Barren County taking part in Drivers Testing Pilot Program

BARREN COUNTY, Ky. – Going to the driver licensing office can be a hassle for some people, but Barren County is making that trip a little easier now.

Barren County was selected early this year, along with four other counties, to participate in the Drivers Testing Branch Pilot Program.

This program will allow those wanting to apply and test for a drivers license or learners permit to test in Barren County rather than travel to the nearest offices located in Bowling Green and Columbia. This new option hugely benefits parents who might otherwise have to take time to take their kids to further offices.

“Right now, the regional office for us would be Warren County and is very busy. A lot of our community members travel to Columbia right now to get the driver’s testing, and it’s a lot to ask parents to, you know, have to take a day off work and a lot of pressure on the child to make sure you pass that test, because if not, we’ve got to go back up again. So we just wanted to bring that back to Barren County and not just like I said, not just for Barren County, for the areas around us,” said Barren County judge executive Jamie Bewley Byrd.

The pilot program will be available through June 30, 2026, but Barren County is working hard to acquire a more permanent spot to keep up with the growing needs.