Kentucky Revised Statutes Title XVI. Motor Vehicles § 186.170.Retention of receipt; display of registration plates; decals to cover corporation trademark; registration years (Effective January 1, 2024)

(1) Except as provided in this subsection, Section 13 of this Act, KRS 186.045, and KRS 186A.127, the owner shall have the receipt issued by the cabinet through the county clerk constantly in his possession, and shall display the registration plate conspicuously upon the rear of the motor vehicle, except that the registration plate upon a semitrailer-tractor shall be displayed upon the front of the tractor. The owner's copy, or a reproduced copy thereof, of the registration receipt of every motor vehicle, except motorcycles, licensed under KRS 186.050 shall be kept in the vehicle at all times and shall be available for inspection. Plates shall be kept legible at all times and the rear plate shall be illuminated when being operated during the hours designated in KRS 189.030. No rim, frame, or other covering around the plate shall in any way obscure or cover any lettering or decal on the plate; except that, any owner who objects to the display of a trademark of a private corporation which appears on the registration plate shall be entitled to receive a set of decals from the county clerk in his or her county of residence to cover the trademark of the private corporation. The owner may apply for the decal by presenting his or her certificate of registration either at the time of registration renewal or later. The county clerk shall charge a three dollar ($3) clerk's fee for issuing the decal set if it is applied for a time other than at registration renewal. If the cabinet has prescribed that plates shall continue in use, it shall each year, in addition to the registration receipt, select and give to the owner as further evidence of registration some insignia which may conveniently be attached permanently and conspicuously to the motor vehicle during each registration year. It shall be the duty of the owner to attach the insignia in the prescribed manner and no person may operate a motor vehicle unless the insignia is affixed upon it. The cabinet shall have placed on the insignia either figures, letters, writing, marks, or a combination thereof, which indicate that the motor vehicle has been registered and which in conjunction with the records of the cabinet make identity of the registrant readily ascertainable.

(2) The registration year for commercial vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, mobile homes, and recreational vehicles shall be from April 1 to March 31.

(3) At the discretion of the vehicle owner, the title to a motor vehicle may be held in the system and subsequently printed and mailed to the owner at the owner's request.