Lexington, KY Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Section 12-1 of the Code of Ordinances adopts the International Property Maintenance Code, 2021 Edition, 'as the existing structures code of the urban county government,' with several sections revised or dropped locally. to furnish heat' must supply it from October 1 to May 1 to maintain a minimum of 65°F in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms, with narrow exceptions when the outdoor temperature drops below 10°F and the furnace is already running at full capacity, or when the monthly average stays above 30°F.

2 layers on electrical habitability minimums: at least two receptacle outlets in every habitable room and guest room, a GFCI outlet in every bathroom, a grounded or tamper-resistant GFCI outlet in every kitchen and laundry room, and GFCI protection on any outlet within six feet of a sink or on an exterior wall. 2 requires common halls and stairways to stay lit at all times with at least a 60-watt bulb per 200 square feet, spaced no more than 30 feet apart. 5. 1: a criminal fine of $100 to $2,500 per offense, with each day a separate offense, or, as the alternative track, civil fines from $100 to $10,000 per parcel plus up to a $250 inspection administrative cost, scaled by how many prior citations the property has drawn. Appeals go to the administrative hearing board created under Section 12-6.