Bourbon County was established on October 17, 1785, making it one of Kentucky’s nine original counties — formed from a portion of Fayette County, Virginia, and named in honor of the French House of Bourbon as gratitude for King Louis XVI’s support during the American Revolutionary War. The original Bourbon County once encompassed 34 of Kentucky’s current 120 counties; its boundaries contracted as the state was divided into smaller units. The county seat, Paris, was settled in 1776 as Hopewell and renamed for the French capital around 1790 to match the county’s Franco-honoring theme. The county is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area, sitting 18 miles northeast of Lexington on the Stoner Fork of the Licking River. Two courthouse fires — in 1872 and 1901 — destroyed county records; the current courthouse, completed in 1905, was originally designed as a proposal for the Kentucky state capitol and is considered one of the grandest county courthouses in the Commonwealth.
Bourbon County’s rental market reflects a Lexington-MSA bedroom community layered with deep equine and agricultural roots. With a 2020 census population of 20,252 and approximately 38% of households renting, there is meaningful rental demand in Paris and surrounding areas. Claiborne Farm — one of the world’s most famous thoroughbred breeding operations — anchors a county-wide equine industry that recorded 13,000 horses in the 2012 equine survey. The bourbon distillery industry, dormant for 95 years after Prohibition closed all 26 county distilleries in 1919, began a gradual revival starting in 2014. All evictions in Bourbon County are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the Bourbon County Judicial Center, with hearings scheduled on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 9:00 AM. Kentucky’s HB128 (2023) governs all residential leases made on or after its effective date.
🥃 Birthplace of Bourbon Whiskey — Whiskey produced in the original Bourbon County was shipped downriver from the Ohio River port at Limestone (now Maysville) marked “Old Bourbon,” giving the spirit its name; all 26 distilleries in what is now the county were closed by Prohibition in 1919 and none reopened until 2014 — a 95-year gap |
🐴 Claiborne Farm & the Equine Capital — Claiborne Farm in Paris is one of the most celebrated thoroughbred breeding farms in the world, home to Secretariat in his retirement; the county had 13,000 horses as of the 2012 equine survey — a ratio of more than one horse for every 1.5 residents |
🏛️ The “Grandest of All Kentucky Courthouses” (1905) — The Bourbon County Courthouse completed in 1905 was designed by an architect as a proposal for the Kentucky state capitol; it replaced two courthouses destroyed by fire in 1872 and 1901 |
⛪ Cane Ridge Meeting House (1791) — Site of the 1801 Cane Ridge Revival, one of the largest religious gatherings in early American history with an estimated 10,000–20,000 attendees; birthplace of the Restoration Movement that gave rise to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and Churches of Christ denominations
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
Paris (~10,171 in 2020)
Other Communities
Millersburg (~747), North Middletown, Ruddles Mills, Carlisle Pike corridor
Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area
Major Employers
Claiborne Farm & equine industry, Toyota Motor Manufacturing KY (Scott Co. commute), Bourbon County Schools, healthcare, Lexington commuter workforce, reviving bourbon sector
Eviction Court
District Court — Bourbon County Judicial Center
Circuit Court Clerk
Beverly Smits — (859) 987-2624
Judicial Center Address
310 Main Street (P.O. Box 740), Paris, KY 40362
Forcible Detainer Schedule
2nd & 4th Tuesdays at 9:00 AM
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
Hearing Schedule
2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 9:00 AM
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)
Bourbon County Local Rules & Landlord Procedures
Topic
Rule / Notes
Filing Evictions — Where & Who
All evictions (Forcible Detainer actions) in Bourbon County are filed in District Court at the Bourbon County Judicial Center, 310 Main Street (P.O. Box 740), Paris, KY 40362. Circuit Court Clerk: Beverly Smits — Phone: (859) 987-2624 — Fax: (859) 987-6049. Payment by cash, money order, certified check, or local personal check; no out-of-state or third-party checks; ePay available online. Free 2-hour parking on Main Street and around the courthouse. Forcible Detainer hearings are scheduled on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 9:00 AM. After filing, your hearing date will fall on whichever of these dates comes next.
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 on that date or a later specified date. 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 — update old notice templates.
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, the lease terminates on a date no sooner than 30 days from 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 is 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 of lease termination and vacating, 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. 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 of fact, date, time, and reason if entering while tenant is absent without prior notice.
Equine Industry Workforce
Bourbon County’s thoroughbred and equine industry employs grooms, exercise riders, farm hands, veterinary technicians, and farm managers across Claiborne Farm and dozens of other operations. Farm employees often live in on-farm housing controlled by the employer; but many rent privately in Paris and the surrounding area. Farm income may be a mix of hourly wages and in-kind benefits — verify cash wages with recent pay stubs and apply your income ratio to cash compensation only. For on-farm lease situations (where rent and employment are linked), consult a Kentucky attorney before drafting the lease to ensure the arrangement is properly structured under HB128.
Lexington Commuter Market
Bourbon County’s inclusion in the Lexington-Fayette MSA and its location 18 miles northeast of Lexington creates meaningful commuter demand from UK, UK HealthCare, Toyota Motor Manufacturing (Georgetown, Scott County), and Lexington’s professional sector. Verify employment with standard documentation. Apply screening criteria consistently to all applicants regardless of employer.
Courthouse Fires — Title Research Note
Fires in 1872 and 1901 destroyed the Bourbon County Courthouse and most county records. Landlords or buyers researching older properties should be aware of potential gaps in pre-1902 title chains. Experienced local title attorneys are familiar with working through these gaps using alternative records sources.
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. 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.
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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.
Underground Landlord
🏘️ Communities & Screening Tips
Key communities: Paris (county seat, ~10,171), Millersburg (~747), North Middletown, Ruddles Mills, Shawhan.
Bourbon County market: Judicial Center, 310 Main St., Paris. Circuit Court Clerk Beverly Smits, (859) 987-2624. Forcible Detainer hearings 2nd & 4th Tuesdays 9:00 AM. Equine industry workforce (verify cash wages only for farm applicants). Lexington MSA commuter demand. No out-of-state or third-party checks accepted at clerk’s office. No rent control anywhere in Kentucky.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
The County That Named a Spirit: Bourbon County Kentucky Landlord Law and the HB128 Framework
Every bottle of bourbon whiskey in the world owes its name to a Kentucky county. When early distillers shipped barrels of corn-based whiskey from the Ohio River port at Limestone — now Maysville — in the late 18th century, the barrels were stamped “Old Bourbon” for the sprawling Bourbon County, Virginia, they came from. The name stuck to the style, not the geography, and followed the spirit around the world. The county itself, one of Kentucky’s nine original counties established in 1785 from a portion of Fayette County, now encompasses 292 square miles of Bluegrass Region farmland, horse farms, and small-city Paris. For landlords here, the history is compelling backdrop and the legal framework is HB128.
Two Courthouse Fires and a Hearing Schedule Worth Knowing
Bourbon County has lost two courthouses to fire — in 1872 and again in 1901 — with the loss of most early county records each time. The current courthouse, completed in 1905 and described as one of the grandest in all of Kentucky, was designed by an architect as a formal proposal for the state capitol building in Frankfort. It stands on Main Street in Paris and is worth the detour if you haven’t seen it. The Bourbon County Judicial Center, where all eviction filings go, is at 310 Main Street (P.O. Box 740), Paris, KY 40362. Circuit Court Clerk Beverly Smits handles filings at (859) 987-2624.
One practical detail specific to Bourbon County: Forcible Detainer hearings are scheduled on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 9:00 AM. After you file, your hearing date will be the next available Tuesday in that rotation. Plan your notice timeline backward from those dates — if your 14-day nonpayment notice expires on a Wednesday, your earliest hearing is likely three weeks out. Payment at the clerk’s office is by cash, money order, certified check, or local personal check; no out-of-state or third-party checks are accepted. ePay is available online if you prefer to pay electronically.
The Equine Industry and What It Means for Screening
Bourbon County is horse country in a way that few places in the world can match. The county recorded 13,000 horses in the 2012 equine survey — more than one horse for every 1.5 county residents. Claiborne Farm, where Secretariat was retired after his legendary 1973 Triple Crown season and where many of the most famous stallions in thoroughbred history have stood, is one of the most storied farms on earth. The equine industry employs grooms, exercise riders, farm managers, veterinary and reproductive technicians, and general farm hands throughout the county.
For landlords, farm employees represent a real segment of the applicant pool, and their income structure has some unique characteristics. Base wages may be hourly and modest, supplemented by on-farm housing, meals, and other in-kind benefits that are real compensation but do not appear on a pay stub. When verifying income, calculate only cash wages against your income ratio threshold — in-kind benefits cannot pay rent. If an applicant’s cash wages alone fall short of your requirement, a qualified co-signer is the appropriate protection. The Fair Housing Act applies fully to equine industry workers as to any other applicant population; apply your criteria consistently regardless of occupation.
HB128 in the Bluegrass: What Changed and What It Requires
Kentucky’s 2023 Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act applies to Bourbon County landlords the same as everywhere else in the state. The three changes that matter most in day-to-day operations are the doubled nonpayment notice period (7 days to 14), the nonwaivable habitability duty, and the 30-day deposit return requirement with its penalty provision.
The habitability duty covers 13 specific categories and cannot be contracted away by any lease clause. For older housing stock in Paris — and Bourbon County has some genuinely historic buildings given its status as one of Kentucky’s oldest settled areas — this means the standard is applied to the unit as it stands today, not as it was built in 1850 or 1920. Functional locks, pest control, radon and lead paint management, working heating and electrical systems: all required. If a tenant gives you written notice of a problem, 14 days (5 days for essential service failures) is your repair window before remedies attach.
Security deposits: collect no more than two times monthly rent, hold it in a dedicated account, and return it within 30 days of move-out with an itemized statement. The penalty for missing that deadline is $250 or two times the withheld amount — whichever is greater. There is no exception for landlords who are slow with the accounting, or who lose track of the date, or who are waiting for contractor invoices. Build your post-move-out process around the 30-day hard deadline and you will never face this exposure.
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.
