# Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.03: Arson > Ohio · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.03 ## Section - **Citation:** Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.03 - **Heading:** Arson - **Jurisdiction:** Ohio - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Ohio Revised Code / Title 29 / Chapter 2909 / § 2909.03 ## Text March 21, 2017 House Bill 185 - 131st General Assembly (A) No person, by means of fire or explosion, shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Cause, or create a substantial risk of, physical harm to any property of another without the other person's consent; (2) Cause, or create a substantial risk of, physical harm to any property of the offender or another, with purpose to defraud; (3) Cause, or create a substantial risk of, physical harm to the statehouse or a courthouse, school building, or other building or structure that is owned or controlled by the state, any political subdivision, or any department, agency, or instrumentality of the state or a political subdivision, and that is used for public purposes; (4) Cause, or create a substantial risk of, physical harm, through the offer or the acceptance of an agreement for hire or other consideration, to any property of another without the other person's consent or to any property of the offender or another with purpose to defraud; (5) Cause, or create a substantial risk of, physical harm to any park, preserve, wildlands, brush-covered land, cut-over land, forest, timberland, greenlands, woods, or similar real property that is owned or controlled by another person, the state, or a political subdivision without the consent of the other person, the state, or the political subdivision; (6) With purpose to defraud, cause, or create a substantial risk of, physical harm to any park, preserve, wildlands, brush-covered land, cut-over land, forest, timberland, greenlands, woods, or similar real property that is owned or controlled by the offender, another person, the state, or a political subdivision. (B) No person, by means of fire or explosion, shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Cause, or create a substantial risk of, physical harm to any structure of another that is not an occupied structure ; (2) Cause, or create a substantial risk of, physical harm, through the offer or the acceptance of an agreement for hire or other consideration, to any structure of another that is not an occupied structure ; (3) Cause, or create a substantial risk of, physical harm to any structure that is not an occupied structure and that is in or on any park, preserve, wildlands, brush-covered land, cut- over land, forest, timberland, greenlands, woods, or similar real property that is owned or controlled by another person, the state, or a political subdivision. (C) (1) It is an affirmative defense to a charge under division (B) (1) or (2) of this section that the defendant acted with the consent of the other person. (2) It is an affirmative defense to a charge under division (B)(3) of this section that the defendant acted with the consent of the other person, the state, or the political subdivision. (D)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of arson. (2) A violation of division (A)(1) or (B) (1) of this section is one of the following: (a) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(2)(b) of this section, a misdemeanor of the first degree; (b) If the value of the property or the amount of the physical harm involved is one thousand dollars or more, a felony of the fourth degree. (3) A violation of division (A)(2), (3), (5), or (6) or (B) (3) of this section is a felony of the fourth degree. (4) A violation of division (A)(4) or (B) (2) of this section is a felony of the third degree. ## Nearby sections - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.01 § 2909.01. Arson and related offenses definitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.01.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.02 § 2909.02. Aggravated arson](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.02.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.03 § 2909.03. Arson](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.03.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.04 § 2909.04. Disrupting public services](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.04.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.05 § 2909.05. Vandalism](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.05.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.06 § 2909.06. Criminal damaging or endangering](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.06.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.07 § 2909.07. Criminal mischief](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.07.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.08 § 2909.08. Endangering aircraft or airport operations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.08.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.09 § 2909.09. Vehicular vandalism](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.09.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.10 § 2909.10. Railroad vandalism - criminal trespass - interference with operation of train](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.10.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.11 § 2909.11. Property value or amount of physical harm findings](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.11.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.13 § 2909.13. Definitions for RC sections 2909.13 to 2909.15](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.13.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.14 § 2909.14. Arson offender registration; notice](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.14.md) - [Ohio Rev. Code § 2909.15 § 2909.15. Arson offender registration; time frames; form](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.15.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2909_S2909.03. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.