What makes Bumper’s Kentucky license plate lookup the best?

Our Kentucky license plate search tool draws from a robust database of public records that we source from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, NMVTIS, NHTSA and other third-party data sources like J.D. Power. From the wilds of the Daniel Boone National Forest to the urban jungle of Louisville, we could help you laser in on a Kentucky vehicle you may be interested in learning more about. Our detailed vehicle reports can provide you with a vault of vehicle-specific data, potentially including vehicle specs, open recalls and title changes . Bordered by the Ohio River in the north and the Appalachian Mountains in the east, Kentucky is perhaps most well known for the Kentucky Derby (and of course its production of bourbon). And while it’s the birthplace of many famous faces, including Honest Abe, Muhammad Ali and even George Clooney, it’s also currently home to more than 4.5 million residents, as of 2021. With attractions like Churchill Downs, the Red River Gorge, and Cumberland Falls, it’s no surprise that you’ll find plenty of vehicles cruising, commuting, and touring up and down Kentucky’s roads. Luckily, with a Bumper subscription, you can easily access a KY-based vehicle’s history to learn more about it.

Why use our Kentucky license plate search?

Using our license plate search for Kentucky can help you simplify your search process while expanding the amount of information you may get. You can avoid having to wrangle multiple records sources, costly competitors, and slow-paced requests to Kentucky public records sources. When you use our Kentucky license plate search, we compile the data you may need to know about a specific Kentucky vehicle—all in one online dashboard, iOS and Google mobile apps, and in downloadable PDF form. Whether you spotted an interesting vehicle while camping in Land Between the Lakes or while stuck in traffic in Lexington, you could find the vehicle information you’re after with our KY vehicle reports.

What info can you find with a Kentucky license plate search?

Our license plate search for Kentucky could provide you with a slew of helpful vehicle information, potentially including: Salvage and other branded vehicle titles Accident history Equipment and trim specifications Liens on the vehicle Manufacturer recalls Estimated ownership costs Sales history Market value From keeping your current vehicle to buying a new one or even selling your Kentucky-registered vehicle , our Kentucky vehicle reports could provide you with the information you may need to make or break a great deal.

How can our KY license plate search help you?

When you’re trying to manage your Kentucky vehicles, our license plate search for KY can be of invaluable help. Whether you’re buying, selling or keeping your Kentucky vehicle, our vehicle reports comprise a cornucopia of vehicle-specific data to help you get the most out of your vehicle. Perhaps you’re a car owner looking to sell your vehicle, but you’re not sure where to set the asking price? Simply input your vehicle’s license plate number and we could help you find your ride’s estimated market value based on recent sales of similar vehicles in that area. For car buyers trying to negotiate the best deal on a Kentucky vehicle, the details from our license plate lookup may yield valuable vehicle history, including flood, hail or tornado damage, salvaged titles , branded titles , liens, theft, and even issues with Kentucky lemon laws. Torn between multiple vehicles? Let us help you compare them side by side . You can even use our VIN decoder to determine the vehicle’s specs and configurations from the factory.And when you’re shopping for a new ride, be sure to check out our thriving vehicle marketplace!

Does the state of Kentucky require front and rear license plates?

Kentucky doesn’t require you to have front and rear license plates on your Kentucky-registered vehicle , one of 19 states that don’t require dual license plates. If you spot a vehicle rocking front and rear license plates, it could be a vacationer or road tripped from out of town. But if you want to learn more about it, we can still be of assistance. Our license plate search covers every state in the U.S., including Tennessee , Arkansas , Missouri , Virginia , West Virginia, Indiana , Illinois , Ohio and more!

How many vehicles are registered in Kentucky?

According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are more than 4.5 million vehicles registered in Kentucky as of 2021, including buses, motorcycles, and medium and heavy duty trucks that have a KY license plate. Interestingly, while vehicle ownership in Kentucky is incredibly popular, electric vehicles have been slower to take off in KY. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, there were only about 4,200 electric vehicles registered in Kentucky as of 2021. With a 1:1 ratio of registered vehicles to residents in Kentucky, there are plenty of Kentuckians cruising the streets in their vehicles in the Bluegrass State. But there’s no need to feel lost in the onslaught of vehicles. We can help you find your way with a license plate search for Kentucky. And if you already have the vehicle identification number (VIN), we can help you run a VIN search for a deep dive on a Kentucky vehicle’s history.

Kentucky License Plate Lookup

Type in a Kentucky vehicle’s license plate number to research a vehicle in the Bluegrass State!

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Type in a Kentucky vehicle’s license plate number to research a vehicle in the Bluegrass State!

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Performing a license plate lookup in Kentucky
Legal framework
Types of license plates in Kentucky
Standard plates
Application process for special and personalized plates
Recent changes in Kentucky license plate policies

Use our KY license plate lookup and you could access critical vehicle information, potentially including everything from vehicle history reports and title checks to vehicle market value, depreciation calculations and more. Our detailed vehicle reports pull data from multiple government and third-party data sources to provide you with robust data.

Subscribe to Bumper and get up to 50 KY license plate and vehicle history reports a month!

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Kentucky license plate lookup services provide a critical tool for trying to access vehicle information online, promoting transparency and security in various transactions and legal matters. These services allow individuals to research the history of available Kentucky-registered vehicles before making a financial investment.

Features and benefits

License plate lookup services can provide detailed vehicle history reports that include crucial information like salvage status, theft or other similar records, and recalls. Knowing a vehicle’s salvage status can inform buyers whether the car has been deemed a total loss in the past, which can significantly affect its value and safety. These records could help verify if the vehicle has been involved in criminal activities, insights that are essential for assessing the car’s reliability. Manufacturers’ recalls are important to identify potential safety issues that may need correction. For instance, a buyer can avoid vehicles with unresolved recalls that can pose a risk.

Performing a license plate lookup in Kentucky

Step-by-step guide:

Visit Bumper.com: Go to Bumper’s License Plate Lookup page.
Enter license plate number: Input the license plate number of the vehicle you want to look up. Bumper will use this information to try to retrieve relevant data.
Search results: Bumper could provide you with information related to the vehicle, including accident history*, salvage titles, manufacturer recalls, market value, and more.
Explore details: Review the details provided in the search results. This may help you make informed decisions when buying or selling a vehicle.

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Kentucky.gov Online Vehicle Information System (OVIS)

The Kentucky.gov Online Vehicle Information System (OVIS) provides access to essential vehicle information, including number of past owners, title records, lien data, and registration status for Kentucky vehicles. Authorized users must pay an annual subscription fee of $75.00. The data is gathered and presented following the Federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 2000 (DPPA).

How to access and use OVIS

Navigate to the OVIS webpage: https://kentucky.gov/Services/Pages/ovis.aspx
Subscribe by paying the required annual fee if you are not already an authorized user.
Log in using your credentials.
Enter the vehicle’s license plate number.
Click the ‘Search’ button to retrieve the comprehensive vehicle information report.

Legal framework

Federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA)

The Federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), enacted in 1994 and amended in 1999, strictly governs the access and use of personal information collected by state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMVs), like the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Reacting to incidents where personal data was misused for criminal activities, including the murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer, the DPPA ensures that information such as names, addresses, and Social Security numbers are protected from unauthorized access. It restricts the dissemination of this data to lawful uses, including government agency functions, legitimate motor vehicle or driver safety research, and matters of vehicle ownership legality. Violations of DPPA can result in civil penalties and legal liability.

By enforcing these legal frameworks, Kentucky ensures the responsible use of personal information while offering transparency in vehicle-related transactions.

Types of license plates in Kentucky

Standard plates

The standard plate in Kentucky features a dark blue plate number on a white and light blue gradient background. A state icon is printed on the left, with “KENTUCKY” in bold blue centered above the plate number, and “BLUEGRASS STATE” in smaller font above that. A blue sticker with the county name is placed in a box at the bottom center. Unlike previous designs, the plate number is no longer split in the middle. An alternate version of the plate

Special plates

Kentucky’s special license plates cover a wide range of causes, organizations, and interests, such as health awareness, professional groups, and conservation efforts. For example, plates like “Breast Cancer Awareness” support health initiatives, while options like “KY Colonel” and “Wild Turkey Federation” cater to professional and conservation causes. Fees typically start at $44, with an additional $25 annual fee for personalized plates. Proceeds from many plates help fund related charities or programs, and some come with a mandatory donation as part of the initial and yearly fees, typically around $10.

Military plates

Kentucky’s military license plates honor veterans and active service members, with most having lower initial and renewal fees. Some plates, such as the Medal of Honor plate, are offered at no cost. Nearly all military plates come with specific eligibility requirements, such as proof of service. For those that offer personalization, an additional $25 annual fee applies. These plates are a way to recognize and support the service of Kentucky’s military community.

College & University plates

Kentucky offers college and university license plates to show support for higher education institutions. Independent college plates come with a $44 initial fee, while university plates have a $56 initial cost. Both types of plates carry a $31 renewal fee. These plates allow drivers to display school pride while contributing to educational initiatives across the state.

Personalizing plates

In Kentucky, you can personalize your license plates using an online tool that allows you to preview different plate types and check the availability of your desired combination. The tool lets you know if your personalization request is available or already taken. Valid characters for personalization include the letters A through Z, numbers 0 through 9, spaces, and dashes. However, the letters “I,” “O,” “Q,” and “U” are no longer available for personalization due to visibility guidelines applied to standard plates.

The cost for personalizing a standard plate is $43 annually, in addition to the regular $21 renewal fee, bringing the total to $64 per year. Personalization fees for specialty plates vary, and some may be more affordable than standard plates. For example, the spay/neuter plate costs $31 initially and $26 for renewal, with a $25 personalization fee, making the total cost $56 upfront and $51 annually for renewal.

Application process for special and personalized plates

Steps to apply:

Check availability: Visit the Plate List application page to check the availability of your desired character combination.
Submit online request: Once you confirm the availability, submit your online request through the same page by clicking on the “REQUEST THIS PLATE” button.
Pre-approval: Your request will be reviewed by the Personalized Plate Review Committee. If approved, you will receive a pre-approval notification via email
Visit County clerk’s office: Take the pre-approval notification to your local County Clerk’s Office. You will need to pay a personalization plate fee ($43 for standard, $25 for specialty) in addition to the standard registration fee.
Await production: After completing the payment, your personalized plate will be produced. This process typically takes four to six weeks.
Receive your plate: Once your plate is ready, you will be notified to pick it up from the County Clerk’s Office.

Recent changes in Kentucky license plate policies

License plate retention

Starting January 2024, Kentucky residents will retain their license plates when selling or trading vehicles. With the implementation of the Kentucky Automated Vehicle Information System (KAVIS), license plate numbers and registration tags will be tied directly to the driver instead of the vehicle. When transferring a vehicle, the seller must remove the license plate and keep it, along with the unexpired registration. This change simplifies the transition for sellers, who can reassign their plate and registration to another vehicle they own. Buyers of used vehicles will need to purchase a new plate or reassign one they own with valid registration.

Fee adjustments

Effective in 2024, Kentucky will eliminate the current $8 transfer fee and introduce an $11 one-time transfer fee. This new fee structure aims to simplify the financial transactions involved in vehicle transfers while aligning with the updated registration process. These changes are part of KAVIS deployment, aimed at increasing efficiency in vehicle registration.

*Disclaimer: Bumper reports are based on data available and may not include historical accident records in all states.