Kentucky taxes property sales through its real estate transfer tax, requires an attorney for part of the closing and requires a seller disclosure form. It forecloses through the courts and lets couples opt in to community property.
Kentucky in short
Is there a real estate transfer tax in Kentucky?
Kentucky charges a real estate transfer tax of $0.50 for each $500 of value or fraction of $500, which is $242 on a $241,700 sale. The statute puts it on the grantor named in the deed, the seller, and the county clerk collects it before recording.
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What closing costs does Kentucky law set?
Kentucky has no official typical closing-cost total. The seller pays a transfer tax of $0.50 per $500 of value ($242 on a $241,700 sale) and recording a deed costs $33 for up to five pages plus a $4 state tax.
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How is property tax calculated in Kentucky?
Kentucky taxes real estate at fair cash value set by the county Property Valuation Administrator. The state rate is 10.3 cents per $100 for 2026, and Louisville's Urban Services District total for 2025 is $1.260 per $100.
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What is the deadline to appeal a property tax assessment in Kentucky?
In Kentucky, request a conference with the county Property Valuation Administrator first (required under KRS 133.120), then appeal to the local board of assessment appeals by filing with the county clerk no later than one workday after the inspection period ends.
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Do you need a real estate attorney to close in Kentucky?
No Kentucky statute or court rule read requires an attorney to attend a home closing, but a non-lawyer drafting a deed for another person is the practice of law (KBA U-63) and every recorded deed must show who prepared it (KRS 382.335).
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What must a home seller disclose in Kentucky?
Kentucky requires a written seller's disclosure on single-family homes when a licensed agent is paid in the sale (KRS 324.360). The seller completes KREC Form 402, and the listing agent must give the buyer a copy within 72 hours of receiving a signed offer.
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How does foreclosure work in Kentucky?
Kentucky is a judicial foreclosure state: the lender sues in circuit court and the property is sold under a court order, and federal rules bar the process before a loan is 120 days behind.
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What first-time home buyer programs does Kentucky offer?
In Kentucky, Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) offers a down payment loan of up to $12,500, repaid over 15 years, with its mortgages.
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Is Kentucky a community property state?
Kentucky is not a community property state. Since July 15, 2020, married couples may choose community property by putting assets in a Kentucky community property trust (KRS 386.620 to 386.624).
Kentucky guides
- Closing costs in Kentucky: what buyers and sellers pay
- Real estate transfer tax in Kentucky: rate, payer, exemptions
- Kentucky property tax: rates, homestead exemption, appeals
- Seller disclosure requirements in Kentucky (KREC Form 402)
- Do you need a real estate attorney to close in Kentucky?
- Foreclosure in Kentucky: court process and 6-month redemption
- Home prices in Kentucky and Louisville: median value and trend
- First-time home buyer programs in Kentucky: KHC and Louisville
- How to verify a real estate license in Kentucky
- Community property and buying a home in Kentucky (state-specific topic)