The Application for Pro Hac Vice Registration is the form an out-of-state attorney files with the Supreme Court of Ohio Bar Admissions Section to gain the legal right to ask an Ohio court for permission to appear in a specific case. You file it under Gov. Bar R. XII, attach a notarized Affidavit of Applicant, and pay a $500 annual fee.
Getting this form wrong does more than slow you down. A missed checkbox, a stale license number, or a skipped renewal can trigger automatic exclusion from the practice of law in Ohio, which then forces you to file a petition just to fix your own status. Ohio has required this registration step since Jan. 1, 2011, and the Court limits each registered attorney to no more than three new proceedings per calendar year, so every entry on this form carries weight.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 📋 What the form is, who must file it, and the exact statute behind it
- 🖊️ A line-by-line walkthrough of every box, checkbox, and signature
- 👤 Three full filled-out examples using real-world attorney scenarios
- 💳 Where to file, what it costs, and how to keep proof of filing
- ⚠️ The most common mistakes and the direct penalty each one triggers
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
The Application for Pro Hac Vice Registration is the front door to practicing in an Ohio matter as a lawyer licensed somewhere else. The form does not, by itself, let you walk into a courtroom. Instead, it registers you with the Supreme Court of Ohio so that a Certificate of Pro Hac Vice Registration can be issued for the calendar year. Only after you hold that certificate may you ask a local Ohio tribunal for permission to appear.
You must file this form if you are licensed to practice law in another state, commonwealth, territory, possession, the District of Columbia, or a foreign country, and you want to take part in an Ohio adjudicative matter. The rule defines a “tribunal” as a court, legislative body, administrative agency, or other body that renders a binding legal judgment after hearing evidence or argument. That means the requirement reaches well past trial courts and can include administrative hearings.
A few people do not use this exact path. An attorney handling a federal case in Ohio follows the local rules of the Northern District or Southern District of Ohio instead, because the Supreme Court of Ohio has no jurisdiction over federal matters. An attorney who has already passed the Ohio bar exam and holds an active Ohio license never needs pro hac vice at all. The form anchors itself to Gov. Bar R. XII, which the Court has enforced and amended over the years to set the fee and the annual case cap.
Think of three named filers who all need this form. Daniel Reyes, a commercial litigator licensed in Texas, wants to join a breach-of-contract suit in Franklin County. Priya Anand, licensed in New York, is continuing a case that runs into a new year and must renew. Marcus Bell, a Kentucky public defender, represents an amicus curiae backing an indigent defendant and seeks a fee waiver. Each opens the same application but checks different boxes.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Pro hac vice registration in Ohio runs entirely through the online PHV Portal, and the portal will stop you cold if you are missing a key item. Gather everything below before you create your account, because the Affidavit of Applicant must repeat the same facts you type into the portal, and any mismatch can delay approval.
Here is your pre-filing checklist:
- Your full legal name, including maiden name if any. The form asks for last, first, middle, and maiden separately, and a name that does not match your home-state license record can stall verification.
- Your residential address. The Court uses this to confirm you do not reside in Ohio; leaving it blank breaks one of the certifications.
- Your firm or employer name, address, phone, fax, and email. The office email becomes your primary account identifier and must be unique to you, not your assistant.
- Every jurisdiction where you are licensed. You must list each state, your attorney registration number there, and the month/day/year of admission, resignation, or retirement.
- Your Social Security number. Since November 2024, the portal requires your SSN as a unique account identifier, and there is no way to bypass it.
- A notarized Affidavit of Applicant. This sworn document mirrors your application and must be signed and notarized before you can be approved.
- Your payment method for the $500 fee. Without payment the application will not process, and no certificate will issue.
- Your status facts for the certifications. You must be ready to confirm good standing and that you have not failed the Ohio bar or been denied admission in the last five years.
- The name of your Ohio associating attorney. While this goes on the later motion, knowing it now keeps your whole filing on schedule.
Missing any item has a cost. A missing SSN blocks account creation outright. A missing notarized affidavit means the Bar Admissions Section cannot approve you even if the online form is perfect. A missing license date can send your application back for correction, pushing your certificate past the deadline your case needs.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official Application for Pro Hac Vice Registration lives on the Supreme Court of Ohio website, and the live version of the form is completed inside the PHV Portal rather than mailed in. The downloadable PDF is useful as a preview so you can see every field before you log in, but the binding submission happens online. Always confirm you are using the current form, since the portal was rebuilt in November 2024 and now requires data the older paper versions did not.
To begin, create an account in the PHV Portal using your unique office email address. The portal walks you through account creation first, then lets you open a new registration application. You will type your information into the online fields, upload your notarized Affidavit of Applicant, and pay the fee in the same session.
You will also find supporting forms on the same page. The Affidavit of Applicant is filed with the Supreme Court inside the portal. The Motion for Permission to Appear Pro Hac Vice and the Affidavit of Out-of-State Attorney are filed later with the local tribunal, not with the Supreme Court. Keeping these two affidavits straight matters, because filers often confuse them and upload the wrong one.
If you cannot afford internet access or hit a technical wall, the Bar Admissions Section can be reached at 614.387.9352 or prohacvice@sc.ohio.gov for portal help. Staff cannot answer questions about your underlying case or local court procedure, though. Those questions go to the clerk of the court where your matter is pending.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Application for Pro Hac Vice Registration Line by Line
This is the heart of the form. Work through each field in the order it appears, and remember that the Affidavit of Applicant you upload must state the same facts.
Section 1: Registration Type — Initial, Renewal, or Reinstatement
What it asks in plain English. The very top of the form gives you three checkboxes: INITIAL, RENEWAL (PHV# ___), and REINSTATEMENT (PHV# ___). It wants to know whether this is your first Ohio registration, a yearly renewal, or a fix after exclusion.
How to answer it. Check exactly one box. If you have never registered in Ohio, check INITIAL and leave the PHV number lines blank. If you are continuing into a new calendar year, check RENEWAL and write your existing PHV number. If your status was excluded and you are repairing it, check REINSTATEMENT with your PHV number.
Example entry. Daniel Reyes, registering in Ohio for the first time, checks INITIAL and writes nothing on the PHV# lines.
Nuance or edge case. A case that carries over from last year requires RENEWAL, even if you only have one active matter, because the certificate expires every December 31 regardless of when it was issued.
Common mistake and consequence. Checking INITIAL when you already hold a PHV number creates a duplicate record, which can split your case history and trigger an exclusion notice to the tribunal.
Misconception. Many filers believe renewal is optional if they “are basically done” with a case; in fact, if you are still appearing as of January 1, renewal is mandatory by January 31.
Section 2: Name (Last, First, Middle, Maiden)
What it asks in plain English. The form breaks your name into four labeled parts so the Court can match you to your home-state bar record.
How to answer it. Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on your law license. Fill the maiden field only if it applies; otherwise leave it blank.
Example entry. Priya Anand writes Anand (last), Priya (first), and leaves middle and maiden blank.
Nuance or edge case. If your home-state license shows a former name, list the maiden or prior name so the registration numbers you provide line up with that record.
Common mistake and consequence. Using a nickname or dropping a middle name that appears on your bar card can cause a verification mismatch that holds your application for manual review.
Misconception. Some attorneys think the name on their business cards is enough; the Court checks the licensed name, not your marketing name.
Section 3: Residential Address
What it asks in plain English. This box wants the home address where you actually live.
How to answer it. Write your full residential street address, city, state, and ZIP. This must be a residence, not your office.
Example entry. Daniel Reyes enters 4120 Live Oak Lane, Austin, TX 78745.
Nuance or edge case. If you split time between states, list the residence outside Ohio, because one of the form’s certifications is that you do not reside in Ohio.
Common mistake and consequence. Listing an Ohio residence here contradicts the non-residency certification and can disqualify your standard registration path.
Misconception. Filers assume a P.O. box is fine; the Court wants a true residential address to confirm you live outside Ohio.
Section 4: Firm/Employer Name, Address, Telephone, Fax, and Email
What it asks in plain English. These lines capture where you work and how the Court and opposing parties can reach you.
How to answer it. Enter your firm or employer’s legal name, full mailing address, main phone, fax if any, and your direct office email. The email must be unique to you.
Example entry. Priya Anand enters Anand & Cole LLP, 200 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10166, with her direct line and the email panand@anandcole.com.
Nuance or edge case. Solo practitioners use their own practice name and address; government attorneys use their agency.
Common mistake and consequence. Listing your assistant’s email makes your assistant the account holder for login and notices, which can cause you to miss a renewal deadline and face exclusion.
Misconception. People think the firm email is just a contact; in the portal it doubles as your primary account identifier, so it cannot be shared.
Section 5: Jurisdictions of Licensure, Numbers, and Dates
What it asks in plain English. This block asks you to list every place you are licensed, with each registration number and the date you were admitted, resigned, or retired.
How to answer it. Write each jurisdiction on its own line. Next to each, put your bar number and the month/day/year of admission. Include any jurisdiction you have left, with the resignation or retirement date.
Example entry. Marcus Bell lists Kentucky, Bar No. 91234, admitted 05/18/2009.
Nuance or edge case. If you once held a license you resigned, you still list it with the resignation date, because the certification covers your full history.
Common mistake and consequence. Omitting a jurisdiction or using a wrong number can read as a misrepresentation, and it can delay or defeat your good-standing verification.
Misconception. Many believe only their primary license matters; the form requires all jurisdictions, current and former.
Section 6: Eligibility Certifications (Choose All That Apply)
What it asks in plain English. This set of checkboxes asks you to certify your eligibility, such as being admitted in good standing elsewhere and not residing or working regularly in Ohio.
How to answer it. Check every box that is true for you. The core boxes confirm you are admitted in the highest court of another jurisdiction in good standing, and that you do not reside in or regularly work from Ohio. Special boxes cover corporate status under Gov. Bar R. VI, in-state practice from out-of-state offices, a systematic presence under Prof. Cond. R. 5.5(d)(2), or a recent relocation as a pending Ohio applicant.
Example entry. Daniel Reyes checks admitted in good standing and do not reside in Ohio, and leaves the special-status boxes blank.
Nuance or edge case. An attorney who recently moved to Ohio and has an application pending under Gov. Bar R. I checks the 120-day relocation box instead of the non-residency box.
Common mistake and consequence. Checking a status box that does not truly apply, such as corporate status, can void your certification and expose you to discipline under Ohio rules.
Misconception. Filers think these boxes are informational; they are sworn certifications, so a false check is a serious problem.
Section 7: Five-Year and Compliance Certifications
What it asks in plain English. Two more certifications confirm you have a clean recent Ohio history and that you will follow Ohio’s rules.
How to answer it. Check the box certifying you have not failed the Ohio bar exam, been denied admission without examination, or been denied on character and fitness grounds within the last five years. Then check the box agreeing to comply with Ohio statutes, procedural rules, the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct, and the Rules for the Government of the Bar.
Example entry. Priya Anand checks both boxes after confirming she has no Ohio bar history in the past five years.
Nuance or edge case. If you failed the Ohio bar four years ago, you cannot truthfully check the first box, and you should contact Bar Admissions before filing.
Common mistake and consequence. Checking the five-year box without reviewing your own Ohio history can amount to a false certification and lead to denial.
Misconception. Some assume a long-ago failed exam no longer counts; the window is five years, so anything inside it matters.
Section 8: Fee Selection — $500 Payment or Amicus Fee Waiver
What it asks in plain English. You must choose one of two fee options: pay the $500 annual registration fee, or request a waiver as an amicus attorney for an indigent criminal defendant.
How to answer it. Check the first box to submit $500 for the current calendar year, acknowledging another $500 is due each year you continue. Check the second box only if you represent an amicus curiae supporting an indigent defendant in a criminal matter under Gov. Bar R. XII, Sec. 2(A)(5).
Example entry. Marcus Bell, the amicus filer, checks the fee waiver box; Daniel Reyes checks the $500 payment box.
Nuance or edge case. A granted waiver covers only that amicus matter; if Marcus later joins a paid civil case, he must pay the full fee for it.
Common mistake and consequence. Requesting the waiver without qualifying delays processing while staff reject the waiver and demand payment.
Misconception. Filers think the fee is one-time; it is annual, and the form spells out that $500 is due every calendar year you stay registered.
Section 9: Signature, Date, and Print Name
What it asks in plain English. The closing block asks you to sign, date, and print your name to verify everything above is true.
How to answer it. Sign as the applicant, enter the date in month/day/year format, and print your full legal name to match Section 2.
Example entry. Daniel Reyes signs, dates it 06/03/2026, and prints Daniel Reyes.
Nuance or edge case. Because filing is online, your signature also flows into the notarized Affidavit of Applicant, which a notary must witness separately.
Common mistake and consequence. Submitting without the notarized affidavit, even with a perfect online signature, stops approval because the Court requires both.
Misconception. People think the online click-signature covers everything; the separate notarized affidavit is still mandatory.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Below are three named attorneys completing the application start to finish. Each shows how the same form bends to different facts.
Scenario 1: Daniel Reyes — Texas litigator, first Ohio case
| Form Section | What Daniel Enters |
|---|---|
| Registration Type | Checks INITIAL, leaves PHV# blank |
| Name | Reyes, Daniel, no middle or maiden |
| Residential Address | 4120 Live Oak Lane, Austin, TX 78745 |
| Firm/Employer | Reyes Commercial Law, 600 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701 |
| Office Email | dreyes@reyescommercial.com |
| Jurisdictions | Texas, Bar No. 24056781, admitted 11/02/2012 |
| Eligibility Certifications | Checks good standing and not an Ohio resident |
| Five-Year Certification | Checks the box; no Ohio bar history |
| Fee | Checks $500 payment |
| Signature/Date | Signs, dates 06/03/2026, prints Daniel Reyes |
Scenario 2: Priya Anand — New York attorney renewing a carryover case
| Form Section | What Priya Enters |
|---|---|
| Registration Type | Checks RENEWAL, writes her PHV# |
| Name | Anand, Priya |
| Residential Address | 88 Hudson St, Apt 12C, New York, NY 10013 |
| Firm/Employer | Anand & Cole LLP, 200 Park Ave, New York, NY 10166 |
| Office Email | panand@anandcole.com |
| Jurisdictions | New York, Reg. No. 4456789, admitted 06/14/2008 |
| Eligibility Certifications | Checks good standing and not an Ohio resident |
| Fee | Checks $500 payment for the new calendar year |
| Renewal Deadline | Files by January 31 to stay active |
| Signature/Date | Signs, dates the renewal, prints Priya Anand |
Scenario 3: Marcus Bell — Kentucky public defender, amicus fee waiver
| Form Section | What Marcus Enters |
|---|---|
| Registration Type | Checks INITIAL |
| Name | Bell, Marcus |
| Residential Address | 2210 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40205 |
| Firm/Employer | Office of the Public Defender, 200 Civic Plaza, Louisville, KY 40202 |
| Office Email | mbell@kypd.gov |
| Jurisdictions | Kentucky, Bar No. 91234, admitted 05/18/2009 |
| Eligibility Certifications | Checks good standing and not an Ohio resident |
| Fee | Checks amicus fee waiver under Sec. 2(A)(5) |
| Waiver Scope | Acknowledges waiver covers only the indigent criminal amicus matter |
| Signature/Date | Signs, dates, prints Marcus Bell |
How to File the Completed Form
Ohio handles pro hac vice registration through a single online channel, the PHV Portal, so there is no mail-in or in-person option for the registration itself. Inside the portal you create an account with your unique office email, open a registration application, upload your notarized Affidavit of Applicant, and pay the $500 fee in the same session. The portal accepts electronic payment, so have a card ready.
After you submit, the Bar Admissions Section reviews your application and affidavit. Once approved, the Court issues your Certificate of Pro Hac Vice Registration by email to your office address on file, and the certificate also stays available to download in your account. Save that certificate, because it is your proof of registration for the whole calendar year.
The next filing happens at the local level, not with the Supreme Court. You file a copy of your certificate, a Motion for Permission to Appear Pro Hac Vice, and an Affidavit of Out-of-State Attorney with the tribunal hearing your case. The motion must name an active Ohio attorney in good standing who agrees to associate with you, as Gov. Bar R. XII, Sec. 2(A)(6)(e) requires. Filing fees and methods for that motion vary by court, so check the local clerk’s rules.
For a case before the Supreme Court of Ohio itself, the registration still goes to Bar Admissions, but the motion goes to the Supreme Court Office of the Clerk under S. Ct. Prac. R. 2.02. Keep your email confirmation, your downloaded certificate, and any clerk time-stamp as your proof of filing in every channel.
What Happens After You File
After approval, your certificate lets you seek permission in Ohio matters, but it does not guarantee entry. The local tribunal still decides whether to grant your motion, and a judge can deny it. Plan your case timeline around this gap between registration and permission.
Once a tribunal grants your motion, the clock starts. You must file a Notice of Permission in your PHV account and upload the signed court order within 30 days of the order, as Gov. Bar R. XII, Section 4 requires. Miss that window and you face automatic exclusion from the practice of law in Ohio, which then forces a petition for reinstatement.
Your obligations continue throughout the case. When a matter concludes or you withdraw, you must update your Cases on File in the portal and upload the timestamped court order, by the January 31 renewal deadline at the latest under Section 5(B). Filing a motion to withdraw is not enough; the court must actually order it before you report the conclusion.
If you stay in a case past December 31, you renew and pay another $500 by January 31. If you let any requirement slip, your public status changes to “Excluded,” a letter goes to your tribunal, and the PHV directory shows it. Only a granted Petition for Reinstatement restores you to good standing.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Checking INITIAL when you already have a PHV number. This creates a duplicate record and can scramble your case history.
- Listing an Ohio residential address. It contradicts the non-residency certification and can knock you off the standard path.
- Using your assistant’s email as the office email. You may miss portal notices and renewal alerts, leading to exclusion.
- Omitting a jurisdiction of licensure. A missing license can read as a misrepresentation and stall verification.
- Entering the wrong bar registration number. It breaks the good-standing check and delays approval.
- Skipping the notarized Affidavit of Applicant. No affidavit means no approval, even with a perfect online form.
- Confusing the two affidavits. Uploading the Affidavit of Out-of-State Attorney instead of the Affidavit of Applicant gets your filing bounced.
- Requesting the fee waiver without qualifying. Only amicus counsel for an indigent criminal defendant qualifies, so a wrong request delays processing.
- Forgetting the SSN requirement. Without it you cannot create an account at all.
- Missing the 30-day Notice of Permission deadline. This triggers automatic exclusion from Ohio practice.
- Ignoring the January 31 renewal date. Continuing a case into a new year without renewing causes exclusion.
- Assuming the certificate equals permission. You still need the tribunal to grant your motion.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Do list every jurisdiction, current and former, because the certification covers your full history.
- Do use your own unique office email, since it is your portal account identifier.
- Do notarize the Affidavit of Applicant before submitting, as approval depends on it.
- Do save your certificate and email confirmation as proof for the entire calendar year.
- Do calendar the 30-day notice and January 31 renewal dates to avoid exclusion.
- Do name an active, good-standing Ohio attorney on your later motion, as the rule requires.
Don’t:
- Don’t check more than one registration-type box, because it confuses your record.
- Don’t list an Ohio home address, since it breaks the non-residency certification.
- Don’t request a fee waiver unless you are amicus counsel for an indigent defendant.
- Don’t confuse the Affidavit of Applicant with the Affidavit of Out-of-State Attorney.
- Don’t assume renewal is optional if a case carries into January.
- Don’t direct case or local-procedure questions to Bar Admissions, which cannot answer them.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
| Filing on Your Own | Filing With Help |
|---|---|
| Saves cost, since you pay only the $500 fee and no extra service charge | Costs more, because you add staff or vendor time on top of the $500 |
| Gives you direct control over every certification you sign | Reduces your hands-on control, though a careful reviewer catches errors |
| Builds your own familiarity with the portal for future renewals | Speeds the first filing for attorneys short on time |
| Risks portal and notarization errors if you are new to Ohio’s system | Lowers error risk because experienced staff know the common traps |
| Puts deadline tracking fully on you, raising the exclusion risk | Adds a second set of eyes on the 30-day and January 31 deadlines |
FAQs
Do I check INITIAL or RENEWAL if my case crosses into a new year? No. You check RENEWAL and enter your existing PHV number, because Ohio certificates expire every December 31 and continuing a case requires renewal by January 31.
Do I list my maiden name in the name box? Yes. You complete the maiden field only if a maiden or prior name appears on your law license, so your registration numbers match your bar record.
Do I put my office address in the residential address box? No. The residential box needs your true home address outside Ohio, because the form separately certifies that you do not reside in Ohio.
Do I list every state where I am licensed, or just my main one? Yes. You must list all jurisdictions, with each registration number and admission date, including any license you resigned or retired.
Do I need a Social Security number to register? Yes. Since November 2024 the portal requires your own SSN as a unique account identifier, and there is no way to bypass it.
Do I have to pay the $500 fee every year? Yes. The fee is annual, and the form states another $500 is due each calendar year you continue your registration.
Do I qualify for the fee waiver? No. Unless you represent an amicus curiae supporting an indigent defendant in a criminal matter, you do not qualify under Gov. Bar R. XII, Sec. 2(A)(5).
Do I file the Affidavit of Applicant or the Affidavit of Out-of-State Attorney with the Supreme Court? Yes. You file the notarized Affidavit of Applicant in the portal; the Affidavit of Out-of-State Attorney goes to the local tribunal with your motion.
Does my certificate let me appear in court right away? No. You still file a motion for permission with the local tribunal, which decides whether to grant or deny your appearance.
Do I need an Ohio attorney involved? Yes. Your motion must name an active Ohio attorney in good standing who agrees to associate with you under Gov. Bar R. XII, Sec. 2(A)(6)(e).
Do I have a case limit each year? Yes. You may appear in no more than three new proceedings per calendar year, though appeals, transfers, consolidations, and carryover cases do not count.
Do I have to report after a court grants my motion? Yes. You file a Notice of Permission and upload the court order within 30 days, or you face automatic exclusion from Ohio practice.
Do federal cases in Ohio use this same form? No. Federal matters follow the local rules of the Northern or Southern District of Ohio, because the Supreme Court of Ohio has no jurisdiction over federal cases.
Does exclusion fix itself over time? No. An excluded attorney stays excluded until a Petition for Reinstatement is filed and granted by the Bar Admissions Section.
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