Is Lane Splitting Legal in Kentucky? (2026 Motorcycle Law)

Kentucky's motorcycle and passing statutes neither authorize nor expressly prohibit lane splitting or lane filtering. The motorcycle operation statute, KRS 189.285, has no between-lanes clause, so a rider moving between lanes is held to the general overtaking rules in KRS 189.340: pass on the left, pass on the right only in two listed situations and only in safety, and not by driving off the roadway unless the vehicle being passed is at a complete stop and the pass can be made safely. A violation of those rules carries a fine of $20 to $100 for each offense under KRS 189.990(1)(a). For how other states treat the same maneuvers, see our guide to lane splitting laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-09. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Kentucky state law in the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS): the motorcycle operation statute (189.285), the overtaking and lane statute (189.340), the roadway definition in 189.010(10), the motorcycle red-light defense in 189.338(6), the careful-driving and reckless-driving rules in 189.290, the basic speed rule in 189.390(2), the penalty and work-zone sections (189.990, 189.2327), the speeding fine schedule (189.394), prepayment and court costs (189.999, 431.452, 24A.175), license revocation (186.560) and offense classes (431.060). It also covers the Transportation Cabinet's point list. It does not cover city or county ordinances, court cost schedules, insurance consequences, or the law of other states.

What Kentucky law says about riding between lanes

Kentucky's motorcycle statute, KRS 189.285, deals with the operator's license, eye protection, a rear-view mirror, seats and footrests, headgear and passengers. It defines a motorcycle as a motor-driven vehicle with a seat or saddle for the operator, "designed to travel on not more than three (3) wheels in contact with the ground," excluding tractors, enclosed-cab vehicles and mopeds. It says nothing about where in a lane a motorcycle may ride.

The overtaking and lane statute, KRS 189.340, is also silent on motorcycles riding between lanes. Many states carry a model-code sentence that says no person shall operate a motorcycle "between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles." Neither 189.285 nor 189.340 contains that sentence, a rule entitling a motorcycle to the full use of a lane, or a limit on how many motorcycles may ride abreast.

That silence does not make lane splitting legal. A rider is still a vehicle operator, and the general rules on passing and lane use apply to every pass a rider makes between or around other vehicles.

Splitting, filtering, shoulders and riding two abreast

Passing on the right and using the shoulder

The shoulder question turns on what Kentucky calls the roadway. KRS 189.010(10) defines it this way:

"'Roadway' means that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder."

A rider on the shoulder is therefore off the roadway. KRS 189.340 sets the conditions for passing on the right in two subsections that work together:

"(3) The operator of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions: (a) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn; or (b) Upon a roadway with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width for two (2) or more lines of vehicles moving lawfully in the direction being traveled by the overtaking vehicle. (4) The operator of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting the passing in safety, and not by driving off the roadway unless the vehicle being passed is at a complete stop and the passing may be made safely."

Subsection (4) departs from the model text. The 1968 revision of the Uniform Vehicle Code, a model traffic code, says a pass on the right may "in no event" be made by driving off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the roadway. Kentucky's text bars driving off the roadway to pass on the right unless two things are both true: the vehicle being passed is at a complete stop, and the passing may be made safely. It is part of the passing-on-the-right rule, so it does not stand alone; subsection (3) still limits passing on the right to the two listed situations.

The general rule for overtaking runs the other way. Under 189.340(1), "The driver of a vehicle overtaking other vehicles proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left of them and shall not again drive to the right until reasonably clear of those vehicles."

Staying in a single lane

Kentucky's single-lane rule is narrower than in many states. It applies only on larger roads:

"(7) Whenever any roadway has been divided into three (3) or more clearly marked lanes for travel in one (1) direction, the following additional rules shall apply: (a) A person shall drive a vehicle as nearly as may be practical entirely within a single lane and shall not move from that lane until the driver ascertains that the movement can be made with safety;"

On a road with three or more marked lanes heading the same way, riding along the line between two lanes is not driving "entirely within a single lane." On a road with fewer lanes, the passing rules in 189.340(1), (3) and (4) are the general rules that apply.

Red lights that do not change for a motorcycle

Kentucky does give riders one signal-related defense, and it is not a filtering rule. Under KRS 189.338(6), a rider charged with entering an intersection against a steady red light has an affirmative defense if the rider establishes all of the listed conditions, including that the motorcycle was brought to a complete stop, the light stayed red for 120 seconds or the signal completed two lighting cycles, the signal was apparently malfunctioning, and no motor vehicle or person was approaching. It says nothing about moving up between stopped cars to reach the light.

What happens if you are caught lane splitting in Kentucky

The fine for a passing or lane violation

KRS 189.285 and 189.340 have no penalty clause of their own. KRS 189.990(1)(a) covers both: anyone who violates 189.285, 189.290(1) or (2), or 189.300 to 189.360 (among other listed sections) "shall be fined not less than twenty dollars ($20) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100) for each offense." The current text of 189.990, as amended by 2026 Ky. Acts chs. 31, 62, 71 and 135 effective July 15, 2026, keeps that range.

Because the penalty is a fine only, the offense is a violation rather than a misdemeanor. KRS 431.060(3) provides: "Offenses punishable by a fine only or by any other penalty not cited herein, whether in combination with a fine or not, are violations."

Paying the ticket is a guilty plea

Under KRS 189.999(1), chapter 189 offenses classified as violations "shall be prepayable," with listed exceptions that include "any offense that could result in license suspension or revocation by the court or the Transportation Cabinet" and cases where the defendant is under 18. Prepaying has a consequence: under KRS 431.452(3)(d), "Prepayment of the fine and costs shown on the citation or accompanying schedule shall be considered as a plea of guilty for all purposes." A rider who prepays pays the minimum fine for the offense plus court costs (KRS 431.452(3)(c)). District Court costs are $100, "regardless of whether the offense is one for which prepayment is permitted" (KRS 24A.175(1)), and the Administrative Office of the Courts develops the prepayable fine and cost schedule (431.452(5)).

Points on your license

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's point system lists 5 points for "Improper Passing" and 3 points for "Improper Lane Usage." The same list assigns 3 points for Careless Driving, 3 for Too Fast for Conditions and 4 for Reckless Driving. A driver who reaches 12 points (7 points if under 18) within two years may have the license suspended. Points expire two years from the conviction date, but the conviction stays on the driving record for five years. The Cabinet's list names offenses by label and does not tie each label to a KRS subsection.

In a highway work zone

KRS 189.2327 raises the fine for violations of KRS 189.290 to 189.575, which includes 189.340, when they happen in a highway work zone. The fine is $500 if no person is physically injured or dies as a result, and not less than $500 nor more than $10,000 if the violation results in physical injury to or death of any person. The higher fine applies only if the work zone has signs informing drivers of the zone and that fines are increased, and at least one bona fide worker is present.

Other rules and heavier charges

Reckless driving is a separate charge with its own elements; whether a particular ride meets them depends on the facts. A stop for lane splitting can also involve the general careful-driving and speed rules:

KRS 189.990 fines reckless driving only when it causes physical injury ($500, 189.990(32)); it sets no fine for a 189.290(4) violation that injures no one. The main consequence is the mandatory license revocation under KRS 186.560, and because the charge can lead to revocation it generally cannot be prepaid (KRS 189.999(1)(a)). In a signed highway work zone with a worker present, the work-zone fines in KRS 189.2327 apply; that section makes its work-zone fine prepayable notwithstanding KRS 189.999, but prepaying counts as a guilty plea, so the license revocation still follows.

Speeding fines under 189.390 are set by KRS 189.394: a schedule based on miles per hour over the prima facie or maximum speed (for example $20 at 10 mph over and $55 at 25 mph over), $60 to $100 above the schedule, and double those amounts near a school with flashing lights. The schedule is keyed to the speed limit, so it does not set a figure for a too-fast-for-conditions charge at or below the limit.

KRS chapter 189 has no section titled aggressive driving; its general careful-driving section is 189.290. A rider who splits lanes is not driving recklessly unless the riding is reckless or negligent and endangers persons or property, as 189.290(4) requires.

Recent changes to these rules

The lane and passing rules have been stable. KRS 189.340 was last amended by 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 198, effective July 15, 2024, and 189.290 by the same act. KRS 189.285 was last amended in 2006, and 189.390 in 2022. The 2026 Regular Session's acts that amended 189.990 and 189.010 (chs. 31, 62, 71, 133 and 135, effective July 15, 2026) re-enacted the penalty list and the definitions section without changing the passing, lane, careful-driving or speed rules; Act ch. 135 is one of them.

Federal law and lane splitting

We found no federal statute or regulation that addresses lane splitting; the rules come from state traffic law. The federal motorcyclist safety grant rule, 23 CFR 1300.25, sets criteria for training, motorist-awareness and impaired-riding programs and says nothing about lane use, and NHTSA's motorcycle safety guidance does not mention splitting or filtering. The rule is set state by state.

If a crash happens

A passing or lane violation can come up after a collision. How it bears on fault, insurance and an injury claim is covered in our guide to Kentucky motorcycle accident laws. For the rules that apply to crashes generally, see Kentucky car accident laws.

Related pages

• Lane splitting laws by state
• Kentucky motorcycle accident laws
• Kentucky car accident laws

This article provides general legal information about Kentucky law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Kentucky.

Last updated: 2026-10-09.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lane splitting legal in Kentucky?

Kentucky's motorcycle and passing statutes neither authorize it nor ban it by name. The general passing rules in KRS 189.340 apply: pass on the left, pass on the right only when the vehicle ahead is turning left or the pavement is wide enough for two or more lines of traffic in your direction, and only in safety.

Is lane filtering legal in Kentucky?

Kentucky's motorcycle and passing statutes do not address filtering by name. Moving up on the right of stopped vehicles is limited by KRS 189.340(3) and (4), which allow passing on the right only in two listed situations and only in safety.

Can motorcycles ride on the shoulder in Kentucky?

Not as a general passing lane. KRS 189.340(4) bars passing on the right by driving off the roadway unless the vehicle being passed is at a complete stop and the passing may be made safely, and KRS 189.010(10) defines the roadway to exclude the berm or shoulder.

What is the fine for lane splitting in Kentucky?

A violation of the passing and lane rules in KRS 189.340 is fined not less than $20 nor more than $100 for each offense under KRS 189.990(1)(a), plus court costs. In a signed highway work zone with a worker present, the fine is $500, or $500 to $10,000 if someone is injured or killed (KRS 189.2327).

How many points is an improper passing ticket in Kentucky?

The Transportation Cabinet's point system lists 5 points for Improper Passing and 3 points for Improper Lane Usage. Reaching 12 points within two years (7 if under 18) can lead to a suspension.

Can lane splitting be reckless driving in Kentucky?

Only if the riding meets the elements of KRS 189.290(4): operating a vehicle in a reckless or negligent manner as to endanger persons or property. A conviction requires the Transportation Cabinet to revoke the license under KRS 186.560 (six months for a first conviction, longer with prior listed convictions), and a violation that causes physical injury carries a $500 fine under KRS 189.990(32).