AN ACT relating to motor vehicle driveaway plates.
Summary
HB 188 creates a new statutory framework for “driveaway plates” for driveaway businesses in Kentucky. A driveaway business that already holds a driveaway certificate may apply through the county clerk for a reusable plate that allows vehicles with valid registration and declared gross vehicle weight to be operated in driveaway service. The bill sets a $150 initial issuance and annual renewal fee, allows additional plates for $35 each, and requires the business to keep trip records showing the vehicle identification number, origin and destination, mileage, and travel dates. Driveaway plates expire annually on December 31 and must be returned if the underlying driveaway certificate is revoked or not renewed.
Impact
The bill adds a new section to KRS Chapter 281 and amends KRS 281.631 to carve driveaway plates out of the existing motor carrier vehicle license fee structure. Instead of paying the prior $10 annual motor carrier vehicle license fee for driveaway operations, driveaway businesses will use the new plate system administered by county clerks and enforced by the Transportation Cabinet. The bill also clarifies that driveaway plates may only be used for transporting vehicles in transit, not for tow truck operations, and only by authorized business personnel. More broadly, it updates the licensing and fee rules for motor carriers while leaving other categories such as taxis, limousines, buses, TNCs, and property carriers largely unchanged.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the House 88-1, the Senate 37-0, and the House again 100-0 after Senate changes, indicating strong bipartisan agreement. The final enactment and lack of recorded committee opposition suggest the measure was viewed as a technical or administrative update rather than a major policy dispute.
Contention
The main policy distinction in the bill is the shift from a general motor carrier license fee for driveaway operations to a dedicated driveaway plate system with higher fees and recordkeeping requirements. Any concern would likely come from driveaway businesses facing the new $150 annual plate fee and additional compliance obligations, while county clerks receive a retained portion of fees for extra plates. The bill also draws a clear line excluding tow truck operators from using driveaway plates, which may have been intended to prevent misuse and distinguish driveaway service from towing operations.