Transfers

Transfer from KY individual to another Kentucky individual:

All fees must be paid at time of transfer, including a $9 Motor Vehicle Title Application fee, notary fees (if applicable), plate registration fees (if applicable), and sales or usage tax. When using the Total Consideration Affidavit, the Usage Tax is calculated at 6% of the purchase price, after the minimum taxable value is met. If the sale price is not notarized, the Usage Tax is calculated at 6% of the NADA retail value.

Any delinquent tax on the vehicle being transferred must be paid prior to, or as part of, the transfer. Any delinquent tax on other vehicles owned by the purchaser must be paid prior to, or as part of, the transfer.

If the buyer wishes to register and plate the vehicle to be transferred, proof of Commonwealth of Kentucky insurance is required. 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. This applies to Personal Policies only.

• Mandatory Insurance Law

Required Paperwork

• Original title (no photocopies)
• Odometer Reading
• Buyer(s) Valid KY Driver's License(s) or photocopy
  • If the paperwork submitted is already complete, signed, and notarized, a photocopy of the Buyer(s) Valid KY Driver's License(s) will be sufficient
• Proof of current KY insurance for Vehicle in Buyer(s) name(s) — If they wish to plate and register the vehicle.

Transfer from KY individual to Out of State individual:

When selling a vehicle titled in Kentucky to a buyer in another state, the transfer of ownership will occur in the buyer's state, not in Kentucky. Complete the back of the title as described under “General Information”. Additionally, take a photocopy or a photo of both the front and back of the title. This will serve as proof of the sale.

Once the owner(s) sign the title over to the buyer(s), the buyer(s) have 15 days to transfer the vehicle into their name. While most states will notify Kentucky of the title transfer, there are instances when they do not. Therefore, we recommend that the seller check with the County Clerk's Office after the 15 days have elapsed to ensure the title transfer took place. If the vehicle is still showing as active in the seller's name at that time, the seller will need to sign an affidavit (Form TC 96-3) stating that they sold the vehicle, including the date of sale and the buyer's information.

If you, as the seller, no longer need the license plate, return it to the Clerk's Office, and it will be deactivated it from your profile. If you have not renewed your registration this year and paid the current year's Ad Valorem taxes for the vehicle, the taxes will become due at time of transfer.

If you choose to mail in your plate, please send the plate and completed and notarized form to the address below. There is a $2.00 mail in fee, please send any payment as a check or money order.

Please mail the signed and notarized form and payment to:

Jefferson County Clerk's Office
Attn: Motor Vehicle Processing Center
200 South Fifth Street, Suite 230 South
Louisville, KY 40202

Motor Boat Transfers require previous owner's certificate of registration and/or title along with a Motor Boat Transaction Record/TC 96-184 (Rev: 2/2023). To print this form visit the Motor Vehicle Forms page. Older Boat titles may not have a field for the 'Physical Address for the vessel' or the 'Citizenship of the Primary Applicant'. In these cases, a Motor Boat Transaction Record/TC 96-184 (Rev: 2/2023) must be completed as well.

• Original title (no photocopies) or current registration and Motor Boat Transaction Record/TC 96-184 (Rev: 2/2023)
• Vessel Description (see Motor Boat Transaction Record/TC 96-184 (Rev: 2/2023) for details)
• Buyer(s) Valid KY Driver's License(s) or photocopy

All fees must be paid at time of transfer, including a $9 Motor Vehicle Title Application fee, notary fees (if applicable), plate registration fees (if applicable), and sales or usage tax. Any delinquent tax on the trailer being transferred must be paid prior to, or as part of, the transfer. Any delinquent tax on other vehicles owned by the purchaser must be paid prior to, or as part of, the transfer.

Required Paperwork

• Original title (no photocopies)
• Trailer description (length & number of axels)
• Buyer(s) Valid KY Driver's License(s) or photocopy