Kentucky landlord guide — courthouse info, local rules & HB128 eviction procedures for Harrodsburg, Burgin, Salvisa & Mercer County
📍 County Seat: Harrodsburg (pop. ~8,297) 👥 County Pop. 21,933 (2020) ⚖️ Court: Mercer County Justice Center — 207 W. Lexington St., Harrodsburg 🏛️ Harrodsburg — First Permanent English Settlement West of Appalachians 🌾 Inner Bluegrass • Toyota Commuter Zone • Danville Adjacent 🏭 Corning Inc. • Manufacturing Hub • Historic Tourism
Mercer County was established on December 17, 1785 from Lincoln County and named for General Hugh Mercer, the Scottish-born American Revolutionary War general who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Princeton in January 1777 and became one of the war’s celebrated martyrs. The county seat, Harrodsburg, holds a singular distinction in American history: it was established in 1774 by James Harrod as the first permanent English-speaking settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, predating Boonesborough and every other Kentucky settlement. Mercer County covers approximately 250 square miles of inner bluegrass terrain and recorded a 2020 census population of 21,933 residents.
Mercer County’s economy combines a historical tourism draw from Harrodsburg’s status as Kentucky’s oldest city with a genuine manufacturing base. Corning Incorporated operates a major specialty glass manufacturing facility in Harrodsburg that is one of the county’s largest employers. The county also benefits from its inner bluegrass position between Lexington (roughly 35 miles northeast) and Danville (Boyle County, 10 miles south), capturing commuters from both directions. Toyota Manufacturing in Georgetown (Scott County) is accessible via US-68 and KY-33. All residential evictions are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the Mercer County Justice Center, 207 W. Lexington Street, Harrodsburg, KY 40330. Kentucky’s HB128 (2023) governs all residential leases made on or after its effective date.
🏛️ Harrodsburg — First Permanent English Settlement West of the Appalachians (1774) — James Harrod established a permanent settlement at what is now Harrodsburg in 1774, making it the oldest continuously occupied English-speaking settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains; Old Fort Harrod State Park preserves a reconstruction of the original fort and draws visitors who come to experience Kentucky’s founding moment |
🏭 Corning Incorporated — Specialty Glass Manufacturing — Corning’s Harrodsburg facility manufactures specialty glass products including optical fiber preforms and has been a major employer in the county for decades; Corning is a publicly traded Fortune 500 company, and its Harrodsburg plant provides stable, well-compensated manufacturing employment |
⚔️ Named for General Hugh Mercer — Battle of Princeton Martyr — Hugh Mercer, a Scottish physician who had served in both the Jacobite Rising of 1745 and the French and Indian War, was mortally wounded leading a charge at the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777; his death at Princeton made him one of the Revolution’s celebrated martyrs and led to multiple county namings across the states |
🌾 Inner Bluegrass Agriculture — Horse Farms & Cattle — Mercer County sits squarely in the inner bluegrass limestone belt, with the productive pasture land and horse farm landscape characteristic of central Kentucky; horse boarding, breeding operations, and cattle production complement the county’s industrial and professional economy
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
Harrodsburg (~8,297) • Kentucky’s oldest city
Other Communities
Burgin, Salvisa, Cornishville, Kirkwood
County Population
21,933 (2020)
Region
Inner Bluegrass • Central KY • Bluegrass Area Development District
Major Employers
Corning Inc. (specialty glass), Mercer County Schools, James B. Haggin Memorial Hospital, Ephraim McDowell Health (Danville, ~10 mi), county/state government, horse farms, commuter employment in Lexington (~35 mi NE) & Danville (~10 mi S)
Eviction Court
District Court — Mercer County Justice Center
Court Address
207 W. Lexington St., Harrodsburg, KY 40330
Court Phone
(859) 734-6300 (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
Mercer County Justice Center — 207 W. Lexington St., Harrodsburg
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)
Mercer County Local Rules & Landlord Procedures
Topic
Rule / Notes
Filing Evictions — Where & Who
All evictions (Forcible Detainer actions) in Mercer County are filed in District Court at the Mercer County Justice Center, 207 W. Lexington Street, Harrodsburg, KY 40330. Phone: (859) 734-6300. Harrodsburg is a small city with accessible parking near the justice center on W. Lexington 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 signed checklist and 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).
Landlord Entry — Notice
Standard entry: 24 hours’ advance notice. Routine maintenance: 72 hours’ notice. Emergency: reasonable notice. Leave written notice if tenant is absent.
Corning & Manufacturing Tenant Segment
Corning Incorporated’s Harrodsburg specialty glass facility is one of the county’s largest private employers, providing production, engineering, and management positions with Corning’s national compensation structure. Corning employees are among Mercer County’s most financially stable rental applicants. Verify employment with recent pay stubs from Corning HR. Distinguish direct Corning employees from staffing agency placements; review the pay stub issuer. Other Harrodsburg manufacturers add additional stable blue-collar rental demand.
Multi-Directional Commuter Market
Mercer County’s central location generates commuting in multiple directions. Danville (Boyle County, ~10 miles south via US-127) offers Centre College, Ephraim McDowell Health, and manufacturing employment. Lexington (~35 miles northeast via US-68/KY-33) offers UK, UK HealthCare, and the broader Lexington professional economy. Frankfort (~25 miles north) offers state government employment. Verify employment at any destination with standard documentation. Apply income ratio consistently regardless of commute direction.
Historic Tourism & Seasonal Employment
Old Fort Harrod State Park and Harrodsburg’s historic downtown attract tourism that supports hospitality, retail, and service employment with seasonal variability. Review income documentation that captures multiple seasons for tourism-dependent applicants.
Lead Paint Disclosure
For any dwelling built before 1978 — a significant portion of Harrodsburg’s historic housing stock — 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 Mercer 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.
Mercer County market: Inner bluegrass county anchored by Corning manufacturing and multi-directional commuter access to Danville (10 mi S), Lexington (35 mi NE), and Frankfort (25 mi N). Harrodsburg historic tourism adds seasonal hospitality employment. Lead paint disclosure for significant portion of historic housing stock. No rent control.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Kentucky’s Oldest City, Corning Glass, and HB128: Mercer County Landlord Law
In the spring of 1774, a Virginia frontiersman named James Harrod led a party of settlers to a site in the inner bluegrass and began building a permanent settlement. They called it Harrodstown, and it was the first permanent English-speaking settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains — two years before the Declaration of Independence, twelve years before Kentucky statehood, a century before most of the country would begin paying attention to what lay beyond the eastern mountains. Boonesborough came after. Every other Kentucky settlement came after. Harrodsburg, as it has been known since 1786, is the beginning of the continuous Anglo-American habitation of Kentucky, and it is still inhabited, still the county seat of Mercer County, and still a working small city of about 8,300 people on the US-127 corridor between Danville and Lawrenceburg.
Mercer County was established in 1785 from Lincoln County and named for General Hugh Mercer, the Scottish-born physician and soldier who had fought in the Jacobite Rising of 1745 on the losing side, emigrated to America, served in the French and Indian War alongside George Washington, and then died of bayonet wounds at the Battle of Princeton in January 1777 leading a charge against British regulars. His death was mourned throughout the colonies and he became one of the Revolution’s celebrated martyrs. The county that bears his name has its own character of persistence — it has been here, continuously, since 1785.
Corning and the Manufacturing Anchor
Corning Incorporated’s Harrodsburg facility manufactures specialty glass products — including optical fiber preforms, a product that is essential to global telecommunications infrastructure — and has been one of the county’s dominant employers for decades. Corning is a publicly traded Fortune 500 company headquartered in Corning, New York, and its Harrodsburg operation reflects the company’s pattern of locating technically demanding manufacturing in communities where skilled labor can be developed and retained over time. Corning employees in Harrodsburg have stable employment with a company that has operated in the county for a generation; they are among Mercer County’s most reliable rental applicants. Verify with recent pay stubs from Corning HR. Shift workers may earn substantial overtime and premiums above base pay; review two or three recent stubs to capture the full compensation picture. Apply your income ratio to annualized total compensation.
The Three-Direction Commuter Market
Mercer County’s inner bluegrass position makes it accessible from three separate employment centers, each offering different opportunities. Danville (Boyle County, 10 miles south via US-127) is the closest — Centre College, Ephraim McDowell Health, and a cluster of manufacturing operations. The very short commute means that Danville workers who prefer Harrodsburg’s character or housing costs can live in Mercer County without meaningful sacrifice in commute time. Lexington (35 miles northeast) offers the University of Kentucky, UK HealthCare, and the broader Lexington professional and service economy — for motivated commuters, this is workable on the US-68/KY-33 corridor. Frankfort (25 miles north via US-127) offers state government employment for the considerable number of Kentuckians employed by state agencies in the capital. All three directions add economically diverse applicants to Harrodsburg’s rental pool. Apply documentation and income ratio requirements consistently across all.
Filing in Harrodsburg and HB128 Compliance
All residential evictions in Mercer County are Forcible Detainer actions filed at the Mercer County Justice Center, 207 W. Lexington Street, Harrodsburg, KY 40330, phone (859) 734-6300. Harrodsburg 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 Harrodsburg’s historic housing stock. James Harrod built the first permanent settlement west of the Appalachians in 1774 and did not leave when things got difficult. HB128 asks only that landlords follow a set of clear procedures when things get difficult. The bar is considerably lower.
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. Consult a licensed Kentucky attorney for guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
