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AN ACT relating to motor vehicle license plates. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 186.174 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) For purposes of this section, "personalized license plate" means a license plate 4
manufactured by the cabinet upon an applicant's request with specific letters or 5
numbers or combinations of letters and numbers significant to the applicant. 6
(2) Any owner or lessee of a motor vehicle or recreational vehicle that is required to 7
be registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(1), (3)(a), [or ](4)(a), or (11), or 8
any owner or lessee of a motorcycle required to be registered under the provisions 9
of KRS 186.050(2) may obtain a personalized license plate by submitting an 10
application through a Web site designated by the cabinet. The cabinet shall produce 11
the requested license plate upon approval and receipt of the fee required in 12
subsection (4) of this section for a special license plate, or the fee required in KRS 13
186.162 for a standard issue license plate. 14
(3) Personalized license plates shall expire on the last day of the birth month of the 15
person to whom the license plate is registered. 16
(4) (a) A personalized license plate shall be replaced on the same schedule as regular 17
issue license plates unless it is damaged or unreadable. 18
(b) A standard issued license plate may be personalized: 19
(1) For the[a forty-three dollar ($43)] fee established in subsection (2)(m) 20
of Section 2 of this Act for a motor vehicle that is required to be 21
registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(1), (3)(a), or (4)(a), or 22
a motorcycle required to be registered under the provisions of KRS 23
186.050(2); or 24
(2) For the fee established in subsection (2)(ad) of Section 2 of this Act 25
for a recreational vehicle that is required to be registered under the 26
provisions of KRS 186.050(11)[as provided in KRS 186.162(2)(m), in 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 881
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addition to all other fees established in this section and in KRS 1
186.050]. 2
(c) Any special license plate may be combined with a personalized license plate 3
for a twenty-five dollar ($25) state fee in addition to all other fees for the 4
particular special license plate established in this section and in KRS 186.164. 5
The twenty-five dollar ($25) fee required under this paragraph shall be 6
divided between the cabinet and the county clerk of the county where the 7
applicant resides with the cabinet receiving twenty dollars ($20) and the 8
county clerk receiving five dollars ($5). 9
(5) (a) A personalized plate shall not be issued that would conflict with or duplicate 10
any current issued license plate. 11
(b) A personalized plate shall not be issued if the cabinet determines: 12
1. The message to be placed on the license plate, if created, discriminates 13
against a race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; 14
2. The plate message is the name of a trademarked or copyrighted product 15
or brand name; or 16
3. The plate's lettering or message is obscene or profane, as determined by 17
the cabinet. 18
(c) Once an applicant obtains a personalized plate, he or she will have first 19
priority on that plate for each of the following years that he or she makes 20
timely renewal payments. 21
Section 2. KRS 186.162 (Effective January 1, 2024) is amended to read as 22
follows: 23
(1) As used in this section and in KRS 186.043, 186.164, 186.166, 186.1722, and 24
186.174: 25
(a) "Special license plate" means a unique license plate issued under this chapter 26
to a group or organization that readily identifies the operator of the motor 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 881
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vehicle or motorcycle bearing the plate as a member of a group or 1
organization, or a supporter of the work, goals, or mission of a group or 2
organization. The term shall not include regular license plates issued under 3
KRS 186.240; 4
(b) "Street rod" means a modernized private passenger motor vehicle 5
manufactured prior to the year 1949, or designed or manufactured to resemble 6
a vehicle manufactured prior to 1949; 7
(c) "SF" means the portion of an initial or renewal fee to obtain a special license 8
plate that is dedicated for use by the Transportation Cabinet; 9
(d) "CF" means the county clerk's fee for issuing a motor vehicle registration as 10
established under KRS 186.040(1). If a CF amount is charged for a license 11
plate listed in this section, the applicant for that plate shall also pay the fees 12
identified in KRS 186.040(6). If a CF amount is not charged, the applicant 13
shall not be required to pay those fees; and 14
(e) "EF" means the portion of an initial or renewal fee to obtain a special license 15
plate that is mandated by this chapter to be dedicated for use by a particular 16
group or organization. 17
(2) The initial purchase fee and renewal fee for a special license plate created under this 18
chapter shall be as established in this subsection and includes the name of group or 19
organization and the total initial and renewal fee required for the plate. The amount 20
in parentheses indicates how the total fee is required to be divided: 21
(a) Disabled veterans who receive assistance to purchase a vehicle from the 22
United States Department of Veterans' Affairs, veterans declared by the 23
United States Department of Veterans' Affairs to be one hundred percent 24
(100%) service-connected disabled, and recipients of the Congressional 25
Medal of Honor: 26
1. Initial Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/$0 EF). 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 881
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2. Renewal Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/$0 EF). 1
(b) Former prisoners of war and survivors of Pearl Harbor: 2
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 3
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 4
2. Renewal Fee: $11[$6] ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5[$0] EF to the veterans' 5
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 6
(c) Members of the Kentucky National Guard and recipients of the Purple Heart: 7
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 8
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 9
2. Renewal Fee: $11 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 10
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 11
(d) Members of the Civil Air Patrol; active, retired, veteran, reserve, or auxiliary 12
members of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast 13
Guard; Merchant Marines who served between December 7, 1941, and 14
August 15, 1945; recipients of the Silver Star Medal, the Distinguished Flying 15
Cross, the Air Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Combat Infantry Badge, 16
or the Bronze Star Medal; persons who wish to receive Gold Star Mothers, 17
Gold Star Fathers, or Gold Star Spouses license plates beyond the two (2) 18
exempted from fees under KRS 186.041(6); individuals eligible for a special 19
military service academy license plate under KRS 186.041(8); individuals 20
eligible for a special military unit license plate under KRS 186.163; and 21
disabled veterans who have been declared to be between fifty percent (50%) 22
and ninety-nine percent (99%) service-connected disabled by the United 23
States Department of Veterans' Affairs: 24
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 25
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 26
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 881
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program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 1
(e) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force 2
Cross: 3
1. Initial Fee: $6 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 4
2. Renewal Fee: $6 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 5
(f) Disabled license plates: 6
1. Initial Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 7
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 8
(g) Historic vehicles: 9
1. Initial Fee for two plates: $56 ($50 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 10
2. Renewal Fee: Do not renew annually. 11
(h) Members of Congress: 12
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 13
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 14
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 15
(i) Firefighters: 16
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 17
Firefighters Association). 18
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 19
Firefighters Association). 20
(j) Emergency management: 21
1. Initial Fee: $31 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 22
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 23
(k) Fraternal Order of Police: 24
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 25
FOP Death Benefit Fund). 26
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 881
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FOP Death Benefit Fund). 1
(l) Law Enforcement Memorial: 2
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 3
Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, Inc.). 4
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 5
Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, Inc.). 6
(m) Personalized plates for a motor vehicle that is required to be registered 7
under KRS 186.050(1), (3)(a), or (4)(a), or a motorcycle required to be 8
registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(2): 9
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 10
2. Renewal Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 11
(n) Street rods: 12
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 13
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 14
(o) Nature plates: 15
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky 16
Heritage Land Conservation Fund established under KRS 146.570). 17
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky 18
Heritage Land Conservation Fund established under KRS 146.570). 19
(p) Amateur radio: 20
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 21
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 22
(q) Kentucky General Assembly: 23
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 24
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 25
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 26
(r) Kentucky Court of Justice: 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 881
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1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 1
2. Renewal Fee: $11 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 2
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 3
(s) Masons: 4
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Masonic 5
Homes of Kentucky). 6
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Masonic 7
Homes of Kentucky). 8
(t) Collegiate plates: 9
1. Initial Fee: $53 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the general 10
scholarship fund of the university whose name will be borne on the 11
plate). 12
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the general 13
scholarship fund of the university whose name will be borne on the 14
plate). 15
(u) Independent Colleges: 16
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Association of 17
Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities for distribution to the 18
general scholarship funds of the Association's members). 19
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Association of 20
Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities for distribution to the 21
general scholarship funds of the Association's members). 22
(v) Child Victims: 23
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the child victims' 24
trust fund established under KRS 41.400). 25
2. Renewal Fee: $28[$23] ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10[$5] EF to the child 26
victims' trust fund established under KRS 41.400). 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 881
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(w) Kentucky Horse Council: 1
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 2
Horse Council). 3
2. Renewal Fee: $28[$23] ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10[$5] EF to the Kentucky 4
Horse Council). 5
(x) Ducks Unlimited: 6
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky Ducks 7
Unlimited). 8
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky Ducks 9
Unlimited). 10
(y) Spay neuter: 11
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the animal control 12
and care fund established under KRS 258.119). 13
2. Renewal Fee: $28[$23] ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10[$5] EF to the animal 14
control and care fund established under KRS 258.119). 15
(z) Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Fathers, or Gold Star Spouses: 16
1. Initial Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/ $0 EF). 17
2. Renewal Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/ $0 EF). 18
3. A person may receive a maximum of two (2) plates under this paragraph 19
free of charge and may purchase additional plates for fees as established 20
in subsection (2)(d) of this section. 21
(aa) I Support Veterans: 22
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 23
Department of Veterans' Affairs). 24
2. Renewal Fee: $28[$23] ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10[$5] EF to the Kentucky 25
Department of Veterans' Affairs). 26
(ab) Gold Star Siblings, Gold Star Sons, or Gold Star Daughters: 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 881
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1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 1
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 2
2. Renewal Fee: $28[$23] ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10[$5] EF to the veterans' 3
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 4
(ac) POW/MIA Awareness: 5
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 6
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 7
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 8
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 9
(ad) Personalized plates for a recreational vehicle that is required to be 10
registered under KRS 186.050(11): 11
1. Initial Fee: $51 ($45 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 12
2. Renewal Fee: $51 ($45 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 13
(ae) Special license plates established under KRS 186.164: 14
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF). 15
2. Renewal Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF). 16
(3) Any special license plate may be combined with a personalized license plate for a 17
twenty-five dollar ($25) state fee in addition to all other fees for the particular 18
special license plate established in this section and in KRS 186.164(3). The twenty-19
five dollar ($25) fee required under this subsection shall be divided between the 20
cabinet and the county clerk of the county where the applicant is applying for the 21
license plate with the cabinet receiving twenty dollars ($20) and the county clerk 22
receiving five dollars ($5). 23
(4) (a) A sponsoring organization of any special license plate issued under this 24
section or any special license plate established under the provisions of KRS 25
186.164 may petition the cabinet for the production of that special license 26
plate for motorcycles. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 881
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(b) The cabinet shall make all of the special military license plates in this section 1
available for motorcycles owned or leased by eligible individuals. 2
(c) Owners and lessees of motorcycles registered under KRS 186.050(2) may be 3
eligible to receive special license plates approved by the cabinet under 4
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection. Applicants for a special license plate 5
for a motorcycle shall be required to pay the fee for a special plate as 6
prescribed in this section or in KRS 186.164. The fee paid for the special plate 7
for a motorcycle shall be in lieu of the registration fee required under KRS 8
186.050(2). 9
Section 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2025. 10