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Kentucky driver's license

Get your first license in Kentucky after moving to the US.

How it goes

  1. 1
    You arriveYou have moved to Kentucky and you want to drive here.
  2. 2
    Your permitYou practice on the road with a learner permit.
  3. 3
    The written testYou take the written test.
  4. 4
    Behind the wheelYou take the drive test behind the wheel.
  5. Your licenseYou pass the tests, and the license is yours.

What it costs

A first license

$21.50 for a 4-year license or $43.00 for 8 years. A REAL ID version costs $24.00 for 4 years or $48.00 for 8.

You pay this when you apply.

If you just arrived in the US

Foreign documents with no expiry date

If your official immigration documents do not have an expiration date, Kentucky will issue you a driver's license or ID card that is valid for 4 years.

Your Social Security Number

Giving your number, and who may see it

The application asks for your Social Security number, or a letter from the Social Security Administration saying it declined to issue you one. The state keeps your application and supporting documents in electronic form, with an exception for birth certificates.

Tests you take

Eye test

A failed eye screen stops the written test, so the whole appointment ends there. If you fail, you are referred to a vision specialist; with 20/60 or better vision after the referral you can still test for a permit or license.

  • You need at least 20/40 distance vision, corrected or uncorrected, to move on to the written test. If you need corrective lenses to reach that, your license will be restricted to driving with them.

Tries you get on the written test

If you fail the written test, you can return the next available day to retake it.

Practice questions for the written test

The official Kentucky Driver Manual is the only approved study material for the license exam. You can read and print it at kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov.

  • The Kentucky State Police publishes the Driver Manual at wp.kentuckystatepolice.ky.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Kentucky-Driver-Manual-10-11-2023.pdf. The edition posted there is from October 2023.

Practising with your permit

Who can sit with you while you practise

A licensed driver who is 21 or older must be in the passenger seat at all times while you drive on a permit.

  • A licensed driver aged 21 or over must be in the front passenger seat at all times while you drive on a permit.

What to bring to the drive test

Who comes with you

A licensed driver aged 21 or older must come with you to the testing site.

The car and its insurance

You can use a backup camera during the road test, but you must still show proper backing skills and not rely on the camera alone.

  • You cannot use parallel park assist during the road test. You must complete the parallel parking maneuver without assistance.

  • A rental car is allowed if you are listed as the renter, you bring the rental agreement, and the agreement shows you are insured. The car must also meet all other requirements.

  • A car with temporary tags is allowed if the tag is valid on test day and matches the car.

  • The test car must be registered and insured. Proof of insurance can be an insurance card, a current insurance policy, or an insurance binder from an agent.

  • The front passenger area, seat, and floor must be clean, or the car can be rejected. The car needs clean, working factory-installed seat belts for you and the examiner.

Where to go

Who gives the tests

The Kentucky State Police oversees all testing in Kentucky.

Booking an appointment

You can book a driver testing appointment at telegov.egov.com/KSP.

  • One scheduler at telegov.egov.com/ksp covers both the written test and the road test. KYTC Regional Office appointments run on a separate system, driveky.qmatic.io.

Office locations

You can find the nearest office at drive.ky.gov/Pages/Find-an-Office.aspx.

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Every source, quoted21 sources

Every fact on this page is quoted from the page that publishes it, in the words it uses.

Applying for a driver's license in Kentucky?

Answer a few questions and see the steps that apply to you.

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