Louisville Landlord-Tenant Rules

Local fair housing protected classes: Louisville Metro's fair housing ordinance (LMCO Ch. 92) bans housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, familial status, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, conviction or arrest history, prior military service, and homeless status. Sexual orientation and gender identity have been protected locally since 1999. Arrest/conviction history, military service and homeless status were added by Ord. No. 395, Series 2019 (passed Nov. 19, 2020). LMCO 92.04 has exceptions for certain arrest and conviction histories, such as those that bar a person from federally subsidized housing. According to Metro's 2025 fair housing analysis, the local rental rules apply to owners with as few as two units, while the federal threshold is four. Complaints go to the Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission.; Source of income (preempted): Louisville added 'lawful source of income' as a protected class effective March 1, 2021. In 2022 it also banned income-to-rent standards that ignore rent paid by others or by government agencies (LMCO 92.03(R), Ord. O-344-22). Since March 6, 2024, state law forbids any Kentucky city or county from adopting or enforcing a rule that stops landlords from refusing tenants whose rent includes federal housing assistance, such as Section 8 vouchers. Metro's 2025 fair housing analysis says this made Louisville's source-of-income protection null and void.; Rental registration & inspection: Owners of long-term rental housing in Louisville Metro must register each rental unit with the Department of Codes and Regulations (LMCO Ch. 119). Apartment complexes and multi-unit buildings may register as a whole, with a list of units. The registration must list the owner and any managing operator with current contact information, updated within 10 business days of any change. Short-term rentals and some other properties are exempt (LMCO 119.02). The 2022 amendments (O-182-22) required a sworn compliance affidavit and annual random inspections of 10% of registrants in high-renter areas. In 2025, under threat of state preemption, Metro Council amended Secs. 119.01-119.03 again, and Metro's 2025 fair housing analysis says the proactive inspection and affidavit requirements were removed. Complaint-based inspections under the property maintenance code (LMCO Ch. 156) continue.; Tenant right to counsel: LMCO Chapter 151 ('Eviction Court') names the Legal Aid Society as the designated organization to give legal help to tenants facing eviction. A 'covered individual' is a tenant with a valid lease or other legal claim to the dwelling whose annual gross income is no more than 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. Ord. O-373-22, passed Feb. 2, 2023, removed an earlier rule that the tenant also have at least one child. The program depends on available funding.