(1) No person shall authorize or knowingly permit a motor vehicle owned or controlled by him to be driven by any person who has no legal right to drive it or in violation of any of the provisions of KRS 186.400 to 186.640.
(2) No person who has not applied for an operator's license or whose operator's license has been denied, canceled, suspended or revoked, or whose privilege to operate a motor vehicle has been withdrawn, shall operate any motor vehicle upon the highways while the license is denied, canceled, suspended, or revoked or his privilege to operate a motor vehicle is withdrawn, or the license has not been applied for.
(3) If the operator of a motor vehicle on a public highway is requested by a peace officer, authorized to arrest a person for a violation of subsection (2) of this section or KRS 189A.090, to display his operator's license and fails to display his operator's license, that fact shall be admissible in court and shall be prima facie proof of violation of subsection (2) of this section or KRS 189A.090.
(4) It shall be a defense to a charge under this section and KRS 189A.090 if the person charged presents to the court an operator's license issued to him before the date of the charge and which was valid on the date of the charge.