[KY] Can I register my car with a Wyoming address in Kentucky if it is owned by my trust and I want to hide my identity?

Lexi, Chatbot

I understand the importance of maintaining your privacy. Are you looking to register your car in Kentucky with a Wyoming trust to protect your identity?

Lexi, Chatbot

Have you already looked into the specific requirements for registering a car in Kentucky under these circumstances?

Lexi, Chatbot

Is there anything else the lawyer should know before I connect you? Rest assured they’ll be able to help with your registration issue.

Blake

Hello, my name is Blake and I’m a licensed attorney. I’ll be happy to help you today! Please keep in mind this discussion is for general informational purposes only and does not create an attorney-client relationship or constitute legal advice.

Blake

Let’s go over how this works:

1. Ownership and Registration Basics

If your car is legally titled in the name of a Wyoming trust, that trust is the vehicle’s owner. However, Kentucky law requires that all vehicles primarily garaged or operated in Kentucky be registered in Kentucky.

Even though the trust is from Wyoming, the car must be registered in the state where it’s kept most of the time—that is, Kentucky.

If you register it in Wyoming but actually live and use the car full-time in Kentucky, that could be considered registration fraud or tax evasion, as Kentucky requires residents to pay state registration fees and property taxes for vehicles used in the state.

2. Address for Registration

Kentucky law requires a physical garaging address for the vehicle (where it’s kept overnight most of the time). This is normally your residential address.

That said, for mailing purposes, you can sometimes list a different address—such as a P.O. Box or your trust’s Wyoming mailing address—depending on what the local county clerk allows.

To protect privacy, you might:

• Register the car under the Wyoming trust’s name,
• Use your Kentucky garaging address (required for legal compliance), and
• Use the Wyoming address or a registered agent’s address for correspondence.

Before finalizing, contact your county clerk’s office to verify what address format they accept for out-of-state trusts owning Kentucky-registered vehicles.

3. Privacy Options

If your goal is anonymity, here are lawful ways to limit public exposure:

• Use a Wyoming trust or LLC as the titled owner (as you’re doing).
• Use a registered agent address in Wyoming for mail and public filings.
• Avoid listing your personal name on the vehicle title or insurance (have them in the trust’s name).Consider a Wyoming mailbox or mail forwarding service for trust correspondence.

However, even with these steps, Kentucky DMV records will internally record where the vehicle is garaged. That’s required by state law for taxation and liability purposes—so your personal address may still appear in confidential state records, even if not visible publicly.

4. Legal Compliance

To stay compliant:

• Ensure your trust documents clearly establish that the trust owns the vehicle.
• Confirm that the insurance policy matches the ownership structure (trust as named insured).
• Keep copies of Wyoming formation documents and your trust agreement handy in case the Kentucky DMV requests proof of ownership.

If you attempt to register it solely in Wyoming while the vehicle stays in Kentucky, you could face penalties for failure to register in the state of principal use (KRS § 186.020).

Summary

• You can register the vehicle under the Wyoming trust,
• You must use your Kentucky garaging address,
• You can use a Wyoming or business address for mail to preserve privacy,
• You cannot legally avoid Kentucky registration if the car is kept there full-time.