Yes. A Kentucky vehicle title has to be notarized before ownership can transfer. Specifically, the seller must sign the assignment section on the back of the title in front of a commissioned notary public, and the county clerk will reject the transfer application if that signature is not notarized.1DRIVE. Vehicle Titling
Whose Signature the Notary Is Verifying
Two signatures come into play during a Kentucky vehicle sale, and both involve an official witness.
The seller’s signature in the title’s assignment section is the one everyone means when they talk about getting a Kentucky title notarized. The notary confirms the seller’s identity, watches them sign, and stamps the title itself. Without that stamp, the assignment is legally incomplete and the clerk cannot process a transfer.1DRIVE. Vehicle Titling
The buyer also signs a sworn statement on the Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title (Form TC 96-182). On that form, buyer and seller both certify the sale price under oath before an attesting official.2Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title or Registration TC 96-182 Most buyers handle that part at the county clerk’s office when they file the paperwork, since clerks can administer the oath on the spot.
Where to Get a Kentucky Title Notarized
You have two practical options.
The simpler route is for buyer and seller to go to the county clerk’s office together. Clerks can notarize the seller’s signature and process the transfer in a single visit. There is an additional fee when the clerk handles the notarization, and the exact amount varies by county.3Shelby County Clerk. Motor Vehicle Fees
The other option is to have any commissioned notary public notarize the title before the buyer visits the clerk. Banks, UPS stores, law offices, and insurance agencies commonly have notaries on staff. Kentucky does not cap what a private notary can charge, but the fee has to be disclosed up front.4Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes KRS 423.430 – Fees A few dollars to around ten dollars per signature is typical.
One detail that trips people up: the notary has to stamp and sign directly on the title, in the designated space. A loose notary certificate attached to the title will not be accepted for a vehicle transfer.
Mistakes That Void the Notarization
A notarized title can still be rejected if the document itself has been altered or completed incorrectly.
Do not use white-out, cross out entries, or write over errors on a Kentucky title. Alterations void the document. If a name is misspelled, the sale date is wrong, or something was signed in the wrong place, the person who made the error completes an Affidavit of Correction, signed before a notary, explaining the mistake and providing the correct information. The clerk uses that affidavit to issue a corrected title.
If a power of attorney is being used to sign the title on someone’s behalf, the form (TC 96-336) must be fully filled in before it is notarized. Blank fields on a signed power of attorney will cause the clerk to reject it.5Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Limited Power of Attorney to Transfer Ownership and Disclose Mileage TC 96-336
What the Buyer Brings to the Clerk After Notarization
Once the seller’s signature is notarized, the buyer completes the transfer at their county clerk’s office. Bring:
- The original Kentucky Certificate of Title with the seller’s notarized signature in the assignment section.1DRIVE. Vehicle Titling
- Proof of Kentucky insurance, issued within the past 45 days, meeting the state minimums of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage (or a $60,000 combined single limit), plus basic reparations benefits unless the vehicle is a motorcycle.6Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (DRIVE). Mandatory Insurance
- Photo ID: a Kentucky driver’s license, Kentucky ID card, or Social Security card.1DRIVE. Vehicle Titling
- An accurate odometer disclosure. The reading is normally recorded on the title or the vehicle transaction record, and certified inspectors verify it during inspection.7Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes KRS 186A.115 – Inspection of Motor Vehicles and Documents by Certified Inspector
- A written lien release from the lender if the title shows an outstanding loan.8Justia. Kentucky Revised Statutes 186A.190 – Security Interest Notation Required on Title Document
A bill of sale is not legally required, but it is worth keeping as a record of the sale price and date.
The 15-Day Deadline
Notarization matters on a clock. Kentucky gives the new owner 15 days from the date of purchase to apply for a title in their name.9Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes KRS 186A.070 – Registration and Title Requirements for Vehicles, Manufactured Homes, or Trailers The same deadline governs transferring the registration plate.10Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes KRS 186.190 – Change of Registration Upon Transfer of Ownership If a buyer waits to arrange notarization and misses that window, they risk driving unregistered, and the seller remains the owner of record for tickets, tolls, and liability tied to the vehicle.
If you sold the vehicle and the buyer has not completed the transfer within 15 days, you can file Form TC 96-3, Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer, with your county clerk. That filing asks the clerk to revoke the registration until the buyer completes the transfer.11Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer TC 96-3
When the Notarization Rule Still Applies but the Process Shifts
Out-of-State Titles Coming Into Kentucky
Signatures on an out-of-state title still have to be notarized before the Kentucky clerk will accept the title application. Vehicles coming in from another state also require an inspection by the county sheriff or a certified vehicle inspector, who physically checks the VIN against the title documents and records the odometer reading.7Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes KRS 186A.115 – Inspection of Motor Vehicles and Documents by Certified Inspector Clear anything off the dashboard so the VIN is visible before the inspection.1DRIVE. Vehicle Titling
Signing Through a Power of Attorney
If the seller or buyer cannot appear to sign in person, Kentucky allows a limited power of attorney (Form TC 96-336) to handle the title transfer. The POA authorizes someone else to sign the title, disclose the odometer reading, and file the application. The form must be notarized by the person granting the authority and must be fully completed at the time of signing. The completed POA gets attached to the title and submitted with the application.5Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Limited Power of Attorney to Transfer Ownership and Disclose Mileage TC 96-336
Transferring From a Deceased Owner
When the owner has died, how you transfer the title depends on how it was held. If two names appeared on the title joined by “or,” the survivor can transfer using just a death certificate. If the names were joined by “and,” a surviving spouse can transfer with a death certificate that states the relationship, but a non-spouse co-owner needs both a death certificate and probate documents. When the title was solely in the deceased person’s name, the clerk will require probate paperwork or a small estate affidavit.1DRIVE. Vehicle Titling
Lost Titles
You cannot notarize a title you do not have. If the original is lost, damaged, or destroyed, the current owner applies for a duplicate at the county clerk’s office using Form TC 96-182 with the owner and vehicle sections completed, the title or plate number, a photo ID, and $6.00 plus the cost of notarization.1DRIVE. Vehicle Titling Expedited speed titles are not available for duplicates. If the duplicate has not arrived within 45 days, contact the clerk.