Kentucky Residential Lease Agreement

Last Updated: May 20, 2025 by Roberto Valenzuela

A Kentucky residential lease agreement (“rental agreement”) is a legal contract between a landlord overseeing a rental property and a tenant using the property. State and local laws set the rules for rental agreements, such as laws regulating the use of a tenant’s security deposit.

Kentucky Lease Agreement Disclosures

These disclosures, governed by Kentucky’s Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA), are required for residential lease agreements:

Disclosure Applicable to
Landlord’s Name and Address All Units
Move-In Checklist All Leases Collecting a Security Deposit
Security Deposit Holdings All Leases Holding a Security Deposit
Lead Paint All Units Built Before 1978

Landlord’s Name and Address

Applies to all Kentucky rentals.

Kentucky leases must contain the name and address of the landlord (or authorized agent). This allows required communication (for example, about repairs) to happen in a smooth way. For this reason, most leases also include phone numbers and email addresses.

Contact information most often is written in the lease agreement, for maximum convenience. The landlord must notify the tenant whenever there’s a change in contact information.

Move-In Checklist

Applies to all Kentucky rentals collecting a security deposit.

Kentucky landlords must provide a move-in checklist to takes inventory of existing property damage, when the tenant moves into the rental property. This ensures accurate deductions from the security deposit upon move-out. The checklist must be completed and signed by the tenant, before occupancy begins.

Download: Kentucky Move-In Checklist Disclosure Form (PDF)

Security Deposit Holdings Disclosure

Applies to all Kentucky rentals holding a security deposit.

Kentucky landlords holding a security deposit must, in the rental agreement, disclose the institution and account number that will be holding the funds in question.

This is an example of a security deposit holdings disclosure:

SECURITY DEPOSIT HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE. The security deposit of $____, highlighted in this lease, can be found at the following location:

BANK:_____
ACCOUNT #:_____

Download: Kentucky Security Deposit Holdings Disclosure Form (PDF)

Lead-Based Paint Disclosure

Applies to any Kentucky rentals built before 1978.

Kentucky residential leases for property built before 1978 must, by federal law, contain a lead-based paint disclosure. This requires landlords to do the following:

Download: Kentucky Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Form (PDF)

Optional Disclosures and Addenda (Recommended)

The following lease agreement disclosures and addenda are not required by Kentucky law in residential lease agreements, but help with tenant management and landlord liability.

Optional Disclosure Purpose
Asbestos Informs tenants about any asbestos hazards related to the property. Tenants can reduce asbestos risk by not disturbing asbestos fibers.
Bed Bugs Informs tenants whether the property or an adjacent unit has a history of suspected bed bug infestation, and reminds the tenant of the obligation to report suspected infestation immediately.
Late/Returned Check Fees Specifies late fees or returned check fees related to the lease. Kentucky doesn’t cap late fees. Returned check fees have a limit of $50 per check.
Medical Marijuana Use Informs tenants about policy related to medical marijuana use on the rental property. Some state laws allow landlords to restrict marijuana usage to non-smoking methods only, or allow use only in designated smoking areas.
Mold Disclosure Informs tenants about actual or suspected mold contamination on the property efforts, plus information about treatments. This helps limit landlord liability.
Non-Refundable Fees Charges not agreed by the tenant in the lease may be refundable when the lease ends. For Kentucky landlords to charge a non-refundable fee, it must be disclosed and agreed as such in the lease.
Shared Utilities Arrangements Sets terms for how to divide utility costs up on properties which share a utility meter with other units. This ensures tenants receive fair charges and understand what uses contribute to their bill.
Smoking Informs tenants of designated smoking areas that do not interfere with the quiet enjoyment of other tenants.
note
Some Kentucky cities, like Louisville, have more comprehensive rules than the statewide standard. Always check local laws.

Consequences of Not Including Mandatory Disclosures

Mandatory disclosures outline important health, safety, and property information for the benefit of both landlord and tenant. A landlord who fails to provide federally or state-mandated disclosures could face legal consequences or monetary penalties, either from a tenant lawsuit or from state officials. Many lease provisions may be unenforceable without legally required disclosures.

Failure to comply with the federal lead-based paint hazard disclosure risks fines of tens of thousands of dollars per violation.

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