Division of Driver's License

The Division of Driver’s License has five convenient branches in Jefferson County that provide the following services:

• Renews driver's licenses.
• Issues operator, motorcycle and commercial driver's license permits.
• Issues commercial driver's licenses.
• Replaces lost or stolen licenses.
• Issues identification cards.
• Processes citations and payments.

Bowman Field Branch
3501 Roger E. Schupp St.
Louisville, Ky. 40205
Phone 502-595-4405

Hours: Monday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (duplicate and renewal licenses only)

Testing (all testing is done at the Bowman Field branch)
Monday 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Tuesday-Friday 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Commercial Driver’s License & Foreign Country License Written Testing
Monday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Tuesday-Friday 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Road tests require an appointment with the Kentucky State Police. You can contact the KSP at 502-454-3327.

Downtown Branch
718 W. Main St.
Louisville, Ky. 40202
Phone 502-595-4924

Hours: Monday 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Tuesday-Friday 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Central Government Center Branch
7201 Outer Loop
Louisville, K 40228
Phone 502-239-4292

Hours: Monday 8:30 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Tuesday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Southwest Government Center Branch
4917 Dixie Hwy., Suite E
Louisville, KY 40216
Phone 502-595-4703

Hours: Monday 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and Tuesday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Saturday 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (duplicate and renewal licenses only)

East Government Center Branch
200 Juneau Drive
Louisville, Ky. 40243
Phone 502-244-6097

Hours: Monday 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and Tuesday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

License Renewals
Operator licenses are good for four years and must be renewed in the county where you reside. The cost is $20. Payments may be made by cash, debit card or credit card. Visa is not accepted. There is a $2.50 third-party fee for debit or credit card transactions. 

Duplicate License and Identification Cards
You can replace lost licenses, stolen licenses and identification cards at any of the five branch locations. To obtain a new license or identification card, two or more documents with the name and signature must be provided. The cost is $12. Payments may be made by cash, debit or credit card. Visa is not accepted. There is a $2.50 third-party fee for debit or credit card transactions. 

Name or address changes are required by law to be made to driver’s licenses within 10 days. To obtain a name change, you must show documentation in the form of a marriage license, divorce decree or name change order. You must also change your Social Security card at least 24 hours prior to seeking a duplicate license or identification card. All names on the documentation must match.

For more information, visit the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (www.transportation.ky.gov/drlic/) website.

Operator/Motorcycle License Testing
(Jefferson County residents only)

Road tests are by appointment only. To schedule a road test in Jefferson County, you must call the Kentucky State Police at 502-454-3357. The written operator test is given on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Foreign-language testing is available on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit the Kentucky State Police http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org website.

Commercial Driver’s License (Jefferson County residents only)
The written commercial test is given on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. You must have an updated Department of Transportation physical card to take the test. To schedule a road test, you must contact the Kentucky State Police Skills Department at 800-542-5990.

Step One: Operator Permit
You must be at least 16 years old to take the written knowledge and vision test for an operator permit. Driving manuals may be obtained from the Kentucky State Police (http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org). You must provide a certified or original birth certificate, Social Security card and proof of address. If you are the age of 18, a parent or guardian must sign the application and take financial responsibility. A legal guardian must provide a certified copy of guardianship papers. Pursuant to the No Pass/No Drive Law (KRS 159.051), you must also provide a School Compliance Verification Form issued by your school.

Permit drivers under the age of 18 may not drive between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. unless the driver can demonstrate a good cause for driving. The driver must be accompanied by a licensed driver age 21 or older in the front seat of the vehicle.

Step Two: Intermediate License
After holding a permit for 180 days, the driver may apply for an intermediate license and take the driving skills test. To schedule a driving test, contact the Kentucky State Police at 502-454-3327. A parent or guardian must certify that the driver has completed 60 hours of practice with 10 hours occurring at night. A practice driving log and verification form are required. Passenger restrictions are limited to one unrelated person under 20 years of age.

Step Three: Unrestricted License
Intermediate license holders who have completed the four-hour graduate license program and have held an intermediate license for 180 days may apply for a full unrestricted license. Intermediate drivers under the age of 18 may not drive between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. unless the driver can demonstrate a good cause for driving. All drivers under the age of 21 are subject to zero alcohol tolerance, which is defined as .02 alcohol concentration. All drivers under the age of 18 cannot obtain any serious moving violations.

For more information, visit the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (www.transportation.ky.gov/drlic/) website.

Identification Cards
Identification cards are good for four years and must be issued in the county where you reside. To obtain an identification card, you must show an original or certified birth certificate, Social Security card, proof of address and marriage license if applicable. Applicants under the age of 18 will need a parent or guardian to sign the application. Guardianship papers are required.
Name or address changes are required by law to be made to identification cards within 10 days. To obtain a name change, you must show documentation in the form of a marriage license, divorce decree or name change order. All names on the documentation must match.

The cost is $12 for applicants age 15 or older and $4 for applicants under the age of 14. Payments may be made by cash, check, debit card or credit card. There is a $2.50 third-party fee for debit or credit card transactions. Visa is not accepted.
For more information, visit the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (www.transportation.ky.gov/drlic/) website.

Out-of-State Transfers
You must surrender any out-of-state operator license when applying for an operator license in Kentucky. To obtain an out-of-state transfer, the driver must provide a Social Security card and proof of a Jefferson County address. The cost is $20 for an operator license and $30 for an operator/motorcycle license. Payments may be made by cash, check, debit card or credit card. Visa is not accepted. There is a $2.50 third-party fee for debit or credit card transactions.

Transfers may be made at any of the five Driver’s License branches unless the out-of-state license has expired. If the out-of-state license has expired, the driver must take the written test and eye exam at the Bowman Field Driver’s License Branch.

For more information, check the Department of Transportation website. (www.transportation.ky.gov/drlic/)

Paying Traffic Citations
You can pay for traffic citations at any driver’s license branch except for the Downtown Branch. You must have the citation in order to make a payment. Payments must be made at least three business days prior to your first court date.

Payments can be made by phone at 866-396-1751 or through the Criminal/Traffic Division at 502-595-4428. You may also make a payment in person at the Louis D. Brandeis Hall of Justice, 600 W. Jefferson St. The Criminal/Traffic Division is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Online payments can be made at www.courts.ky.gov/payments. Visit ePay (add link) to learn which citations can be paid online.

Commercial Driver’s License
Applicants must have a medical examiner’s certificate (also known as the DOT physical card) from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet before he or she can test for a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Every CDL applicant must have an application on file before a permit or license can be issued. The Commercial Application (CAP) will display on the applicant’s driving record. This form can be obtained from the Jefferson County Office of the Circuit Court Clerk or the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

New applicants must pass the written test and eye exam to receive a permit. The applicant must have the permit for 10 days before the road test can be scheduled. To schedule the road test, contact the Kentucky State Police Skills Department at 800-542-5990.

Hazmat drivers must have a new Transportation Security Administration application on file every four years. Hazmat drivers will be required to retest on hazardous endorsements and apply with the Kentucky State Police for finger printing. Call the Kentucky State Police at 888-655-9655 for more information.

CDL testing takes place on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Applicants must have a valid DOT physical card. The cost of a CDL permit is $11 and the Kentucky State Police testing fee is $50. To schedule a road test, contact the Kentucky State Police Skills Department at 800-542-5990.

Hazmat drivers are required to test every 2 years.

For more information and study materials, visit the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (www.transportation.ky.gov/drlic/) website.

Selective Service
Kentucky law (KRS 186.405) requires all U.S. males between the ages of 18 and 25 to register for the U.S. Selective Service System when applying for a driver’s license or identification card.  The data is transmitted electronically from the driver’s license database to the Selective Service System database. The Selective Service System is notified of drivers who refuse to register.

The Selective Service System maintains data on males subject to military conscription and uses that data for military recruitment purposes. For more information, visit www.sss.gov.

Trust For Life
Circuit court clerks have promoted organ donation since 1992 when the Kentucky Association of Circuit Court Clerks sponsored legislation that gives every Kentuckian obtaining a driver's license or identification card the opportunity to donate $1 to promote organ and tissue donation.

With more than 700 Kentuckians on the transplant waiting list, this cause becomes more important every day.

The Kentucky Association of Circuit Court Clerks’ Trust For Life is a 501C(3) nonprofit organization that informs, educates and encourages Kentuckians to be organ and tissue donors by registering on the Kentucky Organ Donor Registry. For more information call 866-945-LIFE, email info@trustforlife.org or visit www.trustforlife.org.

Voter Registration
The Motor Voter Act of 1993 was designed to enhance voting opportunities for every American. It required state governments to allow qualified voters to register to vote when he or she applied for social services or applied for or renewed their driver's license. That means you can register to vote at a Driver’s License branch when you apply for or renew your driver’s license.

You cannot register to vote online. However, you can download an application (http://elections.jeffersoncountyclerk.org/voter_registration.htm) online and bring it with you to one of the Driver’s License branches. Applications are also available at each of the Driver’s License branches.