A Kentucky temporary tag costs $3 and is valid for 60 days when issued by a licensed dealer at the time of sale or by a county clerk for a vehicle that is not yet titled or registered in Kentucky. It gives you a legal way to drive while you finish permanent titling and registration. Driving on an expired, missing, or improperly filled-out tag is a Class B misdemeanor under KRS 186A.990, so the details are worth getting right.1Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes 186A.990 – Penalties
How Long the Tag Lasts and Who Issues It
Kentucky recognizes three 60-day temporary tag situations under KRS 186A.100. Each costs $3, of which the county clerk keeps $2.2Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes 186A.100 – Application, Procedure, and Use for Temporary Motor Vehicle Registration
- A licensed dealer sells you a vehicle and puts a 60-day temporary tag on it at delivery.
- You traded in a Kentucky-plated vehicle, and the dealer moves your existing plate onto the new vehicle for temporary use. The $3 charge does not replace the fees due at permanent registration.
- Your vehicle is not currently titled or registered in Kentucky, and the county clerk issues a 60-day tag while you gather your documents.
There is a separate, much shorter tag for vehicles already titled and registered in Kentucky. The county clerk can issue one lasting anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days, at the clerk’s discretion, for situations like a lost or stolen plate awaiting replacement.2Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes 186A.100 – Application, Procedure, and Use for Temporary Motor Vehicle Registration
What You Need to Get One
Whether the dealer or the county clerk issues the tag, bring proof of ownership (title, manufacturer’s certificate of origin, or bill of sale) and proof of active Kentucky liability insurance. State law requires continuous coverage on any vehicle present or registered in Kentucky.3Justia Law. Kentucky Revised Statutes 304.39-080 – Security Covering the Vehicle
The minimum liability limits are $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. A single-limit policy of at least $60,000 also qualifies.4Kentucky Department of Vehicle Regulation. Mandatory Insurance
The $3 tag fee is separate from what you will owe at permanent registration: a title application fee, a registration fee, and a 6% motor vehicle usage tax based on the vehicle’s value.5Kentucky Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Usage Tax
What Has To Appear on the Tag
Before the tag goes on the vehicle, the dealer or clerk must print or stamp the following in waterproof ink under KRS 186A.105:6Justia Law. Kentucky Revised Statutes 186A.105 – Execution of Temporary Tags
- The delivery date (month, day, year).
- An expiration date no more than 60 days after delivery.
- The purchaser or owner’s name.
- The vehicle’s year, make, and VIN.
- The dealer’s name, city, and phone number, or the clerk’s name, county, and phone number.
The employee who fills out the tag has to sign it. The tag mounts in the rear license plate area and must stay legible the entire 60 days. A faded, damaged, or incomplete tag is treated as improperly executed, which carries the same penalty as having no tag at all. Check yours before you drive off.
Penalties for Driving on a Bad or Expired Tag
Driving on Kentucky highways without a required temporary tag, with an expired one, with one that was not properly filled out, or with a tag that belongs on a different vehicle is a Class B misdemeanor.1Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes 186A.990 – Penalties The fine can reach $250.7Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes 534.040 – Fines for Misdemeanors and Violations
Stealing a temporary tag, making a counterfeit one, or obtaining one through any unauthorized channel is a Class D felony.1Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statutes 186A.990 – Penalties
Finish Permanent Registration Before Day 60
The 60-day window exists so you can pull your documents together and visit the county clerk. Don’t push it to the last day. Once the tag expires, the vehicle can’t legally move on Kentucky roads, and title processing sometimes takes longer than you expect.
Plan to bring the title or manufacturer’s certificate of origin, proof of insurance, the completed application, and payment for the title fee, registration fee, and the 6% motor vehicle usage tax on the purchase price or fair market value.5Kentucky Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Usage Tax Dealers often submit the title paperwork to the clerk on your behalf after a sale. Confirm it actually reached the clerk before your tag runs out; the tag is in your name, and the misdemeanor for driving on an expired one falls on you.