The new Regional Driver’s License Office for Hopkinsville will open Thursday in the old First City Bank building at Ninth and Main streets, Christian Circuit Clerk Paige Parker said in a Facebook post.
That means the license office in the Christian County Justice Center will close for good.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has been transitioning from license offices in every county run by circuit clerks to regional offices for the past several months. The move coincides with several changes and new services, including an option to renew driver’s licenses online or through the mail.
The regional offices will issue the new REAL ID driver’s license, in addition to standard driver’s licenses, commercial driver licenses, identification cards and learner’s permits. It also will process in-person renewals and requests for replacement credentials, according to a news release from Gov. Andy Beshear’s office.
Beginning on May 3, 2023, all travelers 18 and older on domestic flights in the U.S. will be required to use a REAL ID or some other form of approved identification, such as a U.S. passport. The standard Kentucky driver’s license will not be sufficient for air travel.
The hours of operation at the Hopkinsville office will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Appointments can be made online at drive.ky.gov, but walk-ins are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis.
Driver testing, both written and road, will be conducted by Kentucky State Police, and appointments are required by calling 270-889-6560.
The city of Hopkinsville owns the old bank property that houses the new licensing office. A year ago, Hopkinsville City Council agreed to spend up to $330,000 to renovate a portion of the first floor to meet specifications for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
At that time, city officials said the state had agreed to rent the space for $37,062 annually for eight years, with an option to renew the agreement.
The 1930s art-deco building was the main office of First City Bank until the early 1970s. After the building sat vacant for several years, the city purchased it in the early 2000s and later constructed several apartments on the second floor. Most recently the Kentucky Division of Probation and Parole rented the main floor, but that agency left approximately two years ago to move into another city property, the former Williams Chevrolet building on Clay Street.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. She spent 30 years as a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition.
