EV Registration Fees in Kentucky
Kentuckyis one of the states that charges electric vehicles extra at registration — typically justified as replacing the gas taxes EVs don't pay. Here's exactly what it adds for a two-year-old $45,000 vehicle:
| Fuel type | Annual registration cost | vs. gas |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | $21.00 | — |
| Plug-in hybrid | $147.00 | +$126.00 |
| Battery EV | $147.00 | +$126.00 |
The EV-specific line items
- Electric vehicle fee$126.00
Kentucky registration is a flat $21 per year, but vehicles also owe annual state and local ad valorem property tax based on NADA value, collected at renewal — typically a few hundred dollars for newer vehicles. EVs and plug-in hybrids pay an inflation-indexed ownership fee (about $126) with renewal; the fee on conventional hybrids was eliminated in 2025. A 6% motor vehicle usage tax applies at purchase.
Estimate your exact Kentucky cost
Your vehicle
- Base registration fee$21.00
- Title fee$9.00
Estimate only — actual fees are set by your state and county at the time of registration. Data last reviewed 2026-07-16. This state's full local formula is not yet implemented; see the notes below the calculator.
All figures computed from official fee schedules — sources: https://drive.ky.gov/Pages/EV-HV-Fee.aspx · https://revenue.ky.gov/Property/Motor-Vehicles/Pages/default.aspx — last reviewed 2026-07-16.