Effective Nov. 1, 2024, Senate Bill 1939 will change commercial license renewal application time frames and the license transfer process.

For renewal applications, there will be a 120-day grace period for licensees with expiration dates between Nov. 1, 2024, and March 1, 2025. Under this grace period, applications must be submitted before their expiration dates to be considered “timely.” All other licensees with expiration dates post-March 1, 2025, must submit renewal applications pursuant to the graphic below:

A license transfer application differs from a renewal application.

Licensees intending to transfer or sell any percentage of a business must undergo the new license transfer process required by Senate Bill 1939. New definitions for “change of ownership request”, “license transfer application”, “location change request”, and “name change request” are added to OMMA Rules at OAC 442:10-1-4. The new license transfer requirements have been added to OMMA Rules at OAC 442:10-5-2(f). License transfer applications or other material change applications that affect a licensee’s qualifications for licensure shall not occur during the renewal application and must be submitted in a separate application.

Q: What is considered a transfer agreement?

A: A document that conveys complete or partial ownership of a license from one individual or entity to another. View the list of required documents in the Commercial Application Checklist.

Q: Is obtaining written approval a separate action from the ownership transfer application?

A: Written approval is an email from the licensing vendor indicating the OMMA license transfer application has been approved. This email notification is standard practice for notifying applicants of their application status.

Q: What documentation is required to obtain written approval for the transfer?

A: All documentation necessary to meet licensure requirements must be uploaded within the transfer application in the licensing portal. View the full list of requirements in the Commercial Application Checklist.

Q: Is there a fee associated with written approval for a license transfer?

A: There is a fee to submit an OMMA license transfer application which is required to obtain written approval.

The information on this page was published before Senate Bill 1939 took effect on Nov. 1, 2024. Senate Bill 1939 changed commercial license renewal application time frames and the license transfer process.

Commercial licensees can transfer ownership of their license using the change of ownership process. 

New owners must meet all requirements for an OMMA commercial license. Get details on our Commercial Licenses page.

The current license owner must initiate the ownership change process in the Thentia licensing portal. After the transfer is complete, the new owner can contact OMMA to remove the former owner's administrative privileges in the licensing portal.

OMMA processes applications to transfer ownership, change a location or change a business name within 90 business days.

1. During the license renewal process, the current owner can transfer the license to a new owner by submitting the required documentation for the new owner. The change of ownership -- and, if necessary, a business name change and/or a location change -- can be completed as part of the renewal process for the standard renewal application fee. 

2. The current owner can initiate an ownership transfer in the Thentia licensing portal using the process to change the Person of Interest. The current owner will submit required documentation for the new owner. The fee is $500. The current or new owner can also initiate a business name change in Thentia for an additional $500 fee, and/or a location change for a separate $500 fee.

Contact OMMA using the email address for your license type.