The Henderson County Fiscal Court has approved a measure that allows operators to drive street-legal special purpose vehicles on county roads—with some conditions.
The ordinance, which was approved unanimously at Tuesday’s fiscal court meeting, is in line with the language contained in Senate Bill 63 passed during the state General Assembly and which went into effect statewide on June 27, county officials said.
The default for county and local officials regarding this state law is that it doesn’t go into effect unless a local government approves it through an ordinance, said Henderson County Judge-Executive Brad Schneider.
With Tuesday’s passage, operators of special purpose vehicles will be able to drive on county roads in unincorporated areas of the county. The ordinance does not give operators within Robards, Corydon or Henderson city limits the ability to drive legally inside those jurisdictions.
Those jurisdictions would need to pass their own ordinance to allow that, if they so choose, according to officials at Tuesday’s fiscal court meeting.
Additionally, according to Kentucky Revised Statutes 186.077, the definition of a special purpose vehicle includes all-terrain vehicles, utility terrain vehicles, minitrucks, pneumatic-tired military vehicles and full-size special purpose-built vehicles.
Officials were also careful to note that golf carts are not considered special purpose vehicles.
Additionally, the vehicle—according to Kentucky Revised Statutes—must be equipped with the following:
- One or more headlamps
- One or more tail lamps
- One or more brake lamps
- A trail lamp or other lamp constructed and placed to illuminate the registration plate with a white light
- One or more red reflectors on the rear of the vehicle
- An amber electric turn system, one on each side of the front of the vehicle
- Amber or red electric turn signals on the rear of the vehicle
- A braking system, other than a parking brake
- A horn or other warning device
- A working muffler
- Rearview mirrors on the right and left side of the driver
- A windshield, unless the operator of the vehicle wears eye protection while operating the vehicle
- A speedometer, illuminated for nighttime operation
- A roll bar or roll cage
- For multi-passenger vehicles, a seatbelt assembly that conforms to the federal motor vehicle safety standard
- Tires that have at least two thirty-seconds (2/32) of an inch or greater tire tread.
Operators also must register with the county clerk’s office, must display the license plate and obtain insurance.
For more information, read KRS 186.077.
In other news, the fiscal court preliminarily approved county government tax rates for 2025-2026. The rates remain the same as those for 2024-2025.
They are:
- Real property, 12.8 cents per $100 valuation, which is expected to bring in $3.69 million of revenue
- Personal property, 18.4 cents per $100 valuation, which is expected to bring in $873,964 of revenue
- Motor vehicles, 8.5 cents per $100 valuation, which is expected to bring in $387,145 in revenue
- Public serv. co. real estate, 11.8 cents per $100 valuation, which is expected to $112,657 in revenue
- Personal serv. co. personal, 17.5 cents per $100 valuation, which is expected to bring in $382,370 in revenue
- Water craft, 8.5 cents per $100 valuation, which is expected to bring in $14,728 in revenue