Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles License Plate Fees Settlement

Individuals who purchased a specialty military license plate at an Ohio Deputy Registrar’s Office on or after Oct. 17, 2019, had a service-connected disability rated or compensated at 100% by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at the time of purchase and have not previously received a refund for their plate purchase may be eligible to submit a claim for a full refund of plate purchase and sales tax from a class action settlement.

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles agreed to settle a class action lawsuit. The complaint alleges the BMV improperly collected fees and taxes from veterans who should have been exempt when they purchased certain specialty military license plates due to their 100% service-connected disability status.

Who can file a claim?

Class members must meet the following criteria:

• They purchased a specialty military license plate at an Ohio Deputy Registrar’s Office on or after Oct. 17, 2019.
• At the time of purchase, they had a service-connected disability rated or compensated at 100% by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
• They have not previously received a refund for their qualifying plate purchase.

How much are settlement payments?

Cash refund: Class members can submit a claim to receive a refund of the purchase price and sales tax they paid for each qualifying specialty military license plate.

Refunds will not include costs for any additional services, such as plate personalization or other non-plate services.

How to claim a refund

Class members can upload eligibility documentation online or and print and complete the PDF declaration of eligibility.pdf) and mail it to the settlement administrator.

Settlement administrator's mailing address: Kacin v Ohio BMV, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, P.O. Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391

The claim deadline is Dec. 2, 2026.

Required claim information and proof

• To submit a claim online, class members must provide the class member ID from the settlement notice they received.
• Claimants must provide the plate number, if known, and the date of purchase for each specialty military license plate they purchased during the class period.
• Claimants must provide a copy of documentation from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs that shows it determined they have a service-connected disability rated or compensated at 100% and the date it made the determination.

Payout options

• Venmo
• PayPal
• ACH direct deposit
• Check mailed to the address provided (only option for mailed claims)

Settlement fund breakdown

The settlement fund will include:

• Settlement administration costs: To be determined
• Attorneys' fees and costs and class representative award: Up to $375,000
• Refunds to eligible class members: Total determined by the number of valid claims filed

Important dates

• Deadline to file a claim: Dec. 2, 2026
• Deadline to opt out: Dec. 2, 2026
• Settlement fairness hearing: July 21, 2027

When is the Kacin v. Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles payout date?

The settlement administrator will issue refunds to approved claimants approximately 65 days after the court grants final approval of the settlement.

Why did this class action settlement happen?

This class action lawsuit alleged the BMV improperly collected fees and taxes from veterans who were entitled to a waiver due to their 100% service-connected disability.

The BMV denies the allegations but agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of further litigation.

Sources

1. Settlement notice%20Notice%20FINAL.pdf)
2. Settlement agreement%20with%20Exhibits%20-%20fully%20executed.pdf)
3. Declaration of eligibility form.pdf)
4. Official settlement website FAQ page