UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 892
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AN ACT relating to special license plates. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 186.162 (Effective January 1, 2025) is amended to read as 3
follows: 4
(1) As used in this section and in KRS 186.043, 186.164, 186.166, 186.1722, and 5
186.174: 6
(a) "Special license plate" means a unique license plate issued under this chapter 7
to a group or organization that readily identifies the operator of the motor 8
vehicle or motorcycle bearing the plate as a member of a group or 9
organization, or a supporter of the work, goals, or mission of a group or 10
organization. The term shall not include regular license plates issued under 11
KRS 186.240; 12
(b) "Street rod" means a modernized private passenger motor vehicle 13
manufactured prior to the year 1949, or designed or manufactured to resemble 14
a vehicle manufactured prior to 1949; 15
(c) "SF" means the portion of an initial or renewal fee to obtain a special license 16
plate that is dedicated for use by the Transportation Cabinet; 17
(d) "CF" means the county clerk's fee for issuing a motor vehicle registration as 18
established under KRS 186.040(1). If a CF amount is charged for a license 19
plate listed in this section, the applicant for that plate shall also pay the fees 20
identified in KRS 186.040(6). If a CF amount is not charged, the applicant 21
shall not be required to pay those fees; and 22
(e) "EF" means the portion of an initial or renewal fee to obtain a special license 23
plate that is mandated by this chapter to be dedicated for use by a particular 24
group or organization. 25
(2) The initial purchase fee and renewal fee for a special license plate created under this 26
chapter shall be as established in this subsection and includes the name of group or 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 892
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organization and the total initial and renewal fee required for the plate. The amount 1
in parentheses indicates how the total fee is required to be divided: 2
(a) Disabled veterans who receive assistance to purchase a vehicle from the 3
United States Department of Veterans' Affairs, veterans declared by the 4
United States Department of Veterans' Affairs to be one hundred percent 5
(100%) service-connected disabled, and recipients of the Congressional 6
Medal of Honor: 7
1. Initial Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/$0 EF). 8
2. Renewal Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/$0 EF). 9
(b) Former prisoners of war and survivors of Pearl Harbor: 10
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 11
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 12
2. Renewal Fee: $11 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 13
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 14
(c) Members of the Kentucky National Guard and recipients of the Purple Heart: 15
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 16
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 17
2. Renewal Fee: $11 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 18
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 19
(d) Members of the Civil Air Patrol; active, retired, veteran, reserve, or auxiliary 20
members of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space 21
Force, or Coast Guard; Merchant Marines who served between December 7, 22
1941, and August 15, 1945; recipients of the Silver Star Medal, the Legion of 23
Merit Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Combat 24
Action Badge, the Combat Infantry Badge, or the Bronze Star Medal; persons 25
who wish to receive Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Fathers, or Gold Star 26
Spouses license plates beyond the two (2) exempted from fees under KRS 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 892
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186.041(6); individuals eligible for a special military service academy license 1
plate under KRS 186.041(8); individuals eligible for a special military unit 2
license plate under KRS 186.163; and disabled veterans who have been 3
declared to be between fifty percent (50%) and ninety-nine percent (99%) 4
service-connected disabled by the United States Department of Veterans' 5
Affairs: 6
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 7
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 8
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 9
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 10
(e) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force 11
Cross: 12
1. Initial Fee: $6 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 13
2. Renewal Fee: $6 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 14
(f) Disabled license plates: 15
1. Initial Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 16
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 17
(g) Historic vehicles: 18
1. Initial Fee for two plates: $56 ($50 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 19
2. Renewal Fee: Do not renew annually. 20
(h) Members of Congress: 21
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 22
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 23
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 24
(i) Firefighters: 25
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 26
Firefighters Association). 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 892
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2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 1
Firefighters Association). 2
(j) Emergency management: 3
1. Initial Fee: $31 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 4
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 5
(k) Fraternal Order of Police: 6
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 7
FOP Death Benefit Fund). 8
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 9
FOP Death Benefit Fund). 10
(l) Law Enforcement Memorial: 11
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 12
Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, Inc.). 13
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 14
Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, Inc.). 15
(m) Personalized plates for a motor vehicle that is required to be registered under 16
the provisions of KRS 186.050(1), (3)(a), or (4)(a), or a motorcycle required 17
to be registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(2): 18
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 19
2. Renewal Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 20
(n) Street rods: 21
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 22
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 23
(o) Nature plates: 24
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky 25
Heritage Land Conservation Fund established under KRS 146.570). 26
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 892
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Heritage Land Conservation Fund established under KRS 146.570). 1
(p) Amateur radio: 2
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 3
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 4
(q) Kentucky General Assembly: 5
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 6
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 7
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 8
(r) Kentucky Court of Justice: 9
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 10
2. Renewal Fee: $11 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 11
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 12
(s) Masons: 13
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Masonic 14
Homes of Kentucky). 15
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Masonic 16
Homes of Kentucky). 17
(t) Collegiate plates: 18
1. Initial Fee: $53 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the general 19
scholarship fund of the university whose name will be borne on the 20
plate). 21
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the general 22
scholarship fund of the university whose name will be borne on the 23
plate). 24
(u) Independent Colleges: 25
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Association of 26
Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities for distribution to the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 892
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general scholarship funds of the Association's members). 1
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Association of 2
Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities for distribution to the 3
general scholarship funds of the Association's members). 4
(v) Child Victims: 5
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the child victims' 6
trust fund established under KRS 41.400). 7
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the child victims' 8
trust fund established under KRS 41.400). 9
(w) Kentucky Horse Council: 10
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 11
Horse Council). 12
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 13
Horse Council). 14
(x) Ducks Unlimited: 15
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky Ducks 16
Unlimited). 17
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky Ducks 18
Unlimited). 19
(y) Spay neuter: 20
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the animal control 21
and care fund established under KRS 258.119). 22
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the animal control 23
and care fund established under KRS 258.119). 24
(z) Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Fathers, or Gold Star Spouses: 25
1. Initial Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/ $0 EF). 26
2. Renewal Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/ $0 EF). 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 892
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3. A person may receive a maximum of two (2) plates under this paragraph 1
free of charge and may purchase additional plates for fees as established 2
in subsection (2)(d) of this section. 3
(aa) I Support Veterans: 4
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 5
Department of Veterans' Affairs). 6
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 7
Department of Veterans' Affairs). 8
(ab) Gold Star Siblings, Gold Star Sons, or Gold Star Daughters: 9
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 10
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 11
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 12
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 13
(ac) POW/MIA Awareness: 14
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 15
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 16
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 17
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 18
(ad) Personalized plates for a recreational vehicle that is required to be registered 19
under the provisions of KRS 186.050(11): 20
1. Initial Fee: $51 ($45 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 21
2. Renewal Fee: $51 ($45 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 22
(ae) Friends of Kentucky Agriculture: 23
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the agricultural 24
program trust fund established under KRS 246.247). 25
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the agricultural 26
program trust fund established under KRS 246.247). 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 892
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(af) Special license plates established under KRS 186.164: 1
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF). 2
2. Renewal Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF). 3
(3) Any special license plate may be combined with a personalized license plate for a 4
twenty-five dollar ($25) state fee in addition to all other fees for the particular 5
special license plate established in this section and in KRS 186.164(3). The twenty-6
five dollar ($25) fee required under this subsection shall be divided between the 7
cabinet and the county clerk of the county where the applicant is applying for the 8
license plate with the cabinet receiving twenty dollars ($20) and the county clerk 9
receiving five dollars ($5). 10
(4) (a) A sponsoring organization of any special license plate issued under this 11
section or any special license plate established under the provisions of KRS 12
186.164 may petition the cabinet for the production of that special license 13
plate for motorcycles. 14
(b) The cabinet shall make all of the special military license plates in this section 15
available for motorcycles owned or leased by eligible individuals. 16
(c) Owners and lessees of motorcycles registered under KRS 186.050(2) may be 17
eligible to receive special license plates approved by the cabinet under 18
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection. Applicants for a special license plate 19
for a motorcycle shall be required to pay the fee for a special plate as 20
prescribed in this section or in KRS 186.164. The fee paid for the special plate 21
for a motorcycle shall be in lieu of the registration fee required under KRS 22
186.050(2). 23
(5) The Transportation Cabinet shall: 24
(a) Identify the cost of issuing a child victims' trust fund special license plate 25
under subsection (2)(v) of this section; and 26
(b) Transfer any revenue received from the initial or renewal SF fee that is in 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 892
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excess of the cost identified in paragraph (a) of this subsection to the child 1
victims' trust fund established under KRS 41.400. 2
Section 2. KRS 186.166 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) The Transportation Cabinet shall, unless directed otherwise by the General 4
Assembly, perpetually produce the following special license plates: military license 5
plates, military unit license plates, U.S. Congressional license plates, firefighter 6
license plates, emergency management license plates, Fraternal Order of Police 7
license plates, Law Enforcement Memorial license plates, street rod license plates, 8
nature license plates, amateur radio license plates, Kentucky General Assembly 9
license plates, Kentucky Court of Justice license plates, Masonic Order license 10
plates, collegiate license plates, independent college and university license plates, 11
child victims' trust fund license plates, Kentucky Horse Council license plates, 12
Ducks Unlimited license plates, Gold Star Mothers, Fathers, and Spouses license 13
plates, Gold Star Siblings, Sons, and Daughters license plates, Silver Star Medal 14
license plates, Legion of Merit Medal license plates, Bronze Star Medal license 15
plates, Air Medal license plates, Distinguished Flying Cross license plates, Combat 16
Action Badge license plates, Combat Infantry Badge license plates, POW/MIA 17
Awareness license plates, spay neuter license plates, service academy license plates, 18
friends of Kentucky agriculture license plates, and I Support Veterans license 19
plates. 20
(2) The design of the plates identified for perpetual production under this section may 21
be revised upon request of a group or organization requesting a design revision 22
under the provisions of KRS 186.164(15). 23
(3) (a) The design of a Purple Heart license plate shall not include any representation 24
of the word "Kentucky" that is a registered trademark or slogan which appears 25
on a general issue license plate. 26
(b) The design of a Purple Heart license plate shall include a representation of the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 892
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Purple Heart medal and the words "Combat Wounded." 1