2025 Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 186 - Licensing of motor vehicles, operators, and trailers 186.174 Personalized license plates.
Universal Citation:
KY Rev Stat § 186.174 (2025)
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186.174 Personalized license plates.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
For purposes of this section, "personalized license plate" means a license plate
manufactured by the cabinet upon an applicant's request with specific letters or
numbers or combinations of letters and numbers significant to the applicant.
Any owner or lessee of a motor vehicle or recreational vehicle that is required to be
registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(1), (3)(a), (4)(a), or (11), or any
owner or lessee of a motorcycle required to be registered under the provisions of
KRS 186.050(2) may obtain a personalized license plate by submitting an
application through a website designated by the cabinet. The cabinet shall produce
the requested license plate upon approval and receipt of the fee required in
subsection (4) of this section for a special license plate, or the fee required in KRS
186.162 for a standard issue license plate.
Personalized license plates shall expire on the last day of the birth month of the
person to whom the license plate is registered.
(a) A personalized license plate shall be replaced on the same schedule as regular
issue license plates unless it is damaged or unreadable.
(b) A standard issued license plate may be personalized:
1.
For the fee established in KRS 186.162(2)(m) for a motor vehicle that is
required to be registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(1), (3)(a),
or (4)(a), or a motorcycle required to be registered under the provisions
of KRS 186.050(2); or
2.
For the fee established in KRS 186.162(2)(ad) for a recreational vehicle
that is required to be registered under the provisions of KRS
186.050(11).
(c) Any special license plate may be combined with a personalized license plate
for a twenty-five dollar ($25) state fee in addition to all other fees for the
particular special license plate established in this section and in KRS 186.164.
The twenty-five dollar ($25) fee required under this paragraph shall be
divided between the cabinet and the county clerk of the county where the
applicant resides with the cabinet receiving twenty dollars ($20) and the
county clerk receiving five dollars ($5).
(a) A personalized plate shall not be issued that would conflict with or duplicate
any current issued license plate.
(b) A personalized plate shall not be issued if the cabinet determines:
1.
The message to be placed on the license plate, if created, discriminates
against a race, color, religion, sex, or national origin;
2.
The plate message is the name of a trademarked or copyrighted product
or brand name; or
3.
The plate's lettering or message is obscene or profane, as determined by
the cabinet.
(c) Once an applicant obtains a personalized plate, he or she will have first
priority on that plate for each of the following years that he or she makes
timely renewal payments.
Effective: January 1, 2025
History: Amended 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 95, sec. 1, effective January 1, 2025. -- Amended
2022 Ky. Acts ch. 155, sec. 1, effective July 14, 2022. -- Amended 2019 Ky. Acts
ch. 107, sec. 4, effective June 27, 2019. -- Amended 2018 Ky. Acts ch. 148, sec. 1,
effective July 14, 2018. -- Amended 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 133, sec. 8, effective June 20,
2005. -- Amended 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 347, sec. 2, effective July 15, 2002. -Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 543, sec. 2, effective July 15, 1998. -- Amended 1996
Ky. Acts ch. 200, sec. 4, effective July 15, 1996. -- Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 428,
sec. 22, effective July 15, 1994. -- Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 296, sec. 4, effective
July 13, 1990; and ch. 498, sec. 4, effective July 13, 1990. -- Amended 1988 Ky.
Acts ch. 143, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1988; ch. 150, sec. 10, effective July 15, 1988;
and ch. 241, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1988. -- Amended 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 203, sec.
5, effective July 15, 1982. -- Amended 1980 Ky. Acts ch. 335, sec. 1, effective July
15, 1980. -- Amended 1978 Ky. Acts ch. 239, sec. 9, effective June 17, 1978. -Created 1976 Ky. Acts ch. 153, sec. 3, effective January 1, 1977.
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