Financial Disclosure
The Ohio Ethics law requires certain elected officials, candidates for elected offices, public employees, and appointees to public positions to annually file a financial disclosure statement with the Ohio Ethics Commission. A financial disclosure statement requires a filer to disclose information regarding their personal financial interests and fiduciary relationships for the preceding calendar year.
Filing a financial disclosure statement is part of the responsibility of choosing to hold or run for public office or employment. The purpose of filing a financial disclosure statement is to increase confidence in government and openness by: (1) Assisting public servants in identifying potential conflicts of interest; and (2) Allowing citizens to become aware of the financial interests of the officials and employees who serve them.
The General Assembly has included financial disclosure as a key component of the Ethics Law since it was enacted in 1974.
File a Financial Disclosure Statement
Online
In Person
Mail
File online today at:
disclosure.ethics.ohio.gov
 |
Electronic Filing: The Preferred Method |
Used by over 96% of filers last year, filing electronically reduces errors, greatly simplifies future filings, and provides all of the following exclusive benefits:
- Assurance that you have completed all and only the necessary portions.
- Immediate acknowledgement that your statement has been filed.
- Print, view, or save a time-stamped copy of your completed statement.
- In subsequent years, your financial disclosure statement can be pre-populated with information contained in the previous year’s statement so that you will need only to update your statement before filing.
- Payment of filing fees can be made via credit card or electronic check (ACH).
- 24/7 availability (Statements filed by 11:59 PM are time-stamped the same day).
FDS filers can bring, or have their completed statements hand delivered, to the Commission's office located in the William Green Building in Columbus.
Location:
The Ohio Ethics Commission
William Green Building
30 West Spring Street, L3
Columbus, Ohio 43215-2256
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM*
Saturday - Sunday: Closed
*Closed on State Holidays
Please Note: You will need to bring a photo ID and check in with building security, in order to get to the Commission’s office.
FDS filers can mail completed statements along with any required fees to:
The Ohio Ethics Commission
30 West Spring Street, L3
Columbus, Ohio 43215-2256
Please make any checks or money orders payable to "Ohio Ethics Commission".
Please Note: In order to avoid late fees, statements that are mailed must be postmarked, or have a shipping date of a commercial delivery service on or before the deadline date. OAC 102-5-10(G)
The general filing deadline, which applies to most filers, for calendar year 2023 financial disclosure statements is:
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
The general filing deadline applies to all filers except for those individuals filing for any of the reasons listed below:
- Candidates:
- Non-Incumbent Candidates
- Candidate in the March 19, 2024 primary election: Tuesday, February 20, 2024
- Write-in candidate in the March 19, 2024 primary election: Wednesday, February 28, 2024
- Candidate in the November 5, 2024, general election (who did NOT appear on an earlier ballot): Monday, October 7, 2024
- Write-in candidate in the November 5, 2024, general election (who did NOT appear on an earlier ballot): Wednesday, October 16, 2024
- Candidate in a Special Election: 30 days ( 20 days for write-in candidates) prior to the first election at which their name will appear on a ballot.
- Incumbent Candidates
- Certified to the ballot prior to May 15, 2024: 30 days ( 20 days for write-in candidates) prior to the first election at which their name will appear on a ballot.
- Certified to the ballot on or after May 15, 2024: Wednesday, May 15, 2024
- Non-Incumbent Candidates
- Person Appointed to Unexpired Term in Elected Office: Within 15 days after being sworn in to office.
- Person Appointed or Promoted to, or Employed in, a Non-Elective Filing Position after February 15, 2024: Within 90 days of appointment, promotion, or employment.
For more information see R.C. 102.02(A)(4) and OAC 102-5-10.
Filing Fees:
Disclosure statements must be accompanied by a filing fee based on the position for which the person is filing.
| State elected office holder or candidate | $ 95.00 |
| State Board of Education member or candidate | $ 35.00 |
| County elected office holder or candidate | $ 60.00 |
| City elected office holder or candidate | $ 35.00 |
| School district board of education member or candidate | $ 30.00 |
| ESC governing board member or candidate | $ 30.00 |
| School district or ESC superintendent, treasurer, or business manager | $ 30.00 |
| All other filers | $ 60.00 |
Most filers are responsible for paying their own filing fees. However, the law requires that state agencies must pay the filing fees for the employees who serve the agencies.
Late Fees:
In addition to filing fees, statements which are filed after the appropriate deadline will be assessed an additional late filing fee of $10.00 per day, for each day the statement is late, up to a maximum of $250.00.
Methods of Payment
Filing and/or late fees can be paid by check or money order made payable to the Ohio Ethics Commission.
Electronic Filing Only: If an individual opts to file electronically, filing and late fees can be paid via a credit card or electronic check (ACH) at the time of filing through the Commission's online financial disclosure statement filing system. The Commission can NOT accept credit card or ACH payments in person or over the phone. The following methods of payment are currently accepted:
(Accepted only when filing electronically)
Late Filings Penalties
The Ethics Law requires that each financial disclosure filer should file his or her statement on or before the applicable filing deadline. There are penalties, including late fees and possible fourth-degree misdemeanor criminal charges, for any filers who fail to file their statements on time.
Failing to File Penalties
Any person who does not file a required statement can be charged with a fourth-degree misdemeanor. The maximum penalty for a person convicted of a fourth-degree misdemeanor is a two hundred and fifty dollar ($250.00) fine and/or thirty (30) days in jail.
False Filings Penalties
Any person who files a false statement can be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor. The maximum penalty for a person convicted of a first-degree misdemeanor is a one thousand dollar ($1000.00) fine and/or six (6) months in jail.
While the law requires that a financial disclosure statement must be complete at the time it is filed, a filer may submit additional information and request that the Commission attach it to a previously filed statement.
The Commission will acknowledge receiving the information, and then determine whether it should be attached to the statement. If the facts suggest that the filer inadvertently excluded the information, it will be attached to the previously filed statement and treated as part of the statement. If the facts suggest that the filer knowingly failed to provide the information, the Commission will consider whether further criminal action is required.
Request a Statement
The Ohio Ethics Commission has retained all of the financial disclosure statements filed with it since 1975. Most of those statements are public records and you can request copies of them.
All statements reflect financial information for the complete calendar year preceding the year in which they are filed. In other words, a 1975 statement reflects financial information for 1975 and was filed in 1976. A 2016 statement reflects financial information for 2016 and was filed in 2017.
Statements from 1974 to 2004
All statements for 1974 to 2004 are retained by State Historical Society at its Archives/Library. To request a copy of these statements, you must contact the Historical Society directly:
Ohio Historical Society
800 East 17th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43211
Telephone: 614.297.2300
Website: www.ohiohistory.org
Archives Page: www.ohiohistory.org/collections--archives/archives-library
The Archives charges for each page of any record requested. For more information about charges, please contact the Archives.
Statements from 2005 to the present
More recently filed statements are retained by and available directly from the Ethics Commission. To obtain a copy of any statement filed between 2005 and now, please contact the Commission and provide the following information:
- Name of the person who filed the statement;
- Public position in which the filer serves or served;
- Public agency that the filer serves or served; and
- The calendar year of information you are seeking.
For example, to obtain the statement filed in 2017 for calendar year 2016 by the mayor of Oak City, you would provide:
- Name: Robert J. Smith
- Title: Mayor
- Public Agency: Oak City
- Year: 2016
Copy Method
The Commission can provide electronic copies (via e-mail) or paper copies (via US mail or for pickup at the Commission office). We can also fax statements copies for requests of fewer than fifty (50) pages.
Submitting a Request
You can submit a request for a copy of a financial disclosure statement from the Commission in four ways:
- Call the Commission at 614.466.7090 and ask for Eric Bruce.
- Send an e-mail to eric.bruce@ethics.ohio.gov
- Visit the Commission’s Office in person
- Mail your request to:
Eric Bruce
Ohio Ethics Commission
30 West Spring Street, L-3
Columbus, Ohio 43215
You are not required to identify yourself, but you will need to provide a mailing or e-mail address in order for the Commission to send the copies to you.
