Kentucky · Security deposits · Updated Oct 2026

Kentucky security deposit law

How much a landlord in Kentucky can charge, the deadline to return a deposit, what may be deducted, the penalty for keeping it wrongly and how to get yours back.

Short answer

In Kentucky, the deposit limit is: no statewide limit. The landlord must return it as follows: URLTA areas only.

deposit limit
No statewide limit
to return a deposit
No fixed deadline
deposit penalty
See below

Security deposit in Kentucky

Limit
no statewide limit
Deadline to return it
URLTA areas only. Kentucky sets no fixed number of days to return the deposit. When you move out, the landlord must inspect and make a written list of damage with estimated repair costs. You have the right to inspect and sign it or write down what you disagree with. If you owe no rent and are due a refund, the landlord must send a notice of the refund amount to your last known address. If you do not respond within 60 days of that notice, the landlord may keep the money. If you left without paying the last month's rent and did not ask for the deposit, the landlord may apply it to the debt after 30 days. Outside URLTA areas there is no deposit statute; your lease controls.
Itemized list
URLTA areas: yes. Before you pay the deposit, the landlord must give you a written list of existing damage with estimated repair costs, and at move-out a written list of damage with estimated repair costs. Both must be signed by both sides; if you disagree, write down which items you dispute and sign it. Receipts are not required by the statute.
What may be deducted
Unpaid rent and the cost of repairing damage beyond normal wear and tear that is on the move-out damage list. Other charges only if your lease allows them.
Interest
no
Separate account
URLTA areas: yes. The deposit must be kept in a bank account used only for deposits, at a regulated bank, and you must be told the bank and account number.
Move-in checklist
URLTA areas: yes. A signed move-in list of existing damage with estimated repair costs is required before you pay the deposit.
If the landlord keeps it wrongly
URLTA areas: if the landlord did not keep the deposit in a separate account and did not give you the move-in and move-out damage lists, the landlord may not keep any part of the deposit. You can sue in District Court (small claims) over items on the move-out list you disputed in writing. If you did not sign the list or write down what you disputed, you cannot recover under this law. No multiple damages.
Law
KRS 383.580

Get your deposit back, step by step

  1. Before you move out, clean, take dated photos and video of every room, and return all keys.
  2. Give your landlord your new address in writing. In Kentucky: If you owe no rent and are due a refund, the landlord must send a notice of the refund amount to your last known address.
  3. Wait for the deadline: URLTA areas only.
  4. If the money or an itemized list doesn't come, or the deductions are wrong, send a demand letter (below). Keep proof of mailing.
  5. If that doesn't work, sue in small claims court. Limit: $2,500. Small claims court in Kentucky on Small Claims Map

Deposit return calculator for Kentucky

Find your state's deadline for returning a security deposit, whether your landlord is late and what you may be owed. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Enter your deposit and move-out dateThe result appears as you type.

An estimate from the dates you enter and the rule in our data, not legal advice. We skip weekends only where the rule counts business days, and we don't skip holidays.

Security deposit demand letter for Kentucky

A short, firm and polite letter asking your landlord to return your deposit by a date. It cites your state's deposit law. Many landlords pay at this step, and the letter is proof that you asked. Fill this in, download the letter as PDF or Word (or copy it), sign it, keep a copy and send it in a way you can prove, such as certified mail with a return receipt.

Your letter is made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or anyone else.

The name on your lease or rent receipts.

We suggest 14 days.

One or two sentences. This text goes into the letter as written.

Small claims court in Kentucky

Deposit disputes usually go to small claims court, where you don't need a lawyer. Limit: $2,500.

How to file in Kentucky

Questions about security deposits in Kentucky

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

no statewide limit

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

URLTA areas only. Kentucky sets no fixed number of days to return the deposit. When you move out, the landlord must inspect and make a written list of damage with estimated repair costs. You have the right to inspect and sign it or write down what you disagree with. If you owe no rent and are due a refund, the landlord must send a notice of the refund amount to your last known address. If you do not respond within 60 days of that notice, the landlord may keep the money. If you left without paying the last month's rent and did not ask for the deposit, the landlord may apply it to the debt after 30 days. Outside URLTA areas there is no deposit statute; your lease controls.

What can I do if my landlord won't return my deposit in Kentucky?

URLTA areas: if the landlord did not keep the deposit in a separate account and did not give you the move-in and move-out damage lists, the landlord may not keep any part of the deposit. You can sue in District Court (small claims) over items on the move-out list you disputed in writing. If you did not sign the list or write down what you disputed, you cannot recover under this law. No multiple damages.

What can a landlord deduct from a security deposit in Kentucky?

Unpaid rent and the cost of repairing damage beyond normal wear and tear that is on the move-out damage list. Other charges only if your lease allows them.

Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Kentucky?

no

What is the small claims limit in Kentucky?

$2,500.

More for Kentucky renters

Security deposit in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.