How to Get a Full Driver’s License in Kentucky

To get a full driver’s license in Kentucky, an applicant 18 or older passes a vision screening, written knowledge test, and road skills test administered by the Kentucky State Police, then visits a Driver Licensing Regional Office with proof of identity, a Social Security card, proof of Kentucky residency, and the license fee.¹ Applicants who first apply between ages 15 and 17 must move through the state’s Graduated Driver Licensing Program before an unrestricted license is issued, usually around age 17.²

Decide Between REAL ID and Standard First

Kentucky issues two versions of the driver’s license, and the choice changes what paperwork you gather. A REAL ID-compliant license works as federal identification for domestic air travel, military base access, and entry to federal buildings that require it. A standard Kentucky license does not.³ TSA began enforcing the REAL ID requirement on May 7, 2025, so a standard license on its own will not get you through airport security.⁴

At the counter, the practical difference is this: a REAL ID requires two proofs of Kentucky residency, while a standard license requires only one, and the REAL ID costs a few dollars more.⁵ If you already have a valid U.S. passport for flying, a standard license may cover everything else you need.

Documents to Bring

Whichever version you pick, you’ll need to present original or certified documents in three categories. Photocopies are not accepted.⁵

Proof of identity, meaning one of: a certified U.S. birth certificate issued by a state or territory government agency, a valid U.S. passport, or a U.S. passport card. Hospital-issued birth certificates are not accepted.
Your Social Security card. First-time applicants must bring the physical card showing their current legal name.
Proof of Kentucky residency: one document for a standard license, two for a REAL ID. Acceptable items include a utility bill, bank statement, lease or rental agreement, pay stub, tax return, Kentucky voter registration card, or mortgage statement. Documents must be dated within the past year, and a P.O. box address does not count as proof of a physical address.

If your name has changed since any of those documents were issued, bring proof of the name change. Anyone who wants veteran status noted on the license should bring a DD-214 or another qualifying military document.⁵

The Adult Path: 18 and Older

Applicants 18 or older skip the Graduated Driver Licensing Program and apply directly for a full, unrestricted license.¹ There are two stops: the Kentucky State Police for testing, and a Driver Licensing Regional Office for the license itself.

Vision, Written, and Road Tests

Every first-time applicant takes a vision screening, which checks for a minimum visual acuity of 20/40 and a horizontal visual field of at least 30 degrees to both left and right.⁶ Wearing corrective lenses during the screening puts a restriction on your license requiring them while driving.

The written knowledge test covers Kentucky traffic laws and road signs, and you need at least an 80% score to pass.⁷ The Kentucky Driver Manual, available free online from the Transportation Cabinet, covers everything the test asks about.

For the road skills test, you provide a vehicle that is properly registered and carries current proof of liability insurance. Acceptable proof includes an insurance card, a current policy, or a written binder from your insurance agent confirming coverage is active.¹ If your address has changed since a permit was issued, bring current proof of residency.

Scheduling and Where to Go

All three tests are administered by the Kentucky State Police. Schedule the appointment through the online scheduler on the Kentucky State Police website or by emailing kspdrivertesting@ky.gov.⁸

Once the tests are done, go to a KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Office to present your documents, pay the fee, and have your photo taken. Kentucky moved driver licensing from Circuit Court Clerk offices to these Regional Offices, and you can visit any Regional Office in the state regardless of where you live.⁹ Regional offices accept credit and debit cards, cash, personal checks, certified checks, and money orders. You leave with a temporary document valid for 30 days, and the permanent card is mailed.

The Under-18 Path: Graduated Driver Licensing

Anyone who first applies for a permit between the ages of 15 and 17 must complete Kentucky’s three-phase Graduated Driver Licensing Program before earning a full license.² Students in this age range also need a School Compliance Verification Form from their school, confirming they meet Kentucky’s “No Pass/No Drive” law. A student who fails at least four courses in the preceding semester is considered academically deficient and will not receive the form.

Phase One: Learner’s Permit

You can apply for a permit at 15 by taking the written knowledge test and vision screening at a Kentucky State Police testing center.² Applicants who get the permit at 15 must hold it at least 180 days and reach age 16 before moving on; applicants ages 16 through 20 must hold it at least 180 days.

During the permit phase, you can only drive when a licensed driver age 21 or older is in the front passenger seat. You need to complete a practice driving log with at least 60 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night. Driving between midnight and 6:00 a.m. is off-limits unless it is for an emergency, school, or work, and you are limited to one unrelated passenger under age 20.²

Phase Two: Intermediate License

After the 180-day permit period, the road skills test, and the 60 logged hours, you move to the intermediate license. Before leaving this phase, you must complete a state-approved driver education program. Kentucky accepts three options: the free four-hour Graduated Licensing Course offered by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in the driver’s home county; a high school driver education program (also available through a Kentucky community college, vocational school, or Job Corps); or a course at a Division of Driver Licensing–approved private driving school.¹⁰

Intermediate license holders under 18 still face the midnight-to-6 a.m. driving curfew and the one-unrelated-passenger-under-20 rule. The intermediate license must be held for at least 180 days.²

Phase Three: Full Unrestricted License

After 180 days on the intermediate license and completion of the driver education course, you’re eligible for a full, unrestricted license at age 17. Schedule an appointment at any Driver Licensing Regional Office to have it issued. The curfew and passenger restrictions come off at this stage.²

Moving to Kentucky With an Out-of-State License

If you move to Kentucky already holding a valid driver’s license from another U.S. state, this isn’t a first-time application. You must obtain a Kentucky license within 30 days of establishing residency, and the transfer is handled at any KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Office. Bring your valid out-of-state license and the same identity, Social Security, and residency documents required for a first-time license.¹¹

If the out-of-state license is still valid at transfer, no tests are required. If it has been expired more than one year, you must pass the written and vision exams. Either way, you’ll need a certified driving history record or clearance letter from your previous state, and you surrender the old license during the process.¹¹

Drivers under 18 transferring from out of state must be at least 15, and any driving experience logged before that age will not count in Kentucky. Out-of-state permit holders transfer the permit first and are placed into Kentucky’s graduated system. A School Compliance Verification Form signed by the out-of-state school is also required.¹¹

License Fees

Kentucky sets license fees by statute, so they’re the same in every county. Unless noted, the fees below cover an eight-year license.¹²

Standard driver’s license, 8-year: $43
REAL ID driver’s license, 8-year: $48
Under-21 standard license, up to 4 years: $15
Under-21 REAL ID license, up to 4 years: $18
Learner’s permit, standard, 3 years: $15
Learner’s permit, REAL ID, 3 years: $18
Duplicate or corrected license: $15
4-year license of any type: half the 8-year fee

1
Ky.gov. First Issuance
2
DRIVE. Graduated Driver Licensing Program
3
DRIVE. REAL ID vs Standard ID
4
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
5
DRIVE. Valid Proof Documents
6
DRIVE. KCTC Fact Sheet
7
DRIVE. Kentucky Driver Manual
8
Kentucky State Police. Driver Testing
9
DRIVE. Find an Office
10
DRIVE. Parent’s Guide for First Time Drivers
11
DRIVE. New To Kentucky
12
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes 186.531 – Fees for Licenses, Permits, and Identification Cards