Motor Vehicles & Boats FAQ

Boats can now be renewed with the Online Payment Portal – On the drive.ky.gov online renewal page, click the blue “Begin Online Renewal” button.  Click “Add Boat” and select a County.  The county must be either the County of Residence of the Owner or the County of Dockage for the boat to be renewed.  Type the KY Number and Title number for the Boat.  Confirm your address and you can renew your boat sticker!  If you need to correct your address, please submit a request to change your address in person, by email, or by phone.  

Welcome to Kentucky!  The following documents are required to transfer a vehicle title and registration to Kentucky:

• Complete an application for Title/Registration Form (TC96-182).
• The Owner/Buyer section of this form must be signed and notarized.
• When completed, Form TC 96-182 serves as your odometer statement which is necessary.

The original title from previous state is necessary to transfer the title to Kentucky. 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"(PDF, 228KB) which may be obtained from our office or printed from our website. 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 by sending an instruction packet that includes an “Official Photocopy” of your title to use for your Sheriff’s Inspection. 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, or the "Official Photocopy" of the title provided by our office, and the vehicle to one of the following Sheriff Inspection locations:

• 4724 Allmond Avenue
• 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
• East Branch, 12312-A Shelbyville Road, Middletown Plaza
• West Branch, 228 Amy Avenue, French Plaza - Temporarily Closed

There is a fee of $15.00 (cash or local check) for inspections, payable to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. 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 Locations and Hours page.

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

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 the Kentucky VIN/HIN Lookup or at any of the branch locations.

You can find the previous calendar year’s taxes with the vehicle identification number online at drive.ky.gov .

A lien is a legal claim on the property of another for the satisfaction of a debt. This includes consumer goods, personal property, automobiles, boats, household goods, and business equipment.

For Owners: If you are unsure of the status of your vehicle lien, please contact our office in person, by phone, or by email. Please be prepared to provide the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or Title Number.

For Lenders and Titling Companies: Authorized users can check the status of Kentucky titled cars, trucks, motorcycles, and RV's by enrolling in the State of Kentucky Online Vehicle Information System (OVIS). For more information about this service, please visit the OVIS website.

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.

When a loan has been fulfilled, the lien holder will send the Lien Release (Title Lien Statement Form, TC 96-187) to the vehicle owner.  The owner must then present this form along with the vehicle title to the clerk's office. It is important to note that the lien release form must be an original document; printed or scanned copies emailed to our office will not be accepted. This form is usually attached to the paid-in-full letter, which is sent when the loan is fulfilled.

Once the lien release form is submitted to the clerk's office, the lien department usually takes 5 to 10 minutes to process the release, depending on their workload.

The lien release form is not available to the public; only the lien holder has access to it. If the owner cannot find the lien release form, they will need to request a new one from their lien holder and present it to the clerk's office for processing.

• Title Lien Statement (form TC-96-187 Dated July, 2016)
• Option 1:  Request that your financial institution fax the Title Lien Statement (Form TC96-187) directly to Jefferson County Clerk's Office Lien Department with a cover letter from the lien holder, printed on their letterhead.  Address the cover letter to: Jefferson County Lien Department.
  • Lien Dept Fax: 502-584-3217
• Option 2:  Request Title Lien Statement form to be mailed from the lien holder to you, bring the Form and the Title to your County Clerk's Office to be processed - must be an original - no faxed or emailed copies.     

It is important that the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office has your correct address on file to ensure your registration is mailed to the correct address and that your Ad Valorem taxes are assessed correctly on January 1^st – if your address has changed, please contact our office to ensure our records are up to date. 

The title is your ownership document and only needs to be changed if you are changing ownership of the vehicle.  The address listed on the front of the title is for mailing purposes only.  

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. Check the eligibility of your license plate.

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 the Kentucky Vehicle Registration Renewal website 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. If the titled owner doesn’t have the current registration there is an additional $2 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.

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:

1. Certificate of title
2. Form TC96-182
3. Form TC96-229
4. Proof of insurance
5. Copy of Kentucky Driver’s License
6. Copy of current military orders or most recent 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 if the vehicle is not shipped by the military.*

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.

Below is the list of items you will need:

1. Current original title (no photocopies)

2. Qualification document (probate) signed by a judge

3. A copy of the will (if applicable)

4. Current mileage of the vehicle

5. Lien release (if applicable)

6. The title must be signed by the person appointed as executor/executrix, administrator/administratrix, or petitioner by the court (they will need to sign as the seller in front of a notary)

7. Proof of current Kentucky insurance in the new owner's name for the vehicle transfer, if they wish to register the vehicle.

8. If there are any unpaid Ad Valorem taxes in the decedent’s name, they will be due at the time of transfer. 

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.

First, the owner of the vehicle must apply for a Salvage Title, the vehicle owner must bring the current title and license plate to our office. Please note that the vehicle cannot be driven while it has a Salvage Title.

Our office will provide a packet that explains the Rebuild Process. Once the necessary repairs are completed, you may take the vehicle to one of the Sheriff Inspection locations for inspection. The sheriff will need to see the salvage title, and there is a $15.00 inspection fee, payable to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

After the necessary repairs have been completed and the vehicle passes a Sheriff's inspection, the owner will need to submit the required documents from the Rebuild Packet, along with all original receipts for parts purchased (no photocopies), to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) in Frankfort for review.

The owner can bring the documents listed below to one of our branches and our clerks can scan the documents and send an email to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Attn: Rebuilts. The branch will then retain the original documents for one year. 

The owner can also submit the documents in person or by mail directly to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Attn: Rebuilts.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
   Attn: Rebuilts
P.O. Box 2014
Frankfort, KY 40622
Attention: Rebuilds

Drop boxes are available at the below location:

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Office Building
(1st Floor Entrance or 2nd Floor at the One Stop Shop)
200 Mero Street
Frankfort, KY 40601

Submit the following documents for review:

1. Salvage title
2. Invoices/Receipts for all parts and supplies
3. Completed TC 96-182 - Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title/Registration
4. Completed TC 96-215 - Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Assembled for Wrecked or Salvaged Motor Vehicles
5. Completed TC 96-353 - Labor statement for Rebuilt or Total-Loss vehicle - must be signed by mechanic and notarized
6. The vehicle must also pass a Sheriff’s Inspection.  The results of the inspection will be electronically transmitted to the State of Kentucky and will be accessible for 120 days. 

Once the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reviews the documents, they will send the owner a determination letter.  If it is a Rebuild Authorization Letter, the owner will have 60 days to present this letter to the Clerk's Office to retitle the vehicle as "rebuilt" and reinstate the registration (proof of insurance is required, if the owner wishes to register and plate the vehicle).

Please keep in mind that this process can take 4 to 10 weeks. If you have any questions about this process, please contact the Jefferson County Clerk customer service department at 502-574-5700 or jeffersoncountyclerk.org.

Forms needed for Motor Vehicle transactions can be requested at any of our branch offices.  The most often used forms can also be accessed on our website under the Publications & Forms tab by clicking “Common Forms”.  You can also locate forms created by other agencies directly on their websites. 

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Forms

The forms that are created by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and are available to the public can be printed directly from their web site.

Department of Revenue

Department of Revenue forms can be found at their website https://revenue.ky.gov/Get-Help/Pages/Forms.aspx and can be searched by form title or number. 

Dealer Services

Motor vehicle transactions conducted with licensed Jefferson County dealerships are processed at all branches, including the Downtown Dealer Department.  Please reach out to the Dealer Desk at your preferred branch office or the Downtown Dealer Department directly.  

Vehicle Liens:

Form TC 96-187, Title Lien Statement, has been removed from our website. The Transportation Cabinet has requested that we have this form removed from the website to help reduce fraudulent activity. If you have questions, please contact our Lien Department at (502) 574-6130.

For UCC forms visit the Secretary of State's web site at: https://sos.ky.gov/bus/UCC/Pages/UCC-Forms.aspx

For more information, please call the Motor Vehicle Call Center at 502-574-5700

To Correspond to us by e-mail: MotorVehicles@JeffersonCountyClerk.org

Most forms are in PDF format. You will need Acrobat Reader to view these forms.

All branches can be reached by dialing the Motor Vehicle Call Center at: 502-574-5700.

To correspond to us in writing, please write to:

Jefferson County Clerk's Office
P.O. Box 33033
Louisville, KY 40232-3033

To correspond to us by e-mail send to: Countyclerk@JeffersonCountyClerk.org

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