State service guide

Kentucky driving records: public 3-year access, $6 online orders, and a clearance letter that stays offline

Kentucky does not present driving records as one flat MVR product. The state's public Driver History Record page splits the service into a three-year DHR, a full DHR, and a separate clearance letter. Anyone may obtain the three-year DHR, but Kentucky says that version removes personal information such as the address, Social Security number, and physical description. The full DHR is the broader record with identifying information, licenses issued, traffic convictions, administrative entries, and CDL-related requirements, and Kentucky requires a notarized release or subpoena to obtain someone else's full DHR. Channel choice matters too: only the three-year DHR is available online for $6, while three-year or full DHRs and clearance letters can be purchased in a Driver Licensing Regional Office or by mail for $3.

Open official source View Kentucky services
Online limit Only a three-year DHR may be obtained online, and Kentucky lists the cost at $6.00
Public-access version Anyone may obtain a three-year DHR, but it contains no personal information such as an address, Social Security number, or description
Full-record release rule To obtain a full DHR on someone other than yourself, Kentucky requires a notarized release from the driver or a subpoena
Clearance-letter rule A Kentucky clearance letter is a certified copy of a full driving history record and is not available to purchase online

Overview

What this page helps you verify

A good Kentucky driving-records page should begin with record type, not with a generic order button. Kentucky's official page makes clear that the public-access product is the three-year DHR, while the full DHR carries more personal and CDL-related information and has a tighter release rule when the record belongs to someone else. Kentucky also uses a cleaner channel split than many benchmark pages suggest. The online lane is limited to the three-year DHR and costs more than the office or mail versions, while the clearance letter is treated as a certified copy of the full DHR and is not sold online at all.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-18. This page was manually upgraded against service-specific official sources, but requirements can still change quickly.

Usually needed

Documents and information to prepare

  • A completed TC 94-195 Driver License History Record Request form if you are buying the record or clearance letter by mail
  • Payment that matches the channel: card payment online, debit or credit card with processing fee or money order or cashier's check in person, or a certified cashier's check or money order by mail made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer
  • A notarized release from the driver or a subpoena if you are requesting a full DHR for someone other than yourself
  • A valid mailing address on the TC 94-195 form if you want Kentucky to mail the DHR or clearance letter
  • Access to the confirmation email if you use the online three-year DHR path, because Kentucky says the download link is delivered there

Typical flow

What the process often looks like

  1. Choose first whether you need the public three-year DHR, the broader full DHR, or a clearance letter, because Kentucky treats those as different products.
  2. Use the online service only if a three-year DHR is enough, because Kentucky says only that version is sold online.
  3. If you need a full DHR or a clearance letter, go to a Driver Licensing Regional Office or use the TC 94-195 mail path instead of looking for an online checkout.
  4. If the full DHR belongs to another driver, include the notarized release or subpoena before expecting Kentucky to release it.
  5. If you are going in person, plan around Kentucky's walk-in limits and book an appointment when possible, because the official page says Regional Offices have limited walk-in slots.

Record types

Kentucky's three-year DHR and full DHR are not interchangeable

This is the first place a reviewed page should slow the user down.

  • Kentucky says anyone may obtain a three-year DHR, but that version contains no personal information such as an address, Social Security number, or physical description.
  • The full DHR contains identifying information, licenses issued to the driver, traffic conviction information, administrative entries regarding driving privileges, all CDL-related requirements, and other information.
  • That means the three-year DHR is the more public-facing product, while the full DHR is the broader and more sensitive record.

Channel and fee split

Kentucky's ordering rules depend on both record type and channel

The official page is more specific here than many benchmark summaries.

  • Kentucky says only a three-year DHR may be obtained online, and the listed cost is $6.00.
  • A three-year or a full DHR can be obtained at any Driver Licensing Regional Office for $3.00.
  • A three-year or full DHR can also be purchased by mail for $3.00 using the TC 94-195 form.
  • Regional Offices are limited on walk-in slots, and Kentucky says an appointment is highly recommended.

Privacy and release rules

The broad Kentucky full DHR has a specific release gate for other people's records

This is the clearest privacy rule on the public page.

  • Kentucky's DHR page says a full DHR on someone other than yourself requires a notarized release from the driver or a subpoena.
  • That restriction does not appear in the same way on the public three-year DHR description, which is why the page should not collapse both products into one generic MVR.
  • Users requesting an employer, court, or cleanup record should verify whether they truly need the full DHR before gathering the extra release paperwork.

Clearance letters

Kentucky treats the clearance letter as its own offline-certified product

This is the most important Kentucky-specific edge case for users leaving the state or clearing an old hold.

  • Kentucky says a clearance letter is a certified copy of a full driving history record.
  • The official page also says the clearance letter is not available to purchase online.
  • Instead, the clearance letter can be purchased in person at a Driver Licensing Regional Office or by mail with the TC 94-195 form for $3.00.

Accuracy notes

Where people get tripped up

  • Kentucky driving-record content should lead with the official split between the three-year DHR, the full DHR, and the clearance letter rather than with a generic MVR template.
  • Do not describe the current Kentucky process as a county-clerk transaction or invent a certified-versus-non-certified fee ladder from older or third-party summaries. The official DHR page routes orders through the online three-year service, Driver Licensing Regional Offices, or mail and lists $6 online for the three-year DHR and $3 in office or by mail.
  • The three-year DHR's no-personal-information rule is one of the most useful Kentucky-specific details and should stay near the top of the page.
  • The clearance letter should be explained as a certified copy of the full DHR and as an offline-only product.

FAQ

Common questions

  • Can I get a Kentucky driving record online?

    Yes, but only the three-year DHR. Kentucky says only a three-year DHR may be obtained online, and the cost is $6.00.

  • Can anyone get a Kentucky driving record?

    Anyone may obtain the three-year DHR. Kentucky says that version does not include personal information such as an address, Social Security number, or description.

  • What is the difference between a Kentucky three-year DHR and a full DHR?

    The three-year DHR is the narrower public-access version, while the full DHR contains identifying information, licenses issued, traffic convictions, administrative entries, CDL-related requirements, and other information.

  • Can I order someone else's full Kentucky driving history?

    Not without extra authority. Kentucky says you need a notarized release from the driver or a subpoena to obtain a full DHR on someone other than yourself.

  • Is a Kentucky clearance letter the same as a regular driving record?

    Not exactly. Kentucky says the clearance letter is a certified copy of a full driving history record, and it is not available to purchase online.

Sources

Official references used for this page

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