McCracken County Landlord-Tenant Law

Kentucky landlord guide — courthouse info, local rules & HB128 eviction procedures for Paducah, Lone Oak, Reidland, Hendron & McCracken County

McCracken County Rental Market Overview

McCracken County was established on January 3, 1825 from Hickman County and named for Captain Virgil McCracken, a Kentucky officer killed at the Battle of River Raisin during the War of 1812. The county seat, Paducah, was laid out in 1827 by William Clark — the same William Clark who had co-commanded the Corps of Discovery with Meriwether Lewis — who named it for a Chickasaw chief. Paducah sits at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, and the Cumberland and Mississippi Rivers are close enough that the region is sometimes called the “Four Rivers Area.” McCracken County covers approximately 250 square miles and recorded a 2020 census population of 65,418 residents, making Paducah by far the largest city in western Kentucky.

Paducah is western Kentucky’s dominant city in virtually every measure: population, healthcare, retail, culture, and regional employment. The city hosts two major hospital systems — Baptist Health Paducah and Mercy Health Lourdes — that make it the primary healthcare destination for a multi-state region. The National Quilt Museum and the Lowertown Arts District have given Paducah an international reputation in the arts community. The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site (now under cleanup management) and Paducah & Louisville Railway add industrial and infrastructure employment. All residential evictions are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the McCracken County Justice Center, 301 S. 6th Street, Paducah, KY 42003. Kentucky’s HB128 (2023) governs all residential leases made on or after its effective date.

McCracken County & Paducah Local Rules & Landlord Procedures

Last verified: March 2026 · Source: Kentucky Court of Justice — McCracken County

Kentucky State Law Framework

⚡ Quick Overview

7

Days Notice (Nonpayment)

14

Days Notice (Violation)

21-35

Avg Total Days

$75

Filing Fee (Approx)

💰 Nonpayment of Rent

Notice Type 7-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate

Notice Period 7 days

Tenant Can Cure? Yes

Days to Hearing 3-7 days

Days to Writ 7 days

Total Estimated Timeline 21-35 days

Total Estimated Cost $125-$300

⚠️ Watch Out

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).

📜 Eviction Laws Main 📊 Compare This State

Underground Landlord

📝 Kentucky Eviction Process (Overview)

1. Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
2. Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
3. File an eviction case with the District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$75).
4. Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
5. Attend the court hearing and present your case.
6. If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
7. 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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Underground Landlord

🔍 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.

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Four Rivers, William Clark’s City, and HB128: McCracken County Kentucky Landlord Law

William Clark laid out Paducah in 1827, when he was serving as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Western Territory, twenty-one years after he and Meriwether Lewis returned from the Pacific. He named the city for a Chickasaw chief and positioned it at one of the most strategically significant river junctions in the American interior: the point where the Tennessee River empties into the Ohio River, with the Cumberland and Mississippi both close enough that the entire region became known as the Four Rivers Area. Clark understood geography as well as any American of his era, and he recognized that the confluence of two major navigable rivers was a natural site for commerce and settlement. Paducah grew into exactly what its location promised: the dominant city of a large and economically diverse region.

McCracken County was established in 1825, named for Captain Virgil McCracken, a Kentucky officer killed at the Battle of River Raisin during the War of 1812 — the same battle where the “Remember the Raisin!” rallying cry originated, covered in the Hickman County section of this guide. The county covers 250 square miles and recorded 65,418 residents in 2020. Paducah at 27,000 is by far the largest city in western Kentucky, serving as the regional hub for healthcare, retail, culture, and professional services across a footprint that includes parts of western Kentucky, southern Illinois, and western Tennessee.

The Healthcare Anchor: Two Systems, One Regional Hub

Baptist Health Paducah and Mercy Health Lourdes are the two dominant institutions in Paducah’s economic landscape. Together they draw patients from western Kentucky, southern Illinois, and western Tennessee, serving a regional catchment that no single hospital system in a smaller city could reach. The scale of this combined healthcare presence means that Paducah employs an unusually large number of healthcare professionals relative to its population: physicians across a wide range of specialties, registered and advanced practice nurses, imaging and laboratory technicians, surgical staff, therapists, and the administrative and support workforce that keeps large hospital systems functioning.

For landlords, this dual healthcare system creates a desirable and economically diverse applicant pool. A traveling nurse temporarily assigned to Baptist Health, a permanent staff cardiologist at Mercy Health Lourdes, a radiology technician at either system, and a hospital administrator all represent different income levels and employment structures, but all are among the more reliable rental applicants Paducah produces. Verify with recent pay stubs or HR employer letters from the specific system. Apply income ratio consistently across all healthcare roles regardless of specialty prestige.

The Arts Economy and the Quilt Museum

Paducah holds an unusual distinction: in 2013 it was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, joining a global network that includes Edinburgh, Santa Fe, and a handful of other cities recognized for their craft traditions. The designation was driven primarily by the National Quilt Museum, which is the largest quilt museum in the world, and by the Lowertown Arts District revitalization that transformed a historic neighborhood into one of the most concentrated artist-in-residence communities in the southeastern United States. The arts economy Paducah has built brings in visitors, supports galleries and studios, and employs a community of artists and creative workers who may seek housing in the Lowertown area or elsewhere in the city.

Arts workers in Paducah’s creative economy may have the same non-traditional income structures discussed in the Letcher County (Appalshop) and Berea (Marion/Madison County) sections of this guide. Apply the same consistent documentation approach: W-2 nonprofit employees verify with pay stubs; grant-funded or freelance artists verify with bank statements and prior-year tax returns showing the pattern of earnings. Evaluate documented annual income against your ratio regardless of how it arrives.

The 1937 Flood and Today’s Risk

In January and February 1937, the Ohio River experienced the worst flooding in its recorded history, and Paducah was among the hardest-hit cities in the entire valley. The water covered most of the city; tens of thousands of residents were evacuated. After the flood, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed the Paducah Floodwall, which has protected the downtown since its completion. The floodwall, however, does not cover all of McCracken County or all of Paducah’s neighborhoods. Properties outside the floodwall’s protection, in low-lying areas near the Ohio or Tennessee rivers, or along the creek drainages that feed into the Ohio remain at varying degrees of flood risk. Verify FEMA flood zone status individually for any property near either river or in topographically low areas — do not assume that the existence of the floodwall means a given property is protected.

Filing in Paducah and HB128 Compliance

All residential evictions in McCracken County are Forcible Detainer actions filed at the McCracken County Justice Center, 301 S. 6th Street, Paducah, KY 42003, phone (270) 575-7270. Downtown Paducah has accessible parking near the justice center. As western Kentucky’s largest city, the court handles an active civil docket; 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 pre-1978 Paducah housing. William Clark spent two and a half years documenting everything he encountered with the precision and discipline of someone who understood that the record was the legacy. A well-maintained lease file is the same discipline at an appropriately smaller scale.

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.