Building on the state’s plans to migrate to a modern, more efficient vehicle registration database beginning in January, Kentuckians will keep their license plates when transferring vehicle ownership.
The change is from the current practice when a vehicle with an unexpired registration is transferred. A standard issue plate and registration are transferred with the vehicle to the new owner. This move, the state said, will improve convenience and save money for Kentuckians.
Kentuckians will retain unexpired registration and the license plate when transferring ownership. Owners of specialty license plates—nonprofit and military plates—will save money by no longer paying for a standard license plate to go with the transferred vehicle and paying to place their specialty plate on the new vehicle.
Additionally, the seller can apply the plate and unexpired registration, including standard-issue plates, to any other vehicle they own of the same class, including a newly purchased vehicle.