Kentucky landlord guide — courthouse info, local rules & HB128 eviction procedures for McKee, Tyner, Gray Hawk & Jackson County
📍 County Seat: McKee (pop. ~791) 👥 County Pop. 13,900 (2020) ⚖️ Court: Jackson County Justice Center — 101 Main St., McKee 🏔️ Daniel Boone National Forest • South Fork KY River 🌲 Appalachian Foothills • Eastern KY Region 🏛️ Named for President Andrew Jackson • Founded 1858
Jackson County was established on February 2, 1858 from portions of Owsley, Clay, Laurel, Madison, Rockcastle, and Estill counties — one of the more complex county formations in Kentucky history, drawn from six separate parent counties — and named for President Andrew Jackson. The county seat, McKee, is one of Kentucky’s smaller county seats with a current population of under 800. Jackson County covers approximately 346 square miles of rugged Appalachian foothills terrain in east-central Kentucky and recorded a 2020 census population of 13,900 residents, a figure that has declined modestly over recent decades.
Jackson County occupies a transitional geographic position between the inner bluegrass and the deeper Appalachian mountains to the east and south. The county is drained by the South Fork of the Kentucky River and its tributaries, and significant portions of the county lie within Daniel Boone National Forest, giving it a landscape of forested ridges, creek hollows, and limited flat buildable land. The economy rests on public employment (Jackson County Schools, county and state government), small manufacturing, agriculture, and some timber activity. There is no hospital in the county; residents travel to London (Laurel County), Richmond (Madison County), or Manchester (Clay County) for significant medical care. All residential evictions are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the Jackson County Justice Center, 101 Main Street, McKee, KY 40447. Kentucky’s HB128 (2023) governs all residential leases made on or after its effective date.
🏛️ Formed from Six Parent Counties — A Kentucky Record — Jackson County was carved in 1858 from portions of Owsley, Clay, Laurel, Madison, Rockcastle, and Estill counties — one of the most complex county formations in Kentucky history, reflecting the difficulty of drawing boundaries in the rugged terrain between the inner bluegrass and Appalachian highlands |
🌲 Daniel Boone National Forest — Substantial portions of Jackson County lie within Daniel Boone National Forest, providing hunting, fishing, hiking, and ATV trail access that shapes the county’s character as an outdoor recreation-adjacent destination while limiting the amount of privately owned flat buildable land |
🌊 South Fork of the Kentucky River — The South Fork of the Kentucky River drains much of Jackson County, flowing northward through the county before continuing toward Berea and eventually joining the main stem of the Kentucky River; the river and its tributaries carve the narrow creek hollows that define the county’s settlement patterns |
🗳️ Named for Andrew Jackson — The Last of the Early Presidential Counties — Jackson County was established in 1858, over two decades after Jackson’s presidency, reflecting the enduring popular reverence for Old Hickory in frontier and border states long after his death in 1845
East-Central KY • Appalachian Foothills • Kentucky River Area Development District
Major Employers
Jackson County Schools, county/state government, USFS (Daniel Boone NF), small manufacturing, agriculture/timber, commuter employment in London, Richmond & Manchester
Eviction Court
District Court — Jackson County Justice Center
Court Address
101 Main St., McKee, KY 40447
Court Phone
(606) 287-7160 (verify with clerk)
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 Location
Jackson County Justice Center — 101 Main St., McKee
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)
Jackson County Local Rules & Landlord Procedures
Topic
Rule / Notes
Filing Evictions — Where & Who
All evictions (Forcible Detainer actions) in Jackson County are filed in District Court at the Jackson County Justice Center, 101 Main Street, McKee, KY 40447. Phone: (606) 287-7160. McKee is a very small county seat; call ahead to verify current office hours, clerk contact, and civil hearing schedule before making the trip. Street parking is generally available near the justice center on Main Street.
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. This doubled the prior 7-day requirement.
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: at least 5 days’ written notice.
Security Deposit
Capped at 2× monthly rent (not including first month’s rent or fees). Must be held in a dedicated, separately titled bank account. Return within 30 days with itemized written deductions. Penalty: $250 or 2× the withheld amount, whichever is greater. In a low-rent market, the $250 floor penalty can represent a large share of a typical deposit. Document condition carefully at move-in and move-out.
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 (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. Respond to written maintenance notices within 14 days (5 days for essential services). In the Appalachian foothills, heating system reliability and structural weatherproofing are especially important to maintain and document.
Landlord Entry — Notice
Standard entry: 24 hours’ advance notice, reasonable time. Routine maintenance or pest control: 72 hours’ notice or a fixed schedule provided at least 72 hours before the first entry. Emergency: reasonable notice. Leave conspicuous written notice if tenant is absent.
Very Small Market & Written Lease Best Practices
Jackson County’s rental market is small and relationship-based. Many arrangements have historically been informal verbal agreements. Under HB128, written leases specifying rent, due date, term, and notice provisions are strongly recommended for every tenancy regardless of the landlord-tenant relationship. In a District Court proceeding without a written lease, outcomes are harder to predict and harder to control.
Hollow & Hillside Housing Conditions
Much of Jackson County’s housing sits in creek hollows or on hillside lots. These locations present flood risk from creek rises, slope drainage and moisture issues, and structural challenges from hillside foundation conditions. HB128’s weatherproofing, structural integrity, and moisture/mold habitability obligations apply with particular force in these settings. Verify flood history for any creek bottom property before renting.
Lead Paint Disclosure
For any dwelling built before 1978, federal law (42 U.S.C. § 4852d) requires written disclosure of known lead paint hazards and delivery of the EPA pamphlet “Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home” before lease signing. Nearly all of Jackson County’s rural and in-town housing stock predates 1978.
Rent Control
None. Kentucky does not permit local rent control. Landlords may raise rent freely at lease renewal with proper notice.
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 at the Jackson 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.
Jackson County market: Small Appalachian foothills county with minimal rental market activity. School and government employees are the most stable tenant segment. Commuters travel to London, Richmond, and Manchester. Written leases strongly recommended. Hollow and hillside housing requires close habitability attention. Lead paint disclosure required for virtually all housing stock. No rent control.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Six Parent Counties, the South Fork, and HB128: Jackson County Kentucky Landlord Law
Jackson County has an unusual origin story even by Kentucky standards. When it was established in 1858 — relatively late in Kentucky’s county-formation history — it required six parent counties to carve out its territory: Owsley, Clay, Laurel, Madison, Rockcastle, and Estill. That complexity reflects the topographical challenge of drawing straight county lines through terrain that refuses to be straight. The rugged Appalachian foothills country where east-central Kentucky transitions from the inner bluegrass toward the deeper mountains does not lend itself to tidy geometric boundaries. Ridgelines, creek drainages, and hollows dictate where people live and how they move through the landscape, and the county boundaries that were eventually drawn tried to follow those realities while satisfying the competing claims of six surrounding jurisdictions.
The county was named for President Andrew Jackson, the seventh president and one of the most consequential figures in the political history of the frontier South and border states. By 1858 Jackson had been dead for thirteen years, but his popular standing in Kentucky and the broader Appalachian region remained substantial. The county seat of McKee was established with the county and has remained one of Kentucky’s smaller county seats, a community of under 800 people surrounded by the forested ridges and creek hollows that define Jackson County’s character. The 2020 census counted 13,900 residents across 346 square miles — a density of roughly 40 people per square mile that puts it firmly in rural Appalachian Kentucky territory.
The Geography of Rental Housing in Jackson County
Daniel Boone National Forest covers significant portions of Jackson County, which means that a large share of the county’s land is federally owned and unavailable for private development. The privately owned and habitable land is concentrated in the creek bottoms and hollows where the South Fork of the Kentucky River and its tributaries have carved relatively flat ground, and in the limited ridge tops and hillside benches where structures can be built without impractical grading. This geography has direct consequences for the rental housing stock.
Creek bottom properties have flood risk that varies with the drainage area above them. In a county of 346 square miles with substantial forest cover, creek rises after heavy rainfall can be rapid and significant. Before renting any property in a creek bottom location — which describes a meaningful share of Jackson County’s housing — verify whether the property has a documented flood history and whether it falls in a mapped FEMA flood zone. Disclose known flood risk to prospective tenants in writing. HB128’s habitability duty covers structural integrity and weatherproofing; flood-adjacent properties require ongoing attention to foundation drainage, moisture control, and the structural effects of periodic high-water events.
Hillside and hollow-sited properties present their own maintenance considerations. Slope drainage, hillside erosion, moisture infiltration into below-grade spaces, and the structural effects of seasonal freeze-thaw cycling on foundations built on sloped lots are all conditions that a landlord in Appalachian Kentucky needs to monitor and address. The nonwaivable habitability categories of weatherproofing, structural integrity, and moisture/mold control are not abstract legal requirements here — they describe real physical conditions that vary with the terrain and the season.
A Market Built on Public Employment and Commuters
Jackson County’s rental pool is narrow but predictable. The Jackson County Schools system is the county’s dominant employer, providing teaching, administrative, transportation, and support positions that represent stable, benefits-eligible income. County and state government provide additional public employment. The U.S. Forest Service maintains a presence in the county through its Daniel Boone National Forest operations, employing both permanent and seasonal staff. Small manufacturing operations and some timber-related employment exist but are not large or stable enough to anchor the rental market on their own.
A meaningful share of working-age Jackson County residents commute outside the county for employment. London in Laurel County (roughly 25 to 30 miles south) has a more substantial employment base including manufacturing, retail, and healthcare. Richmond in Madison County (roughly 25 miles to the northwest) offers Eastern Kentucky University employment and a broader labor market. Manchester in Clay County (roughly 20 miles east) is more modest but serves as another employment option. For landlords screening these applicants, verify employment at the distant employer with standard documentation. Commute distances of 25 to 30 miles are routine in rural Kentucky, and commuter applicants often represent motivated, organized individuals who have made a deliberate choice about where to live.
Filing in McKee and HB128 Essentials
All residential evictions in Jackson County are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the Jackson County Justice Center, 101 Main Street, McKee, KY 40447, phone (606) 287-7160. McKee is a small community; call ahead to verify current office hours and civil hearing dates before making the trip. The justice center is on Main Street and parking is generally available nearby. Bring your written lease, notice with proof of service, and complete payment and communications records.
The written lease point deserves emphasis in a market this size. Jackson County’s rental relationships tend to be personal and long-standing. The temptation to rely on a verbal understanding rather than a written document is understandable when both parties know each other well. But HB128 does not distinguish between written and oral leases — both are enforceable in principle — and the evidentiary difference between them in a District Court proceeding is enormous. A written lease with signed move-in documentation is your protection. Write it, sign it, enforce it through the proper process when necessary.
HB128 compliance: written 14-day notice to pay or vacate for nonpayment; 14-day notice to cure with 30-day minimum termination for lease violations; one month’s written notice for month-to-month termination; deposits at two times monthly rent maximum in a separate account, returned within 30 days with itemized deductions; $250 or 2x penalty for improper withholding; nonwaivable habitability across 13 categories; 24-hour entry notice; self-help eviction prohibited at three times periodic rent. For virtually every rental unit in Jackson County — almost all of which predate 1978 — federal lead paint disclosure and EPA pamphlet delivery before lease signing are required.
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. Federal lead paint disclosure requirements apply to pre-1978 housing. Creek bottom flood risk should be verified through FEMA flood maps. Consult a licensed Kentucky attorney for guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
