Kentuckians will now keep their license plates when transferring vehicle ownership, a move that will improve convenience and save money for Kentuckians, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said.
This is a change from the current practice where plates are linked to vehicles.
“Upgrading to a new vehicle information system unlocks opportunities for us to implement new ways to make the process of transferring vehicle ownership better for Kentuckians, and in some cases, keep more money in their pockets,” Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray said.
Kentuckians will now retain both unexpired registration and the license plate when transferring ownership, a common practice when selling a vehicle.
Also, 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. Currently, when a vehicle with an unexpired registration is transferred, a standard issue plate and registration are transferred with the vehicle to the new owner.
Once the new Kentucky Automated Vehicle Information System (KAVIS) is available statewide in mid-January, when a vehicle is transferred with unexpired registration, the plate is retained by the seller. Additionally, the seller gains the ability to 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.
“This change improves things operationally as well as makes things more convenient for Kentuckians,” Dept. of Vehicle Regulation Commissioner Matt Cole stated. “By keeping your plate, you don’t have to deal with surprise toll charges from the new owner’s trips and you don’t have to memorize a new plate number when you get a new car.”
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
