What are Kentucky Public Traffic Records?
Kentucky public traffic records contain the official history of a subject's road usage in the state. The information contained in these records includes traffic violations, license suspensions, fines, sentences, penalties, and other information associated with traffic or road use.
Traffic records comprise documents generated by different government agencies or departments. These records may be retrieved from a central database like those maintained by the state courts, the Driver Licensing Offices, and the Transportation Cabinet.
Are Traffic Records Public in Kentucky?
According to the Kentucky Open Records Act, records maintained by state and local government agencies, including legislative bodies, officers, and departments, are public. Therefore, traffic records are public in Kentucky. Interested parties may access or retrieve these traffic records by sending a request to the appropriate record custodian in the state.
The state of Kentucky operates according to the Federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act which restricts the dissemination of certain personal information on state driving or vehicle records. Personal information, in this case, includes the record subject's photographs, telephone numbers, disability information, medical information, and social security numbers. This information may only be accessed by eligible government agencies and other persons authorized by law or court order. Violating the privacy law is a criminal offense, and confidential or private information may be removed or redacted from a requested traffic record.
What Do Kentucky Traffic Records Contain?
Traffic records in Kentucky contain information relevant to the subject's motor vehicle record or traffic history. The following information may be found in a Kentucky traffic record:
- Driver's license information
- License revocation or suspensions
- Accident records
- Driver's license points
- Fines and other penalties
- Traffic violations
- Convictions
- Sentences
Does a Citation Go on Your Record in Kentucky?
Yes, citations are included in Kentucky driving records. Generally, traffic records contain comprehensive information about the subject's interaction with state roads and traffic laws, and this includes any traffic violations or issued citations. The state uses a point system to identify and monitor traffic violations, offending road users, and habitually negligent drivers.
Traffic violations are assigned points based on severity, and these points are added to an offender's driving records upon conviction. However, not every traffic violation is ascribed a point value, and those without points attached do not go on an offender's driving records. Moving violations are more likely to attract point values as these offenses involve a greater risk of injury, accidents, or property damage.
Drivers or road users who accumulate up to 12 points within 24 months may face a hearing and face license suspension, which may lead to increased auto insurance premiums. License suspensions also go on an offender's traffic record in Kentucky.
Types of Traffic Citations in Kentucky
There are two main types of traffic citations in Kentucky:
- Moving traffic violation tickets: these types of tickets are issued for moving traffic violations. Typically, moving traffic violations occur when the offender is in a moving vehicle. Examples of moving traffic violations in Kentucky include speeding, running a red light, tailgating or following too closely, and failure to signal correctly.
- Non-moving traffic violations: these tickets are issued for traffic violations that occur when a car is stationary or when the offender is in a stationary vehicle. Non-moving traffic violations are considered less severe than moving traffic violations as these offenses involve less risk of injury, death, or property damage. Examples of non-moving traffic violations include parking violations such as parking in front of a fire hydrant, parking in a handicap zone, or a no-parking zone.
Kentucky traffic violations include everything the recipient needs to know about the traffic violation they are being charged with, including the nature of the offense, applicable fines, and available resolution options. Recipients must respond to or resolve Kentucky traffic tickets by the time specified on the ticket. If the ticket requires a hearing, it must also specify the court and the date the recipient is expected to appear for a hearing.
Kentucky Traffic Citation Lookup
Parties interested in looking up traffic citations in Kentucky may visit the KYeCourts website. The website allows users to search traffic tickets and court cases. Interested parties may look up traffic citations using the citation numbers on the ticket. However, requestors must first register to use the website.
Requestors may also lookup traffic citations using Cournet 2.0. Unlike the KYeCourts, this website does not require user registration. Interested parties may look up traffic citations using the party search, allowing such persons to retrieve traffic ticket information even if the ticket is missing. The requester is required to provide the case party name, birth date, and driver's license number. It is also possible to search using citation number, year, and type.
Interested members of the public may also contact the appropriate court directly to lookup traffic citations in Kentucky. The Kentucky Judiciary has a search function on its website that helps users find circuit court clerks by county. In some cases, courts collect payments for traffic tickets and generate traffic tickets. So, interested parties may obtain required information from the courts or other local law enforcement agencies.
Some courts also offer traffic ticket lookup or search functions on their website; inquiring parties may contact the circuit court in the county where the traffic violation occurred to determine available options for traffic ticket lookup. Local Driver Licensing offices may also provide traffic citation information.
How to Lookup my Kentucky Traffic Records
To look up traffic records in Kentucky, interested parties may request driving history records from the Driver Licensing Offices. Kentucky driving history records contain licenses, identifying information, traffic convictions, and other administrative entries. While anyone can request three-year driving history records, these records do not contain personal information such as a description of the subject, the person's social security number, and address.
To request a three-year driving history record online, use the record portal. In order to access driving history information through this portal, requestors must have a Kentucky.gov account. The requestor may also receive the requested driving history record within minutes of initiating a request.
Another driving history record available in Kentucky is the full driving history record, an alternative to the 3-year record. It contains more information about the subject's driving history, including personal information that is not available in three-year driving records. Full driving history records are only available to subject records or persons with subpoenas or a notarized release from the subject or driver.
Parties may request full driving history records by submitting a request form by mail or in person at a Driver Licensing Regional Office. Interested persons may request certified copies of full driving history records, also called Clearance Letters in Kentucky. The fee for clearance letters is $3.
Kentucky traffic case records may also be available from third-party websites since they are considered public records. Unlike government sources or websites, third-party websites do not have geographical limitations. Hence, interested parties may access these websites from anywhere in the world. However, some third-party websites may require registration or subscription to access traffic record.
Kentucky Traffic Violations
A Kentucky traffic violation is any infraction of the state's motor vehicle laws. These violations can range from minor offenses like speeding or running a red light to more severe crimes, such as DUI or hit and run. Depending on the severity of the offense, penalties for traffic violations can include fines, points on your driving record, and even jail time.
If convicted of a traffic violation in Kentucky, the offending motorist will likely face punishment. The most common penalties for traffic violations are fines and points on their driving record. Penalties for traffic violations vary depending on the offense, but fines can be as high as $1,000 for more severe infractions. Points are used to track the driving record of motorists and can lead to increased insurance rates and even a revoked license if they accumulate too many.
In some cases, traffic violations can also result in jail time. For example, hit and run or DUI offenses can carry a sentence of up to one year in jail. If convicted of a more serious offense, such as vehicular homicide, the offender may face even longer prison sentences.
Kentucky License Plate Lookup
A license plate number is an identifying number assigned to a motor vehicle. In Kentucky, license plates are issued through the county clerk's office in the county where the vehicle will be registered. They are usually featured in Kentucky traffic records, but the plate number is assigned to the owner of the vehicle and remains with the car when it is sold. To look up a Kentucky license plate, interested persons may query the county clerk's office in the county where the vehicle is registered. Requestors can also search for license plates online through the Kentucky Department of Vehicle Regulation website.
How to View Traffic Case Records for Free in Kentucky
Those who wish to view traffic case records in Kentucky may visit the courthouse or the Clerk of Court's office in the county or municipality where the case was first heard. Each court has a record custodian, which is the court clerk. Interested parties may request case records from the appropriate record custodian at no charge. However, requesting parties must note that while viewing a case record at the courthouse is free, the court may charge fees to produce copies of the case records.
Requesting parties may also view traffic case records through CourtNet. Users may search by citation, case, or party. The citation search allows users to search using the citation number, and the case search allows users to search using the case number and county, and the party search allows users to search using the case parties' names.
How Long Do Traffic Offenses Remain on a Public Record in Kentucky
The transportation cabinet in Kentucky maintains driver history records for five (5) years. The cabinet maintains three-year records for the use of insurance companies. However, some traffic offenses remain on public records for longer. For example, DUI offenses remain on public records until such records are expunged or sealed.
How to Remove Traffic Records from Public Websites in Kentucky
Persons who wish to remove traffic records from public websites in Kentucky may petition the court to seal or expunge such records. According to section 431.078 of the Kentucky state statutes, interested and eligible parties may petition the court for expungement five (5) years after completing the requirements of the imposed sentences, including imprisonment and probation.
Upon the petitioner's request, the court may schedule and hold a hearing within 30 days and deliver a judgment. If the court grants an expungement order, the records of convictions, arrests, and charges are completely removed from the subject's record. Expunged records become inaccessible to unauthorized persons and may therefore be removed from public websites. However, most third-party websites allow users to opt out of having personal information displayed.
Do Motoring Offenses Affect Criminal Records in Kentucky?
Motoring offenses affect criminal records in Kentucky; however, only criminal motoring offenses affect criminal records. Motoring offenses can be classified as either civil or criminal. While civil motoring offenses are less severe and involve minimal risk of injury to another person, criminal motoring offenses are quite the opposite. Because of the severity of criminal motoring offenses, it affects an offender's driving and criminal records. Criminal records typically show up in background checks and often lower the subject's chances of employment in certain fields. Criminal records may also reduce a subject's access to or eligibility for some education and financial opportunities.
