Title XXIV, Public Utilities

ferry connecting with state primary road system. No person shall operate a toll bridge or toll ferry without first having obtained from the Department of Highways a certificate declaring that public convenience and necessity require such operation, except such toll bridge compani…

(1) Every person applying for a certificate of convenience and necessity under KRS 280.020 shall, at the time of application, make and file with the Department of Highways a statement in a form as the department prescribes. (2) The statement shall, in addition to any other inform…

(1) Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, and except in case of emergency due to the act of God or unavoidable accident, or in case it becomes necessary to make temporary detours, no bridge company or ferry company shall operate in this state over any bridge or stream ot…

Each bridge or ferry company holding a certificate of convenience and necessity shall, on or before March 1 of each year, make and file with the Department of Highways a statement under oath in the same form and containing the same kind of information as provided in KRS 280.030.

(1) Each bridge company and each ferry company shall immediately notify the Department of Highways in writing of all accidents resulting in loss of life or serious injury. (2) Whenever, by reason of accident, disability or breakdown, operation of the ferry or bridge pursuant to t…

service and require reports. (1) The Department of Highways shall take all steps necessary to carry into effect the provisions of KRS 280.010 to 280.110, and shall have printed all blanks, rules and directions necessary to enforce its rules and regulations. (2) The department sha…

Representatives of the Department of Highways may, at any time and place, enter into or upon any toll bridge or toll ferry for the purpose of ascertaining whether any of the provisions of KRS 280.010 to 280.110 or any of the rules and regulations of the department have been viola…

bridge or ferry. (1) If, after a hearing conducted in accordance with KRS Chapter 13B, the Department of Highways finds that a bridge company or a ferry company has, without good cause, violated or refused to observe any order or administrative regulation of the department, the d…

In all matters in which the Department of Highways has power and authority under KRS 280.010 to 280.100, it may hear applications and complaints, issue subpoenas, compel the attendance of witnesses, require persons to testify under oath, administer oaths, and issue process, order…

Each ferry company shall at all times during daylight maintain warning signs of adequate size at distances of five hundred (500) feet and one hundred (100) feet from each bank of the river, and during all hours other than daylight shall maintain red warning lights at the same dis…

Each ferry company shall, where it is practicable, maintain at all times at each landing a dock, durably constructed and of sufficient size to accommodate two 2 1/2-ton trucks or two 7-passenger automobiles. The dock shall be securely moored to the shore and shall be provided wit…

streams. (1) When a corporation heretofore or hereafter organized under the general incorporation laws of this state for the purpose of constructing, maintaining and operating a bridge across a river forming a boundary line of this state has, with the consent of its stockholders,…

(1) No consolidated corporation of the type mentioned in KRS 280.140 shall at the same time own, possess, lease, control or operate more than one (1) bridge crossing any river forming a boundary line of this state. No person owning, possessing or controlling any bridge crossing a…

The provisions of KRS 280.180 to 280.290 do not apply to ferries for which a certificate of convenience and necessity is required under KRS 280.020.

(1) If any applicant for a ferry privilege owns or has the right to use the land proposed as the site of the ferry only on one (1) side of the stream, and the landing on the opposite side is not at an established public highway, the applicant may, pursuant to the Eminent Domain A…

(1) If the grantee of a ferry privilege does not, within six (6) months after the grant, put and keep the required boats and hands in use, the county judge/executive shall, after notice to him, revoke his grant. (2) Any failure for one (1) year to keep up a ferry in the manner re…

If no owner of the land on either side of the stream over which a public highway passes will obtain the ferry privilege, or if such an owner, after obtaining the privilege, abandons it or fails to keep it up according to law, the county judge/executive may, after reasonable notic…

number of hands. At the time of granting any ferry privilege, the county judge/executive shall prescribe the number and kind of boats to be kept, the number of hands to be employed, and how the boats shall be propelled, and may, once in each year thereafter, change the same, afte…

(1) At the time of granting any ferry privilege, the county judge/executive shall fix the rates of toll to be charged at the ferry, which shall be in the following proportions: For every heavy four (4) wheeled wagon, carriage or coach and driver, the same as for six (6) horses; f…

No owner or keeper of a ferry shall, in person or by agents, without a reasonable excuse, fail to give immediate ferry service to each person applying for it, except that there may be a reasonable delay between trips.

Every person operating any ferry boat, by steam or other similar power, across the Ohio or Mississippi River, shall furnish and maintain a floating or stationary waiting room on the Kentucky shore, not more than three hundred (300) feet from the ferry landing, sufficient to accom…

crosses. The owner or lessee of any ferry operated for compensation on a stream in this state at a point where it is crossed by a road or public highway not maintained by the state shall grade the banks of the stream and pave them with a hard surface, at least sixteen (16) feet w…

(1) Any person interested may appeal from any order of the county judge/executive concerning a ferry or ferry rates to the Circuit Court of the county, and thence to the Court of Appeals, both of which shall have jurisdiction of law and fact, but the Court of Appeals of only such…

Any person may construct a bridge over any navigable body of water of which the navigable portion lies wholly within this state, after the location and plans of the bridge have been approved by the United States chief of engineers and by the Secretary of War.

(1) Any person who violates any of the provisions of subsection (3) of KRS 280.250 or any of the provisions of KRS 280.260 shall, for the first offense, forfeit twenty-five dollars ($25) to the person aggrieved, and shall, for every subsequent offense, forfeit one hundred dollars…

As used in this chapter: (1) "Automobile club" means a person that, for consideration, promises to assist its members or subscribers in matters relating to the assumption of or reimbursement of the expense or a portion thereof for towing of a motor vehicle; emergency road service…

As used in this chapter: (1) "Alcohol" means: (a) Beer, ale, port, or stout and other similar fermented beverages, including sake or similar products, of any name or description containing one-half of one percent (0.5%) or more of alcohol by volume, brewed or produced from malt, …

(1) It is the purpose of this chapter to implement the Federal Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 (Title XII of Pub. L. No. 99-570) and reduce or prevent commercial vehicle accidents, fatalities and injuries by: (a) Permitting commercial drivers to hold only one (1) lice…

(1) The Transportation Cabinet shall, as expeditiously as practicable, develop and maintain an on-line automated computer record keeping system having as a minimum, the capabilities and functions described or needed as set forth in this chapter. The cabinet shall be responsible f…

The Transportation Cabinet shall have all necessary power and authority to promulgate regulations and institute those programs that are reasonably necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. Any other state agency vested with a specific responsibility shall have the ne…

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to: (1) Drivers of firefighting and other emergency equipment; (2) Drivers of commercial motor vehicles if those persons are: (a) Military personnel; and (b) Operating the vehicles in pursuit of a military purpose; (3) Drivers of far…

regulation -- Administrative regulation. In accordance with 49 C.F.R. sec. 383.3(f)(3)(ii), as it existed on April 13, 2026, exemptions for restricted CDLs for certain drivers in farm-related service industries, the cabinet shall promulgate emergency and ordinary administrative r…

No person who drives a commercial motor vehicle may have more than one (1) driver's license.

or applying to be a commercial driver. (1) Any driver who holds a commercial driver's license or who is required to hold a commercial driver's license shall within thirty (30) days in the manner specified by the cabinet: (a) Notify the cabinet of any conviction of a state law or …

when -- Employer restriction on operation of commercial vehicles. (1) Each employer shall require the applicant to provide the information specified in KRS 281A.070. He shall inform the applicant that the information provided may be used or the applicant's previous employers may …

(1) Except when driving under a commercial learner's permit and accompanied by the holder of commercial driver's license valid for the vehicle being driven, no person shall drive a commercial motor vehicle on the highways of this state unless the person holds a valid commercial d…

regulations if federal deadlines are extended. (1) If the United States Department of Transportation extends the date by which all commercial drivers are required to have a commercial driver's license, the Transportation Cabinet shall by administrative regulation extend the effec…

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the Transportation Cabinet shall upon request furnish full information regarding the commercial driving history record of any person to the following: (a) The driver licensing administrator, court official, or police…

jurisdiction. Within ten (10) days after receiving a report from a Kentucky court of a conviction of a commercial driver whose license has been issued by another jurisdiction for any violation of state law or local ordinance relating to motor vehicle traffic control, other than p…

(1) A commercial learner's permit may be issued to an individual twenty-one (21) years and older who: (a) Has complied with the criminal history background check required by KRS 281A.300; (b) Holds a valid Kentucky Class D operator's license; (c) Is a citizen or permanent residen…

(1) A person shall not be issued a commercial driver's license unless that person: (a) Is a resident of this state; (b) Holds a valid operator's license; (c) Has complied with the provisions of KRS 281A.300; (d) Except as provided in KRS 281A.165, has passed the knowledge and ski…

Penalty. (1) The application for a commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit shall include the following information: (a) The applicant's full legal name, any nicknames or other names by which he or she is known, and present Kentucky resident address. If the appl…

(1) Every person seeking a commercial driver's license or a commercial learner's permit shall first apply in person to the cabinet. The application shall be in the form prescribed by KRS 281A.140 as provided by the cabinet. Except as provided in KRS 281A.160(6), each time a perso…

fund -- Contract examiners -- Reinstatement -- Nonresidential CDL applicant permitted to take skills test -- Administrative regulations. (1) (a) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, the State Police shall be responsible for administering both the knowledge and sk…

(1) The cabinet may waive the written knowledge test, the driving skills test, or both, for an applicant on active or reserve military service, or who is a member of the National Guard, or within one (1) year of separation of service, who: (a) Is currently licensed; (b) Has exper…

on licenses -- Administrative regulations -- Expiration. (1) The commercial driver's license shall be marked "commercial driver's license" and "CDL" and shall be, to the maximum extent practicable, tamper proof. It shall include but is not limited to the following information: (a…

(1) An applicant for a school bus endorsement shall satisfy the following requirements: (a) Qualify for a passenger vehicle endorsement by passing the knowledge and skills test for obtaining a passenger vehicle endorsement; (b) Demonstrate knowledge of loading and unloading child…

(1) Every person applying for renewal or transfer of a commercial driver's license from another issuing jurisdiction, shall complete an application as required by KRS 281A.140, providing updated information, testing, and required certifications. (2) If a person applies for a rene…

violation of state or local traffic control law prohibited -- Exemptions -- Report of conviction. (1) The Commonwealth shall not mask, defer imposition of judgment, or allow an individual to enter into a diversion program that would prevent a CLP or CDL holder's conviction for an…

appeal. (1) A person who holds or is required to hold a CDL shall be disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for a period of one (1) year if convicted of: (a) Driving or being in physical control of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a controlled subst…