Kentucky Auto Driving Laws

Suspension and Revocation of License

In accordance with Kentucky driving law, your license may be Suspended or Revoked for any of the following violations of Kentucky traffic laws:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances (DUI).
• Manslaughter resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle.
• Perjury or false affidavit to the Transportation Cabinet.
• Felony involving use of a motor vehicle.
• Reckless driving - three convictions within twelve months.
• Leaving the scene of an accident, failure to stop and disclose identity.
• Theft of a motor vehicle or any part thereof.
• Failure to maintain Liability Insurance.
• Failure to satisfy a Citation or Court Summons.
• Failure to enroll in or complete State Traffic School upon sentence by the Court.
• Failure to complete a Graduated Licensing course for newly-licensed drivers 16 and 17 years of age.

Any person failing to satisfy a judgment rendered against him for damages resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle within 60 days from the date of said judgment will have his driving privilege suspended by the Transportation Cabinet.

The suspension will remain in effect until 15 years have elapsed, or until the judgment has been satisfied. Upon satisfaction, a court-attested copy of the satisfaction is to be sent to the Cabinet, and the necessary reinstatement procedures must be followed.

The Kentucky Driving Law Point System

The purpose of the point system is to identify and assist those drivers who need improvement before it becomes necessary to suspend their driving privilege in accordance with Kentucky driving law. It serves to protect the safe and sensible drivers and correct those who are reckless and irresponsible.

Under the Kentucky traffic laws point system, the Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing, keeps a record of all moving traffic violations on each driver. These records are based on reports of traffic convictions, forfeiture of bail, or payment of fine, with or without court appearances, which are forwarded to the Division of Driver Licensing by the courts throughout the United States.

Assignment of point value to various offenses of Kentucky driving law is made to impress upon drivers that their records are being watched, and unless they comply with Kentucky traffic laws, they may develop a bad driving record, leading to the suspension of their license.

Under Kentucky driving law, any driver accumulating as many as six (6) points may receive a form letter from the Division of Driver Licensing advising him that immediate action should be taken to improve his driving.

The driver may be required to appear for an interview with a representative of the Cabinet to determine his real driving problems.

At this interview, the Transportation Cabinet representative attempts to determine if participation in a State Traffic School program would benefit the driver. In accordance with Kentucky traffic laws, if he fails to appear for the interview, his driving privilege shall be suspended for a period of six (6) months.

Violations of Kentucky Driving Law and Their Point Values

In accordance with Kentucky driving law, conviction for one of the following serious violations of Kentucky traffic laws may result in suspension of the driving privilege for the period of time indicated:

1. Racing 90 Days
2. Speeding 26 MPH or more over speed limit 90 Days
3. Attempting to elude law enforcement officer by use of motor vehicle 90 Days

Under Kentucky driving law, conviction for any one of the following motor traffic offenses shall be cause for assessment of the points indicated:

Violation Type - Points

• Speeding 15 MPH or less over the limit - 3
• Speeding 1-10 MPH over the limit on limited access highway - 0/Fine if Convicted
• Speeding 11-15 MPH over the limit on limited access highway - 3
• Speeding 15 MPH or over the limit on limited access highway in a commercial motor vehicle - 3
• Speeding 16 MPH or more, but less than 26 MPH, over the limit - 6
• Failure to stop for church or school bus - 6
• Improper passing - 5
• Reckless driving - 4
• Driving on wrong side of road - 4
• Following too closely - 4
• Failure to yield to emergency vehicle - 4
• Changing drivers in a moving vehicle - 4
• Vehicle not under control - 4
• Stop violation (electrical signal, railroad crossing, stop sign) - 3
• Failure to yield - 3
• Failure to obey a traffic control device - 3
• Wrong way on one-way street - 3
• Too fast for conditions - 3
• Too slow for conditions - 3
• Improper start - 3
• Improper driving - 3
• Careless driving - 3
• Failure to yield left lane - 3
• Improper lane usage - 3
• Improper use of left lane on limited access highway - 3
• Failure to illuminate headlights - 3
• Failure to dim headlights - 3
• Any other moving hazardous violations - 3
• Commission of a moving hazardous violation which involves an accident - 6
• Combination of two or more hazardous violations in any one occurrence - 6

Points assessed under the Kentucky Point System expire two (2) years from the date of conviction. However, under Kentucky driving law the conviction remains part of the driver's record for a period of five (5) years for an operator's license and ten (10) years for a commercial driver's license.

Accumulation of Points

Under Kentucky driving law, if a person of eighteen or more years accumulates six or more points within a two-year period, the Transportation Cabinet may send a letter that shall advise him of the number of penalty points on his driving history record, and shall inform him of the penalties which may be imposed if he were to accumulate twelve points within two years.

Under Kentucky driving law, if a person under the age of eighteen accumulates four or more points within a two-year period, the Transportation Cabinet may send a letter that shall advise him of the number of penalty points on his driving history record, and shall inform him of the penalties which may be imposed if he were to accumulate more than six prior to his eighteenth birthday.

Under Kentucky driving law, if a person of eighteen or more years accumulates twelve points within a period of two years, or a person less than eighteen accumulates more than six points in a period of two years, the Cabinet may suspend the driving privilege for a period of six months for the first accumulation of points, one year for the second accumulation of points, and two years for any subsequent accumulation of points within a two-year period.

Second and Subsequent Suspension

For any offense of Kentucky driving law for which the suspension of the driving privilege is six months or less for the first offense, the second conviction of a similar offense shall result in a suspension period of not less than one year, and any subsequent conviction for any similar offense not less than two years.

In accordance with Kentucky driving law, if the Cabinet suspends the driving privilege of a person more than one (1) time, the suspension times shall run consecutively.

After a hearing, under Kentucky driving law the department may require the driver to be placed on "probation" in lieu of suspension and attend a driver improvement clinic (State Traffic School) approved by the Transportation Cabinet.

Under Kentucky driving law, once a driver has been placed on "probation" by the Cabinet, he shall not be considered for probation again until a lapse of two (2) years from the ending date of any previous probation period granted, whether served or not.

Other Violations of Kentucky Traffic Laws Which Could Result in Your Driving Privilege Being Suspended or Revoked

Violation Type - Action

• False Application Suspension - 6 months
• Racing A Motor Vehicle Upon A Public Highway - Possible 90 Day Suspension
• Attempting To Elude Police Officer Possible - 90 Day Suspension
• Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Failure to Stop And Disclose Your Identity and/or Failure to Stop and Render Aid Suspension - 6 months
• Failure to Appear Pursuant to a Citation or Summons Issued by a Law Enforcement Officer of this Commonwealth or Any Other Jurisdiction - Indefinite Suspension
• Failure to Maintain Liability Insurance - $500 Fine or (1st offense) 10-90 Days in Jail No Suspension Notation on Driving Record
• Failure to Maintain Liability Insurance - $1,000 Fine or (2nd offense) 90 Days in Jail Plus 1 Year Suspension
• Failure to Enroll or Complete State Training School - Indefinite Suspension
• Failure to Pay Child Support - Indefinite Suspension

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