Renewing your Kentucky driver’s license in 2025? There will be a new requirement

Starting in 2025, Kentucky drivers renewing their licenses will need to undergo a vision exam.

This means drivers will either need to get the vision screening done at one of the state’s regional driver’s license offices while they’re renewing or have a medical professional administer one and obtain documentation from them as proof before renewing.

The change is the result of a Kentucky law set to go into effect in January , and according to Matt Cole, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s vehicle regulation commissioner, it comes down to keeping drivers safe on the road.

“I would rather tell one person that they need to go see an eye doctor than have law enforcement go to somebody’s house and say their family member is no longer with us because someone’s vision wasn’t good enough to drive,” Cole told the Herald-Leader in a recent interview about the change.

KYTC officials say they don’t expect wait times to increase as a result of the change, but if your license is set to expire next year, you may want to take care of it sooner rather than later.

Here’s how the whole process will work, including what state officials recommend to avoid headaches as the change is rolls out early next year.

What to expect from the vision screenings

As described by Cole, the screening is very similar to the test many Kentuckians experience when they’re 16 and just learning to drive.

“You look into the little box,” Cole said. “You look at the lights and read back what you see.”

Cole said the screening only takes about a minute and will be part of the check-in process at offices where drivers are seeking to renew their licenses. Additional staff will be on hand to help implement the change, Cole said.

There’s no additional fee for the screening, nor will they increase the cost of obtaining a Kentucky driver’s license, Cole said.

Should a renewing driver fail the screening, they’ll need to see a vision specialist, such as an optometrist or an ophthalmologist, for corrective measures. That could include eyeglasses, contact lenses or other treatments the specialist recommends.

Alternatively, drivers can get the eye exam done by a specialist before they’re due to renew their license. Cole said vision health care providers will begin asking their patients if they’re planning to renew their driver’s license sometime within 12 months and provide the completed form if so.

“If [drivers] bring that form in to us at the regional office, we just accept that and they proceed to renewal,” Cole said. “There’s no reason for us to do any additional screenings.”

As for how this will affect drivers renewing online or by mail , drivers who obtain the form from their vision specialist can upload the form online at drive.ky.gov.

While many states require older drivers specifically to undergo vision screenings to renew their licenses, Kentucky does not . That’s changing in January when all renewing drivers will have to submit to screenings, regardless of age.

Also new in 2025, REAL ID enforcement will begin . So if you don’t have a compliant REAL ID, you might want to take care of that before May 7, after which you could face some travel restrictions.

What do I need to renew my Kentucky driver’s license?

What you need depends on your situation. If nothing has changed, you have the same address and your name hasn’t changed, you don’t require any additional documents. In this case, you can renew your license online .

If your information has changed, however, then to renew, you’ll need to do so in person at one of the state’s regional offices .

Bring the following documents with you for your appointment:

• Current driver’s license
• Proof of residency (if you’ve moved since your last renewal)
• Name change documentation (such as a marriage certificate)
• Renewal fee ($21.50 or $43 for four-year and eight-year standard driver’s licenses, respectively. REAL ID licenses cost either $24 or $48.)

To help you determine which documents you need based on your situation, the state has a quiz you can take.

Do you have a question about Kentucky law for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.