Kentucky · KY · updated 2026
Kentucky sets no fixed number of days for a landlord to return a security deposit
Quick answer
Kentucky sets no fixed number of days to return a security deposit, so your lease and any local rule control. Keep your move-out photos and follow up in writing if the money does not come back.
Under Kentucky security deposit law, Kentucky law does not set a fixed deadline. By statute, Kentucky sets no statutory cap on how much a landlord can charge. If the landlord misses the deadline or keeps money you are owed, you can push back in writing and, if needed, in small claims court.
This may not apply everywhere in Kentucky
Sources disagree whether KRS 383.580 applies statewide or only in URLTA-adopting cities/counties (e.g. Louisville, Lexington). Treat as varying by locality until verified against the statute.
- Return deadline
- No fixed statutory deadline
- Deadline counted from
- Not specified
- Itemized statement
- Required
- Move-in condition list
- Required of the landlord
- Maximum deposit
- No statutory cap
- Interest on deposit
- Not required
Calculate your exact Kentucky deadline
Enter your move-out date to see the exact calendar date the deadline lands on. It runs on your device, so nothing you type is uploaded.
What a Kentucky landlord can deduct
- Unpaid rent and unpaid utilities you owe under the lease
- Repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear (not normal aging, fading, or minor marks)
- An itemized written statement of every deduction (Kentucky requires it, so ask for it in writing)
How to get your deposit back in Kentucky
- Document the unit's condition at move-out with dated photos of every room (a move-in / move-out checklist keeps it organized).
- Confirm your exact return deadline with the deadline calculator.
- If the deadline passes, send a written demand letter citing the statute and the amount owed.
- If it is still ignored, you can file in small claims court.
Common Kentucky deposit disputes
- The deadline passed and you have heard nothing
- Send a written demand letter citing the statute and the amount owed. Keep proof you sent it.
- You got money back but disagree with the deductions
- Kentucky requires an itemized statement, so ask for it in writing first, then dispute anything charged as ordinary wear and tear.
- You are still deciding whether the case is worth it
- Confirm the exact deadline below, gather your dated move-out photos, and read the penalty your state allows before you commit.
Frequently asked
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Kentucky?
- Kentucky sets no fixed number of days for a landlord to return a security deposit.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Kentucky?
- Kentucky statute sets no maximum on the security deposit a landlord can charge.
- Can my Kentucky landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Kentucky requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a Kentucky landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- No. Kentucky does not require the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
Where it applies: a move-in list of existing damage is required before the tenant pays the deposit, and the landlord must give an itemized list of deductions. No fixed number of days to return. No statutory cap. Deadline shown as none.