You will not be able to renew your boat in 2018 without a valid HIN. For more information please visit drive.ky.gov or contact customer service at 502-574-5700.
Motor Vehicles & Boats FAQ
The following requirements must be met before a vehicle can be titled in Kentucky:
Application for Title/Registration Form (TC96-182).
The Owner/Buyer and Seller (if the ownership is changing) sections must be signed and notarized.
When completed, Form TC 96-182 serves as your odometer statement which is necessary.
Original title from previous state. If the title is being held by a lien holder, it must be released to the Jefferson County Clerk. The release is requested through a “Bank Letter” which may be obtained from our office or printed out from here. Our office will file a lien on your new Kentucky title. The County Clerk’s Office will notify you of receipt of your title from the lien holder. If you do not apply for title and registration in Kentucky within thirty (30) days from the date the County Clerk’s Office receives the title from the lien holder, the title will be returned to the lien holder on the thirty-first (31st) day.
A Sheriff’s Inspection is required on all out-of-state vehicles. You must take the title and vehicle to one of the following Sheriff Inspection locations:
- 810 West Market Street
- Dixie Branch, K-Mart Plaza 4919-F Dixie Hwy
- Highview Branch – 7813 Beulah Church Road, Beulah Church Shopping Center
- Westport Branch, 9451 Westport Road, Suite 117
- Fairdale Branch 10616 West Manslick Road, Fairdale Playtorium
There is a fee of $15.00 (cash or check) for inspections. The Sheriff inspection’s telephone number is 502-574-5085.
NOTE: If you would like to check the operating hours for the various sheriff inspection locations, please refer to the following link: jeffersoncountyclerk.org/location-hours
When a Kentucky resident moves out of state, they must title their vehicle in their new state of residency. Some states do not notify Kentucky that the vehicle is now registered in a new state.
To ensure the vehicle is taken off the tax records, return a copy of the new states title or registration along with the Kentucky license plate to the county clerk’s office.
If current year taxes have not been paid, they will be due at the time the moved out of state is processed. With a required $2.00 processing fee this may be submitted by mail or it can be submitted to any of the 8 county clerk branch offices.
KRS134.810 States any vehicle currently in your name or any vehicle that was in your name as of January 1st that you would be liable for that years taxes.
To inquire about current year tax amounts you can use or live chat option or call our Motor Vehicle Processing Center at 502-574-5700.
Mailing address:
Jefferson County Clerk’s Office
Attention: Motor Vehicle Processing Center
P.O. Box 33033
Louisville, KY 40232-3033
Driver's licensing is offered through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The following address is provided as a courtesy: https://drive.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx
With the license plate number, title number or vehicle identification number you may obtain the previous year tax information by contacting the Jefferson County Clerk customer service department at 502-574-5700, online at drive.ky.gov or at any of the branch locations.
A lien is a legal claim on the property of another for the satisfaction of a debt.
If you would like to check the vehicle’s status online to see if there have been any liens filed in Kentucky please have the vehicle identification number (VIN), title number and license plate number ready and login to: MVLiens.JeffersonCountyClerk.org, you may also go to any of the Jefferson County Clerk branch offices or call customer service at 502-574-5700.
Lien releases are handled by:
Jefferson County Clerk
Lien Department
531 Court Place, room 204
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 502-574-6130
Lien releases may also be processed at any branch location. If you would like to check the vehicle’s status to see if there have been any liens filed in Kentucky please have the vehicle identification number (VIN), title number and license plate number.
It is important that your registration have your updated address as any notifications are mailed to the last address on file.
The title is your ownership document and only needs to be changed if you are changing ownership of the vehicle.
If your payment has not cleared, your registration may be lost in the mail. If the payment has cleared your bank, contact the Jefferson County Clerk customer service department at 502-574-5700 to verify your address and assistance replacing the lost registration or the titled owner of the vehicle can go to any branch location for assistance.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet sends the renewal notice as a courtesy reminder 45 days prior to expiration of your registration to the last address of record. If a notice is not received it is not necessary to have the notice as they are sometimes lost in the mail. You may contact the Jefferson County Clerk customer service department at 502-574-5700 or go to any branch location for assistance.
Not all license plates issued in Kentucky are eligible for online renewal. As of May 12th, 2016 The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) launched a new online application that allows motorists to renew standard, specialty, and personalized Kentucky license plates. To check the eligibility of your license plate go: https://secure.kentucky.gov/kytc/plates/web/#0cb6934c-3289-49c7-801b-a0a2cb74b165
To renew online your address must be current, your registration must not be expired and you must have verifiable proof of insurance. If you meet all requirements you can go to https://secure.kentucky.gov/kytc/renewal and complete the online renewal process.
The titled owner of the vehicle may replace a lost/stolen decal or license plate by going into any of the county clerk branch locations with their current KY proof of insurance and proper identification. If they have the registration and it is not expired, the total cost is $8.00. If the titled owner doesn’t have the current registration there is an additional $5.00 fee for the replacement of the registration.
If the vehicle registration has expired any applicable taxes and registration fees are required before replacements can be done.
Kentucky does allow a usage tax exemption on a Kentucky titled vehicle being transferred between related parties, living in the state of Kentucky. The exemption is allowed between husband/wife, parent/child or grandparent/grandchild.
The Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title or Registration is form TC96-182 commonly referred to as a VTR is available on the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet website: http://transportation.ky.gov/Organizational-Resources/Pages/Forms-Library-(TC-96).aspx
For Active Duty Military stationed out of state to title a vehicle in Kentucky, you must be a resident of the state.
You will need:
- certificate of title
- Form TC96-182 http://transportation.ky.gov/Organizational-Resources/Pages/Forms-Library-(TC-96).aspx
- Form TC96-229 http://transportation.ky.gov/Organizational-Resources/Forms/TC%2096-229.pdf
- Proof of insurance
- Proof of residency
- Copy of Active Duty Military ID, current orders or LES
For applicable fees and further assistance contact the Jefferson County Clerk customer service department at 502-574-5700 or jeffersoncountyclerk.org.
*For vehicles purchased overseas customs documents are required.*
To renew Kentucky registration you must be a resident of the state or Active Duty Military stationed at a military base in Kentucky. You will need to submit the current registration, proof of insurance with a copy of the Active Duty Military ID, LES or current orders. Contact the Jefferson County Clerk Office for assistance with fees due at 502-574-5700 or jeffersoncountyclerk.org.
Before a vehicle can be transferred from a deceased party someone must be appointed by probate court to sign on behalf of the deceased. Jefferson Circuit Court Probate Division may be reached at 502-595-4434 for assistance with any probate documentation.
To complete the transfer the title and probate documents are required with proof of Kentucky insurance and a copy of the will is applicable.
To apply for a salvage title, the license plate and title must be turned into the County Clerk Office. A standard application will cost $9.00 and can take up to six weeks to receive by mail.
Once the salvaged vehicle has been repaired and is road worthy, you must complete the rebuilt process to put the vehicle back on the road.
To complete this process you will need:
- Invoices / receipts for all parts and supplies – in the name of the person doing the work.
- Itemized and notarized labor statement
- Sherrif’s inspection – completed VTR.
- Completed TC96-215 form
- Salvage title
The paperwork must be submitted to Frankfort for approval.
- Mail-in: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 200 Mero St, Frankfort Ky. 40622
- Attention Rebuilts: If you owned it before it was wrecked: take paperwork into same address mon.-fri. 8:30-3:30 for same day service.
For vehicles not yet titled in your name, take paperwork to the same location mon.-thurs. 8:00-12:00. Completed rebuilt paperwork will be ready the next day.
Once you have your approval letter and proof of Kentucky insurance you may go to any of the Jefferson county clerk branch locations to apply for the rebuilt title and get a license plate for the vehicle.
When providing the Clerk’s Office with an insurance card it cannot have an Effective/Issue date older than 45 days from the date that it is presented. It is important to note that the effective date of the policy may be different than the effective date of the insurance card. For acceptance, the Clerk’s Office is concerned with the date the card was issued, not the policy. If the effective date listed on your insurance ID card is more than 45 days prior to the date you are submitting it, please request your insurance provider send your current insurance id card to us by fax or email. You may also forward your current insurance id card to us through your insurance app on your smart phone to the branch email address of the location you are visiting. It will need to be in PDF format, or it may say “printer friendly”. This applies to Personal Policies only. Mandatory Insurance Law
