Demand Letter Lab

Kentucky Security Deposit Demand Letter

Direct answer

In Kentucky, the landlord must return the deposit within No fixed statutory deadline (landlord shall send notification of any refund due when tenant leaves not owing rent) or 30 calendar days (landlord may then remove deposit from account and apply excess to the debt owing (application-to-debt rule, not a return deadline)) or 60 calendar days (if tenant does not respond, landlord may remove and retain deposit free of tenant claims (unclaimed funds rule)). The deadline is measured from this trigger: No fixed statutory deadline (landlord shall send notification of any refund due when tenant leaves not owing rent): landlord shall send notification of any refund due when tenant leaves not owing rent; 30 calendar days (landlord may then remove deposit from account and apply excess to the debt owing (application-to-debt rule, not a return deadline)): after the tenant leaves without paying the final month of rent and does not demand return of the deposit; 60 calendar days (if tenant does not respond, landlord may remove and retain deposit free of tenant claims (unclaimed funds rule)): after landlord sends notification of refund amount due. The verified state formula is landlord not entitled to retain any portion of the deposit if deposit was not held in the required separate account and initial and final damage listings were not provided under Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580.

Last verified:

Key facts

DeadlineNo fixed statutory deadline (landlord shall send notification of any refund due when tenant leaves not owing rent) (no fixed statutory number of days after move-out to return the deposit; statute requires notification of refund amount but does not set a calendar return deadline); trigger: landlord shall send notification of any refund due when tenant leaves not owing rent
Deadline (branch 2)30 calendar days (landlord may then remove deposit from account and apply excess to the debt owing (application-to-debt rule, not a return deadline)); trigger: after the tenant leaves without paying the final month of rent and does not demand return of the deposit
Deadline (branch 3)60 calendar days (if tenant does not respond, landlord may remove and retain deposit free of tenant claims (unclaimed funds rule)); trigger: after landlord sends notification of refund amount due
Penalty formulalandlord not entitled to retain any portion of the deposit if deposit was not held in the required separate account and initial and final damage listings were not provided
Bad faith requiredNo
Itemization requiredYes
Interest on depositNo
Maximum depositNo statewide statutory maximum under KRS 383.580.
Forwarding address requiredNo
Small claims limit$2,500 (District Court small claims division (statewide)) in District Court (small claims division); damage-listing disputes also in District Court under § 383.580(5)
Statute citationKy. Rev. Stat. § 383.580

Statute says

In the event the tenant leaves not owing rent and having any refund due, the landlord shall send notification to the last known or reasonably determinable address, of the amount of any refund due the tenant. In the event the landlord shall not have received a response from the tenant within sixty (60) days from the sending of such notification, the landlord may remove the deposit from the account and retain it free from any claim of the tenant or any person claiming in his behalf.

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580

What this means

Read the deadline, trigger, and penalty together before sending a letter. Match the dates in your documents to the trigger listed above, then cite Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580 and request the deposit amount supported by your records.

Worked example

Use your actual deposit amount when you write the letter. For context, median rent in Kentucky is $967 according to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates data as of .

  • Jefferson County: $1,149
  • Fayette County: $1,164
  • Kenton County: $1,069
  • Warren County: $1,002

Example demand basis: a deposit equal to the state median rent starts at $967 before applying the state formula: landlord not entitled to retain any portion of the deposit if deposit was not held in the required separate account and initial and final damage listings were not provided.

Rent source

County small claims courts

CountyCourt and cityLimitFiling feeE-filingCourt link
JeffersonJefferson County District Court, Louisville$2,500Confirm current filing and service fees with the circuit court clerk.Not verifiedCourt site
FayetteFayette County District Court, Lexington$2,500Confirm current filing and service fees with the circuit court clerk.Not verifiedCourt site
KentonKenton County District Court, Covington$2,500Confirm current filing and service fees with the circuit court clerk.Not verifiedCourt site
BooneBoone County District Court, Burlington$2,500Confirm current filing and service fees with the circuit court clerk.Not verifiedCourt site
WarrenWarren County District Court, Bowling Green$2,500Confirm current filing and service fees with the circuit court clerk.Not verifiedCourt site

Free Kentucky template, built from verified state data

Attorney review in progress.

I am requesting the return of my security deposit. The verified Kentucky data for this page lists a No fixed statutory deadline (landlord shall send notification of any refund due when tenant leaves not owing rent) or 30 calendar days (landlord may then remove deposit from account and apply excess to the debt owing (application-to-debt rule, not a return deadline)) or 60 calendar days (if tenant does not respond, landlord may remove and retain deposit free of tenant claims (unclaimed funds rule)) return window and cites Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.580.

Before you send

  • Collect your lease, deposit receipt, and move-in records.
  • Save photos, videos, and messages about move-out condition.
  • Write down the move-out date you can prove.
  • Confirm the forwarding address you gave the landlord.
  • Send by certified mail when appropriate, and keep a copy of the final letter and delivery proof.

When this letter will NOT work

  • The dispute is not about return of a security deposit.
  • You need urgent court relief instead of a demand letter.
  • You cannot identify the landlord or property manager to contact.
  • Your documents point to a different state or a different kind of claim.

Typical mistakes

  • Sending a letter before organizing the documents that prove the timeline.
  • Demanding an amount that does not match the payment records.
  • Leaving out the forwarding address or preferred response method.
  • Mixing repair complaints into a deposit letter without separating the issues.

Local ordinances

FAQ

Does Louisville have its own security deposit law?

Yes. Louisville Metro Landlord and Tenant Code, security deposits is listed in the city ordinance data for Louisville.

Does Lexington have its own security deposit law?

Yes. Lexington-Fayette adoption of the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is listed in the city ordinance data for Lexington.

Does Bowling Green have its own security deposit law?

No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Kentucky law and local rules.

Does Owensboro have its own security deposit law?

No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Kentucky law and local rules.

Can I use this if I do not know the exact deposit amount?

Use the amount shown in your lease, receipt, or move-in records. If records conflict, keep copies and avoid guessing in the letter.

Should I send evidence with the first letter?

Attach copies when they prove the basic facts, such as payment, move-out condition, forwarding address, or prior messages.

Can this page replace legal advice?

No. This page is self-help information for organizing a demand letter and checking the cited data before you act.

City data on this page currently includes Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Covington, Georgetown, Richmond, Florence.

Tenant resources

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