

                               CINTAS CORPORATION

                                      1999

                                Stock Option Plan

                                    ARTICLE 1

                                   OBJECTIVES

     Cintas Corporation has established this Stock Option Plan effective October
20, 1999,  as an incentive to attract,  retain and motivate  dedicated and loyal
employees of  outstanding  ability,  to stimulate the efforts of such persons in
meeting Cintas  Corporation's  objectives  and to encourage  ownership of Cintas
Corporation Common Stock by employees.

                                    ARTICLE 2

                                   DEFINITIONS

     2.1 For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall have the definition
which is attributed to them, unless another definition is clearly indicated by a
particular usage and context.

          2.1.1 "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

          2.1.2 "Cintas" means Cintas  Corporation  and any subsidiary of Cintas
     Corporation,  as the term  "subsidiary" is defined in Section 424(f) of the
     Code.

          2.1.3 "Date of Exercise" means the date on which Cintas has received a
     written  notice of exercise of an Option,  in such form as is acceptable to
     the  Committee,  and  full  payment  of the  purchase  price  or a copy  of
     irrevocable  directions to a  broker-dealer  to deliver the Option Price to
     Cintas pursuant to Section hereof.

          2.1.4 "Date of Grant" means the date on which an Option is awarded.

          2.1.5 "Eligible  Employee" means any individual who performs  services
     for Cintas and is treated as an Employee for federal income tax purposes.

          2.1.6 "Effective Date" means October 20, 1999.

          2.1.7 "Fair Market  Value"  means the last sale price  reported on any
     stock  exchange  or  over-the-counter  trading  system on which  Shares are
     trading  on a  specified  date.  If no sale has been made on the  specified
     date,  the prices on the last  preceding  date shall be used. If the Shares
     are not so  trading,  the  average of the  closing bid and ask prices for a
     Share on the specified  date or the last previous date on which bid and ask
     prices are  available  shall be utilized.  2.1.8  "Incentive  Stock Option"
     shall have the same  meaning  as given to that term by  Section  422 of the
     Code.

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          2.1.8  "Incentive Stock Option"  shall have  the same meaning as given
     to that term by Section 422 of the Code.

          2.1.9  "Nonqualified  Stock Option" means any Option granted under the
     Plan which is not considered an Incentive Stock Option.

          2.1.10  "Option" means the right to purchase a stated number of Shares
     at a specified  price.  The option may be granted to an  Eligible  Employee
     subject  to  the  terms  of  this  Plan,  and  such  other  conditions  and
     restrictions  as the  Committee  deems  appropriate.  Each Option  shall be
     designated  by the  Committee to be either an  Incentive  Stock Option or a
     Nonqualified Stock Option.

          2.1.11 "Option Price" means the purchase price per Share subject to an
     Option and shall be fixed by the Committee, but shall not be less than 100%
     of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Date of Grant.

          2.1.12  "Permanent  and Total  Disability"  shall  mean any  medically
     determinable  physical or mental impairment  rendering an individual unable
     to engage in any  substantial  gainful  activity,  which  disability can be
     expected  to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last
     for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

          2.1.13 "Plan" means this 1999 Option Plan as it may be amended.

          2.1.14 "Share" means one share of the Common Stock of Cintas.

                                    ARTICLE 3

                                 ADMINISTRATION

     3.1 The Plan shall be administered  by a committee  designated by the Board
of  Directors  of  Cintas.  The  Committee  shall  be  comprised  of two or more
directors  each of whom shall be a  "Non-Employee  Director"  as defined in Rule
16b-3  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  (the  "Act")  and an  "outside
director"  to the  extent  required  by  Section  162(m)  of the Code  ("Section
162(m)"),  as such Rule and Section may be amended,  superseded  or  interpreted
hereafter.

     3.2 Except as  specifically  limited  by the  provisions  of the Plan,  the
Committee in its discretion shall have the authority to:

          3.2.1 Determine which Eligible Employees shall be granted Options;

          3.2.2  Determine  the  number of Shares  which may be  subject to each
     Option;

          3.2.3  Determine  the Option Price;

<PAGE>

          3.2.4 Determine the term of each Option;

          3.2.5  Determine  whether each Option is an Incentive  Stock Option or
     Nonqualified Stock Option;

          3.2.6 Interpret the provisions of the Plan and decide all questions of
     fact arising in its application; and

          3.2.7 Prescribe such rules and procedures for Plan  administration  as
     from time to time it may deem advisable.

     3.3 Any action, decision,  interpretation or determination by the Committee
with respect to the  application or  administration  of this Plan shall be final
and  binding  upon all  persons,  and need not be  uniform  with  respect to its
determination  of  recipients,  amount,  timing,  form,  terms or  provisions of
Options.

     3.4  No  member  of the  Committee  shall  be  liable  for  any  action  or
determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Option
granted  hereunder,  and to the extent  permitted by law,  all members  shall be
indemnified  by Cintas for any liability  and expenses  which may occur from any
claim or cause of action.

     3.5  The  Chief  Executive  Officer  may,  without   participation  by  the
Committee,  grant  options to purchase up to 2,000 shares per Eligible  Employee
per year to Eligible Employees who are not executive officers of the Company. In
exercising such authority,  the Chief Executive Officer shall have the authority
to:

          3.5.1 Determine which Eligible Employees shall be granted Options;

          3.5.2  Determine  the  number of Shares  which may be  subject to each
     Option;

          3.5.3 Determine the Option Price;

          3.5.4 Determine the term of each Option; and

          3.5.5  Determine  whether each Option is an Incentive  Stock Option or
     Nonqualified Stock Option.

                                    ARTICLE 4

                             SHARES SUBJECT TO PLAN

     4.1 The number of Shares that may be made subject to Options  granted under
the Plan is 6,000,000. Except as provided in Section , upon lapse or termination
of any Option for any reason  without  being  completely  exercised,  the Shares
which were subject to such Option may again be subject to other Options.

<PAGE>


     4.2 The  maximum  number of Shares  with  respect to which  options  may be
granted to any  employee  during each  fiscal  year of Cintas is 100,000.  If an
Option is canceled,  it continues  to be counted  against the maximum  number of
Shares  for  which  Options  may be  granted  to an  employee.  If an  Option is
repriced, the transaction is treated as a cancellation of the Option and a grant
of a new Option.

                                    ARTICLE 5

                               GRANTING OF OPTIONS

     The Committee  may,  from time to time,  prior to October 19,  2009,  grant
Options to Eligible  Employees on such terms and conditions as the Committee may
determine. More than one Option may be granted to the same Eligible Employee.

                                    ARTICLE 6

                                TERMS OF OPTIONS

     6.1 Subject to specific  provisions relating to Incentive Stock Options set
forth in Article and as provided  below,  each Option shall be for a term of ten
years from the Date of Grant.  Each option may be exercised for up to 20% of the
total Shares  covered by the Option  commencing on the fifth  anniversary of the
Date of Grant with an additional  20% of the total Shares  covered by the Option
becoming  exercisable  on  each  succeeding  anniversary  until  the  Option  is
exercisable  to its full extent.  This right of exercise shall be cumulative and
shall be exercisable in whole or in part.

     The Committee,  at its sole discretion,  may permit  particular  holders of
Options to exercise an Option to a greater  extent than provided  herein and may
establish different exercise schedules and impose other conditions upon exercise
for any particular Option or group of Options.  The term of any Option shall not
be less  than one or more  than  ten  years  from  the  date of grant  and in no
circumstances  exercisable  during the first  twelve  months of the term of said
Option.

     6.2 Nothing  contained in this Plan or in any Option granted pursuant to it
shall  confer  upon any  employee  the right to  continue  in the  employ of the
Company or to  interfere  in any way with the right of the Company to  terminate
employment at any time.

     6.3 Nothing  contained in this Plan or in any Option granted pursuant to it
shall  confer upon any employee any right to continue in the employ of Cintas or
to interfere in any way with the right of Cintas to terminate  employment at any
time.  So long as a holder of an Option  shall  continue  to be an  employee  of
Cintas,  the Option shall not be affected by any change of the employee's duties
or position.

<PAGE>

                                   ARTICLE 7

                               EXERCISE OF OPTIONS

     7.1 Any person  entitled to exercise an Option in whole or in part,  may do
so by delivering a written notice of exercise to Cintas  Corporation,  Attention
Corporate  Secretary,  at its principal office. The written notice shall specify
the number of Shares for which an Option is being  exercised  and the grant date
of the option being  exercised and shall be  accompanied  by full payment of the
Option Price for the Shares being purchased and any withholding taxes.

     7.2 An Option  may also be  exercised  by  delivering  a written  notice of
exercise to Cintas,  Attention Corporate  Secretary,  accompanied by irrevocable
instructions  to deliver  shares to a  broker-dealer  acceptable to Cintas and a
copy of  irrevocable  instructions  to the  broker-dealer  to deliver the Option
Price and any withholding taxes to Cintas.

                                    ARTICLE 8

                             PAYMENT OF OPTION PRICE

     In the sole discretion of the Committee, payment of the Option Price may be
made in cash,  by the tender of Shares which have been owned at least six months
and  which  have a Fair  Market  Value  equal  to the  purchase  price or by any
combination of cash and such Shares.

                                    ARTICLE 9

             INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS AND NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTIONS

     9.1 The Committee in its discretion  may designate  whether an Option is to
be an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified  Stock Option.  The Committee may
grant both an Incentive Stock Option and a Nonqualified Stock Option to the same
individual.  However,  where both an Incentive  Stock Option and a  Nonqualified
Stock Option are awarded at one time,  such Options shall be deemed to have been
awarded in separate grants,  shall be clearly  identified,  and in no event will
the  exercise  of one such Option  affect the right to  exercise  the other such
Option.

     9.2 Any option  designated  by the  Committee as an Incentive  Stock Option
will be subject to the general  provisions  applicable  to all  Options  granted
under the Plan plus the following specific provisions:

          9.2.1  At the time the  Incentive  Stock  Option  is  granted,  if the
     Eligible  Employee owns,  directly or indirectly,  stock  representing more
     than 10% of (i) the total combined  voting power of all classes of stock of
     Cintas,  or (ii) a corporation  that owns 50% or more of the total combined
     voting power of all classes of stock of Cintas, then:

<PAGE>


               9.2.1.1  The  Option  Price  must equal at least 110% of the Fair
          Market Value on the Date of Grant; and

               9.2.1.2  The term of the Option  shall not be  greater  than five
          years from the Date of Grant.

          9.2.2 The  aggregate  Fair Market Value of Shares  (determined  at the
     Date  of  Grant)  with  respect  to  which   Incentive  Stock  Options  are
     exercisable by an Eligible  Employee for the first time during any calendar
     year  under  this Plan or any other  plan  maintained  by Cintas  shall not
     exceed $100,000.

     9.3 If any  Option  is not  granted,  exercised,  or held  pursuant  to the
provisions noted  immediately  above, it will be considered to be a Nonqualified
Stock  Option  to  the  extent  that  the  grant  is  in  conflict   with  these
restrictions.

                                   ARTICLE 10

                           TRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS

     During the  lifetime  of an  Eligible  Employee  to whom an Option has been
granted, such Option is not transferable  voluntarily or by operation of law and
may be exercised only by such individual. Upon the death of an Eligible Employee
to whom an  Option  has been  granted,  the  Option  may be  transferred  to the
beneficiaries  or heirs of the  holder  of the  Option by will or by the laws of
descent and distribution.

                                   ARTICLE 11

                             TERMINATION OF OPTIONS

     11.1 An Option will terminate as follows:

          11.1.1 Upon exercise or expiration by its terms.

          11.1.2 Upon  termination  of employment  for reasons other than cause,
     the  then-exercisable  portion of any Option will terminate on the 60th day
     after the date of termination.  The portion not exercisable  will terminate
     on the date of termination of employment. For purposes of the Plan, a leave
     of absence approved by the Company shall not be deemed to be termination of
     employment.

          11.1.3 If an  Eligible  Employee  holding  an Option  dies or  becomes
     subject to Permanent and Total Disability while employed by the Company, or
     within sixty days after termination of employment for any reason other than
     cause,  or retires after age 50 through a plan of retirement  acceptable to
     the Company, then in each such case, such an Option may be exercised to the
     extent  exercisable  on the date of  termination  of employment at any time

<PAGE>


     within one year after the date of such death,  occurrence  of Permanent and
     Total Disability or retirement.  The Option may be exercised by such person
     or that person's estate or guardian, or by those persons to whom the Option
     may  have  been  transferred  by  will  or  by  the  laws  of  descent  and
     distribution.

          11.1.4 Options shall terminate immediately if employment is terminated
     for cause.  Cause is defined as including,  but not limited to, theft of or
     intentional damage to Company property,  excessive use of alcohol,  the use
     of illegal drugs, the commission of a criminal act, or willful violation of
     Cintas policy  prohibiting  employees from disposing of Shares for personal
     gain  based on  knowledge  of  Cintas'  activities  or  results  when  such
     information is not available to the general public.

          11.1.5 If an Eligible  Employee holding an Option violates any term of
     any written employment or noncompetition  agreement between the Company and
     the Eligible  Employee,  all existing  Options held by such  Employee  will
     terminate.  In addition,  if at the time of such violation the Employee has
     exercised  Options but has not received  certificates  for the Shares to be
     issued,  Cintas may void the Option and its  exercise.  Any such actions by
     Cintas  shall be in addition to any other  rights or remedies  available to
     Cintas in such circumstances.

     11.2 Except as  provided  in  Articles 11 and hereof,  in no event will the
continuation  of the  term  of an  Option  beyond  the  date of  termination  of
employment allow the grantee, or his beneficiaries,  heirs or assigns, to accrue
additional  rights  under the Plan,  or to  purchase  more  Shares  through  the
exercise of an Option than could have been purchased on the day that  employment
was terminated.  In addition,  notwithstanding  anything  contained  herein,  no
option may be exercised in any event after the  expiration of ten years from the
date of grant of such option.

     11.3 The Committee, in its discretion, may as to any particular outstanding
Nonqualified  Stock Option or upon the grant of any  Nonqualified  Stock Option,
establish  terms  and  conditions  which  are  different  from  those  otherwise
contained  in  this  Article  , by,  without  limitation,  providing  that  upon
termination of employment for any designated reason,  vesting may occur in whole
or in part at such time and that such  Option  may be  exercised  for any period
during the remaining  term of the Option,  not to exceed ten years from the Date
of Grant.

                                   ARTICLE 12

                     ADJUSTMENTS TO SHARES AND OPTION PRICE

     12.1 In the event of changes in the outstanding Common Stock of Cintas as a
result of stock  dividends,  stock splits,  reclassifications,  reorganizations,
redesignations,  mergers,  consolidations,  recapitalizations,  combinations  or
exchanges of Shares,  or other such changes,  the number and class of Shares for

<PAGE>


all  purposes  covered  by the Plan and number and class of Shares and price per
Share for each  outstanding  Option  covered by the Plan shall be  appropriately
adjusted by the Committee.

     12.2 The Committee shall make  appropriate  adjustments in the Option Price
to  reflect  any   spin-off  of  assets,   extraordinary   dividends   or  other
distributions to shareholders.

     12.3 In the  event of the  dissolution  or  liquidation  of  Cintas  or any
merger,  consolidation,  combination,  exchange  or other  transaction  in which
Cintas is not the surviving  corporation or in which the  outstanding  Shares of
Cintas are  converted  into  cash,  other  securities  or other  property,  each
outstanding  Option  shall  terminate as of a date fixed by the  Committee.  The
Committee  shall  give  not  less  than 20 days  written  notice  of the date of
expiration  to each holder of an Option.  Each such holder  shall have the right
during such period following notice to exercise the Option as to all or any part
of the Shares for which it is exercisable at the time of such notice.

     12.4 All outstanding  Options shall become immediately  exercisable in full
if a change in control of Cintas  occurs.  For  purposes  of this  Agreement,  a
"change  in  control  of  Cintas"  shall be deemed to have  occurred  if (a) any
"person",  as such term is used in  Sections  13(d) and 14(d) of the Act,  other
than (i) a trustee  or other  fiduciary  holding  securities  under an  employee
benefit  plan of  Cintas  or  (ii) a  member  of the  Farmer  Family  or a group
comprised solely of members of the Farmer Family becomes the "beneficial owner,"
as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act, directly or indirectly, of securities of
Cintas  representing  30% or more of the  combined  voting power of Cintas' then
outstanding securities;  or (b) during any period of one year (not including any
period  prior  to the  execution  of  this  Agreement),  individuals  who at the
beginning of such period  constitute the Board of Directors and any new director
whose election by the Board or nomination  for election by Cintas'  Shareholders
was approved by a vote of at least  two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors then still
in office who either  were  Directors  at the  beginning  of the period or whose
election or nomination  for election was  previously so approved,  cease for any
reason to constitute a majority  thereof.  For purposes of this  provision,  the
term "Farmer Family" shall include Richard T. Farmer and Joyce E. Farmer,  their
respective lineal descendants,  spouses of their lineal descendants,  the estate
of any person falling within the scope of any of the preceding categories and an
inter vivos or testamentary trust whose beneficiaries  consist solely of persons
falling within the scope of any of the previous categories.

                                   ARTICLE 13

                                OPTION AGREEMENTS

     13.1 All Options  granted  under the Plan shall be  evidenced  by a written
agreement  in such form or forms as the  Committee  in its sole  discretion  may
determine.

     13.2 Each  optionee,  by acceptance of an Option under this Plan,  shall be
deemed to have consented to be bound, on the optionee's own behalf and on behalf
of the optionee's  heirs,  assigns and legal  representatives,  by all terms and
conditions of this Plan.

<PAGE>


                                   ARTICLE 14

                       AMENDMENT OR DISCONTINUANCE OF PLAN

     14.1 The Board of  Directors of Cintas may at any time amend,  suspend,  or
discontinue  the Plan;  provided,  however,  that no  amendments by the Board of
Directors of Cintas  shall,  without  further  approval of the  shareholders  of
Cintas:

          14.1.1 Change the definition of Eligible Employees;

          14.1.2 Except as provided in Articles and hereof,  increase the number
     of Shares  which may be  subject  to  Options  granted  under the Plan;  or
     increase the maximum  number of Shares with respect to which Options may be
     granted to any eligible Employee of Cintas during any fiscal year;

          14.1.3 Cause the Plan or any Option  granted under the Plan to fail to
     meet  the  conditions  for  exclusion  of  application  of the  $1  million
     deduction limitation imposed by Section 162(m) of the Code; or

          14.1.4 Cause any Option  granted as an Incentive  Stock Option to fail
     to qualify as an "Incentive  Stock Option" as defined by Section 422 of the
     Code.

     14.2 No  amendment  or  termination  of the Plan  shall  impair  any Option
granted under the Plan without the consent of the holder thereof.

     14.3 This Plan shall continue in effect until the expiration of all Options
granted under the Plan unless terminated earlier in accordance with this Article
; provided,  however,  that it shall otherwise terminate and no options shall be
granted ten years after the Effective Date.

                                   ARTICLE 15

                                 EFFECTIVE DATE

     This Plan shall become effective as of October 20, 1999.

                                   ARTICLE 16

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

     16.1 Nothing  contained in this Plan or in any action taken by the Board of
Directors or Shareholders of Cintas shall  constitute the granting of an Option.
An Option shall be granted only at such time as a written  agreement  shall have
been executed and delivered to the  respective  employee and the employee  shall
have executed  such  agreement  respecting  the Option in  conformance  with the
provisions of the Plan.

<PAGE>


     16.2  Certificates for Shares purchased through exercise of Options will be
issued  on or about  the 60th day  after  exercise  of the  Option  and  payment
therefore as called for by the terms of the Option. Cintas shall not be required
to issue certificates to any person exercising Options more often than once each
quarter of each  fiscal  year.  No  persons  holding  an Option or  entitled  to
exercise an Option  granted  under this Plan shall have any rights or privileges
of a Shareholder of Cintas with respect to any Shares  issuable upon exercise of
such Option until  certificates  representing such Shares shall have been issued
and  delivered.  No Shares  shall be issued and  delivered  upon  exercise of an
Option unless and until Cintas, in the opinion of its counsel, has complied with
all applicable  registration  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and any
applicable state securities laws and with any applicable listing requirements of
any national  securities  exchange on which Cintas securities may then be listed
as well as any other requirements of law.

     16.3 This Plan shall continue in effect until the expiration of all Options
granted under the Plan unless terminated  earlier in accordance with Article 14;
provided,  however,  that it shall  otherwise  terminate  ten  years  after  the
Effective Date of October 20, 1999.


