(Lexington, KY)
New requirements for title registration

*La Voz de KY lavozdeky@yahoo.com | 

La Voz de KY LEXINGTON-County clerks
in Winchester and Lexington have begun requiring social security numbers to
register vehicles. The county clerk's office in Lexington displays a notice
explaining the requirement.
According to the clerks office, "Because of the expense of the programming
necessary to convert to some alternative taxpayer specific identification
number, the Department of Revenue is still requiring the taxpayer to provide
a social security number for taxation purposes. This number will not appear
on the title of the vehicle or in any other place to which the general
public has access, but will be used for internal taxation purposes only."

The office also stated that "Anyone who cannot provide this office with
their Social Security number or their business Federal Identification number
will not be able to title or register vehicles."

Those individuals who are not eligible for a SSN may make application to the
Internal Revenue Service for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
(Form W-7). They will be issued a nine digit tax identification number which
the title registration office will substitute in place of the social
security number.

The W-7 form and instructions may be picked up at the IRS office at 1500
Leestown Road, but should primarily be used to pay income taxes.

Motor Vehicle Usage Tax
Social Security/Federal Identification Number:
When a vehicle is transferred at the county clerk's office, specific
information is required by AVIS (Automated Vehicle Identification System) in
order to complete the transfer of ownership. Without a social security
number such as a federal identification number, the transfer can not be
completed.

KRS 186A.060, passed by the 1998 General Assembly, prohibits the Department
of Vehicle Regulation from requiring an applicant to provide a social
security number as part of the application process to title a vehicle.
However, the Department of Revenue still requires the social security number
or federal identification number for taxation purposes and is supported by
federal law.

Section 405(C)(i) of 42 USCS states: "It is the policy of the United States
that any State (or political subdivision thereof) may, in the administration
of any tax, general public assistance, driver's license, or motor vehicle
registration law within its jurisdiction, utilize the social security
account numbers issued by the Commissioner of Social Security for the
purpose of establishing identification of individuals affected by such law,
and may require any individual who is or appears to be so affected to
furnish to such State (or political subdivision thereof) or any agency
thereof having administrative responsibility for the law involved, the
social security account number (or numbers if he has more than one such
number) issued to him by the Commissioner of Social Security."
http://www.lavozky.com/story.php?id=689&lang=eng