Someone asked me a while back whether or not I knew anything about a Purple Paint Law in Ohio. At the time, I didn’t know diddly squat about Purple Paint Laws in Ohio or any other state for that matter. Turns out, Ohio does not have a Purple Paint Law but something like 22 other states do have a version of a Purple Paint Law on their books.

Before you get the notion that I’ve lost my mind or I’m foisting an early April Fool’s joke on you, allow me to explain what a Purple Paint Law is. Let’s use West Virginia as an example, because they have such a law and make use of it there. In 2022, the Morgan Messenger reported on the Mountain State’s Purple Paint Law as follows: “In addition to the traditional ways of posting land, West Virginia landowners have another option – the use of purple paint – to prevent unauthorized individuals from entering their property.

“According to a law passed in 2016 by the West Virginia legislature [§61-3B-1 (B)], boundaries can be marked with a clearly visible purple-painted marking, consisting of one vertical line no less than 8 inches in length and 2 inches in width, and the bottom of the mark not less than 3 nor more than 6 feet from the ground or normal water surface.

“The painted marks must be affixed to immovable, permanent objects that are no more than 100 feet apart and readily visible to any person approaching the property.

“Even if landowners post their land with purple paint, they must post written signs at all roads, driveways or gates of entry onto the posted land which are clearly noticeable from outside the boundary line.”

Long story short, in states with a Purple Paint Law on the Books, instead of going to the hardware store and purchasing a box of nails and bunch of ‘No Trespassing’ signs, you can stock up on rattle cans of purple paint (or another specified color in a few states) and head to your property boundaries and essentially communicate the same message as a ‘No Trespassing’ sign.

I had the chance to speak to former Ohio Senator Bill Coley who sponsored an Ohio Purple Paint Law as recently as 2020. One of his constituents pointed out that the purple paint concept worked really well in other states. Bill stated, “It essentially communicates the same message as a ‘No Trespassing’ sign and it helps to maintain a person’s property line and their property.” Mr. Coley also pointed out that purple paint marks are less

unsightly than posting signs that tend to weather and get vandalized. The bill he sponsored received a second hearing in the Local Government, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee but went no further. According to Bill, it stalled out at that point because it was 2020 and Covid sucked the air out of it.

Former Senator Coley feels that a Purple Paint Law for Ohio would be the perfect bill to receive support from both parties, and I tend to agree. It seems like the only ones not in favor of it may be the ‘No Trespassing’ sign manufacturers.

Reach BJ Price at 937-456-5159 for more information.