A​ Title is a legal document establishing a person or business as the legal owner of a vehicle or vessel. When a vehicle or vessel is sold from one citizen or business to another in Kentucky, the title must be transferred to the new owner within 15 days.

Eligible Vehicles

All motor vehicles operated upon Kentucky roadways must be titled and registered. Any vehicle owned by a Kentucky resident or primarily operated upon the Commonwealth's roadways may apply for a Kentucky Certificate of Title and Registration at the County Clerk's office in the owner’s county of residence or the county where the vehicle is primarily operated.

Applying for Titles

 Warning: Do not use liquid paper/wite-out on your title. Do not scratch through or mark out information on the title. Do not erase or mutilate. Provide an affidavit with new information signed and notarized.

Applying for a Title for the First Time

For In-State Vehicles:

• Proof of Kentucky insurance (issue date within 45 days)
• Photo ID
• Completed (TC96-182) and signed-over Kentucky title. (signatures must be notarized)
• If the name listed on your title is different than the name listed on your ID, you must provide an affidavit showing they are the same. A marriage license or divorce decree are good examples.  

Out of State:

• Proof of Kentucky Insurance (issue date within 45 days)
• Photo ID
  
• Completed (TC96-182) and signed-over title. If your state only issues a registration or bill of sale, bring those in place of the signed-over title. (signatures must be notarized)
• If the name listed on your title is different than the name listed on your ID, you must provide an affidavit showing they are the same. A marriage license or divorce decree are good examples.  

Replacement / Duplicate Kentucky Titles

To get a Replacement/Duplicate Title, you will need the following:

• Form (TC96-182) properly completed, including the owner section and the vehicle identification section.
• Title number OR license plate number
• $6.00 (US) plus the cost of a notary 
• Picture ID or driver's license

Application Types

Speed Titles

You may apply for a speed title at your local County Clerk's office. You cannot apply for a speed title at the Division of Motor Vehicle Licensing in Frankfort. A speed title allows you to either have it mailed to you the following business day or have it available for pick-up at our One Stop Shop after 11:00am (ET) on the second business day. Please call (502) 564-2737 before coming to Frankfort to pick up your title. Please have your title number and vehicle identification number (VIN) or license plate number available when calling. The fee for a speed title is $25.00.

Archive Titles

When property taxes on a titled vehicle are owed and are not paid for 5 years, the title is archived. To restore and bring the title back to active status (and/or transfer an archived title), the current owner is liable for paying the last 5 years of back taxes. ​This must be done at your County Clerk's office and activated or transferred by the current owner (whose name is listed on the title). The Property Tax office will have to put the taxes back into the system.​

If the current owner is not available or unknown, a court order is required to restore the title to active status. Up to 2 business days are required to complete the restoration process.

Special Titles

Classic Motor Vehicle Project Title

Applies to a vehicle 25 years old or older and not in a roadworthy condition. The vehicle cannot have been previously titled in KY. The vehicle can come into Kentucky on an out-of-state title/bill of sale/affidavit of ownership but cannot bear any brands such as salvage, rebuilt water damage, or hail damage. Must also have a sheriff's inspection for VIN verification and ownership documents.

Restored Classic Motor Vehicle Project

After a classic motor vehicle project vehicle has been restored to roadworthy condition, the customer takes the vehicle and the classic project title to the Sheriff’s office for an inspection. The vehicle is required to meet the requirements of KRS 189 pertaining to vehicle equipment. After passing the KY sheriff inspection for roadworthy condition, the owner vehicle can apply for a new original certificate of title and registration. Contact your County Clerk's office.

Foreign Titles

For vehicles purchased or titled in a foreign country and are coming into Kentucky, customs papers and a sheriff's inspection are required, along with proof of insurance and a completed Application For Kentucky Certificate Of Title Or Registration form (TC96-182). If the registration document is not in English, translation papers are required from the vehicle manufacturer, OR a certified translator can translate. For questions, contact your County Clerk's office or MVL.

Rebuilt Titles

Pursuant to KRS 186A.520, KRS 186A.530, and 601 KAR 9:200​, the procedure for obtaining a rebuilt title is as follows:

• Complete TC 96-215, Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Assembled from Wrecked or Salvaged Motor Vehicles.
• Vehicle Information on this form is for the vehicle that is being rebuilt. This form must be notarized.  

• Submit original Salvage Title. If the vehicle is from out of state and that state only has a registration requirement, the original registration form must be submitted. KYTC will NOT accept copies.
  
• Submit a completed TC 96-182, Application for Kentucky Title/Registration. This form also needs to be notarized. KYTC will NOT accept copies.  
• Submit all receipts for any parts purchased (Receipts must be original). 
• If parts were purchased from an individual, not a business, the seller must state their name, complete address, and phone number.
• List what parts were acquired/purchased and note the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle those parts were taken from.
• If the seller can’t provide a VIN, then a notarized statement stating why the VIN can’t be provided is required. 

• Submit an original descriptive, notarized labor statement explaining what parts were replaced and what parts were repaired.
  
• This statement must be from the person who repaired the vehicle.  

• If the vehicle has a license plate, regardless of the decal expiration date, remove it from the vehicle and submit the plate to your County Clerk's office. 
• If the title has a lien recorded, a lien termination statement from the lienholder must be submitted to your County Clerk so it can be released.  
• For a rebuilt motorcycle, provide pencil tracings of the frame and motor numbers.
  
• If a replacement motor was used, an effort should be made to obtain the frame number of the motorcycle that the replacement motor was taken from.  

• If a vehicle is not damaged beyond 75% of its current value, a statement from the insurance company on their letterhead describing the vehicle's damage must be submitted.
  
• These statements are usually required for vehicles that sustained minor damage due to fire, flood, recovered from theft with minor damage, or hail damage.
• If the vehicle is bought from a car auction, your original receipt must state the damage. We will accept this receipt instead of the insurance statement.  Applicants who supply their own parts need to provide original invoices from the businesses where the parts were purchased.
• If the receipt shows several parts for various vehicles, the applicant must indicate the parts purchased for the vehicle on the rebuilt application.
• The Rebuilt Section will return the original invoice after initialing the parts used.  

• ​For vehicles less than 10 years old, a separate Federal Odometer Disclosure Statement must be submitted if:
  
• The odometer reading is not disclosed on the TC 96-182 Application for Kentucky Title/Registration, or; the odometer reading is not on a properly completed title.

For additional information, call the Rebuilt Support Section at (502) 564-1257.

Also, refer to 601 KAR 9:200​.

Bonded Titles

Kentucky does not issue Bonded Titles.

Transferring Ownership

Kentucky Citizen to Kentucky Citizen

In the sale of a vehicle, the seller in the presence of a notary must sign the back of the Title, which signs over ownership of the vehicle. The buyer takes the assigned Title, proof of Kentucky Insurance, proof of Identification, and money for fees and applicable taxes to their local County Clerk's office for transfer. Older Titles, prior to 2000, may require a completed TC96-182 to complete the transfer process.

Selling a Vehicle to an Out-of-State Resident

You will need to notify your County Clerk's office with the name and state of the new owner. You will need to complete form TC96-3 Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer​ if the vehicle has not been transferred within 15 days. You will also need to return the Kentucky license plate to your Kentucky County Clerk's office. If you were a resident of Kentucky and the vehicle owner on January 1st, you might have property taxes due on that vehicle.  

Police Impound

See form TC96-331​

Repossessions

Lienholders must follow the transfer process and present an affidavit supporting repossession (TC96-192), an application for Kentucky Certificate of Title and Registration (TC96-182), and a security agreement (signed by the lien holder and vehicle owner) to the County Clerk's office in the county that the lien was filed.

Towing and Storage

If, after a period of 45 days, the reasonable or agreed charges for storage or towing of the motor vehicle have not been paid, the motor vehicle may be sold to pay for the charges. The towing company must apply for the title, attempt to notify the current owner via certified mail, run 3 newspaper ads (ads must include vehicle model, make, year, VIN, name, and address of registered owner and name and address of towing or storage facility) and a completed TC96-182. See form TC96-159T​ for further instructions on how to process your request.