Out of State Leased

How to Register Out-of-State Leased Vehicles

The Leasing Company must provide to the Lessee the Company Federal Identification Number and month of incorporation in order to license the vehicle currently being leased in the State of Kentucky

Documents Required

  1. 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,"(PDF, 228KB) which may be obtained at any Jefferson County Clerk’s Office or printed out in PDF format. Our office will file a lien on the new Kentucky title.

  2. A Power of Attorney must be sent from the Leasing Company stating the Lessee’s name as P.O.A. in order for the Lessee to sign any documentation for the Leasing Company. If multiple names are listed on the P.O.A. from the leasing company all signatures must be notarized on the necessary paperwork.

  3. When registering an out-of-state lease vehicle, Kentucky proof of insurance is required. If you provide the Clerk’s Office an insurance card as proof of insurance, the card 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. This applies to Personal Policies only.
  4. A statement is needed from the Leasing Company on its letterhead stating exactly how much state sales tax the Leasing Company has currently paid on this vehicle. This is necessary due to the 6% usage tax collected by the County Clerk upon first time registration from out-of-state. The Leasing Company will be given credit for all state sales tax currently paid to another state. Any remaining difference must be paid at the time of registration in the State of Kentucky. When registering a “brand new” vehicle in Kentucky, it is necessary for you to complete the Total Consideration section on the Application for Title/Registration (TC 96-182), attesting to the purchase price of the vehicle. This application (TC 96-182) must be signed and notarized by both the seller and the buyer (Leasing Company). If the seller is unable to sign the application, it is necessary for you to present the window sticker or factory invoice stating the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of the vehicle, including options and destination charges.

  5. In the case that your Leasing Company is registering your vehicle under the U-Drive-It program, you will not need to present a statement of sales tax paid because we will not be collecting usage tax at time of registration. Please be sure that you obtain the U-Drive-It number from your Leasing Company. Further information on U-Drive-It can be obtained by calling your Leasing Company or 502-564-6401.

  6. A Sheriff’s Inspection is required on all out-of-state leased vehicles with the exception of leased vehicles on the U-Drive-It program.

Sheriff Inspection Locations

The title and vehicle must be taken to one of the following Sheriff Inspection locations:

  • 4724 Allmond Ave, Louisville, KY 40209
  • Dixie Branch, 4919-F Dixie Hwy, next to Kroger Marketplace
  • East Branch, 12312-A Shelbyville Road, Middletown Plaza
  • Fairdale branch 10616 west Manslick Road
  • Highview Branch, 7812 Beulah Church Road
  • West Branch, 228 Amy Avenue, French Plaza
  • Westport Branch, 9451 Westport Road, Suite 117

The Lessee must present the vehicle and a photocopy of the title (our office will provide a copy of the title when the original is received from the leasing company) to the Sheriff’s Station. The fee is $15.00, payable by check or cash only. The telephone number is 502-574-5085. If you have a U-Drive-It Permit, no certified Sheriff’s Inspection is necessary.

The fee required for the Application of Title is $9.00. The annual license fee is $21.00. A pro-rated charge is based on the owner’s birth month. A lien filing fee is $22.00. There is a $2.00 fee for each required notarization. Accepted methods of payment are cash, money order, Visa, MC, AMX and Discover or personal check.

Out-of-state checks are not accepted. Valid picture identification is required for notarization and/or acceptance of personal checks.

For Overnight Packages Mail to:

Jefferson County Clerk’s Office
Attention: Downtown Branch
200 S. Fifth Street, Suite 228 South
Louisville, KY 40202

Our Mailing Address is:

Jefferson County Clerk’s Office
Attention: Downtown Branch
P.O. Box 33033
Louisville KY 40232-3033

If you have questions concerning the above, please call 502-574-5700 or e-mail us at: CountyClerk@JeffersonCountyClerk.org

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