Up to $2,500 · 15 years to file.
Rent or lease money a tenant owes you and won't pay. In Kentucky, small-claims cases for this kind of dispute are filed in the Small Claims Division (District Court), where you can sue for up to $2,500.
Your deadline: Kentucky generally gives you 15 years from when the claim arose to file. Miss it and the court can dismiss the case no matter how clearly you're owed.
The filing fee is around $55 (About $50–$60 plus service.). Before you file, send a written demand letter and keep proof of delivery.
Source: Ky. Rev. Stat. § 24A.230; deadlines: Ky. Rev. Stat. §§ 413.090, 413.120, 413.125, 413.140. Reviewed 2026-06-17 (verify with the court clerk).
Note on deadlines: Written contract 15 yrs (10 for some post-2014); oral contract 5; property damage 2; personal injury 1 yr.
Suing for something else in Kentucky: Kentucky unpaid loan · Kentucky security deposit · Kentucky property damage · Kentucky contractor dispute.
Suing for unpaid rent in nearby states: Tennessee ($25,000, 6 years) · Indiana ($10,000, 10 years) · Ohio ($6,000, 8 years) · West Virginia ($10,000, 10 years) · Virginia ($5,000, 5 years).
General legal information, not legal advice. Rules change and vary by county and court; consult a licensed attorney or your court clerk.
Updated July 2026