{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-186.190","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 186.190","heading":"Change of registration upon transfer of ownership -- Permitted","body":"registration plate transfers -- Clerk's fee.        (Effective until January 1, 2027)\n(1) (a) Except as provided for in paragraph (e) of this subsection, when a motor\nvehicle that has been previously registered changes ownership, the registration\nplate shall not remain upon the motor vehicle, but shall be retained by the\nseller and may be transferred to another vehicle owned or leased by the seller\nin accordance with paragraph (b) or (c) of this subsection.\n(b) An individual who sells a motor vehicle which has a valid registration plate\nmay transfer that plate to another vehicle of the same classification at the time\nthe individual transfers the vehicle. If the individual does not have a vehicle to\ntransfer the plate to at the time the individual sells a vehicle, the individual\nmay hold the registration plate for the period of registration. At any time\nduring the period of registration, the individual shall notify the county clerk\nand transfer the plate to a vehicle of the same classification that he or she has\nobtained prior to operating that vehicle on a public highway. If the plate\ntransfer occurs in the final month in which the existing registration is still\nvalid, the individual shal l be required to renew the registration on the newly\nacquired vehicle.\n(c) An individual who trades in a motor vehicle with a valid registration plate\nduring the purchase of a motor vehicle from a licensed motor vehicle dealer\nshall remove the plate from t he vehicle offered in trade. A photocopy of the\nvalid certificate of registration shall be included with the application for title\nand registration for the purchased vehicle, and the plate shall be retained by\nthe purchaser. The dealer shall equip the purc hased vehicle with a temporary\ntag in accordance with KRS 186A.100 before the buyer may operate it on the\nhighway. When the buyer receives a valid certificate of registration from the\ncounty clerk, the buyer shall remove the temporary tag and affix the\nregistration plate to the vehicle.\n(d) All vehicle transfers and registration plate transfers shall be initiated within\nthe fifteen (15) day period established under KRS 186.020 and 186A.070.\n(e) This subsection shall not apply to transfers between motor vehi cle dealers\nlicensed under KRS Chapter 190. A secured party who repossesses a vehicle\nshall comply with KRS 186.045(6).\n(2) (a) A person shall not purchase, sell, or trade any motor vehicle without\ndelivering to the county clerk of the county in which the sale or trade is made\nthe title, and a notarized affidavit if required and available under KRS\n138.450 attesting to the total and actual consideration paid or to be paid for\nthe motor vehicle.\n(b) Except for transactions handled by a motor vehicle dealer licensed pursuant to\nKRS Chapter 190, the person who is purchasing the vehicle shall present\nproof of insurance in compliance with KRS 304.39 -080 to the county clerk\nbefore the clerk transfers the registration on the vehicle.\n(c) Proof of insurance shall be  in the manner prescribed in administrative\nregulations promulgated by the Department of Insurance pursuant to KRS\nChapter 13A.\n(d) Proof of insurance for a personal motor vehicle shall be determined by the\ncounty clerk as provided in KRS 186A.042.\n(3) (a) Upon delivery of the title, and a notarized affidavit if required and available\nunder KRS 138.450 attesting to the total and actual consideration paid or to be\npaid for the motor vehicle to the county clerk of the county in which the sale\nor trade was made, the seller shall pay to the county clerk a transfer fee of two\ndollars ($2), which shall be remitted to the Transportation Cabinet.\n(b) If an affidavit is required, and available, the signatures on the affidavit shall\nbe individually notarized before the county clerk shall issue to the purchaser a\ntransfer of registration bearing the same data and information as contained on\nthe original registration receipt, except the change in name and address.\n(c) The seller shall pay to the county clerk a fee of six dollars ($6) for the clerk's\nservices.\n(4) (a) If the owner junks or otherwise renders a motor vehicle unfit for future use,\nthe owner shall deliver the registration plate and registration receipt to the\ncounty clerk of the county in which the motor vehicle is junked.\n(b) The county clerk shall return the plate and motor vehicle registration receipt\nto the Transportation Cabinet.\n(c) The owner shall pay to the county clerk one dollar ($1) for the clerk's\nservices.\n(5) A licensed motor vehicle dealer sha ll not be required to pay the transfer fee\nprovided by this section, but shall be required to pay the county clerk's fee provided\nby this section.\n(6) The motor vehicle registration receipt issued by the clerk under this section shall\ncontain information required by the Department of Vehicle Regulation.\nEffective: June 27, 2025","path":["KRS Chapter 186"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=56144","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:37Z","sha256":"c2469b32c784f95c1ac56e6382ae2ba2b76ba24bb4da426389567e6b48df0f62","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-186.189","next":"us-ky/krs-186.191"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}