on September 10, 2026

Ohio Dog Poop Laws

Quick answer: Ohio has no statewide pooper scooper law. Picking up after your dog is regulated city by city, and all three of the largest cities we checked have an ordinance requiring it. In Columbus, the rule applies only in parks. Cincinnati publishes a set ticket of $75.

Why Ohio leaves it to cities

Ohio has no statewide law requiring owners to pick up after dogs. The Dogs chapter of the Revised Code (ORC Chapter 955), reorganized by House Bill 247 of the 136th General Assembly effective March 20, 2026, has no feces or excrement provision. The general restraint duty is now ORC 955.21. Owners, keepers, and harborers must keep a dog confined or restrained on their premises or 'under the reasonable control of some person'. It is a strict liability offense, fined $25 to $100 on a first offense and $75 to $250 on later offenses when the dog is not designated nuisance, dangerous, or vicious. ORC 955.22 now covers vicious, dangerous, and nuisance dog acts; the former confinement language is no longer at 955.22. ORC 955.10 (formerly 955.221) authorizes municipal ordinances, and county or township resolutions for unincorporated areas, to control dogs, including 'dogs as public nuisances', as long as they do not conflict with the Revised Code. Recklessly violating such a local rule is a minor misdemeanor. Ohio waste rules are therefore municipal. Where a city only assigns a misdemeanor degree, ORC 2929.28 caps the fine: minor misdemeanor $150, fourth degree $250, third degree $500, second degree $750, first degree $1,000.

  • Requirement to properly confine or restrain a dog (strict liability; $25 to $100 first offense, $75 to $250 subsequent): ORC 955.21 (eff. March 20, 2026) (read it)
  • Vicious, dangerous, and nuisance dog acts (no waste provision): ORC 955.22 (eff. March 20, 2026) (read it)
  • Local ordinances or resolutions pertaining to dog control (formerly ORC 955.221): ORC 955.10 (read it)
  • Misdemeanor fine caps: ORC 2929.28(A)(2)(a) (read it)

Pooper scooper laws in Ohio's largest cities

Each row comes from the city's own municipal code. "Up to" is the most a court can impose, not a standard ticket. Where a city publishes no amount, we say so rather than estimate one.

City Ordinance Fine Must carry a bag
Columbus Columbus City Codes 919.16(C) (pet owner responsibility, park and reservoir property); penalty 919.99(A) Up to $100 No
Cleveland Cleveland Codified Ordinances 603.041 (Disposal of Dog Waste) Could not verify Not stated
Cincinnati Cincinnati Municipal Code Sec. 701-30 (Dog Excrement Removal); criminal penalty 701-99-I; civil offense under 1501-3 and 1501-99 $75 Yes

The rule people miss: carrying the bag

In Cincinnati, the law does not just require you to pick up. It requires you to be carrying something to pick up with, so walking out without a bag can be an offense on its own even if your dog never goes.

A bag holder on the leash solves that for good. Ours is the Walk Dispenser, which clips on and holds a full roll.

Worth knowing about Ohio

  • House Bill 247 (136th General Assembly), effective March 20, 2026, renumbered Ohio's dog statutes. Sources that cite 'ORC 955.22' for confinement or leash rules are now out of date: restraint is ORC 955.21, 955.22 covers vicious, dangerous, and nuisance dog acts, and the home-rule dog control authority moved from 955.221 to 955.10.
  • Cincinnati's Sec. 701-30, on the books since 1982 (Ord. No. 123-1982), requires carrying 'some device for the removal and containment' of dog excrement on public property or another person's property. It is enforced mainly as a civil offense: $75 for a first violation and $150 for a repeat within one year, doubling if unpaid. That is higher than the $50 maximum on the criminal track (701-99-I). Cincinnati Park Board Rule 41 separately requires dog park users to bag waste before throwing it away.
  • Columbus, the largest Ohio city, has no citywide pickup ordinance. A full-text search of the Columbus City Codes found the duty only for park and reservoir property (919.16(C)), a minor misdemeanor capped at $100 by 919.99(A). Elsewhere, a dog that 'commits any nuisance' on someone else's property is only prima facie evidence of an at-large violation under 2327.11(B).
  • Cleveland's code includes a dedicated section, 603.041 'Disposal of Dog Waste', listed on the City's official Animal Ordinances page. Since 2019 the Cleveland Municipal Court has offered a free 90-minute Animal Related Ordinances Course (AROC), open to anyone with an animal-related case, that teaches compliance with the city's animal ordinances.

Common questions

Is it illegal to not pick up dog poop in Ohio?

There is no statewide law, but every one of the largest cities we checked has a pickup rule, and most smaller towns have similar ordinances. In Columbus, the rule applies only in parks. Check your own city or county code.

How much is the fine for not picking up dog poop in Ohio?

It depends on the city. Columbus: Up to $100. Cincinnati: $75. Cleveland does not publish an amount.

Do I have to carry a poop bag in Ohio?

In Cincinnati, yes. The ordinance requires you to have a means of removal with you while walking your dog.

Are service dog handlers exempt?

In Columbus and Cincinnati, the ordinance exempts handlers who have a disability and cannot physically pick up. The exemption covers the handler, not the dog.

Other states in the Midwest

Illinois · Michigan · Indiana · Missouri · Wisconsin · Minnesota · Iowa · Kansas

See all 50 states · How scoop laws work in general

Sources

Checked 2026-09-10. Ordinances change, so if you are dealing with an actual citation, read the current code at the link rather than relying on this page.

This page is general information, not legal advice.