Title XVI, Motor Vehicles

As used in this chapter: (1) "Approved entity" means: (a) A motor vehicle dealer licensed under KRS Chapter 190 that applies to and is approved by the Transportation Cabinet to facilitate the title application or salvage title application process through the electronic title appl…

(1) It is declared to be the policy of this Commonwealth that all vehicles should be regulated, registered, and the laws pertaining thereto be administered by the Transportation Cabinet. Motor vehicles other than commercial vehicles should be registered, regulated, and controlled…

As used in this chapter, unless otherwise indicated: (1) "Cabinet," as used in KRS 186.400 to 186.640, means the Transportation Cabinet; except as specifically designated, "cabinet," as used in KRS 186.020 to 186.270, means the Transportation Cabinet only with respect to motor ve…

Transportation Cabinet to develop system. (1) An automated motor vehicle and trailer registration and titling system shall be developed and implemented as expeditiously as practicable in all counties of the Commonwealth. The automated motor vehicle and trailer registration system…

In any county, the county clerk may maintain branch offices for the purpose of processing motor vehicle titling and registration transactions.

system. (1) Except as provided for in KRS 235.050, the titling and registration of motorboats as defined in KRS 235.010 shall be administered through the automated motor vehicle and trailer registration and titling system developed and implemented under the provisions of KRS 186A…

Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, the cabinet may by regulation prescribe methods of record keeping and reporting by the county clerk to the cabinet.

approved entity -- Contracts with third parties -- Fees -- Administrative regulations. (1) The cabinet shall establish an electronic title application and registration system which allows the submission of the required forms and signatures electronically in lieu of the paper appl…

motor vehicles by administrative regulation. The Transportation Cabinet shall promulgate administrative regulations in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A to establish fees to be paid to the cabinet and county clerks for services provided in the process of titling and registering mot…

(1) For purposes of maintaining driving history records of operators of motor vehicles of the Commonwealth, the files of the Transportation Cabinet shall be used to ascertain the driving history record of each person who is licensed to operate a motor vehicle within the Commonwea…

institute programs. The Transportation Cabinet shall have any and all necessary power and authority, subject to appropriate provision of the statutes, to promulgate administrative regulations and institute such programs as are reasonably necessary to carry out the provisions of t…

other documents to be sent to Transportation Cabinet -- Renewal by mail -- Extension of renewal period for military personnel stationed outside United States -- Exceptions. (Effective between July 15, 2026 and January 1, 2027) (1) Before the owner of a motor vehicle, or street-le…

motor vehicle on which ad valorem taxes are delinquent or which is uninsured -- Option of purchaser to pay delinquent taxes. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a county clerk shall not issue a replacement plate, decal, or registration certificate as provide…

jurisdiction. The Transportation Cabinet shall cancel the registration and title of any motor vehicle registered or titled in Kentucky within thirty (30) days following receipt of notification from another jurisdiction that the Kentucky title issued for such motor vehicle has bee…

(1) (a) The Finance and Administration Cabinet shall have full responsibility and authority for day-to-day administration of the automated system described by this chapter; and (b) May request the assistance of any cabinet or department of state government in carrying out its res…

Revenue. Effective January 1, 1981, the Transportation Cabinet shall, by April 1 of each year, provide the Department of Revenue with a listing of all owners of motor vehicles registered in Kentucky on an anniversary basis under KRS 186.051 as of the preceding January 1. The list…

(1) The application form shall contain spaces for the names and post office addresses of the owner and of the lien holder as shown by chattel mortgage, or other instrument construed as such in this state, on file in the office of the county clerk in the county in which the motor …

taxes. In order to improve collection of personal property (ad valorem) taxes associated with motor vehicles and trailers, the Department of Vehicle Regulation, in cooperation with the Department of Revenue, shall: (1) Ensure that the automated system provided by this chapter is …

motor vehicle is deaf or hard of hearing or has a communication disorder in Kentucky vehicle registration system database -- Deaf or hard of hearing protection trust fund -- Notice of availability of database designation. (1) As used in this section, "communication disorder" mean…

schedule for certain vehicles -- Joint tenancy with right of survivorship for motor vehicle or manufactured home jointly owned by married couple -- Clerk's fee -- Renewal of registration. (1) (a) Except for vehicles described in paragraph (b) of this subsection, all motor vehicle…

Administrative regulations -- Revocation or changes. (Effective January 1, 2028) (1) As used in this section: (a) "Beneficiary" means a person designated to receive title to a vehicle upon the death of the preceding owner or joint owners; (b) "Beneficiary designation form" means …

(1) In addition to any payment method authorized by law and notwithstanding any statute to the contrary, a county clerk may accept the following methods of payment to collect taxes, state fees, and county clerk fees under this chapter and KRS Chapters 138 and 186A: (a) Credit car…

Administrative regulations -- Technical advisory committee -- Notification of cancellation, nonrenewal of policy, or absence of vehicle identification number to insured -- Revocation of license -- Information not subject to Kentucky Open Records Act. (1) As used in this section, …

child care assistance account -- Additional fees and distribution. (Effective until January 1, 2027) (1) (a) Upon receiving the application and fee, the county clerk shall issue to the owner a certificate of registration containing the information required by subsection (2) of th…

(1) Each initial and renewal application by a person who meets the criteria of paragraph (a) of this subsection and each initial application by a person who meets the criteria of paragraph (b), (c), or (d) of this subsection for a special military license plate shall be accompani…

vehicle identification numbers -- Exceptions -- Submission of paper or electronic proof of insurance card to county clerk. (Effective until January 1, 2027) (1) On and after January 1, 2006, a county clerk shall not process an application for, nor issue, a: (a) Kentucky title and…

with certain disabilities -- Application procedure -- Issuance. (1) For the purposes of this section, "persons with disabilities which limit or impair the ability to walk" means persons who: (a) Cannot walk two hundred (200) feet or sixty-one (61) meters without stopping to rest;…

registration plate. Any person eligible for an accessible parking registration plate under KRS 186.042 who has been issued, or is eligible for, a special license plate shall make application to the cabinet by September 1 of the preceding registration year that the special plate b…

with a disability -- Extension of legal parking period. (1) On the application of any agency or organization which transports persons with a disability described in KRS 186.042 as part of the service provided by that agency or organization to the county clerk for an accessible pa…

(1) In enacting this section, it is the intention of the General Assembly to recognize the special value of historic vehicles to the Commonwealth, and also to recognize that historic vehicles, because of their limited use and easily identifiable characteristics, do not require th…

Any motor vehicle that meets the age requirements of a "historic vehicle" as used in KRS 186.043(2) and is registered in accordance with KRS 186.050 may display an authentic Kentucky license plate, twenty-five (25) years or older, or a reproduction of such a plate, if the current…

interest is discharged -- Filing -- Time -- Fees -- Notations showing security interest -- Clerk not liable for accepting fraudulent termination statement. (1) A perfected security interest in a motor vehicle or manufactured home that has been satisfied by payment in full shall b…

The Transportation Cabinet shall ensure that each county in the Commonwealth is equipped with at least one (1), or more than one (1), as workload dictates, video telecommunications terminal and associated devices, linked to a computer in Frankfort maintained by the Commonwealth, …

promote organ donation. (1) (a) Any person applying online for motor vehicle registration renewal shall be requested by the cabinet, at the time of renewal, to make a voluntary donation to promote an organ donor program. (b) A county clerk may ask any person applying for an initi…

conservation activities and the agricultural program trust fund -- Collection of electric vehicle ownership fees. (1) The annual registration fee shall be eleven dollars and fifty cents ($11.50) for: (a) Motor vehicles, including pickup trucks and passenger vans; and (b) Motor ca…

generated forms. The certificate of title and computer generated forms required by this chapter shall be designed and printed to make difficult and to facilitate detection of counterfeit likenesses or fraudulent alteration of genuine documents. The bid specifications for the acqu…

registration years -- Staggered registration system for commercial motor vehicles. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, the cabinet shall by January 1, 1978, establish a year-round system for the registration of vehicles under the provisions of KRS 186.050(1). The …

(1) Every dealer in motor trucks or tractors to be used in combination with semitrailers who engages in the practice of transporting property for demonstration purposes shall pay to the Department of Vehicle Regulation an annual tax based on the gross weight of the motor vehicle …

The Department of Vehicle Regulation, in cooperation with the Department of Kentucky State Police, shall ensure that the automated vehicle registration and titling system provided for by this chapter will be designed, equipped, and operated so that, under normal conditions, the s…

are changed; refund or credit when use permanently discontinued. (1) Whenever the ownership of a vehicle which has been registered at a declared gross weight in excess of 18,000 pounds under KRS 186.050 is changed, a refund of that portion of the tax paid allocable to the remaind…

- Department hearing -- Appeal. (1) Operation of a commercial vehicle at a gross weight in excess of the declared gross weight at which such vehicle is registered under subsection (8), (9), or (10) of KRS 186.050, shall make any owner or operator, otherwise entitled to a reduced …

ambulance vehicles operated by nonprofit corporations organized by units of government -- Use of official plates on motor vehicles leased by governmental entity. (1) Applications for registration of motor vehicles leased or owned by a county, city, urban-county, or board of educa…

paperwork required -- Identification numbers used -- False or erroneous information. (1) The Department of Vehicle Regulation is directed to develop, in cooperation with county clerks, auto dealers, manufactured home retailers, and the Department of Revenue, Department of Insuran…

fire prevention unit, or volunteer fire protection unit. (Effective until January 1, 2027) (1) Applications for registration of motor vehicles owned exclusively by any nonprofit volunteer fire department, volunteer fire prevention unit, or volunteer fire protection unit shall be …

(1) Every state-owned motor vehicle, except as provided in subsection (2), shall have an official license plate. Except as provided in subsections (2), (3), and (4) on one (1) door on each side of every state-owned vehicle shall be the great seal of the Commonwealth and the words…

Except as otherwise provided, before the owner of a motor vehicle or trailer may operate it or permit its operation upon the highways of this state, he shall obtain motor vehicle insurance as required by KRS 304.39-080, a certificate of registration, and a license plate and apply…

(1) All publicly owned vehicles shall be properly identified by an insignia on one (1) door on each side of every such vehicle. (2) Such insignia shall not be less than twelve (12) inches in width and not less than twenty-one (21) inches in length, of a design so chosen by the le…

regulations -- Exclusion of motor vehicle dealers and distributors. (1) Individual sellers or owners of motor vehicles that would ordinarily be registered under KRS 186.050(3) may obtain a transit tag from the Transportation Cabinet in order to transport the motor vehicle out of …

Names of drivers authorized to use dealer's plates to be available to law enforcement agencies -- Revocation of licenses -- Appeal. (1) (a) Every manufacturer of, or dealer in, motor vehicles in this state shall register with each county clerk in which his or her principal office…

trailers. (1) Except as otherwise provided, the state resident owner of a vehicle as defined in KRS 186.010(8)(a), manufactured home as defined in KRS 186.650, or trailer which will not be operated upon the highways of this state shall within fifteen (15) days apply for and obtai…