2025 Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 186 - Licensing of motor vehicles, operators, and trailers 186.170 Retention of receipt -- Display of registration plates -- Decals to cover corporation trademark -- Registration years.
Universal Citation:
KY Rev Stat § 186.170 (2025)
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186.170 Retention of receipt -- Display of registration plates -- Decals to cover
corporation trademark -- Registration years.
(1)
(2)
(3)
Except as provided in this subsection and KRS 186A.127 and 186.045, the owner
shall have the receipt issued by the cabinet through the county clerk constantly in
his possession, and shall display the registration plate conspicuously upon the rear
of the motor vehicle, except that the registration plate upon a semitrailer-tractor
shall be displayed upon the front of the tractor. The owner's copy, or a reproduced
copy thereof, of the registration receipt of every motor vehicle, except motorcycles,
licensed under KRS 186.050 shall be kept in the vehicle at all times and shall be
available for inspection. Plates shall be kept legible at all times and the rear plate
shall be illuminated when being operated during the hours designated in KRS
189.030. No rim, frame, or other covering around the plate shall in any way obscure
or cover any lettering or decal on the plate; except that, any owner who objects to
the display of a trademark of a private corporation which appears on the registration
plate shall be entitled to receive a set of decals from the county clerk in his or her
county of residence to cover the trademark of the private corporation. The owner
may apply for the decal by presenting his or her certificate of registration either at
the time of registration renewal or later. The county clerk shall charge a three dollar
($3) clerk's fee for issuing the decal set if it is applied for a time other than at
registration renewal. If the cabinet has prescribed that plates shall continue in use, it
shall each year, in addition to the registration receipt, select and give to the owner
as further evidence of registration some insignia which may conveniently be
attached permanently and conspicuously to the motor vehicle during each
registration year. It shall be the duty of the owner to attach the insignia in the
prescribed manner and no person may operate a motor vehicle unless the insignia is
affixed upon it. The cabinet shall have placed on the insignia either figures, letters,
writing, marks, or a combination thereof, which indicate that the motor vehicle has
been registered and which in conjunction with the records of the cabinet make
identity of the registrant readily ascertainable.
The registration year for commercial vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, mobile homes,
and recreational vehicles shall be from April 1 to March 31.
At the discretion of the vehicle owner, the title to a motor vehicle may be held in
the system and subsequently printed and mailed to the owner at the owner's request.
Effective: January 1, 2024
History: Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 18, sec. 14, effective January 1, 2024. -Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 128, sec. 10, effective July 15, 1998. -- Amended 1996
Ky. Acts ch. 97, sec. 4, effective July 15, 1996. -- Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 428,
sec. 12, effective July 15, 1994. -- Amended 1988 Ky. Acts ch. 287, sec. 3, effective
July 15, 1988. -- Amended 1986 Ky. Acts ch. 86, sec. 2, effective July 15, 1986; and
ch. 431, sec. 12, effective July 15, 1986. -- Amended 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 395, sec. 9,
effective July 15, 1982. -- Amended 1978 Ky. Acts ch. 239, sec. 7, effective June 17,
1978. -- Amended 1976 Ky. Acts ch. 133, sec. 9, effective June 19, 1976. -Amended 1966 Ky. Acts ch. 139, sec. 11, effective January 1, 1967. -- Amended
1962 Ky. Acts ch. 62, sec. 9, effective June 1, 1963. -- Amended 1958 Ky. Acts ch.
82, sec. 5, effective January 1, 1960. -- Amended 1954 Ky. Acts ch. 153, sec. 5. -Amended 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 78, secs. 5 and 10. -- Recodified 1942 Ky. Acts ch.
208, sec. 1, effective October 1, 1942, from Ky. Stat. sec. 2739g-11.
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