Kentucky License Plate Lookup

How To Lookup a Kentucky License Plate

Using one of many online search portals, the general public can look up license plate numbers. However, a free search will yield you only general vehicle information like the year, the make and model, and some other mechanical details. If you need more than that, Kentucky has set up a portal where authorized users can search for license plate records. It is called Online Vehicle Information System (OVIS). With OVIS, you can see personal owner details like name, address, social security number, and more. When using this system, you have to be careful to follow the rules and regulations, or you may end up with steep fines or other penalties.

Kentucky License Plate Laws

Before you can register your vehicle in Kentucky, you must first title it in the state. When registering your new vehicle, be sure to bring with you the following:

• Photo ID
• Kentucky certificate of registration
• Current original (not a copy)proof of Kentucky insurance effective date within 45 days
• Money for fees and applicable taxes (check with your County Clerk's office for accepted forms of payment)

You must visit the county clerk's office in your county of residence. You must also prove insurance coverage and out-of-state insurance is allowable for military personnel only. Some vehicles can be renewed online, but a leased vehicle cannot. Anyone who is overdue on their property taxes cannot register a vehicle and must resolve that issue first.

Options for Kentucky License Plates

The state of Kentucky has more than 150 different license plates to choose from in the following categories: Regular (Standard Issue), Special, University, Independent College, Military, Military Motorcycle, Miscellaneous, Disabled, and Special Motorcycle Plates.

Kentucky license plates can have only six characters (letters, symbols, and numbers), and each combination must be pre-approved before ordering. Some plates honor foundations and causes, and the money you pay for purchasing them goes to support it. A sampling of the 150 options are:

• Alzheimer's
• Breast Cancer
• Autism Awareness
• Horse Council
• KY Chiropractic Association
• I Support Veterans
• Emergency Management
• Masonic Order
• KY Sportsman Association
• KY Library Association
• Share the Road
• Ryder Cup
• Small Mouth Bass
• Wild Turkey Federation
• Norton Children's Hospital

What is the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) in Kentucky All About?

Kentucky follows the Federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), which states "(a) In General. - Except as provided in subsection (b), a State department of motor vehicles, and any officer, employee, or contractor, thereof, shall not knowingly disclose or otherwise make available to any person or entity personal information about any individual obtained by the department in connection with a motor vehicle record".

Kentucky also publishes information on what they consider "permissible uses," and they say this: "Personal information shall be disclosed to carry out the purposes of the Automobile Information Disclosure Act, the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Saving Act, the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, the Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992, and the Clean Air Act for use in connection with matters of:

• motor vehicle or driver safety and theft;
• motor vehicle emissions;
• motor vehicle product alterations, recalls or advisories;
• performance monitoring of motor vehicles and dealers by motor vehicle manufacturers; and
• removal of non-owner records from the original owner records or motor vehicle manufacturers".

KY License Plates Frequently Asked Questions