Kentucky Driver’s License Renewal Guide

Updated on July 19, 2021
Did you know that Bowling Green, Kentucky is home to the only facility producing Chevrolet Corvettes, since 1981? Pretty Impressive! If you plan to hit the 166,971 road miles of the Bluegrass state has to offer in a flashy Corvette, be sure to keep your Kentucky driver’s license up to date.

Despite being home to Corvette production, the most popular car in Kentucky in 2021 is actually the Ford F-Series pickup trucks. In Kentucky’s defense, these pickups may be a little more practical for the backroads and countryside of the beautiful southeastern state. Continue reading for more details on Kentucky driver’s license.

How to Renew a Kentucky Driver’s License

What do I need and how do I renew my Kentucky driver’s license? Good questions.

Renewing Your Driver’s License in Kentucky

The process for completing a Kentucky license renewal is fairly straightforward. Kentucky drivers must go to the Circuit Court Clerk’s office in their county of residence to obtain an updated license.

The only exception is for military personnel, which we’ll cover in this article about how to renew a Kentucky drivers license.

When Do I Need to Renew My Driver’s License in Kentucky?

For drivers aged 21 or older, a Kentucky license expires 31 days after the driver’s birth date. For drivers who are under 21 years old, a Kentucky license expires 90 days after the driver’s 21st birthday.

To make sure you have plenty of time to renew and avoid an expired license, drivers who are age 21 and over can complete the Kentucky license renewal process up to six months prior to the expiration date, as long as their current license is valid.

Before you head to the Circuit Court Clerk’s office to complete your renewal, you may want to obtain a copy of your driving record to see if there are any issues.

If you have to change your address, if your license is suspended or if you have other issues you may need to provide additional documentation to complete the Kentucky license renewal process.

You are always responsible for knowing the status of your driver’s license.

Getting in the habit of obtaining a copy of your record can save time and effort when it’s time to renew your license.

Renewing Your Driver’s License In Person

All Kentucky driver’s license renewals must be completed at the Circuit Court Clerk’s office in the Kentucky county of residence.

The only exception to this rule is for active duty military who are serving outside of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Kentucky Driver’s License Renewal Requirements

To renew your Kentucky license, you will need to provide identification, which in most cases is your expiring license.

If you are updating your address, you will need to provide proof of address. In some cases, you many need to provide additional documentation such as:

• • Your birth certificate.
  • Your Social Security card.
  • Proof of address. Accepted documents include property tax bill with your name, utility bill with your name, or mortgage documents with your name.

Renewing an Expired Driver’s License

If your license expired more than one year prior, you will also have to take a vision exam and a written driving knowledge test.

Reinstating a Suspended Driver’s License

If your license is suspended, you will have to reinstate it before you can complete your Kentucky driver’s license renewal.

Once issued, a Kentucky driver’s license is valid for four years.

Required License Renewal Fees

The renewal fee for a regular class D operator license is $20. If your license is suspended, you will have to pay a reinstatement fee of $40.

Special Conditions for Active Duty Military Personnel

Current active duty military personnel who are Kentucky residents and are stationed or assigned outside of the Commonwealth are allowed to renew a regular class D drivers license by mail.

If you are active duty military and have been outside of Kentucky and your license has expired, you have 90 days upon your return to Kentucky to renew your license. In this case, the written test and/or road test that would normally be required is waived.

However, if you do not complete your Kentucky driver’s license renewal within the 90 days, you will then be required to follow the regular rules for renewal.

Driving with an expired license carries some steep fines. Since, Kentucky does not offer online license renewal or renewal by mail, except for active duty military, don’t wait until the last minute to start your Kentucky drivers license renewal process.

Scheduling an Appointment to Renew Your License In Person

Should you have any further questions regarding how to renew your Kentucky driver’s license or are interested in scheduling an appointment for in person renewal, contact the DMV location nearest to you.