Anyone who drives on a Kentucky road needs a valid license or permit. Drivers who start before age 18 earn full privileges in three steps, and licenses are issued by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The three steps for new drivers
- Instruction permit. A person who is at least 15 may apply with a parent or guardian’s signature and must pass written and vision tests. A permit holder may drive only with a licensed driver who is at least 21 in the front passenger seat.
- Intermediate license. A driver who is at least 16 and has held the permit for 180 days may take the road test. A parent or guardian must certify 60 hours of supervised practice, including 10 at night.
- Full license. The Transportation Cabinet requires the driver to be at least 17, to have held the intermediate license for 180 days, and to have completed an approved driver education course.
Until age 18, permit and intermediate license holders may not drive between midnight and 6 a.m. without good cause, and may not carry more than one unrelated passenger under age 20. A violation of these rules, or a moving violation that carries points, adds at least 180 days before the next step.
A new adult driver aged 18 to 20 must hold a permit for 180 days, and one who is 21 or older for 30 days.
Where licenses are issued and renewed
Applications are handled at Transportation Cabinet Driver Licensing Regional Offices, and the Kentucky State Police give the written and road tests. A license is renewed every eight years in the driver’s birth month, or every four years if the driver chooses. The Cabinet requires a vision screening at renewal. A licensed driver who moves to Kentucky must apply for a Kentucky license within 30 days of becoming a resident.
REAL ID or standard license
A REAL ID, which state law calls a voluntary travel ID, meets federal identification standards and is accepted for boarding domestic flights. A standard license is valid for driving but does not meet those standards. A REAL ID must be requested in person.
Driving without a license
Driving without having obtained a license, or while a license is suspended or revoked, is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $250. A driver who simply was not carrying a valid license may show it in court, and the judge may dismiss the charge.
Driving while a license is suspended for driving under the influence is punished more severely. A first offense brings an added six-month suspension, and repeat offenses can be felonies.
This article is general information about Kentucky law, not legal advice, and the law may have changed since it was last reviewed in October 2026. For advice about your own situation, talk to a lawyer.