Ohio Firearms Preemption Law (ORC 9.68)

ORC 9.68 declares the General Assembly's intent to provide uniform firearms laws throughout Ohio and bars municipalities from enacting or enforcing ordinances that conflict with state law on the ownership, possession, purchase, transfer, transport, storage, or keeping of firearms. The statute has been challenged repeatedly, most notably in Cleveland v. State and again following amendments through HB 228 (2018), with Ohio Supreme Court rulings consistently upholding state preemption. Persons adversely affected by a local ordinance may bring a civil action for declaratory and injunctive relief plus attorney fees.

Local governments enforcing conflicting firearm ordinances face civil liability, injunctive relief, and mandatory attorney-fee awards to prevailing plaintiffs.