Kentucky landlord guide — courthouse info, local rules & HB128 eviction procedures for Maysville, Germantown, Orangeburg, Dover & Mason County
📍 County Seat: Maysville (pop. ~8,726) 👥 County Pop. 17,059 (2020) ⚖️ Court: Mason County Justice Center — 120 W. 2nd St., Maysville 🌊 Ohio River • Maysville Landing • Historic Port City 🎭 Simon Kenton • Harriet Beecher Stowe Connection • NE Kentucky 🏭 Nestlé • Ohio River Industry • Maysville Community College
Mason County was established on May 1, 1789 — three years before Kentucky statehood — from Bourbon County and named for George Mason, the Virginia statesman and author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), which served as the model for Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and for the federal Bill of Rights. Mason famously refused to sign the Constitution because it lacked a bill of rights, a position that proved influential in securing the first ten amendments. The county seat, Maysville, was established in 1787 as Limestone and renamed in 1818; it served as one of the major ports on the Ohio River during the early American settlement period when the river was the primary corridor of westward migration. Mason County covers approximately 239 square miles of northeastern Kentucky terrain along the Ohio River and recorded a 2020 census population of 17,059 residents.
Maysville is one of Kentucky’s most historically significant small cities. Its position on the Ohio River made it the gateway through which a substantial fraction of early American settlers passed on their way into the Kentucky interior and beyond. The old Maysville Road — later the Simon Kenton Trace — was one of the primary routes from the Ohio River into the bluegrass. Today Maysville supports a compact economy anchored by Nestlé Purina PetCare (one of the county’s largest employers), Maysville Community and Technical College, healthcare, and county services. The historic downtown, which survived largely intact and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, supports tourism and small business. All residential evictions are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the Mason County Justice Center, 120 W. 2nd Street, Maysville, KY 41056. Kentucky’s HB128 (2023) governs all residential leases made on or after its effective date.
🌊 Maysville — Gateway to the West on the Ohio River — Maysville (originally Limestone) was one of the most important Ohio River landing points during the great American westward migration; more settlers passed through Maysville’s landing than almost any other point on the river, making it a literal gateway to Kentucky and the trans-Appalachian West |
📖 Harriet Beecher Stowe & Uncle Tom’s Cabin Connection — Harriet Beecher Stowe crossed the Ohio River at Maysville while visiting Kentucky, and the crossing and scenes she witnessed are believed to have influenced the Ohio River crossing scene in Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) — one of the most influential novels in American history |
🏛️ Named for George Mason — Father of the Bill of Rights — George Mason authored the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776) that directly inspired Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and Hamilton’s and Madison’s Bill of Rights; his insistence that no constitution was complete without explicit rights protections proved one of the most consequential editorial positions in American political history |
🎭 Simon Kenton — Kentucky’s Other Founding Explorer — Simon Kenton, one of the great frontier scouts of the Kentucky settlement era, operated extensively in Mason County’s territory; his name is attached to the Maysville Road and remains celebrated in northeastern Kentucky history alongside Boone’s more famous legacy
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
Maysville (~8,726)
Other Communities
Germantown, Orangeburg, Dover, Brooksville Rd corridor, Washington (historic)
County Population
17,059 (2020)
Region
NE Kentucky • Ohio River • FIVCO Area Development District
Major Employers
Nestlé Purina PetCare, Maysville Community & Technical College, Mason County Schools, Mason County ARH / St. Claire HealthCare regional, county/state government, manufacturing, historic downtown tourism
Eviction Court
District Court — Mason County Justice Center
Court Address
120 W. 2nd St., Maysville, KY 41056
Court Phone
(606) 564-6706 (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
Mason County Justice Center — 120 W. 2nd St., Maysville
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)
Mason County Local Rules & Landlord Procedures
Topic
Rule / Notes
Filing Evictions — Where & Who
All evictions (Forcible Detainer actions) in Mason County are filed in District Court at the Mason County Justice Center, 120 W. 2nd Street, Maysville, KY 41056. Phone: (606) 564-6706. Maysville’s historic downtown has accessible parking near the justice center on 2nd Street. Verify current civil hearing dates and filing requirements with the clerk before filing.
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 condition with a signed move-in checklist and dated photographs at every tenancy.
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). Older Maysville properties require proactive attention to weatherproofing and plumbing.
Landlord Entry — Notice
Standard entry: 24 hours’ advance notice. Routine maintenance: 72 hours’ notice. Emergency: reasonable notice. Leave written notice if tenant is absent.
Nestlé & Manufacturing Tenant Segment
Nestlé Purina PetCare’s Maysville facility is one of Mason County’s largest private employers, producing pet food products and employing hundreds of production workers, supervisors, and staff at competitive wages. Nestlé employees are among the county’s most financially stable rental applicants. Verify with recent pay stubs from Nestlé Purina HR. Distinguish direct Nestlé employees from staffing agency placements by reviewing the pay stub issuer. Shift premiums may add meaningfully to base pay; review two or three recent stubs.
Maysville Community College & Education Employment
Maysville Community and Technical College (MCTC) employs faculty, staff, and administrators whose income is verifiable through pay stubs or KCTCS employer letters. Education employment provides stable, benefits-eligible income. Mason County Schools adds K-12 employment. Verify with standard documentation.
Ohio River Flood Risk & Historic District Housing
Maysville’s position on the Ohio River creates flood risk for properties in low-lying areas near the riverfront. The historic downtown sits on the river bank; verify FEMA flood zone status for any property near the Ohio River or in the lower portions of Maysville before renting, and disclose known flood risk in writing. The historic district also contains a significant inventory of pre-1978 housing requiring federal lead paint disclosure.
Lead Paint Disclosure
For any dwelling built before 1978 — a very large portion of Maysville’s historic housing stock, including many of the most attractive properties in the National Register district — federal law requires written disclosure of known lead paint hazards and delivery of the EPA pamphlet before lease signing.
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 Mason 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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Mason County market: Historic Ohio River port city with stable anchors in Nestlé Purina, Maysville Community College, and Mason County Schools. Ohio River flood risk for riverfront properties. Large pre-1978 historic housing stock requires lead paint disclosure. No rent control.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Limestone Landing, George Mason, and HB128: Mason County Kentucky Landlord Law
Before it was Maysville, it was Limestone — a landing on the Ohio River that became one of the most important embarkation points in early American history. The Ohio River was the great highway of westward settlement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and the landing at Limestone (renamed Maysville in 1818) was the point at which a very large proportion of settlers making the journey from Virginia and Pennsylvania and the eastern states stepped off their flatboats onto Kentucky soil for the first time. The road south from Maysville — the Maysville Road, later improved and made famous when President Andrew Jackson vetoed federal funding for its extension as a statement against federally financed internal improvements — was one of the primary corridors into the bluegrass interior. Thousands of families whose descendants now populate Kentucky and the states beyond it passed through this landing.
Mason County was established in 1789, named for George Mason of Virginia — the man who wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776) and then refused to sign the Constitution because it lacked a bill of rights. His refusal was not obstruction; it was a calculated position that proved decisive. The pressure he helped create led to the promise of a bill of rights as a condition of ratification by several states, and the first ten amendments followed. Mason did not live to see the Bill of Rights ratified, but the document that emerged was substantially his intellectual contribution. A Kentucky county named for him in 1789, the year the Constitution went into effect, captures a moment when his legacy was still live and contested.
Maysville Today: Nestlé, the College, and the Historic River Town
Maysville today is a small Ohio River city of about 8,700, with a historic downtown that survived the 20th century largely intact and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The streets of Maysville’s core still show their 19th-century bones: the brick storefronts, the river-facing commercial buildings, the residential neighborhoods climbing up the hill above the Ohio. This historic character makes the city a distinctive place to live, and it also means that a large proportion of Maysville’s rental housing stock is pre-1978, requiring federal lead paint disclosure for every lease.
Nestlé Purina PetCare’s Maysville facility is one of the county’s largest private employers, producing pet food at a scale that requires hundreds of production workers, quality control technicians, maintenance staff, and supervisors. Nestlé Purina employment is stable — the plant has operated for decades — and compensated at wages that are meaningfully above the Mason County average for hourly positions. These employees are among the county’s most reliable rental applicants. Maysville Community and Technical College employs faculty and staff across its programs in healthcare, business, and technical education. Mason County Schools provides K-12 employment. Together these three institutional anchors — manufacturing, community college, public schools — provide the stable workforce base that keeps Mason County’s modest rental market functioning.
The Ohio River and Flood Risk at the Landing
Maysville sits directly on the Ohio River, and the city’s historic position as a landing means that some of its oldest and most historically interesting neighborhoods are also its lowest-lying. The Ohio River has flooded Maysville in historic events, and the floodwall protecting parts of the riverfront does not cover everything. Before renting any property in the lower portions of Maysville or in any Ohio River bottomland in the county, verify FEMA flood zone status, check the property’s flood history, and disclose known flood risk to prospective tenants in writing. HB128’s structural integrity and weatherproofing habitability obligations apply continuously — in a river town, “continuous” means every year, before high-water season.
Filing in Maysville and HB128 Compliance
All residential evictions in Mason County are Forcible Detainer actions filed at the Mason County Justice Center, 120 W. 2nd Street, Maysville, KY 41056, phone (606) 564-6706. Downtown Maysville has accessible parking near the justice center. Verify current hearing dates before filing. HB128 compliance: written 14-day notice to pay or vacate; 14-day cure with 30-day minimum termination; one month’s written M-to-M notice; deposits at two times monthly rent in a separate account returned within 30 days with itemized deductions; $250 or 2x penalty; nonwaivable habitability; 24-hour entry notice; self-help eviction prohibited at three times periodic rent. Lead paint disclosure required for most of Maysville’s housing stock. George Mason believed that rights needed to be written down explicitly to be real — that good intentions and general principles were not enough. The written lease, the written notice, and the written itemization are the same principle applied at the level of a tenancy rather than a constitutional order.
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 — a large portion of Maysville’s historic housing stock. Ohio River flood zone status should be verified through FEMA flood maps. Consult a licensed Kentucky attorney for guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
