Out of State Title Transfers

How to transfer Out of State Titled Vehicles to Kentucky

1. In State Transfer

Move-in Transfers - Owner has Vehicle Title:

Welcome to Kentucky! You do not need an appointment; all our branches operate on a first-come, first-served basis. If there is a lien against the title, the process may differ slightly.

When you visit one of our branches to transfer your vehicle, the first step will be to obtain a sheriff's inspection. Most of our branch locations have a Sheriff onsite* to perform inspections. You can check the onsite sheriff's schedules on our website under the “Locations & Hours” tab. Please note that there is a $15.00 fee for the sheriff's inspection, so make sure to bring cash for that. We accept cash, checks, or cards** for the remainder of your transaction, but the sheriff's office only accepts cash or, depending on the sheriff, local checks. You will need to present your vehicle title and driver's license for the inspection. Once your vehicle passes, you can park in a regular spot, come inside, and take a number.

You may be required to pay usage tax, based on the current trade-in value of the vehicle, depending on which state you are moving from. If there is an active lien against the vehicle, there will also be a $22.00 lien filing fee. If you recently paid your vehicle loan in full, please bring the lien release documents.

For the vehicle transfer, please bring the following items:

The vehicle title
The sheriff's inspection
A Kentucky-issued Driver's License (the temporary card will suffice)
Proof of current Kentucky issued insurance
The registration from the previous state — must be registered to the same person

2. Move-in Transfers - Lienholder has Vehicle Title:

Move-in Transfers - Lienholder has Vehicle Title:

Welcome to Kentucky! You do not need an appointment; all our branches operate on a first-come, first-served basis. In some states, if there is a lien against the vehicle, the title remains with the lienholder until the loan is satisfied. If your vehicle has a lien against it and you never received your title, you may need to request that your lienholder send your title to our office. Our office will file a lien on the new Kentucky Title.

If this is the case, first, you will need to pick up the "Bank Letter" either from one of our branches or print it from our website. Complete the Bank Letter and send it to your lienholder. They will then release the title and a copy of the Bank Letter you completed to our office. Using the owner information provided in the Bank Letter, we will contact the owner once we have received the title package. Please note that 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 your lienholder, the title will be returned to the lienholder on the thirty-first (31st) day.

After we notify you that we have received your title work, the next step is to get your sheriff's inspection. The Instruction Packet you receive in the mail will include an "official photocopy" of the title that you will use for your inspection. The locations and hours of operation for sheriff inspections* are listed on our website under the “Locations & Hours” tab. There is a $15.00 fee for the sheriff, so please bring cash for this payment. We accept cash, check, or cards** in the branch for the rest of your transaction; however, the sheriff's office only accepts cash or, depending on the sheriff, local checks. The sheriff will also need to see your driver's license. Once your vehicle passes inspection, you will go to our Downtown Branch to complete the title transfer and registration.

For the vehicle transfer, please bring the following items:

The sheriff's inspection
A Kentucky-issued Driver's License
Proof of current Kentucky issued insurance
The registration from the previous state — must be registered to the same person

3. Leased Vehicles

Move-in Transfers — Leased Vehicles:

Welcome to Kentucky! You do not need an appointment; all our branches operate on a first-come, first-served basis. The Leasing Company must provide the Lessee with its Federal Identification Number and the month of incorporation to license the vehicle being leased in the State of Kentucky.

The original, out of state title must be sent from the Leasing Company to our office. If there is a lien on the vehicle, a release of title is requested through our "Bank Letter" which can be obtained either from one of our branches or printed from our website. Our office will file a lien on the new Kentucky Title. Please note that 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 your lienholder, the title will be returned to the lienholder on the thirty-first (31st) day.

Usage tax, based on the current trade-in value of the vehicle, may need to be collected depending on which state you are moving from and the paperwork that is provided by your leasing company. If there is an active lien against the vehicle, there will also be a $22.00 lien filing fee.

For the vehicle transfer, please bring the following items:

The sheriff's inspection (Not needed if leased through the U-Drive-It program)
A Kentucky-issued Driver's License
Proof of current Kentucky issued insurance
Power of Attorney paperwork from the Leasing Company granting authority to the Lessee to sign documents on behalf of the Leasing Company for vehicle registration purposes. If multiple names are listed on the POA from the Leasing Company, all parties must sign the necessary documents and their signatures must be notarized.***
A Statement from the Leasing Company on its letterhead, stating exactly how much state sales tax the leasing company paid for the vehicle. This is necessary due to the 6% usage tax collected by the County Clerk upon title transfer. (Not needed if leased through the U-Drive-It program)

4. Private Seller

Purchased Out of State — Private Seller:

When purchasing a vehicle from an individual and the vehicle has an out of state title, it is important to have all the necessary paperwork completed to avoid unnecessary costs or trips to the County Clerk's Office.

For the vehicle transfer, please bring the following items:

Original title completed to the specifications of the state of origin.
Application for Title/Registration Form TC96-182 - This form can be found on our website under Motor Vehicle Forms. In order to honor the sale price, the seller's signature must be notarized, otherwise the vehicle will be taxed at the current retail value.
Sheriff's Inspection - It will be $15.00 cash for the inspection, most of our branches have a sheriff on site, please check our website for their schedule. The sheriff will need to see the title and the driver's license of the person requesting the inspection.
Kentucky issued Driver's License for the buyer(s)
Current Kentucky issued insurance ID card for the vehicle to be transferred (if the buyer(s) would like to register the vehicle)

5. Dealership

Purchased Out of State — Dealership

When a vehicle is purchased from an out of state dealership, that dealership often sends the title and any necessary supporting documents to the County Clerk's Office. Once our office receives the Title Package, we will notify the Buyer by sending an instruction packet that includes an official photocopy of the title. This photocopy will be used to conduct a Sheriff's Inspection on the vehicle. Once the vehicle has successfully passed the inspection, the instruction packet will guide the Buyer to bring the inspection results, their Kentucky-issued ID, and proof of Kentucky insurance for the vehicle being transferred to the office that is holding their title. This is necessary to complete the title transfer and to register and plate the vehicle if desired.

If the buyer has an active plate from a vehicle they are trading in, the dealership can include the plate number or a photocopy of the plate with the title package so it can be transferred to the new vehicle.

If you wish to check the status of a title transfer, please be prepared to provide the tracking number for the title package, the delivery address, and the VIN of the vehicle.

Below is a list of documents needed to transfer a vehicle from out of state to Kentucky:

Original title completed to the specifications of the state of origin.
Application for Title/Registration Form TC96-182 - This form can be found on our website under Motor Vehicle Forms. In order to honor the sale price, the seller's signature must be notarized, otherwise the vehicle will be taxed at the current retail value.
Copy of Kentucky issued ID (Driver's License or State ID) for buyer
Current Kentucky issued insurance ID card for vehicle to be transferred (if the owner would like to register the vehicle)
Power of Attorney paperwork, if applicable

General Information

All Motor Vehicles transferred from another state are required to pass a Sheriff's Inspection, unless they are leased through the U-Drive-It program. The Sheriff's Inspection should be conducted in the county that processes the title transfer.

The vehicle Owner/Buyer must update the vehicle's insurance to Kentucky prior to initiating the transfer. If the effective date on the insurance card is more than 45 days prior to the date the title transfer is processed, the owner will need their insurance agent to fax or email the current insurance ID card to the branch office that is processing the title transfer. Insurance providers should be familiar with Kentucky's insurance laws, so it should be straightforward. Alternatively, the owner can forward their insurance ID card through the insurance app if they have it on their smartphone; just ensure it is in PDF format or marked "printer-friendly.

The title must be completed in accordance with the State of Origin's title laws. The title will be submitted with a Kentucky Title Application Form (TC 96-182) which is available at any of our branch locations and on our website under the “Forms & Publications” tab.

Possible Title Transfer Fees:

Title Transfer $9.00
Usage Tax (6% of Notarized Sale Price or current Retail Value if the Sale Price is not notarized)
Notary Fee(s)*** $2.00
Lien Filing Fee $22.00
Registration Fees vary depending on the plate design and are prorated to the primary owner's next birth month
Copy and Print Fee $1.00
Fax Fee $1.00 (Local) $5.00 (Long Distance)

*Our branch hours are available on our website, along with the hours for the sheriff's office. Please check to ensure the sheriff will be present when you plan to visit.

**Accepted methods of payment at Branch Offices are cash, money order, MC, Visa, AMEX and Discover or personal check. No out-of-state checks accepted. Valid Kentucky I.D. is required for acceptance of personal checks.

Note: There is a payment service fee for all card transactions, 1.5% of total for Debit Cards and 2.75% of total for Credit Cards.

*** There is a $2.00 fee for notarization provided by a county clerk. Any document(s) notarized by a county clerk must be signed in front of the clerk providing notarization and the signer must provide valid photo identification.