Louisville, KY Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Time limit without permit
- 12 hours or overnight
- Permit eligibility
- Public property over 3 acres
- Relocation notice
- 21 days after risk assessment
- Fine range
- $50–$200 per violation, per day
- Enforcement body
- Metro Code Enforcement Board
Summary
Louisville Metro bans camping on public property past 12 hours or overnight without a permit, and requires notice and a risk assessment before Metro can clear an established camp.
Camping on public property for more than 12 consecutive hours, or between sundown and sunrise, without a written permit issued by a Metro Government department is unlawful... no department or employee of Louisville Metro Government may relocate a person from a camp that has existed continuously in that area for 72 hours or longer... until... given appropriate notice, but no less than 21 days' notice, to the persons living in the camp.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-47: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinances passed by the Council and approved by the Mayor as of July 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Louisville Metro Code § 131.02, camping on public property for more than 12 consecutive hours, or between sundown and sunrise, without a written permit is unlawful; permits are limited to properties over three acres, cost $25-plus per group, and cap stays at five days a month or 21 days a year. Before Metro can relocate a camp that has stood 72+ continuous hours, § 131.03 requires a risk assessment by the Office of Resilience and Community Services, at least 21 days' posted notice, and coordination with the Coalition for the Homeless. Metro Parks camps are governed separately under § 42.31.
Violations & Fines
Civil offense enforced through the Code Enforcement Board: a fine of $50 to $200 per violation, with each day a camp continues counted as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Louisville Metro clear a homeless camp without warning?
Does the camping ban apply inside Louisville Metro Parks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Louisville
Compare Louisville to another location·View the Kentucky homelessness & encampment rules overview
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