Kentucky Prejudgment Interest Rate
United States Kentucky prejudgment interest is discretionary — here is the rate courts apply.
Set by statute Discretionary
In Kentucky, prejudgment interest is discretionary: a court may award it, and when it does the rate is 8% per year under KRS 360.010(1). LIQUIDATED / ascertainable claims (a fixed contract price, a bill or note past due, an amount due on open account, a sum "made certain or fixed by agreement or by operation of law"):…
When Kentucky prejudgment interest applies
LIQUIDATED / ascertainable claims (a fixed contract price, a bill or note past due, an amount due on open account, a sum "made certain or fixed by agreement or by operation of law"): prejudgment interest is awarded AS A MATTER OF RIGHT at 8% (3D Enterprises; Nucor).
When it starts accruing
For liquidated claims, prejudgment interest accrues from the date the claim became due/liquidated (e.g., date of breach, date payment was due, or when the sum became fixed — for a charged-off debt, the charge-off date fixes the principal and starts the prejudgment period) up to entry of judgment.
Simple or compound
Prejudgment interest under KRS 360.010 is simple interest (the statute states a flat per-annum legal rate with no compounding provision).
→ Compare with the Kentucky post-judgment interest rate (interest after judgment)
Prejudgment interest under KRS 360.010(1) — 8% (simple interest). This is PREjudgment interest (accruing before entry of judgment) and is separate from Kentucky’s post-judgment rate; availability is limited by claim type (see the page). Verify against the statute text. Not legal advice.
Effective-date history
| Effective date | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2026 | 8% | Statute |
Source & provenance
Latest value retrieved July 10, 2026 (02:55 UTC) from the official source:
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=47989