KRS 186.020: Registration requirement -- Application for registration -- Application and

other documents to be sent to Transportation Cabinet -- Renewal by mail --

Extension of renewal period for military personnel stationed outside United

States -- Exceptions. (Effective until January 1, 2027)

(1) Before the owner of a motor vehicle, or street -legal special purpose vehicle as

defined in KRS 186.077, may operate it or permit its operation upon a highway, the

owner shall apply for registration in accordance with administrative regulations

promulgated by the cabinet, except that a person who purchases a motor vehicle, or

brings a motor vehicle into the Commonwealth from another state shall make

application for registration within fifteen (15) day s. The bill of sale or assigned title

must be in the motor vehicle during this fifteen (15) day period. If the owner of a

motor vehicle is an individual and resides in the Commonwealth, the motor vehicle

shall be registered with the county clerk of the cou nty in which he or she resides. If

the owner of a motor vehicle does not reside in the Commonwealth, the motor

vehicle shall be registered with the county clerk of the county in which the motor

vehicle is principally operated. If the owner of a motor vehic le is other than an

individual and resides in the Commonwealth, the motor vehicle shall be registered

with the county clerk of either county. The application when presented to the

county clerk for registration shall be accompanied by:

(a) A bill of sale and a manufacturer's certificate of origin if the application is for

the registration of a new motor vehicle;

(b) The owner's registration receipt, if the motor vehicle was last registered in this

state;

(c) A bill of sale and the previous registration recei pt, if last registered in another

state where the law of that state does not require the owner of a motor vehicle

to obtain a certificate of title or ownership;

(d) A certificate of title, if last registered in another state where the law of that

state requires the owner of a motor vehicle to obtain a certificate of title or

ownership;

(e) An affidavit from an officer of a local government saying that the motor

vehicle has been abandoned and that the provisions of KRS 82.630 have been

complied with, for loc al governments which elect to use the provisions of

KRS 82.600 to 82.640;

(f) The application from a person who has brought a motor vehicle into the

Commonwealth from another state shall be accompanied by proof that the

motor vehicle is insured in compliance with KRS 304.39-080; and

(g) Proof of insurance in compliance with KRS 186.077 if the application is for

the registration of a street-legal special purpose vehicle.

(2) After that, except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, the owner of any

motor vehicle registered under KRS 186.050(1) or (2) shall register his or her motor

vehicle on or before the date on which his or her certificate of registration expires.

If, before operating the motor vehicle in this state, the owner registers it at some

later date and pays the fee for the full year, he or she will be deemed to have

complied with the law. Insofar as the owner is concerned, registration with the clerk

shall be deemed to be registration with the cabinet.

(3) After that, the owner of any comm ercial vehicle registered under KRS 186.050(3)

to (14) shall register the commercial vehicle on or before April 1 of each year. If,

before operating a commercial vehicle in this state, the owner registers it at some

later date and pays the required fee, he or she will be deemed to have complied with

the law. Insofar as the owner is concerned, registration with the clerk shall be

deemed to be registration with the cabinet, except the owner of any commercial

motor vehicle to be registered pursuant to the Inte rnational Registration Plan under

KRS 186.050(13) shall register the commercial motor vehicles on or before the last

day of the month of registration established pursuant to KRS 186.051(3).

(4) The application and documents presented for registration, including the sheriff's

certificate of inspection, shall, along with the Transportation Cabinet copy of the

certificate of title or registration, be sent to the Transportation Cabinet by the clerk.

(5) At least forty -five (45) days prior to the expiration of registration of any motor

vehicle previously registered in the Commonwealth as provided by KRS 186A.035,

the owner of the vehicle shall be notified on the same notice required by KRS

134.805(5) o f the date of expiration. In addition, the department shall provide

appropriate forms and information to permit renewal of motor vehicle registration

to be completed by mail. Any registration renewal by mail shall require payment of

an additional two dolla r ($2) fee which shall be received by the county clerk.

Nonreceipt of the notice under this subsection shall not constitute a defense to any

registration related offense.

(6) (a) If an individual has been serving in the United States military stationed or

assigned to a base or other location outside the boundaries of the United

States, he or she shall renew the registration on the vehicle within thirty (30)

days of his or her return if:

1. The motor vehicle has been stored on a military base during the time of

deployment and has not been operated on the public highways during

that time; and

2. The vehicle's registration expired during the individual's absence.

(b) An individual who meets the criteria in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall

not be convicted or cited for driving a vehicle with expired registration within

thirty (30) days after the individual's return to the Commonwealth if the

individual can provide proof of meeting the eligibility criteria under paragraph

(a) of this subsection.

(c) When an individual presents evidence of meeting the criteria under paragraph

(a) of this subsection when applying to renew the registration on the motor

vehicle, the county clerk shall, when applicable, treat the registration as a

prorated renewal under KRS 186.05 1, and charge the individual a registration

fee only for the number of months of the registration year the vehicle will be

used on the public highways.

(7) The provisions of this section shall not apply to vehicles or manufactured homes for

which permanent registration has been obtained pursuant to KRS 186A.127.

Effective: July 15, 2026