Transfer a Vehicle Title · Kentucky

Bring these documents

• Original Kentucky title signed over to you by the seller[1]Required

  Seller's signature on the back MUST be notarized. Titles issued before 2000 may also require Form TC 96-182 to complete the transfer.

• Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title or Registration (Form TC 96-182)[3]If applicable

  Required for pre-2000 titles, out-of-state titles, and any transfer where the title alone isn't sufficient.

• Proof of Kentucky liability insurance (issue date within 45 days)[1]Required
• Kentucky driver's license, KY ID, or Social Security card[1]Required

  If the name on the title differs from your ID (e.g., maiden name), bring a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or notarized affidavit linking the names.

• Bill of sale (recommended)If applicable

  Not strictly required for a notarized title transfer, but helps document the purchase price for the 6% usage tax calculation and protects both parties.

• Payment for fees, taxes, and notary[5]Required

  Cash, check, or card depending on the County Clerk — call ahead.

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1[1]

   Have the seller sign the back of the title in front of a notary. Many KY County Clerks and banks offer notary services on-site.

   Open official page Source: drive.ky.gov
2. 2

   Step 2[2]

   Obtain Kentucky liability insurance on the vehicle and get a current insurance card (issue date within 45 days).

   Open official page Source: drive.ky.gov
3. 3

   Step 3[1]

   Within 15 days of the sale, take the notarized title, insurance card, and your KY ID to the County Clerk in your county of residence.

   Open official page Source: drive.ky.gov
4. 4

   Step 4[1]

   Pay title fee + 6% usage tax + first year's registration + county ad valorem tax. You leave with the plate; the title is mailed.

   Open official page Source: drive.ky.gov
5. 5

   Step 5[1]

   If you need the printed title fast, request a Speed Title ($25) — it ships the next business day. Not available on duplicates, salvage, classic, or out-of-country titles.

   Open official page Source: drive.ky.gov
6. 6

   Step 6[4]

   Selling? Notify your County Clerk of the buyer's name and state, and (if the buyer is out of state) return the KY plate to the Clerk and file Form TC 96-3 if the title isn't transferred within 15 days.

   Open official page Source: transportation.ky.gov

Common reasons this gets rejected

• Title signed but not notarized

  An un-notarized signature on the back of a KY title is invalid. The Clerk will refuse the transfer and you'll have to track the seller down for a notarized signature.

• Missing the 15-day window

  Kentucky requires title transfer within 15 days of sale. Late transfers trigger penalties, and if the title isn't transferred before January 1, the SELLER may still owe property tax for the new year.

• Cross-outs, white-out, or erasures on the title

  DRIVE explicitly prohibits any alteration of the title itself. If there's an error, fix it with a notarized affidavit — do NOT modify the title or it becomes void.

• Name mismatch between title and ID

  A title in your maiden name but ID in your married name (or vice versa) won't transfer without a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or notarized name-affidavit linking the two.

• Forgetting the insurance card

  Even on a transfer, the Clerk requires a current proof-of-insurance card with an issue date within the last 45 days. Print a fresh copy from your insurer's app.

• Going to the wrong county

  Title and register at the County Clerk in your county of residence OR the county where the vehicle is primarily operated. Other counties may decline the transaction.

Talk to a human

Sources

1. [1]DRIVE — Vehicle Titling
2. [2]DRIVE — Mandatory Insurance
3. [3]Form TC 96-182 (Application for KY Title/Registration)
4. [4]Form TC 96-3 (Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer)
5. [5]Kentucky County Clerks Directory
6. [6]Kentucky Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Usage Tax