Statutory cap, exemptions, and notice rules under KRS § 65.875
Kentucky puts the answer up front: there is no limit on how much rent can rise anywhere in the state. Under KRS § 65.875, Kentucky prohibits rent control — and the statute does more than decline to set a cap. It strips every city and county in the Commonwealth of the power to create one, which is why the local-ordinance list on this page is empty and will stay that way unless the General Assembly reverses course. A landlord proposing a renewal can name any figure the market will bear.
That does not make an increase automatic. The lease term locks the price until it expires, proper notice still has to precede any change, and an increase aimed at punishing a tenant who complained can cross into unlawful retaliation. With an average rent of $933 and a tenant-protection score of 2.3 out of 10 on our index, Kentucky's real rent discipline comes from its market, not its statutes. The calculator above models any percentage you test against your own numbers.
Some states simply have no rent-cap statute, which leaves a theoretical opening for a city council to act. Kentucky is not one of them. KRS § 65.875 is an affirmative preemption: it forbids local governments from regulating what a landlord may charge, so a rent-control ordinance passed by any Kentucky city would be void from the day it was adopted. That is why this page lists zero local exceptions — not because no city has tried to be tenant-friendly, but because state law has closed the door in advance.
For landlords, that means one uniform rule from the largest metro to the smallest county seat. For tenants, it means the search for a "capped" building or a rent-stabilized unit ends here: no such category exists in Kentucky, and no lease clause or city program can create one.
No cap does not mean no rules. Three constraints survive the preemption:
Because Kentucky sets no ceiling, the practical question shifts from "what is legal?" to "what will the market sustain?" The statewide average rent is $933, one of the figures the calculator uses as a benchmark. A landlord pricing a renewal well above comparable local listings faces no legal risk, but does face the one cost Kentucky law never waives: vacancy, turnover, and re-leasing time. Tenants negotiating a renewal should lean on the same math — where no statute limits the number, a documented comparison to nearby asking rents is the strongest counteroffer available.
Kentucky's 2.3-out-of-10 score on our tenant-protection index reflects this structure: minimal statutory limits, market-priced rents, and remedies concentrated on process (notice, contract, retaliation) rather than price.
Most Kentucky rent-increase disputes we track are not about the amount — they are about execution. The recurring failure points:
| Rule | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide cap | N/A, rent control banned | KRS § 65.875 |
| 2025 maximum increase | No limit | |
| Notice required | Typically 30-60 days written notice | State landlord-tenant law |
| Retaliation prohibited | Yes, increases cannot be retaliatory or discriminatory | Federal Fair Housing Act + state law |
There is no legal limit. Kentucky has no statewide rent cap, and KRS § 65.875 prevents cities and counties from creating one, so any percentage is lawful once the current lease term ends and proper notice is given. The practical ceiling is the local market — statewide average rent is $933 — not a statute.
No. KRS § 65.875 preempts local rent control, so no Kentucky city or county may adopt a rent-cap or rent-stabilization ordinance, and none exists. Any such local measure would be void under state law.
There is no special notice statute tied to the size of an increase, because there is no cap to trigger one. An increase must wait until the lease term allows a change and be preceded by notice consistent with the tenancy type and the lease — and requirements can differ between Kentucky localities that have adopted the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act and those that have not. The key-rules table on this page summarizes what applies.
Generally no. A fixed-term lease locks the rent for the term unless the lease itself contains a clause permitting mid-term adjustments. Without that clause, a mid-lease increase is a breach of contract, and you may continue paying the agreed rent until the term expires.
This page was researched and written by the Eviction Risk Map research team, based on the text of KRS § 65.875 as published in the Kentucky Revised Statutes by the Kentucky General Assembly's Legislative Research Commission. Last reviewed July 2026. This material is informational only and is not legal advice; for guidance on a specific tenancy, consult a Kentucky landlord-tenant attorney.
Statutory data sourced from published Kentucky law (KRS § 65.875), BLS Consumer Price Index (2024-2025), and state agency publications. Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates for average rent. Last updated July 14, 2026. This page is informational only and does not constitute legal advice.
