How much a landlord can charge, and which deductions are actually legal
This page covers how much a landlord may charge in Kentucky, and which deductions from a residential deposit are lawful. It assumes the tenancy has ended and the question is what may be withheld.
It does not cover:
No statutory cap under state law (a landlord may charge whatever amount the lease specifies).
Caps frequently carry exceptions — smaller landlords, furnished units, or pets are treated differently in most states. Read the provision itself rather than relying on the headline figure.
| Claimed deduction | Permitted in Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Unpaid rent (after 30 days if the tenant does not demand the deposit back) | Permitted, if substantiated |
| Damage beyond ordinary wear and tear (itemized via the move-out listing) | Permitted, if substantiated |
| Claimed deduction | Permitted in Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Ordinary wear and tear | Not permitted |
| Any amount without the separate account or required damage listings (§ 383.580(4)) | Not permitted |
Whether a specific charge is lawful depends on the facts — how old the damage is, whether the lease addressed it, and whether the landlord can document the cost. A charge being in the "permitted" column does not make it automatically collectable.
The landlord must show the deposit was held in a separate account and that the required move-in/move-out damage listings were provided before any deduction. Failure on either prong forfeits the landlord's right to retain the deposit. For any deduction, the landlord must justify damage beyond ordinary wear and tear.
In Kentucky the burden sits with the landlord. This matters strategically: if the burden is theirs, your task is to request the documentation rather than to prove the deduction wrong. Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580 ↗
No statutory penalty beyond returning the deposit.
Kentucky has NO 2x or 3x multiplier. The remedy is a forfeiture: if the landlord fails to hold the deposit in a separate account OR fails to provide the required move-in/move-out damage listings, the landlord is not entitled to retain ANY portion of the deposit. Automatic on noncompliance — no bad-faith finding required.
Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580(4) ↗Kentucky's § 383.580(4) is a forfeiture rule: if the landlord did not hold the deposit in a separate account OR did not provide the move-in/move-out damage listings, they lose the right to retain ANY portion — even otherwise-valid deductions.
Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580(4) ↗Kentucky is a "local-option" state: KRS 383.580 applies only in cities/counties that adopted the URLTA (Louisville/Jefferson, Lexington/Fayette, and other adopting areas). In non-adopting areas, common law governs. Confirm your jurisdiction before relying on § 383.580.
KRS 383.500 ↗““I kept the deposit for damages.””
You must hold my deposit in a separate account and provide move-in and move-out damage listings. If you did not, you forfeit the right to retain any portion of it — and ordinary wear and tear is never deductible.
KRS 383.580(1)-(4)
““You never responded to my refund notice.””
The 60-day no-response window only lets you keep the money after notice. It does not erase your separate-account and damage-listing obligations, which are independent prerequisites to retaining anything.
KRS 383.580(4), (7)
““This is a rural county; URLTA does not apply.””
If your jurisdiction did not adopt the URLTA, the deposit is governed by the lease and general contract law. The lease terms — not your unilateral deductions — control what you may retain.
KRS 383.500-.715 (adoption limitation)
Some widely circulated summaries of Kentucky deposit law state things the statute does not say. We list the disagreements rather than picking a side silently.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Many secondary checklists | 30 days (or 60 days) |
| KRS 383.580(6)(7) | No fixed return deadline; 30/60 days run in the landlord's favor |
What we follow: No fixed statutory return deadline
The 30/60-day periods are landlord-favorable (applying deposit to unpaid rent after 30 days; keeping unclaimed refund after 60 days), not tenant-favorable return deadlines.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Generic checklists | 2x penalty |
| KRS 383.580(4) | Forfeiture of the right to retain (no multiplier) |
What we follow: Forfeiture, no multiplier
Kentucky has no statutory multiplier. The remedy is a full forfeiture triggered by separate-account or damage-listing failure.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Some summaries | Applies statewide |
| KRS 383.500-.715 | Applies only in adopting cities/counties |
What we follow: Adopting jurisdictions only
Kentucky's URLTA is local-option. Reporting it as statewide would mislead tenants in non-adopting rural counties.
Every figure on this page comes from the official text, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked against the source.
| Statute | Last verified | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580(7) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580(6) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580(4) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580 | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| KRS 383.500 | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
Primary reference: Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580 (URLTA Security Deposit Act). Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Amendments are recorded on the site changelog.
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Kentucky Security Deposit Return
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The statute does not permit deductions for: ordinary wear and tear; any amount without the separate account or required damage listings (§ 383.580(4)).
The landlord. The landlord must show the deposit was held in a separate account and that the required move-in/move-out damage listings were provided before any deduction. Failure on either prong forfeits the landlord's right to retain the deposit. For any deduction, the landlord must justify damage beyond ordinary wear and tear.
No statutory cap under state law (a landlord may charge whatever amount the lease specifies).
No. Ordinary wear and tear