The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet launched a permanent service on Friday to expand options for Kentuckians to renew their state driver’s licenses and ID cards remotely through a mail-in renewal program.

The revamped mail-in service is administered solely by the Cabinet, part of the phased transfer of licensing services to KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Offices from local Offices of the Circuit Court Clerks. All counties will transfer services by June 30, 2022. 67 counties will have those services move to the regional offices by the end of October.

“The mail-in program builds upon the successful summer launch of Kentucky’s first online driver’s license renewal service,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “Both services maximize convenience by helping the majority of cardholders tackle an important to-do on their own time without visiting a licensing office.”

The mail-in program offers the following services:
• Renewal of a four-year driver’s license, combo motorcycle/operator license, ID card.

• Card must expire within six months or have been expired for less than a year, and the applicant wants to maintain the same card version as their current license (standard or REAL ID).

• Request new driver’s license, combo motorcycle/operator license, ID card if you need to update your address. One valid proof of address change is required. A list of acceptable documents can be found here.

• Kentuckians requesting a license replacement (lost/stolen cards). Card will be mailed to the address on file.
Hard-copy cards will be mailed within 10-15 business days after successful processing.

“Kentucky is bringing back a better, permanent version of the mail-in program that was temporarily offered during most of 2020 to limit COVID-19 exposure at our driver licensing regional offices,” state Transportation Secretary Jim Gray. “The mail-in program is the only renewal service KYTC offers that allows cardholders to do the following tasks remotely: replace a lost or stolen card, update a mailing address, and pay by check. As we look to modernize licensing, we recognize some Kentuckians prefer to do business in multiple ways and this service caters to our diverse population.”

Kentuckians now have three options to renew credentials: online, by mail or in person. A list of services offered through each renewal method, as well as more details about the mail-in program, are now available at drive.ky.gov.