Alive at 25 in Kentucky: Cost, Registration, and Completion

Alive at 25 in Kentucky is a four-hour defensive driving course run through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for two kinds of drivers: teens finishing the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program, and drivers ordered by a district court to complete it after a traffic citation. You register through the state’s official portal, and enrollment closes 10 days before each class date.¹

Who Has to Take It

Two groups end up in Alive at 25, and the reason you’re there changes how you pay and how completion gets reported.

If your learner’s permit was issued before you turned 18, Kentucky requires an approved driver education course before you can move from an intermediate license to a full, unrestricted one. Alive at 25’s classroom version is one of the courses the Transportation Cabinet accepts for the GDL requirement.²

The other group is court-referred. A district court judge can order Alive at 25 as part of a plea deal, sentence, or diversion agreement for a traffic violation, usually to keep points off the driver’s record.¹

What It Costs

For GDL purposes, the classroom version is free. An online alternative through RightLane is also accepted and costs $12.50.²

Court diversion enrollments require immediate payment by credit or debit card at the time of registration.¹

How to Register

All registration happens at aliveat25.us/ky/find-a-course, which lists upcoming in-person sessions and Zoom classes across the state.¹ A few things to keep in mind before you pick a date:

Enrollment closes 10 days before the scheduled class date.
You must present a valid Kentucky instruction permit or driver’s license to the instructor on class day.
Every session needs at least 12 enrolled students to run. If enrollment falls short, the class can be canceled and you’ll need to pick a new date.
Court diversion drivers pay by credit or debit card at enrollment.

If your citation paperwork has gone missing, the circuit court clerk in the county where you were cited can help you retrieve your case number before you register.

What the Class Looks Like

The course runs about four hours in a single session. It’s interactive and discussion-based rather than a lecture, and instructors work through speeding, impaired driving, seatbelt use, cell phone use and texting, peer pressure, and the risks of simple inexperience behind the wheel.³

In-Person

In-person sessions run at public facilities around the state. Arrive early enough to check in with the instructor before start time. Full attendance is required. Leave early or miss any portion of the class and you won’t get credit; you’ll have to register again.

Zoom

Kentucky offers a Zoom option, but the rules are strict. You need a computer with a working camera and microphone. Phones are not allowed. A course workbook is mailed to you at least 10 days before your session, so double-check your address at registration. The Zoom link arrives by email roughly a week out and again the day of.¹

All Zoom sessions are scheduled in Eastern Time, so if you’re in western Kentucky, convert before you plan your day. Turning your camera off, multitasking, or using a phone during class results in immediate removal and a failing mark. There’s no partial credit.¹

Cancellations and No-Shows

If you can’t make your session, cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours ahead. Skip without canceling and you’re charged a $10 no-show fee, and that fee applies every time it happens.¹ You’ll also need to register for a new session, which can push back a court deadline or delay your unrestricted license.

After You Finish

GDL drivers don’t need to submit anything themselves. Alive at 25 reports completion directly to the Division of Driver Licensing, and you should allow two full business days for it to process before going in for your unrestricted license.² Showing up the morning after class usually means a wasted trip.

Court-ordered drivers get a certificate of completion at the end of the session. Bring that certificate to the presiding judge or the circuit court clerk handling your case. Electronic reporting may reach the Transportation Cabinet as well, but courts often want the physical certificate before they’ll close out a diversion or dismiss the underlying charge.

If You Don’t Complete It

Skipping a court-ordered class doesn’t quietly go away. The court expects proof of completion by a set deadline. Miss it and the original penalties typically snap back: points on your record, the traffic fine reinstated, or both. Enough points and the Transportation Cabinet holds a hearing and can suspend your license.⁴

For GDL drivers, the consequence is simpler. You can’t get your full unrestricted license until you complete an approved course. You stay on the intermediate license with its passenger limits and nighttime driving curfews until you do.²

1
Alive at 25. Alive at 25 Driving Education – Upcoming Courses in Kentucky
2
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Graduated Driver Licensing Program
3
Alive at 25. Alive at 25
4
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Kentucky Point System