How to Evict a Tenant in Kentucky (2026)
The legal steps for landlords in Kentucky — the notice, the court case, costs, timeline and the mistakes that get cases thrown out — with the statute or official page behind each step.
Short answer: In Kentucky a landlord must give the required written notice, file an eviction case in court if the tenant doesn't pay or leave, win a judgment, and have a sheriff or other officer carry out the removal. Changing the locks or removing belongings yourself is not allowed.
Step 1: Have a legal reason and give the right notice
| Unpaid rent | URLTA areas: 7 days' written notice to pay or the lease terminates. Non-URLTA areas: no statutory pre-filing notice period for nonpayment was found; terms are governed by the lease. Source: KRS 383.660(2) |
|---|---|
| Lease violation | URLTA areas: written notice specifying the breach; lease terminates on a date at least 14 days after receipt if not remedied (statute says 'remedied in fifteen (15) days'). A repeat within 6 months allows termination on 14 days' notice without cure. Non-URLTA areas: no statute. Source: KRS 383.660(1) |
| Ending a month-to-month tenancy (no fault) | Non-URLTA areas: landlord may end a tenancy at will or by sufferance with one month's written notice. URLTA areas: either party may end a month-to-month tenancy with written notice at least 30 days before the periodic rental date; week-to-week, 7 days. Source: KRS 383.195; KRS 383.695 |
Local rent-control or just-cause rules can limit evictions: Preempted: only the General Assembly may enact rent control on private property; local governments may not. No statewide cap.
Step 2: Write and deliver the notice correctly
| What the notice must say | In localities that have adopted the URLTA: written notice of nonpayment and the landlord's intention to terminate the rental agreement if rent is not paid within 7 days after the notice. A notice to a tenant is received when delivered in hand or mailed by registered or certified mail to the place the tenant designated, or otherwise to the tenant's last known residence. Outside URLTA localities no state statute prescribes a pay-or-quit notice; a tenancy at will can be ended by one month's written notice to remove. |
|---|---|
| How it must be delivered | In URLTA areas, a notice reaches the tenant when it is handed to the tenant, or mailed by registered or certified mail to the address the tenant designated for notices (or, if none, the tenant's last known residence). It also counts once it actually comes to the tenant's attention. Notices to the landlord may be delivered in writing to the landlord's place of business or designated address, or sent there by certified mail. Outside URLTA areas, no statute specifies how a termination notice must be delivered; KRS 383.195 requires only a written 1-month notice to end a tenancy at will. No statute authorizes e-mail or text notice. Source: KRS 383.560(3); KRS 383.195 |
Notice forms:
- Kentucky notice to pay rent or quit — requirements and free draft
- Kentucky notice to end a month-to-month tenancy — requirements and free draft
- Petition to Remove Persons Unlawfully Occupying Real Property (statutory form text in KRS 383.290(3)) (official)
Step 3: File the eviction case and go to the hearing
Eviction cases in Kentucky are heard in: Kentucky District Court of the county where the property lies (forcible detainer).
- Give any required notice (URLTA: 7-day nonpayment or 14-day lease-violation notice; non-URLTA: one month's notice to end a tenancy at will, or as the lease provides)
- File a forcible detainer complaint in District Court; a warrant/summons issues to the sheriff or constable
- Tenant must receive at least 3 days' notice of the trial date
- Trial by the court unless a party demands a jury; judgment for restitution of the premises or for the defendant
- Either party may appeal within 7 days; an appealing tenant must deposit back rent and continuing rent with the circuit clerk
- If no appeal is filed within 7 days, the court on request issues a warrant of restitution directing the sheriff or constable to put the landlord in possession
Court timing: Defendant must be given at least 3 days' notice before trial; appeal window is 7 days after judgment.
Source: KRS 383.210, 383.215, 383.240, 383.245, 383.255
How long it takes to evict a tenant in Kentucky
For unpaid rent, the notice period is 7 days; after that comes the court process (filing, service, the tenant's answer and a hearing), then the final order and removal by an officer. Uncontested cases move fastest; a contested case, an appeal or a crowded court adds weeks. See how long evictions take in every state.
How much it costs to evict a tenant in Kentucky
Court filing and service fees are set locally. Verified fees in the largest Kentucky counties:
| County | Filing and service fees |
|---|---|
| Jefferson County (Louisville) | $50 forcible detainer filing fee, plus a $20 court technology fee and other required fees (KRS 453.060, KRS 27A.630, e.g. court facility/library fees); post-judgment writ of possession $25 |
| Fayette County (Lexington) | $50 forcible detainer filing fee, plus a $20 court technology fee and other required fees (KRS 453.060, KRS 27A.630, e.g. court facility/library fees); post-judgment writ of possession $25 |
Add the cost of a lawyer if you hire one, lost rent during the case, and any writ or officer fee to remove the tenant.
Evicting someone without a lease (family member, roommate, guest or squatter)
| Someone with no written lease who pays rent (month-to-month / at will) | Non-URLTA areas: landlord may end a tenancy at will or by sufferance with one month's written notice. URLTA areas: either party may end a month-to-month tenancy with written notice at least 30 days before the periodic rental date; week-to-week, 7 days. Source: KRS 383.195; KRS 383.695 |
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| Someone who was never a tenant (squatter / unauthorized occupant) | Police removal by petition (since June 27, 2025). An owner or authorized agent may ask a law enforcement officer to immediately remove people unlawfully occupying real property if: the occupant is not and never was a tenant and never had a written or oral agreement with the owner to occupy; the property was not open to the public when they entered; the owner told them to leave; they are not the owner's immediate family; and no litigation about the property is pending between them. The owner presents a sworn 'Petition to Remove Persons Unlawfully Occupying Real Property' (statutory form, initialed statements, with government ID or proof of agency). After verifying the petitioner's identity, the officer must without unnecessary delay serve a notice to immediately vacate (hand delivery or posting) and put the owner in possession; the officer may arrest for trespass or other cause. Sheriff/constable fee: $20. The officer may stay to keep the peace while the owner changes locks and moves the occupants' belongings to or near the property line. A wrongfully removed person may sue within 60 days for restored possession, costs, and attorney's fees. The procedure cannot be used against current or former tenants. |
Mistakes that get eviction cases dismissed — or get landlords sued
| Changing locks / shutting off utilities | URLTA areas: if the landlord unlawfully removes or excludes the tenant or willfully interrupts heat, water, hot water, electric, gas or other essential service, the tenant may recover possession or terminate and recover up to 3 months' rent plus reasonable attorney fees. Statewide: a landlord's entry on the possession of a tenant at will or by sufferance is a forcible entry, remediable through a forcible entry and detainer action in District Court. |
|---|---|
| Retaliation | URLTA areas: landlord may not raise rent, decrease services, or bring or threaten eviction after a tenant complains to a code agency, complains to the landlord about KRS 383.595 maintenance duties, or joins/organizes a tenants' union. A complaint within one year before the act creates a presumption of retaliation. Remedies: those in KRS 383.655 (up to 3 months' rent plus attorney fees) and a defense to eviction. Non-URLTA areas: no statute. Source: KRS 383.705 |
| Accepting rent after the notice | Where Kentucky's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA) applies (only in cities or counties that have adopted it): if the landlord accepts rent knowing the tenant is in default, or accepts non-conforming performance, the landlord waives the right to terminate for that breach, unless the parties agree otherwise after the breach. Outside URLTA areas, no statute addresses this; case law governs. Source: KRS 383.675; KRS 383.500 |
Federal rules that can change the process
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act: eviction protection: A landlord may not evict a covered servicemember or their family during military service without a court order. When the servicemember's ability to pay is materially affected by service, the court must on request stay the case for 90 days or adjust the lease. Knowingly evicting without a court order is a federal misdemeanor. More
- VAWA housing protections: An applicant or tenant cannot be denied, evicted or cut off from assistance because they are or were a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking. The abuse cannot be treated as a serious lease violation by the victim. The landlord may 'bifurcate' (split) the lease to evict the abuser and keep the victim housed. Covered programs must also have an emergency transfer plan. A transfer is available on request if the tenant reasonably fears imminent harm, or if a sexual assault happened on the premises within the prior 90 days. More
- CARES Act 30-day notice to vacate (covered dwellings): The landlord of a covered dwelling may not require the tenant to leave until 30 days after giving a notice to vacate. The 120-day filing moratorium in the same section expired in July 2020, but the 30-day notice subsection has no expiration date in its text. More
- HUD 30-day nonpayment notice (public housing and project-based Section 8): Before filing an eviction for nonpayment, the landlord must give written notice at least 30 days in advance. The notice must itemize the rent owed by month, explain how to pay it off and by what date, and explain how to recertify income or request a hardship exemption. The notice cannot be served before the day after rent is due. If the tenant pays the amount owed within the 30 days, the landlord may not file the eviction. More
Kentucky eviction FAQ for landlords
How much notice does a landlord have to give to evict for unpaid rent in Kentucky?
URLTA areas: 7 days' written notice to pay or the lease terminates. Non-URLTA areas: no statutory pre-filing notice period for nonpayment was found; terms are governed by the lease.
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Kentucky?
Court fees are set locally — for example, Jefferson County (Louisville): $50 forcible detainer filing fee, plus a $20 court technology fee and other required fees (KRS 453.060, KRS 27A.630, e.g. court facility/library fees); post-judgment writ of possession $25.
Can a landlord change the locks to evict a tenant in Kentucky?
URLTA areas: if the landlord unlawfully removes or excludes the tenant or willfully interrupts heat, water, hot water, electric, gas or other essential service, the tenant may recover possession or terminate and recover up to 3 months' rent plus reasonable attorney fees. Statewide: a landlord's entry on the possession of a tenant at will or by sufferance is a forcible entry, remediable through a forcible entry and detainer action in District Court.
How do you evict a tenant without a lease in Kentucky?
Non-URLTA areas: landlord may end a tenancy at will or by sufferance with one month's written notice. URLTA areas: either party may end a month-to-month tenancy with written notice at least 30 days before the periodic rental date; week-to-week, 7 days.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.