Kentucky Car Insurance

Auto Insurance Coverage in KY—The Basics

The best known event in Kentucky may be the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, but there's plenty more to experience in the Bluegrass State, and the best way to get there is by car. Take off for a thrilling college basketball game at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Take a trip to the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro. Wherever you live or travel in Kentucky, you're going to need proper auto insurance. Fortunately, it's easy to get a Kentucky car insurance quote from GEICO.

Kentucky Uninsured Motorist Notice

On June 1, 2012, Kentucky began a statewide enforcement program which compares the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) reported by insurance companies against the state's vehicle registration database. If these do not match, the state sends an "Uninsured Motorist Notice" that asks the vehicle owner to verify insurance coverage. The owner has 30 days to prove there has not been a lapse of coverage or to present proof of current insurance.

Learn More About Required Kentucky Auto Insurance Coverage

The required minimum coverages and limits to register and operate a vehicle in Kentucky are:

  • Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
  • Property Damage liability: $10,000 per accident
  • Uninsured Motorist coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident*
  • Personal injury protection (PIP): $10,000 per accident*

*Uninsured motorist and PIP coverages can be rejected in writing.

Kentucky Driver's License Information

  • To obtain a Kentucky driver's license, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of this country.
  • You must be at least 16 years of age to transfer your driving permit or license to Kentucky.
  • All Kentucky driver's licenses are issued in the Circuit Court Clerk's Office in the Kentucky county of residence.
  • Proof of Kentucky residency is required. Proof includes, but is not limited to, a deed or property tax bill, utility agreement or utility bill, or rental housing agreement.
  • Your valid out-of-state license, Social Security card and birth certificate must also be presented to the clerk.
  • If your out-of-state license is valid when you transfer to Kentucky, you will not be required to test.
  • If you do not have your valid license to turn in to the clerk, you must provide a current driving record or clearance letter from the state you are transferring from.
  • Out-of-state permit holders transferring to Kentucky must transfer their permit and be issued a Kentucky permit before applying for a Kentucky driver's license.
  • The type of license you apply for will determine the cost.

Kentucky Graduated Licensing Program for Teen Drivers

The first phase of Kentucky's graduated license program is the permit; 16 is the minimum age to apply. Applicants under 18 must have a parent signature and submit a School Compliance Verification Form. Upon passing the written and vision test, permit holders must be accompanied in the front passenger seat by a licensed driver age 21 or older. They cannot have more than one non-relative under age 20 in the vehicle, and they cannot drive between midnight and 6:00 AM. Drivers must hold the permit for at least 180 days (if under 21 years old) or 30 days (if over 21 years old). Permit holders under 18 must complete a minimum of 60 hours of practice driving, with at least 10 of these hours at night.

Phase two in the licensing process is the intermediate license. Applicants must pass a road skills test. If under 18, intermediate license holders cannot have more than one non-relative under age 20 in the vehicle and may not drive between midnight and 6:00 AM. They must hold the license for 180 days and complete a state-approved driver education program before being eligible to apply for a full unrestricted license.

The full unrestricted license is the last phase in Kentucky's graduated licensing program. It does not have any time or passenger restrictions; however, drivers under 21 will be issued an "Under 21" license. All drivers in Kentucky under 21 are subject to "Zero Alcohol Tolerance" (defined as .02 Blood Alcohol Concentration).