Bell County was formed on February 28, 1867, from parts of Harlan and Knox counties during the Reconstruction era, and named for Joshua Fry Bell, a Kentucky attorney and U.S. Representative. It sits in the far southeastern corner of Kentucky at one of the most geographically significant locations in American history — the western approaches to the Cumberland Gap, the natural mountain pass through the Appalachians that Daniel Boone’s Wilderness Road (blazed in 1775) carried more than 100,000 settlers through into Kentucky and the American interior. Pineville is the county seat, tucked on a narrow strip of land between the Cumberland River and Pine Mountain. Middlesboro, 12 miles south, is the county’s largest city and its commercial center, notable for being built almost entirely within a meteorite impact crater formed 300 million years ago. The 2020 census recorded 24,097 residents, though population has declined roughly 16% since 2010 as the coal economy that built the county has contracted.
The Bell County rental market reflects the challenges and resilience of an Appalachian coal county in transition. Coal mining — which drove explosive growth in Middlesboro beginning in the 1890s and sustained the county through much of the 20th century — has significantly declined, but healthcare (ARH Middlesboro), education (Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College), government employment, and small business commerce in Middlesboro continue to drive rental demand. The county is part of the Middlesborough Micropolitan Statistical Area. All evictions are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the Farmer Helton Judicial Center in Pineville. Kentucky’s HB128 (2023) governs all residential leases made on or after its effective date.
🌍 Middlesboro Meteor Crater — Middlesboro is one of only a few cities in the world built almost entirely inside a confirmed meteorite impact crater; the 3-mile-wide Middlesboro crater was formed approximately 300 million years ago and was confirmed by geological surveys in the 1960s |
🏔️ Cumberland Gap & Wilderness Road (1775) — Bell County encompasses the western approaches to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park; Daniel Boone blazed the Wilderness Road through the gap in 1775, enabling over 100,000 settlers to enter Kentucky and the American frontier — one of the most consequential passages in American history |
🎵 Dale Ann Bradley — Grammy-nominated bluegrass and gospel singer Dale Ann Bradley was born in Pineville on October 23, 1955; known for her high-lonesome vocal style, she has earned multiple International Bluegrass Music Association awards and represents the deep musical tradition of Appalachian Bell County |
📱 Touch-Screen Pioneer George Hurst (1927–2010) — Bell County native Dr. George Samuel Hurst pioneered touch-screen technology in 1971–1973 at the University of Kentucky, holding over 70 patents and laying the groundwork for capacitive touch interfaces used in smartphones and tablets worldwide
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
Pineville (~1,678 in 2020)
Largest City
Middlesboro (~10,384)
Other Communities
Arjay, Balkan, Calvin, Combs, Four Mile, Frakes, Kettle Island
Population
24,097 (2020 census); down ~16% since 2010
MSA
Middlesborough Micropolitan Statistical Area
Major Employers
ARH Middlesboro, Southeast KY Community & Technical College, Bell County Schools, coal sector, county/city government, Cumberland Gap tourism
Eviction Court
District Court — Farmer Helton Judicial Center, Pineville
Circuit Court Clerk
Colby Slusher — (606) 337-2942
Judicial Center Address
101 W. Park Ave. (P.O. Box 307), Pineville, KY 40977
Rent Control
None — Kentucky preempts local rent control
Governing Law
KRS Chapter 383 / HB128 (2023) for leases on or after effective date
⚡ 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
Forcible Detainer — District Court
Eviction Timeline
3–6 weeks typical after notice period
Security Deposit Cap
2× monthly rent (plus 1st month’s rent & fees)
Deposit Return
30 days with itemized deductions
Deposit Penalty
$250 or 2× amount withheld, whichever greater
Habitability Duty
Nonwaivable (KRS 383.595 / HB128)
Statute
KRS Chapter 383 — HB128 (2023 Session)
Bell County Local Rules & Landlord Procedures
Topic
Rule / Notes
Filing Evictions — Where & Who
All evictions (Forcible Detainer actions) in Bell County are filed in District Court at the Farmer Helton Judicial Center, 101 W. Park Avenue, Pineville, KY 40977 (mailing: P.O. Box 307). Circuit Court Clerk: Colby Slusher — Phone: (606) 337-2942 — Fax: (606) 337-8850. Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–4:00 PM. Payment by cash, check, or money order; ePay available online. Facility has designated disability parking in front and an elevator to the upstairs courtroom. Note: all filings go to Pineville, not Middlesboro, regardless of where the rental property is located in the county.
Nonpayment of Rent — Notice
Under HB128 (KRS 383.660), serve the tenant a 14-day written notice to pay or vacate stating that if rent remains unpaid after 14 days, the lease terminates. Retain dated, verifiable proof of service. If the tenant pays in full within 14 days, the lease continues and no eviction may be filed. This doubled the prior 7-day requirement — old notice templates must be updated.
Lease Violation — Notice & Cure
For non-rent violations, serve a 14-day written notice to cure or quit identifying the specific breach. If remedied within 14 days, the lease continues. If not, the lease terminates on a date no sooner than 30 days from the original notice. Repeat violations within 6 months, imminent health/safety threats, or criminal acts may allow faster termination — consult a Kentucky attorney.
Month-to-Month Termination
One full month’s written notice required to terminate a month-to-month tenancy (KRS 383.695). Week-to-week tenancies require at least 5 days’ written notice. All notices must be signed and properly served. No cause required to terminate a periodic tenancy with proper notice.
Security Deposit
Capped at 2× monthly rent (not including first month’s rent or fees). Additional pet or alteration deposits allowed. Must be held in a dedicated, separately titled bank account — never commingled with personal or business funds. Return within 30 days with itemized written deductions. Penalty: $250 or 2× the withheld amount, whichever is greater, plus the amount owed (KRS Sections 56–59).
Habitability — Nonwaivable Duty
HB128 imposes a nonwaivable habitability duty across 13 categories: building code compliance, weatherproofing, plumbing, water supply, heating and ventilation, electrical systems, pest and hazardous substance control (radon, lead, asbestos, mold), clean common areas, trash receptacles, floors/walls/windows in good repair, landlord-supplied appliances, exterior door and window locks, and required safety equipment. No lease provision waives this. In older Appalachian housing stock, radon testing and lead paint disclosure are especially relevant. Tenants have repair-and-deduct rights (up to one month’s rent per repair) after proper notice and failed cure.
Landlord Entry — Notice
Standard entry: 24 hours’ advance notice, reasonable time. Routine maintenance or pest control: 72 hours’ notice or a fixed schedule given at least 72 hours before the first entry. Emergency entry: notice reasonable under the circumstances. Leave a conspicuous written notice stating fact, date, time, and reason if entering while tenant is absent without prior notice.
Middlesboro vs. Pineville — Two Markets
Bell County has two distinct rental submarkets. Middlesboro (pop. ~10,384) is the commercial hub, home to ARH Middlesboro hospital, Southeast KY Community and Technical College, retail, and most rental volume. Pineville (pop. ~1,678) is the county seat with a smaller, older, lower-rent housing market. Apply your screening criteria consistently regardless of which submarket the property is in. All evictions for both cities are filed at the Farmer Helton Judicial Center in Pineville, not in Middlesboro.
Coal Economy Transition & Screening
Bell County has seen significant population decline since 2010 as coal mining employment contracted. The remaining rental market is anchored by healthcare, education, and government workers. For applicants with coal industry or mining backgrounds, verify current employment status and income carefully — income from severance, disability, or black lung benefits is verifiable but differs from wage income in payment schedule. Use current documentation (most recent two months of benefit statements or pay stubs) and apply your criteria consistently.
Rent Control
None. Kentucky does not permit local rent control. Landlords may raise rent freely at lease renewal. One month’s written notice required before any increase on a month-to-month tenancy takes effect.
Self-Help Eviction
Expressly prohibited (KRS 383.690). Lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removal of tenant belongings expose the landlord to 3× periodic rent or 3× actual damages, whichever is greater. File a Forcible Detainer in District Court — it is the only legal path.
Abandoned Personal Property
Post notice at the unit and mail to last known or forwarding address. Tenant has 8 days to contact and 5 days to retrieve after contact. Landlord may charge storage costs. Unclaimed property may be sold or disposed of after the retrieval window. Perishables, hazardous materials, and animals may be disposed of immediately (KRS Section 44).
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.
🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease:
Kentucky landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly
reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding
tenant screening in Kentucky —
including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most
cost-effective steps you can take to protect your rental property. Before you ever need Kentucky's
eviction process, proper tenant screening can help
you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.
Ready to File?
Generate Kentucky-Compliant Legal Documents
AI-generated, state-specific eviction notices, pay-or-quit letters, lease termination documents, and more — pre-filled with your tenant's information and built to Kentucky requirements.
Select your state, eviction reason, and the date you plan to serve notice. We'll calculate your earliest filing date and key milestones.
⚠️ 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.
Bell County market: All evictions filed at Farmer Helton Judicial Center, 101 W. Park Ave., Pineville. Circuit Court Clerk Colby Slusher, (606) 337-2942. Two rental submarkets: Middlesboro (hospital, college, retail) and Pineville (smaller, older stock). Coal economy transition — verify income carefully for mining/mineral benefit applicants. No rent control anywhere in Kentucky.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Cumberland Gap, a Meteor Crater, and HB128: Bell County Kentucky Landlord Law Explained
Bell County sits at one of the most consequential pieces of geography in American history. The Cumberland Gap — the natural break in the Cumberland Mountains that separates Kentucky from Virginia and Tennessee — runs through the southeastern corner of the county, and it was here in 1775 that Daniel Boone blazed the Wilderness Road that carried more than 100,000 settlers into Kentucky and the American interior. The county’s largest city, Middlesboro, has its own remarkable geological distinction: it was built almost entirely within a confirmed meteorite impact crater, a 3-mile-wide bowl formed roughly 300 million years ago and confirmed by geologists in the 1960s. Middlesboro is one of only a handful of cities in the world with this distinction. For landlords managing property in this corner of Appalachian Kentucky, the geology and history are interesting backdrop, but the law — Kentucky’s HB128 — is what governs every tenancy.
Two Cities, One Set of Rules
Bell County’s rental market is functionally divided between two distinct communities. Middlesboro, with approximately 10,384 residents, is the county’s commercial center. ARH Middlesboro hospital is one of the largest employers, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College brings students and faculty into the housing market, and Middlesboro’s small downtown serves as the retail and services hub for the area. Rental volume in Middlesboro is significantly higher than in Pineville, and properties here tend to be more recently constructed with a broader range of price points.
Pineville, the county seat, sits 12 miles north of Middlesboro on a narrow strip of land between the Cumberland River and Pine Mountain. With a population of approximately 1,678, it is a much smaller community with an older housing stock, lower average rents, and a more localized applicant pool drawing primarily on county government, school district, and local service employment. The Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival, held in Pineville every Memorial Day weekend since 1931, is a beloved regional event that draws visitors but does not meaningfully affect the residential rental market.
One point landlords new to Bell County frequently miss: all evictions for the entire county — including Middlesboro properties — are filed at the Farmer Helton Judicial Center in Pineville, not in Middlesboro. The Judicial Center is at 101 W. Park Avenue, Pineville. Circuit Court Clerk Colby Slusher handles filings at (606) 337-2942. Making the trip to Pineville when your property is in Middlesboro is not optional — that is where the court is.
Screening in a Coal Economy Transition County
Bell County has lost roughly 16% of its population since 2010, a decline driven significantly by the contraction of coal mining employment. The coal industry built Middlesboro beginning in the 1890s — it was one of the first planned cities in the United States, developed by an English company that bought the crater basin and built the city in a grid pattern — and it sustained the county through the 20th century. The transition away from coal has left some of the workforce on benefit income rather than wage income. For landlords, this means your applicant pool may include people receiving federal black lung benefits, Social Security disability, or coal severance payments rather than traditional pay stubs. These income sources are real and verifiable — request the most recent two months of benefit statements and apply your income ratio requirements consistently. Do not treat benefit income as categorically inferior to wage income; that approach can create Fair Housing exposure. Apply your documented criteria consistently to every applicant and let the numbers speak for themselves.
HB128 Obligations in Appalachian Housing
Bell County has significant older housing stock, particularly in the hills above Middlesboro and in the smaller communities around the county. HB128’s nonwaivable habitability duty is especially relevant in older Appalachian structures. The 13-category habitability checklist includes control of hazardous substances — specifically radon, lead paint, asbestos, and toxic mold. Appalachian geology produces higher radon concentrations in many areas, and older homes in Bell County are more likely to have lead paint and older wiring than newer construction elsewhere in the state. These are not optional disclosures or things you can waive by lease clause under HB128. If a tenant gives you written notice of a habitability problem, you have 14 days to fix it (5 days for essential service failures). After that window, tenants may withhold rent, repair-and-deduct up to one month’s rent per repair, or terminate the lease entirely.
Security deposit compliance is straightforward but unforgiving under HB128. Collect no more than two times the monthly rent in deposit (plus first month’s rent and fees, and a separate pet or alteration deposit if applicable), hold it in a dedicated account, and return it within 30 days of move-out with an itemized statement. The penalty for missing the 30-day deadline is $250 or two times the withheld amount — whichever is greater — on top of the actual deposit. In a county where median household income is approximately $32,400 and rents are modest, even a small deposit wrongfully withheld can generate a penalty that significantly exceeds the original amount at issue.
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. Consult a licensed Kentucky attorney for 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 Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (HB128) applies to leases made on or after its effective date; prior law governs older leases. Apply all Fair Housing protections consistently. Consult a licensed Kentucky attorney for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
