# Ohio — Reckless / excessive-speeding mph thresholds that trigger a criminal charge, by state

For Ohio, absolute mph threshold is faster than thirty-five miles an hour in a business district of a municipal corporation, faster than fifty miles an hour in other portions of a municipal corporation, or faster than thirty-five miles an hour in a school zone during recess or while children are going to or leaving school during the school's opening or closing hours; offense classification is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree; statute is Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.21(P) — Speed limits, verified against its source on 2026-08-20.

- **State:** Ohio _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Absolute mph threshold:** faster than thirty-five miles an hour in a business district of a municipal corporation, faster than fifty miles an hour in other portions of a municipal corporation, or faster than thirty-five miles an hour in a school zone during recess or while children are going to or leaving school during the school's opening or closing hours _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Offense classification:** a misdemeanor of the fourth degree _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Statute:** Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.21(P) — Speed limits _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> (P)(1) A violation of any provision of this section is one of the following: (a) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (P)(1)(b), (1)(c), (2), and (3) of this section, a minor misdemeanor; (b) If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two violations of any provision of this section or of any provision of a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar to any provision of this section, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree; (c) If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to three or more violations of any provision of this section or of any provision of a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar to any provision of this section, a misdemeanor of the third degree. (2) If the offender operated a motor vehicle faster than thirty-five miles an hour in a business district of a municipal corporation, faster than fifty miles an hour in other portions of a municipal corporation, or faster than thirty-five miles an hour in a school zone during recess or while children are going to or leaving school during the school's opening or closing hours, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Division (P)(2) of this section does not apply if penalties may be imposed under division (P)(1)(b) or (c) of this section.

## Source

- https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4511.21

Last verified: 2026-08-20. Review by: 2027-08-20.
Part of [Reckless / excessive-speeding mph thresholds that trigger a criminal charge, by state](https://referencesource.org/reckless-driving-speed-thresholds-by-state/).