Campbell County is among five Kentucky counties to make the transition in mid-June to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) new, secure driver-licensing model offering Kentuckians more choices and modern services.
For years, circuit court clerks provided driver’s licenses and state identification cards in each county, but a majority of clerks asked KYTC to take over issuing REAL IDs. As a result, legislation was passed in 2020 that transitioned all driver licensing and state ID services to KYTC. The transition will be completed by June 30, 2022.
To carry out the transition, KYTC has created a network of Driver Licensing Regional Offices located across the state. Twenty-seven regional offices have been opened to date, with plans for at least four more.
“It’s a new era of driver licensing in Kentucky,” Gov. Andy Beshear said. “Our administration accepted the challenge of assuming all driver licensing and ID issuance, and we have been hard at work creating the best network we can. Circuit court clerks will now be able to focus solely on court business, and driver licensing will be executed at new regional offices whose only business is licensing.”
Making the transition next will be Campbell, Jessamine, Marion, Mason, and Whitley counties. In each county, the Office of Circuit Court Clerk will cease licensing services at close of business on Friday, June 10. Customers will be referred to KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Offices as of Monday, June 13, 2022. All but eight of Kentucky’s counties will have made the transition by that date.
Residents of counties making the transition may renew or apply for a REAL ID or new standard card version of driver license, learner permit, commercial driver license (CDL) or ID card at any KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Office. Applicants are encouraged to make an appointment online, which can be done at drive.ky.gov. Walk-in customers are welcomed on a first-come, first-served basis at most locations. Click here to see whether walk-in capacity has been reached on any given day.
To date, more than 167,000 Kentuckians have skipped a trip to a regional office by renewing their current license online or by mail. In addition, more than 2,400 Kentuckians have been issued credentials by the KYTC Popup Driver Licensing Program in counties that don’t host a regional office. Popup teams have visited 79 counties to date. To learn more about how to renew, click here.
KYTC regional offices – the only place where Kentuckians can get a REAL ID – are currently operating in Bowling Green, Burlington, Catlettsburg, Columbia, Covington, Danville (appointment only), Elizabethtown, Frankfort, Henderson, Hopkinsville, Independence, Jackson, Lexington, Louisville/Bowman Field (appointment only), Louisville/Dixie Highway (appointment only), Louisville/Hurstbourne, Louisville/Nia Center, Madisonville, Manchester, Mayfield, Maysville, Morehead, Owensboro, Paducah, Prestonsburg, Richmond, and Somerset, with more offices planned.
Driver Licensing Regional Offices will offer the following:
• Online appointment scheduling. Walk-in customers are welcome at most locations. Check here to see whether walk-in capacity has been reached on any given day.
• A choice between a REAL ID and a new standard card version. Both feature security upgrades and are available with a choice of four-year or eight-year expiration. (Eight years for all CDLs.)
• Service at ANY regional office, regardless of customer’s county of residence.
• Periodic “Pop-up Driver Licensing” visits to counties without a regional office to offer on-site application and renewal services.
License applicants receive a temporary identification document at the end of the transaction for use until the permanent card arrives by mail at their home address. This reduces the wait time for printing credentials during visits and improves security by eliminating in-office card production machinery.
A full list of counties that have transferred services to regional offices is available at drive.ky.gov.
