{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-186.4121","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 186.4121","heading":"Instruction permit or operator's license application for non -United States","body":"citizen or permanent resident -- Immigration status and personal identity\ndocumentation and verification -- Renewal or duplicate license -- Term of\nlicense.\n(1) As used in this section, \"applicant\" means a person who:\n(a) Is not a United States citizen;\n(b) Has not been granted status as a permanent resident of the United States; and\n(c) Does not meet the minimum requirements for federal recognition in Section\n202 of the REAL ID ACT of 2005, as amended, in 49 U.S.C. sec. 30301 note,\nand has not been admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant pursuant to\na compact of free association between the United States and the Republic of\nthe Marshall Islands, the Republi c of Palau, or the Federated States of\nMicronesia.\n(2) An applicant shall apply for an instruction permit or operator's license to either the\nTransportation Cabinet in Frankfort or a Transportation Cabinet field office. An\napplicant under this section shal l complete the application identified in KRS\n186.412, along with other documents required under this section. The cabinet shall\nkeep an electronic copy of the documentation submitted with the application and\nshall capture a photograph of the applicant in accordance with KRS 186.4102(1)\n(3) The application form under this section shall be accompanied by the applicant's\ndocumentation issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security,\nUnited States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, auth orizing the\nperson to be in the United States and, if applicable, the applicant's international\ndriving permit. The Transportation Cabinet shall verify the information submitted\nunder this subsection through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlemen ts\n(SAVE) program.\n(4) The application form of a special status individual with a K -1 status shall be\naccompanied by an original or certified copy of the applicant's completed marriage\nlicense signed by the official who presided over the marriage ceremony and two (2)\nwitnesses. The application form of a special status individual with a K-1 status shall\nalso include the applicant's petition to enter the United States for the purpose of\nmarriage that contains the name of the prospective spouse. If the name of  the\nprospective spouse on the petition does not match the name of the spouse on the\nmarriage license, the Transportation Cabinet shall not be required to issue an\noperator's license.\n(5) (a) The Transportation Cabinet shall verify and validate the immigra tion status\nand personal identity of an applicant under this section through federal\ngovernment systems and databases.\n(b) If an applicant's identity and immigration status is validated, the cabinet shall\ncapture a photograph of the applicant, and scan the required documents into\nthe cabinet's database.\n(c) If the applicant successfully completes any examinations required unde r KRS\n186.480, or if an examination is not required, the Transportation Cabinet shall\npresent the applicant with a temporary operator's license or instruction permit,\nwhich shall be valid for thirty (30) days until a permanent operator's license or\ninstruction permit is mailed to the applicant.\n(d) An applicant under this section shall only be issued a standard operator's\nlicense or instruction permit.\n(6) (a) An applicant shall apply to renew an operator's license, or obtain a duplicate\noperator's license,  at the Transportation Cabinet in Frankfort or a\nTransportation Cabinet field office.\n(b) If an applicant has any type of change in his or her immigration status, the\napplicant shall apply to update the operator's license with either the\nTransportation Cabinet in Frankfort or a Transportation Cabinet field office\nwithin ten (10) days.\n(7) An applicant shall swear an oath to the Transportation Cabinet as to the truthfulness\nof the statements contained in the form.\n(8) (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, an initial or renewal\noperator's license issued to an applicant who is not a special status individual\nshall be valid for a period equal to the length of time the applicant's\ndocumentation from the United States Department of Homeland S ecurity,\nUnited States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, is valid, or\neight (8) years, whichever time period is shorter.\n(b) An initial or renewal operator's license shall be valid for a period of one (1)\nyear if the applicant is not a specia l status individual and the person's\ndocumentation issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security,\nUnited States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, is issued for\nan indefinite period of time and does not have an expiration date. T he fee\nshall be the same as for a regular operator's license.","path":["KRS Chapter 186"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=56602","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:38Z","sha256":"059e17b7a07bbba773cf6a0cd31712fb7958d0643dac901ac367e0a9fcf407b8","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-186.412","next":"us-ky/krs-186.4122"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}