Kentucky State Police Opens New Locations to Conduct Drivers Testing

Appointments available now

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 28, 2021) – Today, the Kentucky State Police (KSP) announced new locations for some Kentuckians to complete the required testing to obtain a state permit and driver license.  Below is a list of the regional driver testing locations that are currently operational.  Residents of these counties should take note of their new regional location in order to make an appointment prior to arrival.

“KSP will continue to administer all permit and license testing for the state,” said Gov. Andy Beshear, “The majority of these new locations were selected in coordination with the recent regional locations opened by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) in an effort to reduce travel time for Kentuckians.”

Starting June 1, residents of Casey, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle and Wayne counties should make an appointment on KSP’s website to conduct permit, driver or commercial driver license testing at KYTC’s Driver Licensing Regional Office in Somerset. Appointments are available Monday through Friday.

Starting June 7, KSP will begin offering regional testing services in Catlettsburg, Columbia, Jackson, Morehead and Prestonsburg. Appointments are available Monday through Friday and can be made online by visiting KSP’s website.

KSP will offer driver testing at the Cattlesburg Driver Licensing Office for the residents of Boyd, Carter, Greenup and Lawrence counties.

KSP will offer driver testing at the Columbia Driver Licensing Office for the residents of Adair, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, Metcalfe, Monroe, Russell and Taylor counties.

KSP will offer driver testing at the Jackson Driver Licensing Office for the residents of Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Owsley, Perry, Powell and Wolfe counties.

KSP will offer driver testing at the Morehead Driver Licensing Office for the residents of Bath, Elliott, Fleming, Lewis, Mason, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan and Rowan counties.

KSP will offer driver testing at the Prestonsburg Driver Licensing Office for the residents of Floyd, Johnson, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin and Pike counties.

“In transitioning to this model we have the opportunity to offer better services and greater volume,” said KSP’s Commander of Driver Testing, Captain Marshall Johnson. “The availability of appointments will increase based upon the regionalization of testing services. KSP is working with KYTC and Kentucky’s circuit court clerks to open the remaining regional offices statewide by June 30, 2022.”

Captain Johnson released a video statement, which provides more information on the new locations and scheduling system. To watch the video click here.

Each location will offer testing services Monday through Friday by appointment only. Applicants that require testing by KSP for a permit, driver license or commercial driver license may make an appointment online by visiting KSP’s website and locating the schedule associated with their county of residence.

Prior to the appointment, new drivers should prepare for the exam by accessing the only approved Kentucky driver’s manual online or by viewing it through the official KSP mobile app, ‘kspolice’. All driver testing materials can be viewed and printed free of charge.

Upon completion and passage of a permit, driver or commercial driver licenses, applicants will need to make an appointment at one of the KYTC regional locations to obtain their official state driving identification. The transition of licensing services by KYTC was mandated with passage of House Bill 453 during the 2020 Kentucky General Assembly. Counties having already made the transition are Adair, Breathitt, Caldwell, Casey, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Green, Hardin, Hopkins, Madison, McCracken, McCreary, Menifee, Metcalfe, Pulaski, Rowan, Russell, Webster and Woodford.

On May 27, KYTC announced that 10 more counties are joining the transition of driver licensing from circuit court clerks to the Cabinet in June. To read the release, click here.

According to KYTC, Kentucky will continue offering the option of a standard driver’s license, but a REAL ID or other form of federally approved identification, such as a passport or military ID, eventually will be needed by people 18 and older for boarding commercial flights and accessing military bases and federal buildings that currently require identification. Federal enforcement is scheduled to begin May 3, 2023.

First-time application for a REAL ID must be made in person at a Driver Licensing Regional office. Specific documentation is required. A list of acceptable documentation and a link to take an interactive quiz that populates a personalized list of documents is available at drive.ky.gov | IDocument Guide.