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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 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) As used in this section and in KRS 186.043, 186.164, 186.166, 186.1722, and 4
186.174: 5
(a) "Special license plate" means a unique license plate issued under this chapter 6
to a group or organization that readily identifies the operator of the motor 7
vehicle or motorcycle bearing the plate as a member of a group or 8
organization, or a supporter of the work, goals, or mission of a group or 9
organization. The term shall not include regular license plates issued under 10
KRS 186.240; 11
(b) "Street rod" means a modernized private passenger motor vehicle 12
manufactured prior to the year 1949, or designed or manufactured to resemble 13
a vehicle manufactured prior to 1949; 14
(c) "SF" means the portion of an initial or renewal fee to obtain a special license 15
plate that is dedicated for use by the Transportation Cabinet; 16
(d) "CF" means the county clerk's fee for issuing a motor vehicle registration as 17
established under KRS 186.040(1). If a CF amount is charged for a license 18
plate listed in this section, the applicant for that plate shall also pay the fees 19
identified in KRS 186.040(6). If a CF amount is not charged, the applicant 20
shall not be required to pay those fees; and 21
(e) "EF" means the portion of an initial or renewal fee to obtain a special license 22
plate that is mandated by this chapter to be dedicated for use by a particular 23
group or organization. 24
(2) The initial purchase fee and renewal fee for a special license plate created under this 25
chapter shall be as established in this subsection and includes the name of group or 26
organization and the total initial and renewal fee required for the plate. The amount 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 145
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in parentheses indicates how the total fee is required to be divided: 1
(a) Disabled veterans who receive assistance to purchase a vehicle from the 2
United States Department of Veterans' Affairs, veterans declared by the 3
United States Department of Veterans' Affairs to be one hundred percent 4
(100%) service-connected disabled, and recipients of the Congressional 5
Medal of Honor: 6
1. Initial Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/$0 EF). 7
2. Renewal Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/$0 EF). 8
(b) Former prisoners of war and survivors of Pearl Harbor: 9
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 10
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 11
2. Renewal Fee: $11 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 12
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 13
(c) Members of the Kentucky National Guard and recipients of the Purple Heart: 14
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 15
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 16
2. Renewal Fee: $11 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 17
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 18
(d) Members of the Civil Air Patrol; active, retired, veteran, reserve, or auxiliary 19
members of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space 20
Force, or Coast Guard; Merchant Marines who served between December 7, 21
1941, and August 15, 1945; recipients of the Silver Star Medal, the Legion of 22
Merit Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Combat 23
Action Badge, the Combat Infantry Badge, or the Bronze Star Medal; persons 24
who wish to receive Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Fathers, or Gold Star 25
Spouses license plates beyond the two (2) exempted from fees under KRS 26
186.041(6); individuals eligible for a special military service academy license 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 145
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plate under KRS 186.041(8); individuals eligible for a special military unit 1
license plate under KRS 186.163; and disabled veterans who have been 2
declared to be between fifty percent (50%) and ninety-nine percent (99%) 3
service-connected disabled by the United States Department of Veterans' 4
Affairs: 5
1. Initial Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 6
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 7
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 8
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 9
(e) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force 10
Cross: 11
1. Initial Fee: $6 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 12
2. Renewal Fee: $6 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 13
(f) Disabled license plates: 14
1. Initial Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 15
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 16
(g) Historic vehicles: 17
1. Initial Fee for two plates: $56 ($50 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 18
2. Renewal Fee: Do not renew annually. 19
(h) Members of Congress: 20
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 21
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 22
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 23
(i) Firefighters: 24
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 25
Firefighters Association). 26
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 145
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Firefighters Association). 1
(j) Emergency management: 2
1. Initial Fee: $31 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 3
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 4
(k) Fraternal Order of Police: 5
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 6
FOP Death Benefit Fund). 7
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 8
FOP Death Benefit Fund). 9
(l) Law Enforcement Memorial: 10
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 11
Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, Inc.). 12
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 13
Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, Inc.). 14
(m) Personalized plates for a motor vehicle that is required to be registered under 15
the provisions of KRS 186.050(1), (3)(a), or (4)(a), or a motorcycle required 16
to be registered under the provisions of KRS 186.050(2): 17
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 18
2. Renewal Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 19
(n) Street rods: 20
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 21
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 22
(o) Nature plates: 23
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky 24
Heritage Land Conservation Fund established under KRS 146.570). 25
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky 26
Heritage Land Conservation Fund established under KRS 146.570). 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 145
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(p) Amateur radio: 1
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 2
2. Renewal Fee: $18 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 3
(q) Kentucky General Assembly: 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
(r) Kentucky Court of Justice: 8
1. Initial Fee: $43 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 9
2. Renewal Fee: $11 ($0 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the veterans' 10
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 11
(s) Masons: 12
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Masonic 13
Homes of Kentucky). 14
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Masonic 15
Homes of Kentucky). 16
(t) Collegiate plates: 17
1. Initial Fee: $53 ($37 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the general 18
scholarship fund of the university whose name will be borne on the 19
plate). 20
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the general 21
scholarship fund of the university whose name will be borne on the 22
plate). 23
(u) Independent Colleges: 24
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Association of 25
Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities for distribution to the 26
general scholarship funds of the Association's members). 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 145
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2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Association of 1
Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities for distribution to the 2
general scholarship funds of the Association's members). 3
(v) Child Victims: 4
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the child victims' 5
trust fund established under KRS 41.400). 6
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the child victims' 7
trust fund established under KRS 41.400). 8
(w) Kentucky Horse Council: 9
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 10
Horse Council). 11
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 12
Horse Council). 13
(x) Ducks Unlimited: 14
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky Ducks 15
Unlimited). 16
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to Kentucky Ducks 17
Unlimited). 18
(y) Spay neuter: 19
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the animal control 20
and care fund established under KRS 258.119). 21
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the animal control 22
and care fund established under KRS 258.119). 23
(z) Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Fathers, or Gold Star Spouses: 24
1. Initial Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/ $0 EF). 25
2. Renewal Fee: $0 ($0 SF/$0 CF/ $0 EF). 26
3. A person may receive a maximum of two (2) plates under this paragraph 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 145
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free of charge and may purchase additional plates for fees as established 1
in subsection (2)(d) of this section. 2
(aa) I Support Veterans: 3
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 4
Department of Veterans' Affairs). 5
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Kentucky 6
Department of Veterans' Affairs). 7
(ab) Gold Star Siblings, Gold Star Sons, or Gold Star Daughters: 8
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 9
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 10
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 11
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 12
(ac) POW/MIA Awareness: 13
1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 14
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 15
2. Renewal Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the veterans' 16
program trust fund established under KRS 40.460). 17
(ad) Personalized plates for a recreational vehicle that is required to be registered 18
under the provisions of KRS 186.050(11): 19
1. Initial Fee: $51 ($45 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 20
2. Renewal Fee: $51 ($45 SF/$6 CF/$0 EF). 21
(ae) Child Care Assistance Partnership: 22
1. Initial Fee: $28 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF to the Employee 23
Child Care Assistance Partnership fund established in KRS 199.885). 24
2. Renewal Fee: $23 ($12 SF/$6 CF/$5 EF to the Employee 25
Child Care Assistance Partnership fund established in KRS 199.885). 26
(af) Special license plates established under KRS 186.164: 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 145
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1. Initial Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF). 1
2. Renewal Fee: $41 ($25 SF/$6 CF/$10 EF). 2
(3) Any special license plate may be combined with a personalized license plate for a 3
twenty-five dollar ($25) state fee in addition to all other fees for the particular 4
special license plate established in this section and in KRS 186.164(3). The twenty-5
five dollar ($25) fee required under this subsection shall be divided between the 6
cabinet and the county clerk of the county where the applicant is applying for the 7
license plate with the cabinet receiving twenty dollars ($20) and the county clerk 8
receiving five dollars ($5). 9
(4) (a) A sponsoring organization of any special license plate issued under this 10
section or any special license plate established under the provisions of KRS 11
186.164 may petition the cabinet for the production of that special license 12
plate for motorcycles. 13
(b) The cabinet shall make all of the special military license plates in this section 14
available for motorcycles owned or leased by eligible individuals. 15
(c) Owners and lessees of motorcycles registered under KRS 186.050(2) may be 16
eligible to receive special license plates approved by the cabinet under 17
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection. Applicants for a special license plate 18
for a motorcycle shall be required to pay the fee for a special plate as 19
prescribed in this section or in KRS 186.164. The fee paid for the special plate 20
for a motorcycle shall be in lieu of the registration fee required under KRS 21
186.050(2). 22
(5) The Transportation Cabinet shall: 23
(a) Identify the cost of issuing a child victims' trust fund special license plate 24
under subsection (2)(v) of this section; and 25
(b) Transfer any revenue received from the initial or renewal SF fee that is in 26
excess of the cost identified in paragraph (a) of this subsection to the child 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 145
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victims' trust fund established under KRS 41.400. 1
Section 2. KRS 186.166 is amended to read as follows: 2
(1) The Transportation Cabinet shall, unless directed otherwise by the General 3
Assembly, perpetually produce the following special license plates: military license 4
plates, military unit license plates, U.S. Congressional license plates, firefighter 5
license plates, emergency management license plates, Fraternal Order of Police 6
license plates, Law Enforcement Memorial license plates, street rod license plates, 7
nature license plates, amateur radio license plates, Kentucky General Assembly 8
license plates, Kentucky Court of Justice license plates, Masonic Order license 9
plates, collegiate license plates, independent college and university license plates, 10
child victims' trust fund license plates, Kentucky Horse Council license plates, 11
Ducks Unlimited license plates, Gold Star Mothers, Fathers, and Spouses license 12
plates, Gold Star Siblings, Sons, and Daughters license plates, Silver Star Medal 13
license plates, Legion of Merit Medal license plates, Bronze Star Medal license 14
plates, Air Medal license plates, Distinguished Flying Cross license plates, Combat 15
Action Badge license plates, Combat Infantry Badge license plates, POW/MIA 16
Awareness license plates, spay neuter license plates, service academy license plates, 17
Child Care Assistance Partnership license plates, and I Support Veterans license 18
plates. 19
(2) The design of the plates identified for perpetual production under this section may 20
be revised upon request of a group or organization requesting a design revision 21
under the provisions of KRS 186.164(15). 22
(3) (a) The design of a Purple Heart license plate shall not include any representation 23
of the word "Kentucky" that is a registered trademark or slogan which appears 24
on a general issue license plate. 25
(b) The design of a Purple Heart license plate shall include a representation of the 26
Purple Heart medal and the words "Combat Wounded." 27