Gov. Beshear Opens Regional Driver Licensing Office in West Louisville
Office will issue REAL ID-compliant licenses, as well as standard ID credentials
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 4, 2021) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the opening of a fourth Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Driver Licensing Regional Office in Jefferson County, and the first in West Louisville, to ensure modern licensing and credentialing services are accessible to all residents of Kentucky’s largest metro area.
The new office, at the Nia Center, 2900 W. Broadway, in Louisville, formerly was a branch location of the Jefferson County Office of Circuit Court Clerk. The Transportation Cabinet is taking over the office as part of a phased transfer of all Kentucky driver licensing services.
“As a state, we’re going places we’ve never been before, and we’re going together. This regional office is going to give Kentuckians the tools they need to seize opportunities as our economy soars to new heights,” Gov. Beshear said. “Driver’s licenses and state IDs aren’t just credentials, they’re keys. They unlock so many other doors, like making your voice heard in an election, being able to drive to school or work as you pursue your goals, or being able to travel on a plane or visit a military base to see loved ones.”
The Nia Center location is the 20th KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Office, and more are planned to open in Kentucky. Like KYTC’s other regional offices, it will process applications for REAL ID and standard-issue driver’s licenses, commercial driver licenses, identification cards and learner’s permits. It also will process in-person renewals and requests for replacement credentials. Operating hours will be Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern. Customers can walk in or schedule an appointment online at drive.ky.gov.
The Nia Center is a designated stop for Transit Authority of River City (TARC) buses, enabling access for Kentuckians without personal transportation.
The opening of a Driver Licensing Regional Office at the Nia Center is part of a long-range project to use technology and strategic locations to deliver a modern, secure licensing system to Kentuckians.
“This is next-level driver licensing in Kentucky,” KYTC Secretary Jim Gray said. “Customers have more service options than ever before, such as online appointment scheduling, online license renewal and mail-in renewal. After many years of issuing driver licenses, circuit court clerks will be able to focus solely on court business, and driver licensing will be executed at new regional offices whose only business is licensing.”
“The opening of this new KYTC office at the Nia Center underscores our state and local commitment to ensuring that residents of every neighborhood have access to critical government services,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “As we continue to work deliberately to be a more inclusive, equitable and innovative city, it’s important to have services like this located in West Louisville.”
The traditional model of licenses and permits being issued by the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in each county is being phased out gradually statewide and will conclude by June 30, 2022. In its place will be a new, more secure regional model in which licenses, permits and ID cards will be issued and renewed by KYTC at Driver Licensing Regional Offices around the state. Regional offices offer Kentuckians more modern services and user choice, including the flexibility to visit any regional office, regardless of where they live, and the choice of a four- or eight-year license. Sixty-seven counties will have made the transition by the end of October.
Jefferson County Circuit Court Clerk David L. Nicholson said the seamless transition of licensing services from his office to KYTC at the Nia Center would be an enormous benefit to the community.
“I made adding a West Louisville driver’s license branch one of my administration’s top priorities and was very proud to open this long overdue branch at the Nia Center in 2012,” Nicholson said. “It has been our pleasure to serve the citizens of West Louisville over the years. I look forward to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet ushering in a new era of driver licensing, offering next-level services to all the citizens of our community and commonwealth.”
“The County Clerk's Office is glad to welcome our new neighbors to the Nia Center. Our office has served area residents with their vehicle registration needs. With the state opening and running their new Driver Licensing Regional Office here, the Nia Center will stay a one-stop shop for all driver needs,” said Bobbie Holsclaw, Jefferson County Clerk.
In June, KYTC launched an online renewal option for driver and motorcycle license holders who hadn’t had a change of name or address. To date, more than 30,000 credentials have been renewed online. Last week, the cabinet announced a revamped, relaunch of a mail-in renewal option that also allows Kentuckians to update addresses and request the replacement of a lost or stolen license.
First-time REAL ID applicants must visit a KYTC regional office in person, with proof of identity, residence and social security. For a personalized list of required documents to bring when applying, visit http://www.realidky.com. All driver testing must be successfully performed with the Kentucky State Police before requesting a credential. Testing appointments can be made online at http://kentuckystatepolice.org/driver-testing/.
Other KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Offices are located in Bowling Green, Burlington, Catlettsburg, Columbia, Elizabethtown, Frankfort, Jackson, Lexington, Louisville/Bowman Field (appointment only), Louisville/Dixie Highway, Louisville/Hurstbourne, Madisonville, Manchester, Morehead, Owensboro, Paducah, Prestonsburg, Richmond and Somerset.
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