Kentucky landlord guide — courthouse info, local rules & HB128 eviction procedures for Brandenburg, Ekron, Muldraugh, Guston & Meade County
📍 County Seat: Brandenburg (pop. ~2,981) 👥 County Pop. 29,260 (2020) • Growing Steadily ⚖️ Court: Meade County Justice Center — 516 Hillcrest Dr., Brandenburg 🪖 Fort Knox • SCRA Federal Protections • Military Community 🌊 Ohio River • Lincoln Trail Region 🚗 Louisville Commuter Zone • Fort Knox Civilian Workforce
Meade County was established on December 17, 1823 from parts of Hardin and Breckinridge counties and named for Captain James Meade, a U.S. Army officer killed during the War of 1812. The county seat, Brandenburg, was established in 1825 on the Ohio River and named for Solomon Brandenburg, an early settler. Meade County covers approximately 306 square miles of north-central Kentucky terrain along the Ohio River and recorded a 2020 census population of 29,260 residents — a number reflecting steady growth driven primarily by its proximity to Fort Knox and the Louisville metropolitan area.
Meade County’s rental market is shaped decisively by two facts: the presence of Fort Knox along its eastern border (shared with Hardin and Bullitt counties) and the county’s position as an outer ring of the Louisville metropolitan area, approximately 35–45 miles southwest of downtown Louisville via US-31W and KY-313. Fort Knox brings a significant military and civilian federal workforce whose rental needs are shaped by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The Louisville commuter segment adds professional and industrial workers seeking lower housing costs. All residential evictions are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the Meade County Justice Center, 516 Hillcrest Drive, Brandenburg, KY 40108. Kentucky’s HB128 (2023) governs all residential leases made on or after its effective date.
🪖 Fort Knox — Gold Vault & Army Armor School — Fort Knox, located along Meade County’s eastern border, is one of the most recognized military installations in the United States; home to the U.S. Bullion Depository (the gold vault), the Army Armor School, and various other Army commands, it employs thousands of active-duty soldiers, civilian federal workers, and contractors whose housing needs directly affect Meade County’s rental market |
⚖️ SCRA — Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Applies — Because Fort Knox brings active-duty military personnel into Meade County’s rental market, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act applies; SCRA provides military tenants with significant protections including the right to terminate leases early upon deployment or permanent change of station (PCS) orders, caps on interest rates, and protections against eviction during active duty |
🌊 Brandenburg on the Ohio River — Brandenburg, the county seat, sits on the south bank of the Ohio River with Indiana across the water; the city’s Ohio River position has shaped its commercial history and continues to define its character as a river town with access to waterfront recreation |
🚗 Louisville Outer Ring — Growing Steadily — Meade County sits on the outer southwestern arc of the Louisville metropolitan area and has grown steadily as Louisville housing costs have pushed residential development further from the urban core; the county is one of the Louisville metro area’s more affordable outer-ring options
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
Brandenburg (~2,981)
Other Communities
Ekron, Muldraugh, Guston, Rhodelia, Garfield
County Population
29,260 (2020) • Steady growth from Fort Knox & Louisville metro
Region
North-Central KY • Ohio River • Lincoln Trail ADD • Louisville MSA outer ring
Major Employers
Fort Knox (Army, civilian, contractor), Meade County Schools, county/state government, Louisville metro commuters (~35–45 mi northeast via US-31W/KY-313), BlueOval SK adjacent (Hardin Co.)
Eviction Court
District Court — Meade County Justice Center
Court Address
516 Hillcrest Dr., Brandenburg, KY 40108
Court Phone
(270) 422-4977 (verify with clerk)
Rent Control
None — Kentucky preempts local rent control
Governing Law
KRS Chapter 383 / HB128 (2023) & SCRA (federal) for military tenants
⚡ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
14-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
14-Day Notice to Cure; termination no sooner than 30 days
Month-to-Month Term.
1 Month’s Written Notice
Week-to-Week Term.
5-Day Written Notice
Eviction Filing Location
Meade County Justice Center — 516 Hillcrest Dr., Brandenburg
All evictions (Forcible Detainer actions) in Meade County are filed in District Court at the Meade County Justice Center, 516 Hillcrest Drive, Brandenburg, KY 40108. Phone: (270) 422-4977. Brandenburg is a small Ohio River city; parking is available near the justice center on Hillcrest Drive. Verify current civil hearing dates with the clerk before filing. As a growing county, the court’s civil docket has expanded in recent years.
Nonpayment of Rent — Notice
Under HB128 (KRS 383.660), serve the tenant a 14-day written notice to pay or vacate stating the specific termination date. Retain dated, verifiable proof of service. If the tenant pays in full within 14 days, the lease continues.
Lease Violation — Notice & Cure
For non-rent violations, serve a 14-day written notice to cure or quit specifying the exact breach. If remedied within 14 days, the lease continues. If not, termination no sooner than 30 days from original notice. Consult a Kentucky attorney for repeat violations or criminal acts.
Month-to-Month Termination
One full month’s written notice required (KRS 383.695). Week-to-week: 5 days’ written notice.
Security Deposit
Capped at 2× monthly rent. Held in a dedicated, separately titled bank account. Return within 30 days with itemized deductions. Penalty: $250 or 2× the withheld amount, whichever is greater. Document move-in and move-out condition with signed checklist and dated photographs.
Habitability — Nonwaivable Duty
HB128 imposes a nonwaivable habitability duty across 13 categories: structural integrity, weatherproofing, plumbing, water, heating/ventilation, electrical, pest/hazardous substances (lead, mold, asbestos), common areas, trash, floors/walls/windows, appliances, locks, and safety equipment. Respond to written maintenance notices within 14 days (5 days for essential services).
Landlord Entry — Notice
Standard entry: 24 hours’ advance notice. Routine maintenance: 72 hours’ notice. Emergency: reasonable notice. Leave written notice if tenant is absent.
SCRA — Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (Critical)
Meade County landlords who rent to active-duty military personnel from Fort Knox are subject to the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), which provides significant protections that supersede state landlord-tenant law where they conflict. Key SCRA provisions: (1) Early lease termination right: Active-duty service members may terminate a lease with 30 days’ written notice plus a copy of deployment or PCS (Permanent Change of Station) orders — landlords cannot charge early termination fees or penalties. (2) Eviction protection: Service members may not be evicted from a primary residence (below statutory rent threshold) during active-duty service without court order. (3) Interest rate cap: Pre-service debts capped at 6% during active duty. SCRA compliance is a federal requirement — violations carry serious penalties. Consult a Kentucky attorney familiar with SCRA if you rent to military tenants. The legal aid office at Fort Knox may also provide guidance. This note applies equally to Fort Knox tenants in Hardin, Bullitt, and LaRue counties.
Fort Knox Military & Civilian Tenant Profile
Fort Knox’s rental market impact on Meade County includes: active-duty soldiers (enlisted E-series and officer O-series grades with BAH housing allowance as income); civilian federal employees (GS-scale employees with stable W-2 income); and defense contractors (typically stable employment, verify with pay stubs). BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) is non-taxable income that does not appear on W-2s but is real and reliable; accept LES (Leave and Earnings Statement) as income verification for active-duty applicants. Apply your income ratio to total compensation including BAH.
Louisville Commuter Segment
Meade County’s position 35–45 miles southwest of Louisville via US-31W places it within the outer ring of the Louisville commuter shed. Workers employed at Louisville’s UPS World Hub, major hospitals, manufacturing (Ford, GE Appliances), and professional services who seek more affordable housing may commute from Meade County. Verify Louisville employment with standard documentation.
Ohio River Flood Risk
Brandenburg sits on the Ohio River bank and has documented flood history. Verify FEMA flood zone status for any riverfront or low-lying Brandenburg property before renting and disclose known flood risk in writing.
Lead Paint Disclosure
For any dwelling built before 1978, federal law requires written disclosure of known lead paint hazards and delivery of the EPA pamphlet before lease signing. Newer construction in growing areas near Fort Knox is generally exempt.
Rent Control
None. Kentucky does not permit local rent control.
Self-Help Eviction
Expressly prohibited (KRS 383.690). Penalty: 3× periodic rent or 3× actual damages, whichever is greater. File a Forcible Detainer at the Meade County Justice Center.
Kentucky URLTA applies ONLY in specific adopting counties (including Jefferson/Louisville, Fayette/Lexington, and ~20 others). Non-URLTA counties use common law forcible detainer (KRS §383.200-383.285), which may have different procedures. The 7-day nonpayment notice under §383.660(2) requires payment of the FULL amount owed - accepting partial payment may restart the notice period. Tenant can cure by paying within the 7-day period. If the same nonpayment recurs within 6 months, landlord can issue 14-day unconditional quit. Late fees: no statutory cap, but Hemlane and others report 10% industry standard. Security deposit max: 1 month per KRS §383.580(1).
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$75).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Kentucky eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Kentucky attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Meade County market: Growing outer-Louisville-metro county with strong Fort Knox military influence. SCRA compliance is mandatory for military tenants — early lease termination on orders cannot be penalized. Accept LES as military income documentation; include BAH in income ratio calculation. Civilian federal employees and contractors are highly reliable. Ohio River flood risk in Brandenburg. No rent control.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Fort Knox, the SCRA, and HB128: Meade County Kentucky Landlord Law
Fort Knox sits along Meade County’s eastern border, shared with Hardin and Bullitt counties, and its presence defines much of what is distinctive about the Meade County rental market. The installation is most famous for the United States Bullion Depository — the underground vault that holds a substantial portion of the country’s gold reserves — but from a landlord’s perspective, what matters more is the Army Armor School, the various Army commands headquartered there, and the thousands of active-duty soldiers, civilian federal employees, and defense contractors who work at the installation and need housing in the surrounding counties. Meade County, on Fort Knox’s western side, captures a share of that housing demand alongside Hardin and Bullitt counties.
Meade County was established in 1823 and named for Captain James Meade, a War of 1812 officer. Brandenburg, the county seat, was established in 1825 on the Ohio River and has remained a small river city throughout its existence. The county has grown steadily in recent decades — from roughly 22,000 residents in 2000 to 29,260 in 2020 — as Louisville’s outer metropolitan expansion and Fort Knox’s housing demand have driven residential development into the county’s rolling terrain.
SCRA: The Federal Law That Supersedes HB128 for Military Tenants
The most important thing a Meade County landlord renting to active-duty military personnel needs to understand is the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. SCRA is federal law and where it conflicts with Kentucky’s HB128, SCRA governs. The practical implications are significant.
Under SCRA, an active-duty service member can terminate a residential lease with 30 days’ written notice plus a copy of deployment orders (for deployment of 90 days or more) or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. The termination is effective 30 days after the next rent due date following notice delivery. The landlord cannot charge an early termination fee or penalty of any kind for SCRA-qualifying terminations. A military tenant who receives PCS orders to a new installation has the legal right to break their lease without financial consequence — that right cannot be signed away in any lease clause, and any lease provision purporting to waive SCRA rights is void. This is not HB128 and it is not optional: SCRA is federal law with federal enforcement.
SCRA also protects service members from eviction from their primary residence (below a statutory annual rent threshold, adjusted periodically) during active duty without a court order. And for debts incurred before active duty, SCRA caps interest rates at 6% during the period of service.
None of this means military tenants are bad tenants — quite the opposite. Active-duty soldiers receive stable, guaranteed federal pay plus BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing), a non-taxable housing supplement whose amount is based on rank and the county’s housing cost area. BAH does not appear on a W-2 because it is not taxable income, but it is real income paid reliably every two weeks. Request a Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) rather than a pay stub from active-duty applicants; the LES shows all pay and allowances including BAH. Apply your income ratio to total LES compensation. The PCS risk is real — soldiers move — but the financial reliability while they’re present is genuine.
Civilian Federal Employees and Contractors
Fort Knox’s civilian workforce — GS-scale federal employees in administrative, technical, and management roles — and its contractor workforce are not subject to SCRA (it applies only to active-duty military). These applicants can be screened under standard HB128 framework: pay stubs verify GS employment; contractor pay stubs from defense firms verify contractor income. Civilian federal employees are among the most stable rental applicants any county near a military installation can produce — they have civil service employment protections and do not receive PCS orders.
Filing in Brandenburg and HB128 Compliance
All residential evictions in Meade County are Forcible Detainer actions filed at the Meade County Justice Center, 516 Hillcrest Drive, Brandenburg, KY 40108, phone (270) 422-4977. Verify current hearing dates before filing. Note: eviction proceedings against active-duty service members require SCRA compliance review before filing; consult a Kentucky attorney if the tenant claims active-duty status. HB128 compliance: written 14-day notice to pay or vacate; 14-day cure with 30-day minimum termination; one month’s M-to-M notice; deposits at two times monthly rent in a separate account returned within 30 days; $250 or 2x penalty; nonwaivable habitability; 24-hour entry notice; self-help eviction prohibited at three times periodic rent. Fort Knox holds the nation’s gold reserves in a vault that is not negotiable. SCRA and HB128 hold their obligations in the same way.
This guide is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. HB128 applies to leases made on or after its effective date; prior Kentucky law governs older leases. SCRA is federal law and supersedes state law where applicable; consult a licensed Kentucky attorney for SCRA guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Kentucky’s HB128 applies to leases made on or after its effective date; prior law governs older leases. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) is federal law that supersedes state law where applicable — consult a licensed Kentucky attorney for SCRA guidance before renting to or taking action against active-duty military tenants. Ohio River flood zone status should be verified through FEMA flood maps. Last updated: March 2026.
