The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announced on April 1 the launch of a new online boat registration renewal service, allowing boat owners to renew their vessel registrations without visiting a County Clerk’s office.
According to the announcement, the new option is intended to provide convenience and save time for Kentucky residents. “We’re excited to give Kentucky boat owners even more choices this spring to spend less time in an office and more time enjoying the open waters,” said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray. “This new boat renewal option expands our existing online vehicle registration service to give Kentuckians a more convenient way to be served.”
To use the online system, boat owners will need their Kentucky boat number and the vessel’s title number. Only active registrations that expire this year are eligible for online renewal, and property taxes must be paid at the same time as the renewal. Those who prefer in-person service may still renew at their local County Clerk’s office.
Boat registrations in Kentucky expire on April 30 each year. The Transportation Cabinet encourages residents to renew in April to avoid late fees on property taxes. Every motorboat registered in Kentucky must display a valid, unexpired registration tag with a unique number issued through the County Clerk’s office, which must be displayed on each side of the vessel. Registration decals will be mailed after local County Clerk offices process online renewal requests.
The new online service follows the January 2024 launch of the Kentucky Automated Vehicle Information System (KAVIS), which replaced a nearly 40-year-old mainframe vehicle registration system, according to the official roster page.
