Beginning January 1, new laws will go into effect in Kentucky requiring individuals who own electric vehicles or gasoline-hybrid vehicles to pay additional fees for registration or public charging services.
According to state officials, passage of House Bill 360 in the 2023 Kentucky General Assembly passed House, was a significant development for the long-term stability of the state’s Road Fund. HB 360 ensures that EV and hybrid owners pay a fair share of the cost of building and maintaining Kentucky’s transportation infrastructure.
The new, annual ownership fee structure under Kentucky law includes the
following:
* $120 for electric vehicles
* $60 for hybrids
* $60 for electric motorcycles
The fees collected from these charges will go to the Road Fund, which supports various aspects of Kentucky’s transportation system, including road construction, maintenance, engineering, planning, research, and administrative functions. Officials say this will ensure the smooth functioning and development of the state’s transportation network.
According to officials, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) will mail a postcard to Kentuckians subject to the fee. Payments can be made online at
EVHV.ky.gov or by paying at your county clerk’s office when renewing
registration.
State Highway Engineer James Ballinger with the Kentucky Transportation Department says sharing the roads also means sharing the cost to maintain them.
With the rise in hybrid and EV owners in recent years, Ballinger said, the ownership fee helps ensure their contributions to the Road Fund match those of the majority of Kentucky drivers who drive a gas or diesel-powered vehicle and pay associated taxes.
In 2022, the General Assembly passed House Bill 8, which added a dealer
tax of 3 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity for EV charging stations
on or after July 1, 2022. Similar to Kentucky’s Motor Fuels Tax, it
will be added to the selling price of the charge to those who operate
charging stations. The tax revenue goes to the Road Fund.
For information about Kentucky’s electric vehicle infrastructure, fast charging stations, a map of current AFCs, future high-priority routes and more visit evcharging.ky.gov.
Currently, state officials indicate Kentucky has over 9,000 registered electric vehicles, including motorcycles, and over 60,000 hybrids.
