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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 for a forty-three dollar 19
($43) fee as provided in KRS 186.162(2)(m), in addition to all other fees 20
established in this section and in KRS 186.050. 21
(c) Any special license plate may be combined with a personalized license plate 22
for a twenty-five dollar ($25) state fee in addition to all other fees for the 23
particular special license plate established in this section and in KRS 186.164. 24
The twenty-five dollar ($25) fee required under this paragraph shall be 25
divided between the cabinet and the county clerk of the county where the 26
applicant resides with the cabinet receiving twenty dollars ($20) and the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 459
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county clerk receiving five dollars ($5). 1
(5) (a) A personalized plate shall not be issued that would conflict with or duplicate 2
any current issued license plate. 3
(b) A personalized plate shall not be issued if the cabinet determines: 4
1. The message to be placed on the license plate, if created, discriminates 5
against a race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; 6
2. The plate message is the name of a trademarked or copyrighted product 7
or brand name; or 8
3. The plate's lettering or message is obscene or profane, as determined by 9
the cabinet. 10
(c) Once an applicant obtains a personalized plate, he or she will have first 11
priority on that plate for each of the following years that he or she makes 12
timely renewal payments. 13
Section 2. KRS 186.162 (Effective January 1, 2024) is amended to read as 14
follows: 15
(1) As used in this section and in KRS 186.043, 186.164, 186.166, 186.1722, and 16
186.174: 17
(a) "Special license plate" means a unique license plate issued under this chapter 18
to a group or organization that readily identifies the operator of the motor 19
vehicle or motorcycle bearing the plate as a member of a group or 20
organization, or a supporter of the work, goals, or mission of a group or 21
organization. The term shall not include regular license plates issued under 22
KRS 186.240; 23
(b) "Street rod" means a modernized private passenger motor vehicle 24
manufactured prior to the year 1949, or designed or manufactured to resemble 25
a vehicle manufactured prior to 1949; 26
(c) "SF" means the portion of an initial or renewal fee to obtain a special license 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 459
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plate that is dedicated for use by the Transportation Cabinet; 1
(d) "CF" means the county clerk's fee for issuing a motor vehicle registration as 2
established under KRS 186.040(1). If a CF amount is charged for a license 3
plate listed in this section, the applicant for that plate shall also pay the fees 4
identified in KRS 186.040(6). If a CF amount is not charged, the applicant 5
shall not be required to pay those fees; and 6
(e) "EF" means the portion of an initial or renewal fee to obtain a special license 7
plate that is mandated by this chapter to be dedicated for use by a particular 8
group or organization. 9
(2) The initial purchase fee and renewal fee for a special license plate created under this 10
chapter shall be as established in this subsection and includes the name of group or 11
organization and the total initial and renewal fee required for the plate. The amount 12
in parentheses indicates how the total fee is required to be divided: 13
(a) Disabled veterans who receive assistance to purchase a vehicle from the 14
United States Department of Veterans' Affairs, veterans declared by the 15
United States Department of Veterans' Affairs to be one hundred percent 16
(100%) service-connected disabled, and recipients of the Congressional 17
Medal of Honor: 18
1. Initial Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/$0 EF). 19
2. Renewal Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/$0 EF). 20
(b) Former prisoners of war and survivors of Pearl Harbor: 21
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 22
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 23
2. Renewal Fee: $11[$6] ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5[$0] EF to the 24
veterans' program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 25
(c) Members of the Kentucky National Guard and recipients of the Purple Heart: 26
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 459
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program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 1
2. Renewal Fee: $11 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 2
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 3
(d) Members of the Civil Air Patrol; active, retired, veteran, reserve, or auxiliary 4
members of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast 5
Guard; Merchant Marines who served between December 7, 1941, and 6
August 15, 1945; recipients of the Silver Star Medal, the Distinguished Flying 7
Cross, the Air Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Combat Infantry Badge, 8
or the Bronze Star Medal; persons who wish to receive Gold Star Mothers, 9
Gold Star Fathers, or Gold Star Spouses license plates beyond the two (2) 10
exempted from fees under KRS 186.041(6); individuals eligible for a special 11
military service academy license plate under KRS 186.041(8); individuals 12
eligible for a special military unit license plate under KRS 186.163; and 13
disabled veterans who have been declared to be between fifty percent (50%) 14
and ninety-nine percent (99%) service-connected disabled by the United 15
States Department of Veterans' Affairs: 16
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 17
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 18
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 19
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 20
(e) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force 21
Cross: 22
1. Initial Fee: $6 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 23
2. Renewal Fee: $6 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 24
(f) Disabled license plates: 25
1. Initial Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 26
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 459
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(g) Historic vehicles: 1
1. Initial Fee for two plates: $56 ($50 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 2
2. Renewal Fee: Do not renew annually. 3
(h) Members of Congress: 4
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 5
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 6
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 7
(i) Firefighters: 8
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 9
Firefighters Association). 10
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 11
Firefighters Association). 12
(j) Emergency management: 13
1. Initial Fee: $31 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 14
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 15
(k) Fraternal Order of Police: 16
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 17
FOP Death Benefit Fund). 18
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 19
FOP Death Benefit Fund). 20
(l) Law Enforcement Memorial: 21
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 22
Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, Inc.). 23
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 24
Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, Inc.). 25
(m) Personalized plates for a motor vehicle that is required to be registered 26
under the provisions of KRS 186.050(1), (3)(a), or (4)(a), or a motorcycle 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 459
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required to be registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(2): 1
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 2
2. Renewal Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 3
(n) Street rods: 4
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 5
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 6
(o) Nature plates: 7
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky 8
Heritage Land Conservation Fund established under KRS 146.570). 9
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky 10
Heritage Land Conservation Fund established under KRS 146.570). 11
(p) Amateur radio: 12
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 13
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 14
(q) Kentucky General Assembly: 15
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 16
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 17
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 18
(r) Kentucky Court of Justice: 19
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 20
2. Renewal Fee: $11 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 21
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 22
(s) Masons: 23
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Masonic 24
Homes of Kentucky). 25
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Masonic 26
Homes of Kentucky). 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 459
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(t) Collegiate plates: 1
1. Initial Fee: $53 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the general 2
scholarship fund of the university whose name will be borne on the 3
plate). 4
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the general 5
scholarship fund of the university whose name will be borne on the 6
plate). 7
(u) Independent Colleges: 8
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Association of 9
Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities for distribution to the 10
general scholarship funds of the Association's members). 11
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Association of 12
Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities for distribution to the 13
general scholarship funds of the Association's members). 14
(v) Child Victims: 15
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the child victims' 16
trust fund established under KRS 41.400). 17
2. Renewal Fee: $28[$23] ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10[$5] EF to the 18
child victims' trust fund established under KRS 41.400). 19
(w) Kentucky Horse Council: 20
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 21
Horse Council). 22
2. Renewal Fee: $28[$23] ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10[$5] EF to the 23
Kentucky Horse Council). 24
(x) Ducks Unlimited: 25
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky Ducks 26
Unlimited). 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 459
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2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky Ducks 1
Unlimited). 2
(y) Spay neuter: 3
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the animal control 4
and care fund established under KRS 258.119). 5
2. Renewal Fee: $28[$23] ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10[$5] EF to the 6
animal control and care fund established under KRS 258.119). 7
(z) Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Fathers, or Gold Star Spouses: 8
1. Initial Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/ $0 EF). 9
2. Renewal Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/ $0 EF). 10
3. A person may receive a maximum of two (2) plates under this paragraph 11
free of charge and may purchase additional plates for fees as established 12
in subsection (2)(d) of this section. 13
(aa) I Support Veterans: 14
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 15
Department of Veterans' Affairs). 16
2. Renewal Fee: $28[$23] ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10[$5] EF to the 17
Kentucky Department of Veterans' Affairs). 18
(ab) Gold Star Siblings, Gold Star Sons, or Gold Star Daughters: 19
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 20
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 21
2. Renewal Fee: $28[$23] ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10[$5] EF to the 22
veterans' program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 23
(ac) POW/MIA Awareness: 24
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 25
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 26
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 459
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program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 1
(ad) Personalized plates for a recreational vehicle that is required to be 2
registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(11): 3
1. Initial Fee: $51 ($45 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 4
2. Renewal Fee: $51 ($45 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 5
(ae) Special license plates established under KRS 186.164: 6
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF). 7
2. Renewal Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF). 8
(3) Any special license plate may be combined with a personalized license plate for a 9
twenty-five dollar ($25) state fee in addition to all other fees for the particular 10
special license plate established in this section and in KRS 186.164(3). The twenty-11
five dollar ($25) fee required under this subsection shall be divided between the 12
cabinet and the county clerk of the county where the applicant is applying for the 13
license plate with the cabinet receiving twenty dollars ($20) and the county clerk 14
receiving five dollars ($5). 15
(4) (a) A sponsoring organization of any special license plate issued under this 16
section or any special license plate established under the provisions of KRS 17
186.164 may petition the cabinet for the production of that special license 18
plate for motorcycles. 19
(b) The cabinet shall make all of the special military license plates in this section 20
available for motorcycles owned or leased by eligible individuals. 21
(c) Owners and lessees of motorcycles registered under KRS 186.050(2) may be 22
eligible to receive special license plates approved by the cabinet under 23
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection. Applicants for a special license plate 24
for a motorcycle shall be required to pay the fee for a special plate as 25
prescribed in this section or in KRS 186.164. The fee paid for the special plate 26
for a motorcycle shall be in lieu of the registration fee required under KRS 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 459
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186.050(2). 1