NKY Eviction Guide
Northern Kentucky & Greater Cincinnati
Everything specific to filing a Forcible Detainer action in Boone County District Court — real addresses, current fees, hearing process, and local rules for Florence, Burlington, and Hebron properties.
Deliver a written Pay or Vacate notice to the tenant. For non-payment, the notice period is 7 calendar days. You can hand-deliver it, post it on the door (take a photo), or send certified mail. The notice must state the reason (unpaid rent, amount owed, or lease violation) and the date by which the tenant must pay or leave. Do not file in court until this period has fully expired.
Go to 6025 Rogers Lane, Burlington. Ask the clerk for an AOC-185 (Forcible Detainer Complaint) form or bring a completed one. You'll need: the signed notice (copy), your lease agreement (copy), your rent ledger showing missed payments, and tenant's full legal name as it appears on the lease. Pay the $113 filing fee. The clerk will assign you a hearing date — typically 7–14 days out.
After filing, the court sends the summons to the Boone County Sheriff's Office for service. You'll pay the Sheriff's service fee (~$40) separately. The Sheriff's Office is at 3000 Conrad Lane, Burlington, KY — (859) 334-3474. Confirm with the clerk whether payment is made at the courthouse or directly to the Sheriff.
Arrive at the Burlington courthouse before your scheduled time. Bring originals (not just copies) of: the lease, your written notice, your proof of service, rent payment ledger, and any relevant communications with the tenant. If the tenant doesn't show, you'll typically receive a default judgment. If the tenant appears, the judge usually hears the case the same day in Boone County District Court. Do NOT accept any rent payment between filing and the hearing — doing so may require you to restart the process.
If the court rules in your favor, immediately request a Writ of Possession from the clerk (fee ~$25). The tenant has 7 days to appeal. If no appeal is filed, the Boone County Sheriff's Office will schedule enforcement — typically within a few business days after the appeal window closes. The Sheriff will post notice and carry out the removal.
Yes. Florence is within Boone County, so all evictions for Florence properties are filed at Boone County District Court in Burlington (6025 Rogers Lane). The same applies to properties in Union, Walton, Hebron, Erlanger (Boone County portions), and other Boone County cities. There is no separate eviction court in Florence.
Realistically: 7-day notice period + 7–14 days to hearing date + potential 7-day appeal window + a few days for Sheriff enforcement = approximately 30–40 days from notice to removal if everything goes smoothly. If the tenant appeals, add 30–60 days for Circuit Court. Boone County's volume means hearings are generally scheduled efficiently compared to some smaller Kentucky counties.
This is a common issue in Boone County. Kentucky law generally requires business entities (LLCs, corporations) to be represented by a licensed attorney in court proceedings, including District Court evictions. Individual landlords can represent themselves. If your rental property is held in an LLC, consult a Kentucky attorney before attempting to file pro se — the case may be dismissed if your LLC appears without counsel.
Section 8 tenants in Boone County have the same eviction process — you still file a Forcible Detainer at Boone County District Court. However, you must also notify the housing authority (the local administering agency) of the eviction action. Evictions for lease violations (not just non-payment) require you to have specific documented cause. Good cause eviction protections apply to voucher holders in Kentucky. Contact the Housing Authority of Boone County or the local Housing Assistance office to understand your notification obligations.
Kentucky law has an abandonment provision. If there is clear evidence of abandonment (tenant's belongings are removed, utilities are off, no contact for an extended period), some landlords rely on this. However, "abandonment" is not always easy to prove, and changing locks without a court order on a property that is NOT clearly abandoned can expose you to liability. If there is any doubt, file the Forcible Detainer. It's $113 to be certain; a wrongful lockout lawsuit can cost significantly more.