{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-186.430","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 186.430","heading":"Exemptions from Kentucky operator's license requirement.","body":"(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) or (6) of this section, a person over the age of\nsixteen (16) who is a United States citizen and who is not a resident of Kentucky\nmay drive in Kentucky for a period of time not to exceed one (1) year from the date\nthe person enters Kentucky if:\n(a) The person possesses a valid license issued by the person's home state;\n(b) The person has the license in his or her immediate possession at all times\nwhen operating a vehicle on the highways; and\n(c) The person's home state accords similar privileges to licensed residents of\nKentucky.\n(2) A person who is a United States citizen but who is not a resident of Kentucky who\nis enrolled as a full -time or part -time student at a university, college, or technical\ncollege located in Kentucky may drive in Kentucky on a valid license issued by the\nperson's state of domicile, and shall not be required to obtain a Kentucky operator's\nlicense under this chapter if the person has a student identification card from a\nuniversity, college, or technical college located in Kentucky in his or her immediate\npossession at all times when driving in Kentucky.\n(3) A person over the age of sixteen (16) who is not a United States citizen and who is\nlegally visiting this country for less than one (1) year m ay drive in Kentucky on a\nvalid domestic license issued by the person's country of domicile and shall not be\nrequired to obtain a Kentucky driver's license.\n(4) A person over the age of sixteen (16) who is not a United States citizen, who has\nnot been gran ted status as a permanent resident of the United States, but is a\nresident of Kentucky, shall be issued a Kentucky operator's license if the person\ncomplies with the requirements of KRS 186.4121. The cabinet may at any time\nrefuse or discontinue the exempt ions authorized in this section for any grounds and\nmay deny, cancel, suspend, or revoke an instruction permit or operator's license\nissued under this chapter.\n(5) A person whose operator's license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle,\nmotorcycle, or mo ped in this state has been denied, withdrawn, canceled,\nsuspended, or revoked as provided in KRS 186.400 to 186.640 shall not operate a\nmotor vehicle, motorcycle, or moped in this state under a license, permit, or\nregistration certificate issued by any oth er jurisdiction during the period of denial,\nwithdrawal, cancellation, suspension, or revocation.\n(6) The following persons may drive in Kentucky on a valid operator's license issued by\nthe person's state or United States territory of domicile and shall no t be required to\nobtain a Kentucky operator's license under this chapter if the person is:\n(a) A member of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed in Kentucky\nwho maintains a home of record for military purposes outside of Kentucky;\n(b) The member's spouse; or\n(c) The member's child or stepchild who is sixteen (16) years of age or older and\na dependent or under guardianship of the member.","path":["KRS Chapter 186"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=51028","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:38Z","sha256":"db4ba7c24cc11456778405272b54272888cbfa6e82b0c579144d3e9a9c44c5a8","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-186.420","next":"us-ky/krs-186.435"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}