisions, and brief patrol staff.
The Ohio Department of Public Safety is expected to provide guidance to agencies statewide regarding implementation of the new disclosure requirement, according to the Ohio House of Representatives. Departments should anticipate formal communications from that office before the effective date. Supervisors and training coordinators would do well to monitor those channels and build the new requirement into field training officer programs before the law activates.
The law applies to all drivers operating motor vehicles within Ohio. There is no carve-out for commercial operators, out-of-state licensees, or any other category of driver. If a stop is lawful and initiated for a Title 45 violation, the requirement applies.
Officers conducting stops will need to understand the distinction the law draws: the verbal disclosure duty is separate from the physical license production requirement. Both apply. An officer asking a driver to hand over a license does not automatically satisfy the new statute, and a driver who provides a license is not automatically relieved of the obligation to verbally confirm name, address, and date of birth upon request.
Agencies handling implementation should focus on clarity in patrol briefings. The most practical training point is narrow: when to make the request, what words satisfy the statutory standard, and how to document a refusal for subsequent enforcement action. The Ohio Department of Public Safety guidance, once released, will likely address those specifics directly.
