Landlord laws
Kentucky landlord-tenant law
Kentucky Revised Statutes ch. 383, including the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (KRS 383.505–383.715, local adoption required by KRS 383.500), and KRS 344.360 (official text, apps.legislature.ky.gov)
Last verified Oct 2026
General information only. Not legal advice. RentToolkit is not a law firm. Laws and local ordinances change, so check the statute and consult a licensed attorney in your state before acting.
| Topic | Rule (plain English) | Statute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security deposit cap | Not specified in state statute. Kentucky statutes set no maximum security deposit. We checked every section of ch. 383. | KRS ch. 383 | Not in statute |
| Deposit return deadline | The statute sets no general deadline to return a deposit. At move-out, inspect and prepare a signed itemized damage list with repair costs, which the tenant may inspect and dispute. If the tenant leaves owing last month's rent and doesn't ask for the deposit, you may apply it after 30 days. If a refund is due, notify the tenant at their last known address. If they don't respond within 60 days, you may keep it. If you skip the separate account or the move-in and move-out damage lists, you can't keep any of the deposit. Note: KRS 383.580 is in the URLTA range, but it says it applies to all residential landlords. Whether it applies outside adopting localities depends on how it's interpreted. | KRS 383.580 | Verified |
| Deposit holding and interest | Deposit all security deposits in a separate account, used only for deposits, at a regulated bank or lending institution. Tell prospective tenants where the account is and its number. No statute requires paying interest. | KRS 383.580(1) | Verified |
| Late fee cap and grace period | Not specified in state statute. Kentucky statutes set no late-fee cap and require no grace period. We checked every section of ch. 383. Note: Late-fee limits, if any, come from the lease and contract case law, not statute. | KRS ch. 383 | Not in statute |
| Landlord entry notice | Where the URLTA applies: except in an emergency or where impracticable, give at least 2 days' notice and enter only at reasonable times. Note: Under KRS 383.500, the URLTA (KRS 383.505–383.705) applies only in cities and counties that have adopted it. Elsewhere this point is governed by the lease and common law. | KRS 383.615 | Verified |
| Rent increase notice | Not specified in state statute. No statute sets a rent-increase notice period. We checked every section of ch. 383. Where the URLTA applies, a month-to-month tenancy ends on 30 days' written notice before a rent date (KRS 383.695), so give at least that. Elsewhere, a tenancy at will ends on 1 month's written notice (KRS 383.195). | KRS 383.695, 383.195 | Not in statute |
| Rent control status | Not specified in state statute. No Kentucky statute imposes or expressly preempts rent control. We checked every section of ch. 383. Local governments may not adopt landlord-tenant ordinances that conflict with state law (KRS 383.198). | KRS 383.198 | Not in statute |
| Eviction notice: nonpayment | Where the URLTA applies: give a written notice of nonpayment and your intent to terminate if rent isn't paid within 7 days. Note: Under KRS 383.500, the URLTA (KRS 383.505–383.705) applies only in cities and counties that have adopted it. Elsewhere this point is governed by the lease and common law. | KRS 383.660(2) | Verified |
| Eviction notice: lease violation | Where the URLTA applies: for a material noncompliance, give written notice that the lease ends at least 14 days after receipt. If the breach is remedied before that date, the lease continues. If the same act recurs within 6 months, you may terminate on at least 14 days' written notice without a cure. Note: Under KRS 383.500, the URLTA (KRS 383.505–383.705) applies only in cities and counties that have adopted it. Elsewhere this point is governed by the lease and common law. The statute's internal wording mixes 14 and 15 days. We quote the notice period. | KRS 383.660(1) | Verified |
| Required disclosures | Before taking a deposit, give the tenant a signed list of existing damage with estimated repair costs, and disclose the deposit account's location and number (KRS 383.580). Where the URLTA applies, also disclose in writing at or before move-in the name and address of the manager and of an owner or agent for service, and keep it current (KRS 383.585). For pre-1978 housing, give the federal lead-paint disclosure (40 CFR 745.113). | KRS 383.580, 383.585; 40 CFR 745.113 | Verified |
| Fair housing beyond federal law | Kentucky's housing law covers the same classes as federal law: race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability and national origin. It adds none. | KRS 344.360 | Verified |
Last verified Oct 2026 · Sources are official state legislature sites. Federal rules also apply.
Tools for Kentucky landlords
Late fee calculator
Model grace periods and fees.
Open →Prorated rent calculator
Mid-month move-ins.
Open →Rent increase calculator
New rent and annual impact.
Open →General information only. Not legal advice. RentToolkit is not a law firm. Laws and local ordinances change, so check the statute and consult a licensed attorney in your state before acting.