Kentucky landlord guide — courthouse info, local rules & HB128 eviction procedures for Williamsburg, Corbin, Rockholds, Jellico Creek & Whitley County
📍 County Seat: Williamsburg (pop. ~5,143) 👥 County Pop. 35,726 (2020) ⚖️ Court: Whitley County Justice Center — 200 Main St., Williamsburg 🛣️ I-75 Corridor • Tennessee Border • Cumberland Falls 🎓 University of the Cumberlands • Corbin • Post-Coal 🏛️ Named for Col. William Whitley • I-75 & Tennessee Line
Whitley County was established on January 17, 1818 from part of Knox County and named for Colonel William Whitley, a Kentucky pioneer, Indian fighter, and frontier militia leader who was killed at the Battle of the Thames on October 5, 1813 — the same engagement where Tecumseh was killed. The county seat, Williamsburg, was established in 1818. Whitley County covers approximately 440 square miles of southeastern Kentucky Appalachian terrain bordering Tennessee and recorded a 2020 census population of 35,726 residents.
Whitley County’s economic and geographic identity is shaped by three features: Interstate 75, which runs through the county connecting it to Lexington to the north and to Jellico, Tennessee to the south; Corbin, the county’s largest and most commercially active city (shared with Laurel and Knox counties); and the University of the Cumberlands, a Baptist-affiliated university in Williamsburg with approximately 18,000 students across on-campus and online enrollment. Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, one of Kentucky’s most spectacular natural attractions, is in Whitley County on the Cumberland River. All residential evictions are Forcible Detainer actions filed in District Court at the Whitley County Justice Center, 200 Main Street, Williamsburg, KY 40769. Kentucky’s HB128 (2023) governs all residential leases made on or after its effective date.
🎓 University of the Cumberlands — ~18,000 Students, Baptist Liberal Arts — The University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg is a Baptist-affiliated institution with significant online enrollment alongside its on-campus programs; it is one of Williamsburg’s dominant employers and a significant anchor of off-campus rental demand for on-campus students |
🌊 Cumberland Falls — “The Niagara of the South” — Cumberland Falls State Resort Park on the Cumberland River in Whitley County features one of only two places in the Western Hemisphere where a moonbow (rainbow produced by moonlight) can be regularly observed; the falls draw significant tourism and are one of Kentucky’s most celebrated natural attractions |
🛣️ I-75 at the Tennessee Border — Corridor City Character — Williamsburg sits on I-75 just north of the Tennessee line; the interstate connects the county to London and Lexington to the north and to Jellico/Knoxville to the south; the I-75 corridor has attracted commercial and logistics development and placed Whitley County within commuting range of Corbin’s employment base |
⚔️ Named for Col. William Whitley — Killed at the Battle of the Thames (1813) — William Whitley was a Kentucky pioneer and frontier militia leader who died in the same battle (the Thames) where Tecumseh was killed; he was in his late 60s when he rode into battle; the county bears his name as one of Kentucky’s celebrated frontier martyrs
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
Williamsburg (~5,143) • University of the Cumberlands
SE Kentucky • I-75 Corridor • Tennessee Border • Cumberland Valley ADD
Major Employers
University of the Cumberlands (~18,000 students), Whitley County Schools, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, I-75 commercial/logistics, Corbin medical/commercial (shared market), ARH Corbin hospital, county/state government
Eviction Court
District Court — Whitley County Justice Center
Court Address
200 Main St., Williamsburg, KY 40769
Court Phone
(606) 549-6000 (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
Whitley County Justice Center — 200 Main St., Williamsburg
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)
Whitley County Local Rules & Landlord Procedures
Topic
Rule / Notes
Filing Evictions — Where & Who
All evictions (Forcible Detainer actions) in Whitley County are filed in District Court at the Whitley County Justice Center, 200 Main Street, Williamsburg, KY 40769. Phone: (606) 549-6000. Williamsburg has a population of about 5,143; the court handles an active docket given the University of the Cumberlands student population. Parking is available near the justice center. Verify current hearing dates before filing.
Nonpayment of Rent — Notice
Under HB128 (KRS 383.660), serve the tenant a 14-day written notice to pay or vacate. Retain dated, verifiable proof of service.
Lease Violation — Notice & Cure
Serve a 14-day written notice to cure or quit. If not remedied, termination no sooner than 30 days from original notice.
Month-to-Month Termination
One full month’s written notice. Week-to-week: 5 days’ written notice.
Security Deposit
Capped at 2× monthly rent. Separate account. Return within 30 days with itemized deductions. Penalty: $250 or 2× withheld, whichever greater. Document condition at move-in and move-out, particularly important for student tenancies.
Habitability — Nonwaivable
Nonwaivable duty across 13 categories. Respond within 14 days (5 days for essential services).
The University of the Cumberlands employs hundreds of faculty, staff, and administrators (stable Baptist university employment; verify with pay stubs or UC HR letters) and serves approximately 18,000 students across on-campus and online programs. For on-campus students seeking off-campus housing: apply the standard protocol — enrollment verification, financial aid award letters, and co-signer requirement if aid alone does not meet the income ratio. Academic-year lease cycle (August start) dominates the student-facing market. The large online enrollment does not generate local off-campus rental demand; the relevant student segment is on-campus enrollment.
Corbin Employment Corridor
Corbin is a tri-county commercial hub shared by Whitley, Laurel, and Knox counties; its commercial, healthcare, and service employment is accessible from Williamsburg in under 15 minutes via I-75/US-25. ARH Corbin hospital (a system facility in Knox County) is the primary healthcare anchor. I-75 commercial development along the Corbin interchange serves a broad employment base for Whitley County residents.
Tennessee Border & I-75 Cross-Border Note
Whitley County borders Tennessee at Jellico, TN, just south of Williamsburg on I-75. Some residents may commute south into Tennessee. Tennessee has no state income tax. Kentucky HB128 governs all Whitley County tenancies regardless of where the tenant works.
Cumberland Falls & Tourism Employment
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park employs seasonal and year-round staff; tourism employment is seasonal with spring and fall peaks. Review multiple months of income for any applicant whose earnings are tied to the park tourism cycle.
Lead Paint Disclosure
Required for any dwelling built before 1978. Most older Williamsburg housing and county stock requires disclosure; newer construction near the university is generally exempt.
Rent Control
None. Kentucky does not permit local rent control.
Self-Help Eviction
Prohibited (KRS 383.690). Penalty: 3× periodic rent or 3× actual damages, whichever greater. File Forcible Detainer at Whitley 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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AI-generated, state-specific eviction notices, pay-or-quit letters, lease termination documents, and more — pre-filled with your tenant's information and built to Kentucky requirements.
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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.
Whitley County market: SE Kentucky I-75 corridor county with university and natural attraction anchors. University of Cumberlands: faculty/staff stable; student co-signer protocol; academic-year lease cycle. Corbin employment accessible (~15 min via I-75). Cumberland Falls seasonal tourism employment. Tennessee border — no TN income tax note. Lead paint for older housing. No rent control.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Cumberland Falls, the University of the Cumberlands, and HB128: Whitley County Kentucky Landlord Law
Colonel William Whitley was a Kentucky frontier legend before he became a county name. He built Kentucky’s first brick home west of the Alleghenies, established a racing track that ran clockwise — deliberately opposite to the English direction — as an act of American defiance, and continued to show up for fights long past the age when most men had stopped. He was in his late 60s when he rode into the Battle of the Thames on October 5, 1813, the same engagement where Tecumseh was killed. Whitley died in the battle. Whitley County was named for him in 1818, five years later, as one of Kentucky’s celebrated frontier martyrs.
The county covers 440 square miles of southeastern Kentucky Appalachian terrain bordering Tennessee and recorded 35,726 residents in 2020. Williamsburg, the county seat at about 5,100 people, sits on I-75 just north of the Tennessee line. The county’s most distinctive natural feature is Cumberland Falls — a 68-foot-high waterfall on the Cumberland River in the southwestern portion of the county that produces a moonbow on clear full-moon nights, one of only two places in the Western Hemisphere where this phenomenon can be reliably observed. The falls are called the “Niagara of the South” and draw significant tourism.
University of the Cumberlands and the Williamsburg Rental Market
The University of the Cumberlands is a Baptist-affiliated institution with approximately 18,000 students enrolled across on-campus and online programs. The on-campus enrollment is the relevant figure for Williamsburg’s off-campus rental market; the large online enrollment creates no local housing demand. UC faculty and staff are stable university employees; verify with pay stubs or UC HR letters. For on-campus students seeking off-campus housing, apply the standard protocol: enrollment verification, financial aid award letters, and co-signer requirement if aid alone does not meet the income ratio. The academic-year lease cycle (August start) dominates the student-facing rental market. Corbin’s commercial and healthcare employment is accessible from Williamsburg in under 15 minutes via I-75/US-25.
Filing in Williamsburg and HB128 Compliance
All residential evictions in Whitley County are Forcible Detainer actions filed at the Whitley County Justice Center, 200 Main Street, Williamsburg, KY 40769, phone (606) 549-6000. Williamsburg 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 for older housing. Colonel Whitley showed up for battles past the age when it was strictly required of him. HB128 requires landlords to show up for every tenancy with the same set of consistent procedures, and the requirements don’t diminish based on how long you’ve been doing it.
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. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. HB128 applies to leases on or after its effective date; prior law governs older leases. Lead paint disclosure required for pre-1978 housing. Tennessee border cross-employment income is acceptable; Kentucky HB128 governs all Whitley County tenancies. Consult a licensed Kentucky attorney for guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
