Kentucky Vehicle Registration Fee Calculator – Estimate your total registration costs, including property tax, EV fees & admin charges. 2026 rates updated.

Total Estimated Due

$0.00

Registration + Property Tax + Fees

Ad Valorem (Prop. Tax) $0.00

EV/PHEV Fee $0.00

Assessed Value (Jan 1)

*NADA Trade-In Value (Base for Tax)

Vehicle Type

Fuel Type (2026 Rates)

Transaction Type

Tax District Rate (Per $100)

*State (0.45) + Local Avg (~0.8). Varies by county.

Fee Breakdown	Amount
Total Due	$0.00

*2026 Update: EV and PHEV fees are now $126.00. Standard Hybrids no longer pay an extra fee.
*Ad Valorem Tax is collected at renewal based on the Jan 1st value. Usage Tax (6%) applies only to new purchases/transfers.

What is the Kentucky Vehicle Registration Fee Calculator

The Kentucky Vehicle Registration Fee Calculator is an interactive web-based tool that estimates the total cost of vehicle registration in Kentucky . It calculates multiple fee components including annual registration fees, ad valorem property tax, EV/PHEV ownership fees, motor vehicle usage tax (for new purchases), and administrative fees based on user inputs such as vehicle type, assessed value, fuel type, and transaction type .

Complete Fee Structure

Base Registration Fees by Vehicle Type

Vehicle Type	Annual Registration Fee	Notes
Passenger Car	$21.00	Standard passenger vehicle rate
Truck (10,000 lbs or less)	$21.00	Light truck base rate (weight-based)
Motorcycle	$18.50	Two-wheeled vehicle rate

EV/PHEV Ownership Fees (2026 Updated Rates)

Fuel Type	Standard Vehicle Fee	Motorcycle Fee	Status Badge
Gas / Diesel	$0.00	$0.00	No additional fee
Standard Hybrid	$0.00	$0.00	Fee removed in 2026
Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)	$126.00	$63.00	2026 rate increase
Electric Vehicle (EV)	$126.00	$63.00	2026 rate increase

Ad Valorem Property Tax Structure

Component	Rate	Calculation Method	Notes
State Rate	0.45% per $100	(Assessed Value ÷ 100) × State Rate	Fixed state portion
Local Rate	~0.80% per $100 (avg)	(Assessed Value ÷ 100) × Local Rate	Varies by county
Combined Default	1.25% per $100	(Assessed Value ÷ 100) × 1.25	User-adjustable in calculator
Assessment Basis	NADA Trade-In Value	As of January 1st valuation	Updated annually

Motor Vehicle Usage Tax

Transaction Type	Tax Rate	Applied To	When Collected
Annual Renewal	0%	N/A	Not applicable for renewals
New Purchase	6%	Purchase price of new vehicle	At time of registration
Transfer/Used Purchase	6%	Retail value of used vehicle	At time of title transfer

Administrative & Clerk Fees

Fee Type	Amount	Transaction Type	Purpose
Mail/Decal Fee	$2.00	All transactions	Standard processing
Title Fee	$9.00	New purchase/transfer only	Title processing
Total Admin Fee (Renewal)	$2.00	Annual renewal	Processing + decal
Total Admin Fee (New/Transfer)	$11.00	New purchase	Processing + decal + title

Calculator Input Parameters

Input Field	Data Type	Default Value	Purpose	Validation
Assessed Value	Currency ($)	$20,000	NADA Trade-In Value (Jan 1)	Minimum: $0
Vehicle Type	Dropdown	Passenger Car	Determines base registration fee	3 options available
Fuel Type	Dropdown	Gas/Diesel	Determines EV/PHEV fees	4 fuel options (2026 rates)
Transaction Type	Dropdown	Annual Renewal	Determines usage tax applicability	Renewal or New Purchase
Tax District Rate	Percentage	1.25%	Local + state property tax rate	Step: 0.01%, varies by county
Purchase Price	Currency ($)	$20,000	Usage tax calculation base	Only visible for new purchases

Complete Fee Calculation Formula

Fee Component	Formula Used in Code	Example (Default Values)
Registration Fee	Fixed based on vehicle type	$21.00 (passenger car)
EV/PHEV Fee	$126 if fuel === ‘ev’ or ‘phev’, else $0	$0.00 (gas vehicle)
Ad Valorem Tax	(assessedVal ÷ 100) × taxRate	($20,000 ÷ 100) × 1.25 = $250.00
Usage Tax	purchasePrice × 0.06 (new only)	$0.00 (renewal transaction)
Clerk Fees	$2.00 + $9.00 (if new purchase)	$2.00 (renewal)
Total Due	Sum of all components	$273.00

Dashboard Display Components

Display Element	Purpose	Data Source	Update Trigger
Total Estimated Due	Primary total cost display	Sum of all calculated fees	Real-time on input change
Registration + Property Tax + Fees	Total breakdown label	Static description	N/A
Ad Valorem (Prop. Tax)	Property tax subtotal	Calculated from assessed value	Real-time on value/rate change
EV/PHEV Fee	Alternative fuel fee subtotal	Based on fuel type selection	Real-time on fuel type change

Transaction Type Differences

Aspect	Annual Renewal	New Purchase/Transfer
Registration Fee	Included	Included
EV/PHEV Fee	Included (if applicable)	Included (if applicable)
Ad Valorem Tax	Based on Jan 1 value	Based on Jan 1 value
Usage Tax (6%)	Not charged	Charged on purchase price
Title Fee	Not included	$9.00 added
Total Admin Fees	$2.00	$11.00
Purchase Price Field	Hidden	Visible for usage tax calculation

2026 Updates & Important Notes

Update Item	Previous Rate	2026 Rate	Impact
EV Ownership Fee	Lower (specific not shown)	$126.00	Increased for standard vehicles
PHEV Ownership Fee	Lower (specific not shown)	$126.00	Increased for plug-in hybrids
Electric Motorcycle Fee	Lower (specific not shown)	$63.00	Half of standard EV rate
Standard Hybrid Fee	Previously charged	$0.00	Fee eliminated completely

Key Calculator Features

Feature	Description	Benefit
Real-time Calculation	Updates instantly on input change	Immediate fee estimates
Responsive Design	Mobile-optimized layout	Works on all devices
Visual Dashboard	Large total display with breakdown	Clear cost overview
Detailed Breakdown Table	Itemized fee list	Transparency in calculations
County-Specific Rates	Adjustable tax district rate	Accurate local estimates
Transaction Toggle	Switch between renewal and new purchase	Flexibility for different scenarios
Reset Functionality	One-click return to defaults	Easy recalculation

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Operating System: Web

Application Category: FinanceApplication

Editor's Rating:
5