New law to require KY drivers to remove license plate before selling car

Planning to sell or trade in a vehicle in Kentucky? Starting Jan. 1, you will have to take off the license plate before the new owner drives away with it.

The license plate law is tied to the rollout of Kentucky’s new motor vehicle registration system. The system, expected to go online in mid-January, will link license plates and registration tags to vehicle owners, not the vehicle itself.

“Previously, only owners of personalized or special license plates would keep their plates when transferring a vehicle,” Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw said in a statement. “A standard number plate would stay with the vehicle and each new owner of the vehicle would have that plate re-registered in that name. This new way will not only help bring Kentucky in line with practices in other states, but also comes with a number of benefits for drivers.”

The clerk’s office said vehicle owners who remove their Kentucky license plate from a car they sold or traded in can have that plate reassigned to another vehicle registered in the state, including a vehicle they recently purchased.

Vehicle buyers can also have their Kentucky license plate transferred to their new vehicle or purchase a new plate at a county clerk’s office.

“Drivers keeping their plates will retain their current registration, don’t need to re-memorize their plate numbers, and won’t lose a combination special to them when transferring their vehicles,” Erran Huber, spokesperson for the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office said in a statement. “Plates with expired registrations, including special plates, will need to be handed over to the Clerk’s Office and a new plate will be issued at the time of registration.”

Need to renew your registration?: Here’s why you’ll have to wait starting Jan. 1

There are some exceptions to the new policy. License plates for designated historic motor vehicles can not be transferred to vehicles less than 25 years old and plates for passenger vehicles can not go onto a tractor trailer. Customers with questions should reach out to their local county’s clerk office.

The new license plate policy is one of several set to take effect in the commonwealth in 2024. Lawmakers also passed an additional $120 fee electric vehicle owners will have to pay when renewing their registration. Revenue from the fee will go to the State Road Fund, which pays for road construction and maintenance projects managed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Owners of hybrid vehicles and electric motorcycles will also be required to contribute to the Road Fund by paying an additional $60 fee every year beginning in 2024.

The additional fees can be paid online or in person at a county clerk’s office. If making a payment in person, be sure to bring the informational postcard sent by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@courierjournal.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter