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Kentucky Security Deposit Law, in Plain English

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21Cities and counties identified by Kentucky Justice Online as having adopted URLTA — the only places KRS 383.580 applies
2 listingsSigned, itemized damage listings with estimated repair costs — one before the deposit is paid, one at move-out
1 accountA deposit-only account at a regulated bank, with the location and account number disclosed to the tenant
60 daysThe tenant's window to answer a refund notice before the landlord may keep the deposit
0What a landlord keeps without the account and the listings — and what a tenant recovers without a signed dissent

First question: did your city or county adopt URLTA?

Kentucky's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is opt-in. Under KRS 383.500, it applies only where a city, county, or urban-county government has adopted it in its entirety. Kentucky Justice Online's April 2025 housing guidance identifies 21 URLTA jurisdictions: Barbourville, Bellevue, Bromley, Covington, Dayton, Elsmere, Florence, Lexington-Fayette County, Georgetown, Louisville-Jefferson County, Ludlow, Melbourne, Morgantown, Newport, Oldham County, Pulaski County, Shelbyville, Silver Grove, Southgate, Taylor Mill, and Woodlawn. In the rest of the state, none of the rules on this page apply; the lease is the whole rulebook.

Where it does apply, the Act sets no cap on deposit size and requires no interest. Its attention goes entirely to custody and documentation.

A deposit-only account — location and number disclosed

Every landlord who requires a deposit must place it in an account used only for that purpose at a bank or lending institution regulated by Kentucky or the federal government. Prospective tenants must be told the location of the account and the account number — Kentucky is one of the few states that requires the number itself.

Before the deposit is paid: a signed listing of what's already damaged

Before the tenant hands over any money deemed a deposit, the landlord must present a comprehensive listing of existing damage that could later be charged against it, with the estimated dollar cost of repairing each item. The tenant has the right to inspect the premises to check the list before taking occupancy. Both sign — and the signatures are conclusive evidence of the listing's accuracy, except as to latent defects.

A tenant who disagrees shouldn't just decline to sign: the statute requires a written dissent stating the specific disputed items, signed by the tenant. A listing signed on moving day without a walkthrough becomes the unit's official condition for the whole tenancy.

At termination: the landlord inspects, lists, and the tenant signs — or dissents item by item

At the end of occupancy, the landlord inspects the premises and compiles a comprehensive listing of damage that will be charged against the deposit, again with estimated repair costs. The tenant then has the right to inspect to verify it. Both sign; the signatures are conclusive.

A tenant who disagrees must dissent in writing, item by item, and sign the dissent. This isn't a formality — under subsection (5), a later lawsuit is limited to the items specifically dissented from, and a tenant who neither signed the listing nor dissented in writing "shall not be entitled to recover any damages under this section." The written dissent is the tenant's entire case.

After move-out: a refund notice, and 60 days to answer it

KRS 383.580 has no fixed "return within X days" rule. Two mechanisms replace it. If the tenant leaves owing no rent with a refund due, the landlord sends notice of the amount to the tenant's last known or reasonably determinable address — and if the landlord receives no response within 60 days, the landlord may remove the deposit from the account and keep it, free of any claim. If the tenant leaves without paying the last month's rent and without demanding the deposit, the landlord may, after 30 days, apply the deposit to the debt.

The tenant's risk in Kentucky is silence, not delay. Give a written forwarding address on move-out day, and answer the refund notice in writing the week it arrives.

Kentucky makes the signed listing conclusive. Attach the evidence before you sign.

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Kentucky's URLTA requires signed damage listings at move-in and move-out. PropInspect helps you capture a dated, room-by-room record to accompany them. PropInspect is a documentation tool, not a compliance service or legal-advice product. Using PropInspect does not guarantee compliance with Kentucky law or a particular result in a deposit dispute.

When it goes wrong: forfeiture, cutting both ways

Kentucky's penalty structure is symmetrical. A landlord who failed to keep the deposit in the separate account and failed to provide the initial and final listings may not retain any portion of the deposit. A tenant who failed to sign the final listing or dissent in writing recovers nothing. There are no multiplied damages and no attorney's fee award — the paperwork itself is the penalty.

Disputes go to District Court, as the statute directs — through the small claims division for claims up to $2,500, or District Court's civil docket up to $5,000. The claim is limited to the dissented items, so the winning file is specific: the lease, the account disclosure, both signed listings or the written dissents, the refund notice and the response, and dated room-by-room photos from both ends of the tenancy.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Kentucky?

KRS 383.580 sets no fixed deadline. The process runs on the move-out listing instead: after you inspect and sign (or dissent), a landlord who owes you a refund sends notice of the amount to your last known address — and if you don't respond within 60 days, the landlord may keep it. Respond in writing the week the notice arrives, and give a forwarding address on move-out day so the notice reaches you.

Does Kentucky's deposit law apply everywhere in the state?

No. KRS 383.580 applies only in cities and counties that adopted the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Kentucky Justice Online's April 2025 list has 21 jurisdictions: Barbourville, Bellevue, Bromley, Covington, Dayton, Elsmere, Florence, Lexington-Fayette County, Georgetown, Louisville-Jefferson County, Ludlow, Melbourne, Morgantown, Newport, Oldham County, Pulaski County, Shelbyville, Silver Grove, Southgate, Taylor Mill, and Woodlawn. Elsewhere in Kentucky, your lease is the only rulebook.

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Kentucky?

There's no statutory cap and no interest requirement. What Kentucky regulates is custody: in URLTA jurisdictions the deposit must be held in a separate deposit-only account at a regulated bank, and you must be told the account's location and number.

What is Kentucky's move-in damage listing?

Before you pay the deposit, the landlord must give you a comprehensive list of existing damage that could later be charged against it, with the estimated repair cost for each item. You have the right to inspect the unit to check the list before moving in. Both of you sign, and the signatures are conclusive evidence of the unit's condition (except hidden defects). If you disagree, don't just refuse to sign — write out each item you dispute, and sign that.

What happens at move-out in Kentucky?

The landlord inspects and compiles a listing of damage with estimated repair costs; you have the right to inspect to check it. Both sign, and the signatures are conclusive. If you disagree, you must dissent in writing, item by item, and sign the dissent — because your later lawsuit is limited to the items you dissented from, and a tenant who neither signed nor dissented recovers nothing at all.

What if my landlord never gave me the listings or a separate account?

In URLTA jurisdictions, a landlord who failed to keep the deposit in a separate account and failed to provide the initial and final damage listings is not entitled to retain any portion of it. That forfeiture is Kentucky's penalty — the statute has no double or treble damages.

What can a landlord deduct from a deposit in Kentucky?

Damage that appears on the signed move-out listing (and wasn't already on the move-in listing), plus unpaid rent. If you leave without paying the last month and without demanding your deposit, the landlord may apply the deposit to the rent after 30 days. Ordinary wear and tear isn't damage.

Where do deposit disputes go in Kentucky?

District Court — KRS 383.580 says so directly — using the small claims division for claims up to $2,500 (District Court civil jurisdiction reaches $5,000). Bring the lease, the account disclosure, both signed listings or your written dissents, the refund notice and your response, and dated move-in and move-out photos.

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PropInspect is a documentation tool, not a compliance service or legal-advice product. Using PropInspect does not guarantee compliance with Kentucky law or a particular result in a deposit dispute.

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