Bardstown driver licensing office now open

Area residents now have an additional option for applying for or renewing their driver’s license. 

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet this week opened the 33rd Driver Licensing Regional Office in the state in Bardstown.

KYTC Vehicle Regulation Commissioner Matthew Cole says the transportation cabinet is excited to bring services to the Bardstown location, located at 860 West Stephen Foster Avenue.

“We bring what everybody sees as just drivers licensing, but it can be so much more,” Cole said. “If someone needs to do an address change, they need to do a name change because of a marriage, divorce decree (sometimes it’s on the bad side of it), but whatever they need, any of those functions that we’re able to help with.”

The current office is a temporary location as the KYTC prepares a permanent Bardstown location. While driver testing, which is administered by the Kentucky State Police, will not be available at this time, all other office functions can be found at the Bardstown site.

“When they offered us the temporary location, it just means we could set up shop sooner,” Cole said. “Obviously, we’ll have the full functionality. It’s just that this will buy us time to be able to finish and furnish a more permanent office that’ll have a more permanent feel to it when it gets done.”

Any driver looking to upgrade their license to a Real ID ahead of the May 7, 2025 deadline can do so by bringing their birth certificate, Social Security card, and two proofs of residence to a license office.

“That’s a federal requirement, and what that’s going to allow people to do is get on domestic flights after that enforcement date, because there’s going to be the standard license, which is good for pretty much everything else, but this is for those other restricted things, which is the domestic flight on commercial flights and getting into restricted federal buildings,” Cole said.

The Bardstown office will be open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments can be scheduled at drive.ky.gov.