Kentucky: Is there an annual vehicle safety inspection?
No. Kentucky does not require safety inspections of private cars; cars brought from other states get a VIN and odometer check.
A car brought into Kentucky must be inspected by a certified inspector in the county before it can be titled. The inspector checks the VIN against the car and its paperwork and records the odometer reading. The law does not list equipment checks such as brakes or lights.
Conditions
- VIN and odometer inspection to title a vehicle brought from another state
What the law says
(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the owner of every vehicle brought into this state and required to be titled in this state shall, before submitting his or her application for title to the county clerk, have the vehicle together with his or her application for title and its supporting documents inspected by a certified inspector in the county in which the application for title is to be submitted to the county clerk.
Sources
- KRS 186A.115 Mirror of official text · codes.findlaw.com
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Vehicle Licensing
- Website
- drive.ky.gov
How bordering states compare
- Illinois No safety inspectionNo. Illinois safety-tests trucks, buses, taxis and other commercial-type vehicles, but not ordinary private passenger cars.
- Indiana No safety inspectionNo. Indiana does not require safety inspections of private cars; out-of-state cars get an identity check before titling.
- Missouri Regular safety inspectionMissouri requires a safety inspection every two years, but most cars under ten years old with under 150,000 miles are exempt.
- Ohio No safety inspectionOhio does not require safety inspections of passenger cars.
- Tennessee No safety inspectionTennessee does not require safety inspections of private passenger cars, including when a car is sold or brought from another state.
- Virginia Regular safety inspectionVirginia requires registered vehicles to pass a safety inspection every 12 months at a State Police-licensed station.
- West Virginia Regular safety inspectionWest Virginia requires registered vehicles to pass a safety inspection every two years.