Title XVI, Motor Vehicles

(1) As used in KRS 186A.115 and this section, "custom-built motorcycle" means a motorcycle as defined in KRS 186.010(15) that has been built from one hundred percent (100%) new parts to the individual specifications of: (a) The individual who built the motorcycle who will persona…

process -- Uses -- Record of use -- Activation. (1) For the purposes of this section, "motor truck" and "truck tractor" shall have the same meaning as established in KRS 189.010. (2) Any manufacturer, dealer, or distributor engaged in the business of manufacturing, selling, or cu…

(1) As used in this section, "military surplus vehicle" has the same meaning as in KRS 186.010. (2) A person who has purchased a military surplus vehicle shall be issued a certificate of title after complying with the provisions of this section. (3) An owner of a military surplus…

- Uses -- Record of use -- Activation. (1) For the purposes of this section, "semitrailer" and "trailer" shall have the same meaning as established in KRS 186.650. (2) Any manufacturer, dealer, or distributor engaged in the business of manufacturing, selling, or customizing comme…

(1) As used in this section, "all-terrain vehicle" has the same meaning as in KRS 189.010. (2) The titling of all-terrain vehicles shall be administered through the automated motor vehicle and trailer registration and titling system developed and implemented under KRS 186A.010. (…

Registration, inspection, and renewal -- Administrative regulations. (Effective between July 15, 2026 and January 1, 2028) (1) As used in this section: (a) "Local government" means a city, county, charter county government, urban- county government, consolidated local government,…

vehicles permitted. (1) The legislative body of a local government may, by ordinance, allow the operation of street-legal special purpose vehicles, as defined in KRS 186.077, on highways within the local government's jurisdictional boundaries. (2) A local government may adopt mor…

No Kentucky certificate of registration, license plate, or certificate of title need be applied for or obtained for: (1) A vehicle owned by the United States unless it is registered in this state; (2) A vehicle owned by a nonresident of this state, principally operated in another…

No county clerk shall accept an application for a certificate of registration or title, or license plate, unless the vehicle bears an apparently legitimate vehicle identification number, and if required, an apparently legitimate motor and frame number, as indicated by an owner's …

(1) The owner of a vehicle required to be titled or registered in this state which: (a) Does not have a legitimate vehicle identification number as affixed by a manufacturer regularly engaged in the original manufacture of the type vehicle for which registration is sought, or in …

Commonwealth. An owner of a vehicle for which a certificate of registration or title, and license plate must be obtained shall be allowed a fifteen (15) day grace period from the date on which he purchased a vehicle or brings a vehicle into the Commonwealth from another state, du…

of vehicle. (1) No county clerk shall accept an initial application for a certificate of registration or title, or license plate, from an importer of a motor vehicle not manufactured for sale or distribution in the United States unless the importer of such a vehicle shall furnish…

registration. (1) A motor vehicle dealer issued a dealer plate under KRS 186.070 who sells a vehicle to a person who will title and register the vehicle for use upon the highways of this state or another state shall equip the vehicle with: (a) The buyer's existing Kentucky licens…

keep log of each temporary tag obtained and used. (1) Motor vehicle dealers, their agents and county clerks, before equipping a vehicle with a temporary tag, shall print or stamp in waterproof ink, legibly, in the spaces provided on the tag: (a) The month, day and year the vehicl…

(1) If a person owns a motor vehicle which has interchangeable bodies for same so that at one time the motor vehicle may be classed as a passenger automobile and at another time as a truck, has registered same as a passenger automobile, he shall, before using it as a truck, pay t…

improper issuance of temporary registration. (1) A motor vehicle dealer, salesperson, or agent shall not: (a) Issue a temporary tag prior to sale of the vehicle on which the tag is placed by the dealer; (b) Issue a temporary tag to a vehicle that has any title that signifies it i…

vehicles. When the owner of a motor vehicle which has been assembled from parts from wrecked or salvaged motor vehicles presents such a vehicle for registration, he or she shall submit an affidavit and any invoices showing the purchase of such parts to either the county clerk or …

for certification of inspection -- Special inspectors -- Reciprocity between counties -- Modifications of military surplus vehicles -- Administrative regulations -- Exceptions -- Inspection of historic vehicles. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the owner of e…

(1) If any motor vehicle other than a commercial vehicle upon which the license tax has been paid is destroyed by fire or accident, so that the vehicle is rendered entirely useless the owner shall be entitled to have refunded to him a part of the license fee paid by him proportio…

owner -- Exceptions. (1) (a) Except for applications for title or salvage title using the electronic title application and registration system established under KRS 186A.017, application for a first certificate of registration or title and plate shall be made by the owner to the …

County clerk to process documents -- Exceptions. (1) Except as provided in subsection (5) of this section, application for a first certificate of registration, or title, in the name of an owner shall be made on forms prescribed by the Department of Vehicle Regulation consistent w…

Beginning January 1, 2027: (1) Upon application for title under this chapter, the title shall not be mailed to the owner of the vehicle or manufactured home, but shall instead be held in AVIS; (2) The certificate of title shall be considered to be physically held by the lienholde…

penalty -- Annual reconciliation -- Administrative regulations. (1) The cabinet shall establish procedures whereby an owner or lessee of fleet vehicles may be issued permanent fleet registration plates for vehicles in its fleet. (2) The owner of a fleet of motor vehicles shall, u…

began. If any person offers a commercial vehicle for registration after April 1 of any year by reason of not having operated such vehicle on the public highways after April 1 of that year, the registration fee shall be as many twelfths of the annual fee as there are unexpired mon…

1, 2027) There shall be paid for issuing and processing title documents required by this chapter fees according to the following schedule: (1) (a) Each application for a certificate of title shall be nine dollars ($9), of which the county clerk shall retain six dollars ($6) and t…

Except as provided in KRS 281.835 and 281.836, a nonresident owner, from a state not requiring registration of nonresidents temporarily in it, who has complied with the laws of the state of his residence relating to registration of motor vehicles, and who displays the requisite p…

document. Any motor vehicle properly registered and titled in another state belonging to a nonresident, which vehicle is required to be registered in this state by reason of lack of reciprocal agreement with the state in which it is registered, or by reason of not qualifying for …

Exceptions -- Responsibility for ad valorem taxes. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a county clerk shall not process an application for Kentucky title and registration from or to any Kentucky resident who has a delinquent motor vehicle ad valorem…

delinquent taxpayer -- Written tax clearance -- Informal hearing -- Exception. (1) A county clerk shall not process an application for, nor issue a: (a) Kentucky registration or renewal of registration; (b) Replacement plate, decal, or registration certificate; (c) Duplicate regi…

(1) No resident operating a motor vehicle on the highways, shall secure or license the motor vehicle in any state other than Kentucky unless so licensed in conformity with a motor vehicle reciprocal arrangement or under the international registration plan. (2) The use of a licens…

No clerk shall receive an application for registration nor register a motor vehicle, unless the motor vehicle bears a motor number or a vehicle identification number. If there is no motor number or vehicle identification number, or if the number is not plainly legible, the owner …

organizations -- Initial and renewal fees -- Combination of special license plate with personalized license plate -- Special license plates for motorcycles. (Effective between July 15, 2026 and January 1, 2027) (1) As used in this section and in KRS 186.043, 186.164, 186.166, 186…

required. (1) The Transportation Cabinet shall produce special military unit license plates for owners and lessees of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and recreational vehicles who are associated with the following units of the United States military: (a) The V Corps; (b) The 101st A…

and replacement -- Application process -- Voluntary contribution for designated group -- Administrative regulations -- Audit of special license plate funds -- Annual report. (1) The SF portion of the fee required under KRS 186.162 shall include the fee to reflectorize all license…

license plate to another vehicle. (1) As used in this section, "owner" means a person who has purchased or leased a motor vehicle that is registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(1) or (3)(a). (2) The provisions of this chapter relating to special license plates to the cont…

Heart license plates. (1) The Transportation Cabinet shall, unless directed otherwise by the General Assembly, perpetually produce the following special license plates: military license plates, military unit license plates, U.S. Congressional license plates, firefighter license p…

vehicle. (1) Any person may, when initially registering or renewing any motor vehicle registration, make a voluntary contribution to the veterans' program trust fund established under KRS 40.460(2)(b). Any monetary contribution shall be accepted, and there shall not be a minimum …

(1) (a) Except as provided in this subsection and KRS 186A.127 and 186.045, the owner shall have the receipt issued by the cabinet through the county clerk constantly in his possession, and shall display the registration plate conspicuously upon the rear of the motor vehicle, exc…

applications. (1) The Department of Vehicle Regulation shall: (a) Within five (5) working days following receipt by it of an application for a certificate of title in proper form, process the application and its supporting documents in the manner provided in this section, and unl…

(1) Upon application to the county clerk of the county of his residence, any current or retired member of a fire department, volunteer fire department, or fire protection district in the Commonwealth shall be issued a special firefighter license plate that shall bear the inscript…

(1) Upon application to the county clerk of the county of his or her residence, the owner or lessee of a motor vehicle registered under KRS 186.050(1) or (3)(a) may obtain an I Support Veterans special license plate. (2) Each initial or renewal application for an I Support Vetera…

(1) For purposes of this section, "personalized license plate" means a license plate manufactured by the cabinet upon an applicant's request with specific letters or numbers or combinations of letters and numbers significant to the applicant. (2) Any owner or lessee of a motor ve…

and issuance of new plates upon loss of plate -- Reporting of lost plates -- Issuance of plates upon removal from one county to another -- Reinstatement after revocation under KRS 186A.040 -- Proof of insurance. (Effective until January 1, 2027) (1) (a) If an owner loses his or h…

An owner who has obtained a certificate of title pursuant to this chapter may apply for and obtain an updated certificate, but shall not be required to periodically renew a certificate of title that has been issued to him.

The secretary of the Transportation Cabinet shall, upon receipt of a report from the Transportation Cabinet or the Department of Vehicle Regulation of a canceled motor vehicle registration plate, cause all members of the Department of Kentucky State Police and such peace officers…

The Department of Vehicle Regulation shall: (1) Be the custodian of the original of each application for a certificate of title, and its supporting documents. It shall retain such records in accordance with a records retention and destruction schedule established pursuant to the …

registration plate transfers -- Clerk's fee. (Effective until January 1, 2027) (1) (a) Except as provided for in paragraph (e) of this subsection, when a motor vehicle that has been previously registered changes ownership, the registration plate shall not remain upon the motor ve…

designation of debtor's county of residence provides reliance on and relief from liability -- Requirements to perfect title on security interest -- Continuation statements -- Determination of debtor's residence when debtor is other than a natural person -- Discharge of security i…

security interests. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a lease transaction does not create a sale or security interest in a motor vehicle or trailer merely because the lease contains a terminal rental adjustment clause that provides that the rental price is permitted or …

(1) In any instance where a transfer of a motor vehicle is accompanied by a certificate of title or registration and the vehicle has had the vehicle identification number removed, altered, defaced, or covered, the owner shall, before delivery of the vehicle to any other person, o…