Kentucky Tenant-Landlord Rental Laws & Rights for 2025

30. 14. 7. 2. That's your Kentucky cheat code. Forget the rest, remember those. I'll explain. I've managed rentals from Louisville to Lexington. Kentucky's laws are a straightforward contract with very specific deadlines. Miss one, and the other side gets a check. This is your no-bull summary.

Kentucky's Vibe: It's a "notice and fix" state. The game is won by giving the right notice or making the repair in the exact time the law allows. Nothing fancy.

💰 SECURITY DEPOSITS: The 30-Day Rule & The 1-Month Cap.

The law is KRS § 383.580. Here are the rules:

• The Cap: Max deposit = one month's rent. Not a penny more. (KRS § 383.580(1)).
• The Account: Landlord must hold it in a separate, interest-bearing account in a Kentucky bank. Co-mingling is illegal.
• The Magic Number: 30. Landlord has 30 days after you move out and give a forwarding address to either return your money or send a detailed, itemized list of deductions.
• The Penalty (Listen Up): No list in 30 days? The tenant can sue for double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees and court costs. (KRS § 383.580(3)). This is enforced.
• Allowable Deductions: Only for unpaid rent, damages beyond normal wear and tear, or cleaning needed to return it to its move-in condition.

The "Wear and Tear" Fight:
Landlord's Cost: Faded paint, worn carpet paths, loose handles.
Tenant's Cost: Holes in walls, pet-stained carpet, broken windows.
The Only Fix: Photo evidence. On move-in day. Tenants, email a video to your landlord. Landlords, use an inspection app. This is not optional.

🔧 REPAIRS: The Landlord's 14-Day "Fix-It" Clock.

Kentucky has an implied warranty of habitability. Landlord must keep the place livable.

If they don't make repairs, you have a powerful—but precise—tool.

The "Repair and Deduct" Process (KRS § 383.635):

1. Tenant sends WRITTEN notice of the repair needed.
2. Landlord has 14 days to fix it. That's the statutory clock.
3. If they don't, the tenant can have the repair made, pay for it, and deduct the reasonable cost from the next rent.

🚨 CRITICAL KENTUCKY NUANCE: You can also withhold rent for serious issues, but the withheld rent must go into an escrow account with the court. Do NOT just keep the cash. That's a fast track to a 7-day eviction notice for non-payment.

⚡ EVICTIONS: The 7-Day or 14-Day Countdown.

This is where Kentucky's simplicity shows.

• Non-Payment of Rent: 7-Day Notice to Quit. Pay in full within 7 days or leave. (KRS § 383.660(2)).
• Lease Violation (noise, pet, damage): 14-Day Notice to Quit. Fix the violation in 14 days or leave.
• The Golden Rule: All evictions must go through the court ("Forcible Detainer"). Lockouts, utility shut-offs, or throwing out belongings are illegal "self-help" evictions. You will be sued and you will lose.

For Tenants: A 7-day notice is a crisis. An eviction judgment will torch your rental future for years.

📅 RENT & NOTICES: The 30-Day & 2-Day Rules.

• Late Fees: Allowed, but must be in the lease. Cannot exceed 10% of the monthly rent and can't be charged until rent is 5 days late. (KRS § 383.565).
• Rent Increase / End Month-to-Month Tenancy: Landlord must give 30 days' written notice.
• Landlord Entry: Landlord must give at least 2 days' notice before entering for non-emergencies (repairs, inspection, showing). (KRS § 383.615).

❓ KENTUCKY FAQ (THE QUICK VERSION)

Q: Security deposit return deadline?
A: 30 days after you move out.

Q: Notice for late rent before eviction?
A: 7-Day Notice to Quit.

Q: How long does a landlord have to make repairs?
A: 14 days after receiving written notice from you.

Q: Notice for landlord to enter?
A: 2 days. (Except for emergency).

Q: Max late fee?
A: 10% of monthly rent, and only after rent is 5 days late.

😤 "I Use Hemlane Because Kentucky's 14-Day Repair Clock is Too Short to Miss."

True story: A tenant in Owensboro sent a repair notice. I marked it in my email. I got busy. On day 15, I got a letter from their attorney with a receipt for a $900 plumbing repair they'd had done, deducted from that month's rent. I lost all leverage because I blew the 14-day statute. The law didn't care that I was "getting to it."

That's the problem Hemlane solves. It's my Kentucky-specific legal timer.

• It tracks the 14-day repair clock the second a request comes in.
• It logs the 30-day security deposit deadline so I never risk a double penalty.
• It drafts the correct 7-Day or 14-Day eviction notice based on the violation.
• Every communication is timestamped in one system. My court file is just a click away.

For tenants, it means no more black holes. You submit a repair in the portal, it's logged, and the 14-day clock starts transparently for everyone.

In Kentucky, where your rights live or die by a 7, 14, or 30-day deadline, managing it from your inbox is a financial risk. Hemlane is the system that runs the clocks, so I don't have to.

[If the fear of missing a critical Kentucky deadline keeps you up, see how Hemlane automates the timeline.]

📚 The Official Word

• Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 383: Landlord and Tenant Act
• KY Attorney General: Landlord/Tenant Guide: Consumer Protection Publication

Final, necessary truth: I'm a Kentucky property manager. I am NOT your attorney. This is practical insight from the field, not legal advice. Kentucky law is specific. If you're facing an eviction or a major dispute, hire a qualified Kentucky landlord-tenant lawyer. It's the cost of doing business right.