(1) Applications for registration of motor vehicles leased or owned by a county, city, urban-county, or board of education, or emergency and ambulance vehicles operated by nonprofit corporations organized by units of government in the state or by the state or federal government shall be accompanied by a statement from the head of the department of the governmental unit that leases or owns the motor vehicle, certifying that the motor vehicle is leased or owned and operated by the governmental unit. The application and statement shall be forwarded by the county clerk to the cabinet, which shall give special authority to the clerk to register it. Upon receiving that authority, the clerk shall issue a registration receipt and the official number plate described in KRS § 186.240(6), and report the registration to the head of the department authorizing the registration. For his services in issuing such certificate of registration and number plate and reporting the same, the county clerk shall be entitled to a fee of three dollars ($3) in each instance, to be paid by the department upon whose authorization such license was issued.
(2) After such registration of any vehicle leased or owned by a county, city, urban- county, or board of education, or emergency and ambulance vehicles operated by nonprofit corporations organized by units of government in the state, or by the state or federal government and after issuance of such number plate for such vehicle so leased or owned, no subsequent registration or renewal of same, and no subsequent renewal of a number plate of the vehicle shall be necessary so long as the vehicle is leased or owned by the governmental unit except in the case of loss or destruction of the license plate. In the event of loss or destruction, the number plate shall be replaced in the same manner as if no plate had ever been issued.

Terms Used In Kentucky Statutes 186.060

  • City: includes town. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • Federal: refers to the United States. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Motor vehicle: means in KRS §. See Kentucky Statutes 186.010
  • Owner: means a person who holds the legal title of a vehicle or a person who
    pursuant to a bona fide sale has received physical possession of the vehicle
    subject to any applicable security interest. See Kentucky Statutes 186.010
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes territories, outlying possessions, and the District of Columbia. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • vehicle: means every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway, except electric low-speed scooters, devices moved by human and animal power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks, or which derives its power from overhead wires. See Kentucky Statutes 186.010

(3) When a motor vehicle leased or owned by a county, city, urban-county, or board of education, or emergency and ambulance vehicles operated by nonprofit corporations organized by units of government in the state, or by the state or federal government is transferred or sold to another governmental unit, a new license plate shall be issued for the vehicle in the same manner as provided for in subsection (1) of this section and shall have the same effect as given to such license plates in subsection (2) of this section.
(4) No person shall use on a motor vehicle, not leased or owned by a county, city, urban-county, board of education, or emergency and ambulance vehicles operated by nonprofit corporations organized by units of government in the state, or the state or federal government, any license plate that has been issued for use on a motor vehicle leased or owned by the governmental unit.
(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of KRS § 186.020 and KRS § 186.050, a governmental entity which leases a motor vehicle may have that vehicle equipped with an official plate under this section. Upon termination of the lease agreement, if ownership of the motor vehicle does not revert to an entity allowed to use an official plate under this section, the owner of the motor vehicle shall surrender the official plates and apply
for registration under the provisions of KRS § 186.050.
Effective: June 29, 2021
History: Amended 2021 Ky. Acts ch. 53, sec. 3, effective June 29, 2021. — Amended
2013 Ky. Acts ch. 33, sec. 1, effective June 25, 2013. — Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch.
36, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1996. — Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 428, sec. 9, effective July 15, 1994. — Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 296, sec. 2, effective July 13,
1990; and ch. 498, sec. 2, effective July 13, 1990. — Amended 1986 Ky. Acts ch.
419, sec. 3, effective July 15, 1986. — Amended 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 72, sec. 1. — Amended 1964 Ky. Acts ch. 148, sec. 1. — Amended 1948 Ky. Acts ch. 126, secs. 1,
2, and 3. — Amended 1946 Ky. Acts ch. 122, sec. 1. — Recodified 1942 Ky. Acts ch.
208, sec. 1, effective October 1, 1942, from Ky. Stat. sec. 2739g-7.