OWNERSHIP FEE FOR KENTUCKY ELECTRIC VEHICLE OWNERS
Under
House Bill 8
(opens in a new tab),
Kentucky law requires an annual ownership fee for certain electric vehicles (EVs). This fee helps fund road and bridge maintenance and construction. Motor fuels taxes paid at gas stations are a primary source of transportation funding, and as fuel consumption decreases, those revenues are reduced. The EV ownership fees help offset that decline by ensuring vehicle owners who use Kentucky roads—regardless of power source—contribute to the shared cost of maintaining transportation infrastructure. The fee is due at initial registration and at each annual vehicle registration renewal.
Fees are included in your yearly vehicle registration renewal total and are paid
online
or through your local County Clerk’s office.
Vehicle Types
Electric Vehicle (EV)
As defined under
KRS 138.475(1)
(opens in a new tab),
an electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle with plug-in charging capability, whether powered by:
- An electric motor only, or
- A combination of an internal combustion engine and electric power.
Electric Motorcycle
As defined under
KRS 138.475(1)
(opens in a new tab),
an electric motorcycle is a motorcycle or motor scooter powered by:
- A battery or equivalent energy storage device charged by an external electric plug, or
- A combination of an internal combustion engine and electric motor.
Additional Information
House Bill 8
(opens in a new tab)
also established a 3-cent-per-kilowatt-hour tax on electricity used at EV charging stations installed on or after July 1, 2022. Similar to Kentucky’s Motor Fuels Tax, this charge is included in charging station prices and supports the Road Fund.
For information on Kentucky EV charging infrastructure, maps, fast-charging locations, and future routes, visit
evcharging.ky.gov
(opens in a new tab).