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AN ACT relating to personalized license plates, making an appropriation therefor, 1
and declaring an emergency. 2
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 3
Section 1. KRS 186.174 is amended to read as follows: 4
(1) For purposes of this section, "personalized license plate" means a license plate 5
manufactured by the cabinet upon an applicant's request with specific letters or 6
numbers or combinations of letters and numbers significant to the applicant. 7
(2) Any owner or lessee of a motor vehicle that is required to be registered under the 8
provisions of KRS 186.050(1), (3)(a), or (4)(a), or any owner or lessee of a 9
motorcycle required to be registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(2) may 10
obtain a personalized license plate by submitting an application through a Web site 11
designated by the cabinet. The cabinet shall produce the requested license plate 12
upon approval and receipt of the fee required in subsection (4) of this section for a 13
special license plate, or the fee required in KRS 186.162 for a standard issue license 14
plate. 15
(3) Personalized license plates shall expire on the last day of the birth month of the 16
person to whom the license plate is registered. 17
(4) (a) A personalized license plate shall be replaced on the same schedule as regular 18
issue license plates unless it is damaged or unreadable. 19
(b) A standard issued license plate may be personalized for a forty-three dollar 20
($43) fee as provided in KRS 186.162(2)(m)[, in addition to all other fees 21
established in this section and in KRS 186.050]. 22
(c) Any special license plate may be combined with a personalized license plate 23
for a twenty-five dollar ($25) state fee in addition to all other fees for the 24
particular special license plate established in this section and in KRS 186.164. 25
The twenty-five dollar ($25) fee required under this paragraph shall be divided 26
between the cabinet and the county clerk of the county where the applicant 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 244
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resides with the cabinet receiving twenty dollars ($20) and the county clerk 1
receiving five dollars ($5). 2
(5) (a) A personalized plate shall not be issued that would conflict with or duplicate 3
any current issued license plate. 4
(b) A personalized plate shall not be issued if the cabinet determines: 5
1. The message to be placed on the license plate, if created, discriminates 6
against a race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; 7
2. The plate message is the name of a trademarked or copyrighted product 8
or brand name; or 9
3. The plate's lettering or message is obscene or profane, as determined by 10
the cabinet. 11
(c) Once an applicant obtains a personalized plate, he or she will have first 12
priority on that plate for each of the following years that he or she makes 13
timely renewal payments. 14
Section 2. The Transportation Cabinet shall issue a refund to any individual 15
who, between July 14, 2022, and the effective date of this Act, paid any fees for an initial 16
or renewal registration for a personalized license plate that were in excess of those 17
identified in KRS 186.162. 18
Section 3. Whereas this Act corrects a situation where individuals applying for 19
personalized license plates are essentially being charged a double vehicle registration fee, 20
an emergency is declared to exist, and this Act takes effect upon its passage and approval 21
by the Governor or upon its otherwise becoming a law. 22