01/02/09

Kentucky

PASSENGER

1974 (blue/white) Fayette County vg $3.00 (actual plate)

1988 Churchill Downs graphic:  This design began in 1988 with "88" validation stickers.  At the top of the design is the roof of Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby horse race is run each year in Louisville, Kentucky.  In the center of the plate is a horse and colt, which is the part of the design the State of Kentucky was sued for using.  Apparently, the photographer of the horses sued the state for using his photographic design, causing the state to stop production immediately in 1997 ("98" expiration stickers).  The county name is placed in the center of the "roof" with a sticker of the same color, so as to appear to be part of the blue stripe.

ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $5.00

1997 plain blue/white base:  Due to the lawsuit by the photographer of the horses in the previous design (explained above), the state quickly came out with this plain design to give the state time to produce a replacement design for the Churchill Downs base.  The plate was entirely embossed with the county name at the bottom of the plate.

1998 cloud graphic:  This design began in 1998 ("99" expiration stickers) and featured rolling hills at the bottom and a large cloud in the shape of the state.  The plate reversed the plate number format to "000 AAA" and had the county name at the bottom on a green sticker that was the same color as the rolling hills.

2003 smiley sun graphic: This design began in 2003 ("04" expiration sticker).  The county of residence appears on a sticker, again green like the color of the rolling hills at the bottom of the plate.

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Fayette County natural vg $3.00

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Franklin County natural vg $3.00

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Anderson County natural vg $3.00

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Boyd County vg $3.00 (actual plate)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Fayette County natural vg $3.00

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Pulaski County natural vg $3.00

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Rowan County vg $3.00 (actual plate)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Lewis County vg $3.00 (actual plate)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Floyd County vg $3.00 (actual plate)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Fayette County vg $3.00

2006 (blue/reflective multicolored) Pulaski County vg $3.00

2006 (blue/reflective multicolored) Pulaski County natural exc $3.00 (actual plate)

2005 "Unbridled Spirit" base:  This design began in 2005, replacing the smiley face after only three years.  The "000 AAA" plate format was retained, beginning at "A" again.  At the top was a stylized horse's head and a small state shape was in the center of the plate.  The county name appears at the bottom, but on a blue sticker this time.