{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-186a.120","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 186A.120","heading":"Initial application for title and registration to be in county of residence of","body":"owner -- Exceptions.\n(1) (a) Except for applications for title or salvage title using the electronic title\napplication and registration system establi shed under KRS 186A.017,\napplication for a first certificate of registration or title and plate shall be made\nby the owner to the county clerk of the county in which the owner resides,\nexcept that, if a vehicle is purchased from:\n1. A dealer other than in the county in which the purchaser for use resides,\nthe purchaser, or the dealer on behalf of the purchaser, may make\napplication for registration to the county clerk in either the county in\nwhich the purchaser resides, or in the county in which the dealer' s\nprincipal place of business is located; or\n2. An individual who resides in a county in which the purchaser does not\nreside, application for registration may be made to the county clerk in\neither the county where the seller resides or the purchaser resides.\n(b) The county clerk shall ensure that all applications and required supporting\ndocuments are complete.\n(c) An application received by a county clerk shall be processed and sent to the\ncabinet within three (3) business days of receipt.\n(2) (a) When purchaser of a vehicle upon which a lien is to be recorded is a resident\nof a county other than that of the dealer, the application for registration or title\nmay be made to the county clerk in either county. The lien must be recorded\nin the county of the purchaser's residence.\n(b) If vehicle application for registration or title is presented to the county clerk of\ndealer's location rather than purchaser's residence, the clerk shall process\ndocuments in a manner similar to that of any application, with the excep tion\nthat the AVIS system shall be programmed in a manner that the title shall not\nbe issued from Frankfort until the lien information has been entered by the\ncounty clerk of the purchaser's residence.\n(3) (a) A new vehicle, when first registered or titled  in this state, shall be registered\nor titled in the name of the first owner for use rather than in the name of a\ndealer who held the vehicle for sale.\n(b) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a used vehicle not previously\nregistered or titled in this state shall be registered or titled in the name of the\nfirst owner for use rather than in the name of a dealer who held the vehicle for\nresale.\n(4) If the owner of a vehicle required to be registered or titled in this state does not\nreside in the Commonwealth, the vehicle shall be registered or titled with the\ncounty clerk of the county in which the vehicle is principally operated.\n(5) The Transportation Cabinet shall not require a member of the Armed Forces who is\nstationed in the Commonwealth to obtain a Kentucky operator's license in order to\nregister a motor vehicle in the Commonwealth.\n(6) If the owner of a vehicle is other than an individual and res ides in the\nCommonwealth, the vehicle shall be registered or titled with the county clerk in\neither the county in which the owner resides or in the county in which the vehicle is\nprincipally operated.","path":["KRS Chapter 186A"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=56318","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:39Z","sha256":"18fde81b4105e14eba0e8b97dacf6457ff02d0a83be34e5d4d6e237a5ab7823d","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-186a.115","next":"us-ky/krs-186a.125"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}