2026 Kentucky judgment & prejudgment interest rates
Current 2026 snapshot: Kentucky post-judgment interest is 6% per year; the recorded prejudgment reference is up to 8% per year.
Everything Kentucky charges in interest on a money judgment or an overdue debt, in one place — the rate after judgment and the rate before it, each recorded with a cited source and linked to its full page with observations, scope, and known carve-outs.
| Metric | Rate or rule | Effective | Authority | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post-judgment interest | 6% | June 29, 2017 | KRS 360.040 | Fixed by statute |
| Prejudgment interest | up to 8% | July 14, 2018 | KRS 360.010(1) and Kentucky case law | Claim-dependent |
Post-judgment interest
Kentucky's post-judgment interest rate is 6% per year. Kentucky’s general rate is 6% per year for judgments entered on or after June 29, 2017, compounded annually from entry under KRS 360.040(1). The enrolled 2017 Act reduced the prior general rate from 12%. Important branches remain: unpaid child-support judgments bear 12%; a judgment on a contract, note, or other written obligation uses its stated rate; and a court may set an unliquidated judgment below 6% after notice and a hearing.
→ Full Kentucky post-judgment page — KRS 360.040, effective-date history, scope, and official source.
Prejudgment interest
Kentucky's prejudgment interest rate is up to 8% per year (claim-dependent). Kentucky’s legal rate is 8% per year under KRS 360.010(1), but that figure is not automatic for every prejudgment claim. Kentucky authority distinguishes liquidated or readily ascertainable sums from unliquidated damages. For an unliquidated claim, a court may award no prejudgment interest or select a rate up to the legal rate, and the court may choose simple or compound treatment.
→ Full Kentucky prejudgment page — KRS 360.010(1) and Kentucky case law, when it applies, accrual, compounding, and carve-outs.
Frequently asked
What is the post-judgment interest rate in Kentucky?
As of June 29, 2017, the Kentucky post-judgment interest rate is 6% per year. Kentucky’s general judgment rate, with the 2017 statutory change preserved.
What is the prejudgment interest rate in Kentucky?
Kentucky's prejudgment interest rate is up to 8% per year (claim-dependent). Liquidated claims and unliquidated claims follow different entitlement rules.
Is Kentucky judgment interest simple or compound, and when does it start?
KRS 360.040 expressly requires annual compounding. A calculator is still withheld because the statute does not supply a complete day-count and partial-payment method, and the written-obligation, support, and unliquidated-judgment branches require separate inputs. The statute runs general post-judgment interest from the date the judgment is entered. The 2017 Act expressly applies the 6% amendment to judgments entered on or after June 29, 2017, so the judgment-entry date selects between the recorded 12% and 6% general rates.
Cite this page
StatuteRates. “Kentucky Judgment & Prejudgment Interest Rates.” StatuteRates.com. Accessed today. https://statuterates.com/states/kentucky/ Each rate includes a cited source and recorded effective date; confirm the controlling authority before use.
Compare every state on the state interest-rate index and the prejudgment interest index, or enter a confirmed rate in the judgment interest and per-diem calculator. Reference data only — not legal advice.