Rental licence requirements in Louisville, KY

Requirements taken from official city sources, quoted and dated.

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Who must register

All owners of housing rented long term for any consideration within Louisville Metro. § 119.03(A)(1): "The Owner(s) of any rental housing unit, other than those exempted under § 119.02, shall register all rental housing units with Louisville Metro". The owner of a multi-unit property may register the entire property on a single form listing the unit numbers. Exemptions under § 119.02: short-term rentals and boarding houses (registered under other chapters of the code); hotels, motels, B&Bs; hospitals, hospices, assisted living, nursing homes; monasteries and housing of religious communities; transitional housing, shelters, rehabilitation homes; housing of large educational and medical institutions; housing exempted by federal, state or local law; accessory dwelling units (ADUs), provided the main house on the same lot is owner-occupied; and housing for which the occupant pays nothing.

Fee

A one-time non-refundable fee at initial registration; the rate depends on the zoning of the lot and is charged per registered property, not per unit and not per year: R-4 (max 4.84 per acre) - $25; R-5 (max 7.26 per acre) - $25; R-5A (max 12.01 per acre) - $50; R-6 (max 17.42 per acre) - $50; R-7 (max 34.8 per acre) - $50; R-8 (max 58.08 per acre) - $100; OR (max 12 per acre) - $50; OR-2 (max 58.08 per acre) - $100; OR-3 (max 217 per acre) - $250; C-R (max 38 per acre) - $50; C-1 (max 38.84 per acre) - $50; C-2 (max 217/145 acre) - $250; C-3 (max 435 per acre) - $250; CM and Up (none) - $50

Renewal

There is no periodic renewal. The official Metro FAQ, verbatim: "How often must I renew my rental registration? Only if a property changes ownership, then the new owner(s) must re-register. Registrations do not transfer with ownership." § 119.03(C): a new owner registers the property within 30 days after the transfer of title, and the old registration is void after 30 days. Contact information must be updated within 10 business days after any change. A note on the contradiction in the text of § 119.03(D) is in notes.

Inspection

There is no scheduled inspection at registration. Inspection is a sanction for failing to register. § 119.03(B)(5)(a): "If the rental housing unit is not registered within 30 days of date of the notice, the Department shall conduct inspections of all units within the rental housing unit." Entry is only on proper notice under KRS 383.615, under an administrative warrant, or with the occupant's consent. The inspection checks compliance with LMCO Chapter 156 (Property Maintenance Code).

Penalty for operating unlicensed

§ 119.99(B): "The failure to register a rental housing unit or apartment complex or multi-unit rental housing facility in accordance with § 119.03 shall be classified as a civil offense with a penalty of $100 per rental housing unit or apartment complex for a first offense. A second offense within a 24-month period shall result in a penalty of $250 per rental housing unit or apartment complex or multi-unit renal housing facility. All additional offenses within a 24-month period shall result in a penalty of $500 per rental housing unit or apartment complex or multi-unit rental housing facility. Each day of such violation(s) shall constitute a separate offense." Before a penalty is assessed, a notice of violation is issued with 10 days to correct (§ 119.99(A)); Metro obtains a lien on the property for all penalties and costs (§ 119.99(C)). The Metro page puts it more briefly: "Failure to register is subject to a fine up to $100 per day per housing unit."

What the ordinance says

The Owner(s) of any rental housing unit, other than those exempted under § 119.02, shall register all rental housing units with Louisville Metro in accordance with the provisions of this section. The Director of Codes and Regulations shall take all steps necessary to implement the provisions of this section. — Louisville Metro Code of Ordinances, Chapter 119 "Registration of Rental Housing Units", §§ 119.01-119.05 and 119.99; the key provision is § 119.03. Adopted by Ord. 174-2016, amended by Ord. 197-2022 (15.12.2022), Ord. 174-2023 (05.12.2023), Ord. 29-2025 (10.03.2025). Related: § 119.04 (business entities must first register with the Louisville Metro Revenue Commission under Chapter 110), Chapter 156 (Property Maintenance Code).

Source: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/codes-regulations/about-rental-registry · checked 2026-08-14