Kentucky vehicle registration

A motor vehicle must be registered with a county clerk before it is driven on a Kentucky road, and it must stay insured. A person who buys a vehicle, or brings one into Kentucky from another state, has 15 days to apply for registration.

Where to register and what to bring

An individual registers with the county clerk in the county where he or she lives. Title and registration are normally handled in the same visit. For a vehicle bought from a private seller, the Transportation Cabinet lists these items:

• The title, signed over to the buyer.
• Proof of Kentucky insurance issued within the past 45 days.
• Proof of identity, such as a Kentucky driver’s license or ID card.
• Payment for fees and any taxes due.

A vehicle brought in from another state must first be inspected, with its title papers, by a certified inspector through the sheriff’s office in the county where the title application will be filed.

Renewing each year

Vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, including motorcycles, are registered on a schedule based on the owner’s birth month. Registration must be renewed every year during that month, at the clerk’s office or on the Transportation Cabinet’s website, and it expires on the last day of the birth month. The state sends a notice at least 45 days ahead, but not receiving the notice is no defense to a registration charge. The registration receipt for a car or truck must be kept in the vehicle, and the plate must be displayed on the rear.

Buying or selling a vehicle

In a private sale, the seller signs the assignment on the back of the title. The Transportation Cabinet requires that signature to be notarized. The seller keeps the license plate, which may be moved to another vehicle of the same class. The buyer takes the signed title and proof of insurance to the county clerk, and the transfer must be started within 15 days. If the buyer does not complete it, the seller may file an affidavit with the clerk in the seller’s home county stating that the vehicle was transferred.

Penalties

Driving a vehicle that is not registered, or whose registration has expired, is classed as a violation, which carries a fine of up to $250. Driving without the required insurance is more serious. The owner and the driver each face a fine of $500 to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both, and the vehicle’s registration is revoked.

Registration and title fees change from time to time, and several county clerk fees are set to change on January 1, 2027. The county clerk can confirm current amounts.