A Kentucky renewal is a form and a fee, not a new class. The Department of Kentucky State Police mails you a renewal form at least 120 days before your...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
A Kentucky renewal is a form and a fee, not a new class. The Department of Kentucky State Police mails you a renewal form at least 120 days before your license expires. You file it on paper with your county sheriff or electronically with the Department. An expired license is void. Six months past expiration, it can never be renewed.
Two groups deal with expiration. The first is the holder of a standard license to carry concealed deadly weapon (CCDW license), which runs five years from the date it was issued.
The second is a provisional licensee. Kentucky State Police issues a separate provisional license for applicants aged 18 to 20 under KRS 237.118(2). That provisional license is valid until the holder turns 21. The Department of Kentucky State Police is required to issue provisional licenses, effective July 15, 2026. The Department of Kentucky State Police is not yet accepting applications from people ages 18 to 20, and its concealed carry page says the online portal is expected to be updated this fall. A provisional holder does not renew. That holder applies to switch to a standard license.
Under KRS 237.110(14)(a), the Department mails a written expiration notice and a renewal form at least 120 days before the expiration date. The renewal asks for a sworn statement that you remain qualified under the criteria in subsections (3) and (4), not a new training class. You may file the paper renewal form with the sheriff of your county of residence, or file an electronic renewal form with the Department. The paper renewal fee is $60 under KRS 237.110(7)(b)1. The electronic renewal fee is $70 under KRS 237.110(7)(c)1. The renewed license is valid for five years from the date of issuance under KRS 237.110(2)(b).
There is no grace period during which an expired license still works. Under KRS 237.110(14)(b), an expired license is void and is not valid for any purpose other than surrender to the sheriff in exchange for a renewal license. Filing the renewal itself late is still possible for a time: under KRS 237.110(14)(c), a licensee who fails to file on or before the expiration date may renew by paying a $15 late fee in addition to the license fees. That late filing window closes six months after the expiration date.
For a provisional holder, KRS 237.118(6)(a) requires the Department to mail the expiration notice and the switch application at least 90 days before the provisional license expires. The switch application may be filed on paper with the sheriff of the county of residence or electronically with the Department under KRS 237.118(6)(c)1. Under KRS 237.118(6)(e), the standard license issues once the Department receives the completed switch application, completes a records check, confirms continued eligibility, and receives the fee, and it is not valid until the holder turns 21. A provisional licensee applying to switch to a standard license is not required to retake the firearms training under KRS 237.118(6)(g). An expired provisional license is void and may only be surrendered to the sheriff in exchange for a standard license under KRS 237.118(7).
Under KRS 237.110(14)(c), no license may be renewed six months or more after its expiration date, and it is then permanently expired. A person whose license has permanently expired must reapply as a new applicant under the original application process.
A provisional licensee has six months after expiration to file the switch application before being treated as a new applicant under KRS 237.118(6)(f). Under KRS 237.118(6)(f), a provisional licensee who misses that window must instead submit a full new application under KRS 237.110.
| Rule | Standard license | Provisional license | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advance notice mailed by the Department | At least 120 days before expiration, with a renewal form | Not applicable | |
| Advance notice mailed by the Department | Not applicable | At least 90 days before expiration, with the switch application | |
| Where to file | Sheriff of county of residence on paper, or the Department electronically | Not applicable | |
| Where to file | Not applicable | Sheriff of county of residence on paper, or the Department electronically | |
| Status once expired | Void, valid only for surrender to the sheriff in exchange for a renewal license | Not applicable | |
| Status once expired | Not applicable | Void, valid only for surrender to the sheriff in exchange for a standard license | |
| Outer deadline | Six months after expiration, then permanently expired | Not applicable | |
| Outer deadline | Not applicable | Six months after expiration to file the switch application | |
| Term of the new license | Five years from the date of issuance | Five years from the date of issuance |
A renewed standard license runs five years from the date it was issued.
Holding a current license does what permitless carry alone does not:
No. The renewal form calls for a sworn statement that you remain qualified under the criteria in subsections (3) and (4), not a new class.
An expired license is void and is not valid for any purpose other than surrender to the sheriff in exchange for a renewal license. There is no grace period. A licensee who fails to file on or before the expiration date may still renew by paying a $15 late fee in addition to the license fees. That option runs out six months after the expiration date.
No. A license cannot be renewed six months or more after its expiration date, and it is permanently expired at that point. You must reapply as a new applicant under the original application process.
Five years from the date it is issued.
The paper renewal fee is $60. The electronic renewal fee is $70.
You file the switch application, on paper with your county sheriff or electronically with the Department. The Department mails you that application at least 90 days before the provisional license expires. The standard license issues after the completed application, a records check, an eligibility determination, and the fee, and it is not valid until you turn 21.
This page covers one part of our Kentucky concealed carry guide.
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