Kentucky roofing contract rules
What a Kentucky roofing contract must say, how long you can back out, how much a roofer may ask up front, when a lien can follow and what a roofer may do about your insurance claim. Each rule is quoted from the statute or agency rule. Checked 2026-10-09.
Short answer: You can cancel a Kentucky sale a roofer made at your home until midnight of the third business day after you sign (3 business days, KRS 367.420(1)). The federal rule adds 3 business days for sales made at your home (16 CFR 429). If your insurer tells you in writing that part or all of the claim is not covered, you can cancel a Kentucky insurance-paid roofing contract until midnight of the fifth business day after you receive that notice (KRS 367.622(1)). On an insurance-paid job a Kentucky contractor may not require any advance payment until the five-business-day cancellation period has run out, and must hand back all payments within ten days of a cancellation (KRS 367.626(2)(a)). A Kentucky lien claimant must file a sworn statement with the county clerk within six months after it stops work or supplying materials, and mail a copy to the owner within seven days of filing (KRS 376.080(1)). 14 rules on this page are quoted from official statutes, agency rules or regulator pages; 4 more are marked not confirmed.
State cancel period
3 business days
KRS 367.420(1)
Deposit rule
10 days
KRS 367.626(2)(a)
Lien filing deadline
6 months
KRS 376.080(1)
Written contract
Rule quoted
KRS 367.624
Find your last day to cancel
Only the signing date is needed for the cancel dates. Add the other dates when they happen and the rules that start from them get a calendar day too. Counting starts the day after the date you enter.
Enter the signing date to see your dates.
Days are counted the way each rule defines them: federal “business days” skip Sundays and federal holidays and count Saturdays; where a state rule defines business days as Monday to Friday we skip Saturdays and Sundays; where a rule says business days without defining them, or just says “days”, we count every calendar day and show the earliest possible date. State holidays are not subtracted, so a real deadline can fall a day or two later than shown. If the last day lands on a weekend, do not wait for it. General information from public rules, not legal advice.
Kentucky against the other states
Calendar-day equivalents are used for the bars only (business days scaled by 7/5, months by 30, years by 365); the exact unit is in the tables.
Before you sign: Kentucky checklist
Every line below comes from a rule on this page. Tick a line as you check it.
Kentucky: written contract
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Before you sign, a Kentucky contractor on an insurance-paid job must give you its phone number, the required cancellation notices, and a detachable Notice of Cancellation form. One required notice tells you about the five-business-day right to cancel after an insurer's denial; another says the contract may not assign or transfer your rights or benefits under the insurance policy in violation of KRS 304.20-105, and a contract entered in violation is void and unenforceable. |
KRS 367.624 Covers: Real estate goods or services contracts expected to be paid from insurance proceeds. The text in force since July 15, 2026 applies to contracts entered into on or after that date. |
Kentucky: right to cancel
The federal rule (16 CFR §429.1(a)) gives 3 business days for a sale made at your home. Rules of Kentucky below are added to it.
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| You can cancel a Kentucky sale a roofer made at your home until midnight of the third business day after you sign. Kentucky does not define 'business day' in these sections, so the calculator counts every day, shows the earliest possible date, and the real last day can be later; confirm the date with the seller in writing. Cancellation occurs when you give written notice to the seller at the address stated in the agreement, and a mailed notice counts when it is deposited in a mailbox properly addressed with postage prepaid. |
3 business days counted from the day you sign |
KRS 367.420(1) Covers: A home solicitation sale of goods or services. You cannot cancel if you asked for the work without delay because of an emergency and the seller in good faith made a substantial beginning of performance before you gave notice. |
| The Kentucky 3-day right covers a sale where the roofer solicits you at your home and you give your agreement or offer there. The definition does not include a sale made after prior negotiations between the parties, by telephone initiated by the buyer, or at a business establishment at a fixed location. KRS 367.450(4) also excludes any sale under $25 and any type of insurance sale. |
KRS 367.410 Covers: Sales of goods or services at the buyer's residence. | |
| After you cancel a Kentucky home solicitation sale, the seller has ten days to give back every payment and any note you signed. KRS 367.450(3) adds that if the seller performed any services before the cancellation, the seller is entitled to no compensation. |
10 days counted from the day the notice is given |
KRS 367.440(1) Covers: A home solicitation sale that was canceled or an offer to purchase that was revoked. |
| If your insurer tells you in writing that part or all of the claim is not covered, you can cancel a Kentucky insurance-paid roofing contract until midnight of the fifth business day after you receive that notice. KRS 367.620 does not define 'business day', so the calculator shows the earliest possible date. Cancellation is deemed to occur when you personally deliver written notice to the contractor, mail it postage prepaid to the contract address, or send it to the contractor by fax or email; the notice need not take a particular form. |
5 business days counted from the day the insurer denies the claim |
KRS 367.622(1) Covers: A real estate goods or services contract, which KRS 367.620 defines as a contract for goods or services relating to real estate, such as roof repair or replacement, that is expected to be paid from property or casualty insurance proceeds. Applies to contracts entered on or after June 27, 2025. |
Kentucky: deposits and down payments
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| On an insurance-paid job a Kentucky contractor may not require any advance payment until the five-business-day cancellation period has run out, and must hand back all payments within ten days of a cancellation. Subsection (3) lets a contractor that provided repair services or emergency goods or services under a contract that is not enforceable, including repair services needed to prevent further damage, collect a reasonable and customary amount for what it provided. The sections read set no cap on the size of a deposit. |
10 days counted from the day the notice is given |
KRS 367.626(2)(a) Covers: Real estate goods or services contracts expected to be paid from insurance proceeds. |
Kentucky: Mechanic's lien
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A Kentucky subcontractor or supplier who did not contract directly with the owner must send an owner-occupant a written notice within 75 days after the last labor or materials, or it gets no lien on the home. For other property subsection (4) uses 75 days for claims under $1,000 and 120 days for larger claims. The notice can be mailed to the owner's last known address, and the lien does not apply to the extent the owner paid the contractor before receiving the notice. |
75 days counted from the last day of work or delivery of materials |
KRS 376.010(5)(a) Covers: A person who did not contract directly with the owner, on an owner-occupied single or double family dwelling. |
| A Kentucky lien claimant must file a sworn statement with the county clerk within six months after it stops work or supplying materials, and mail a copy to the owner within seven days of filing. The lien is dissolved if the statement is not filed in time or if the copy is not sent to the owner. Separately, KRS 367.628(2)(g) bars a contractor on an insurance-paid job from filing a mechanic's lien against the insured for any charge above what the insurer pays or is expected to pay. |
6 months counted from the last day of work or delivery of materials |
KRS 376.080(1) Covers: A claimant under the mechanic's and materialman's lien section, KRS 376.010. |
| A Kentucky lien is dissolved unless a suit to enforce it is filed within twelve months after the lien statement is filed with the clerk. If the debtor dies before the time runs out, a further six months from the qualification of his personal representative is allowed. |
12 months counted from the date the rule names |
KRS 376.090(1) Covers: Any lien provided for in KRS 376.010. |
Kentucky: insurance claims and your roofer
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A Kentucky contractor may not negotiate your insurance claim for you or present itself as a public adjuster, but may give an estimate. A contract provision that violates this rule is not enforceable. Paragraph (c) says the rule does not prohibit the contractor from providing an estimate for the goods or services or from conferring with the insurance company's representative about the damage after a claim has been submitted. |
KRS 367.628(1)(a), (c) Covers: Contractors and people representing them on goods or services relating to real estate. | |
| Where insurance is expected to pay for the work, a Kentucky contractor may not offer to pay or rebate any part of your deductible or claim money to win the job. The same subsection also bars the contractor from granting an allowance or discount against its fee and from paying or offering the insured any gift or other item of value over $100. A violation of KRS 367.620 to 367.628 can lead to an injunction, two times actual economic damages and attorney's fees (KRS 367.627(3)). |
KRS 367.628(2)(b) Covers: Contractors and people representing them on jobs expected to be paid from insurance proceeds. | |
| Under Kentucky law a homeowner cannot hand a roofer the rights or benefits under the property insurance policy, and a contract that does so is void. Subsection (4) says the section does not prohibit an insured from directing payment of benefits under KRS 304.39-241 or from authorizing or directing payment to, or paying, a person for services or materials that are covered under an insurance policy. |
KRS 304.20-105(2), (3) Covers: Property, casualty, and property and casualty insurance policies issued or renewed on or after April 2, 2024. |
The insurer’s own deadlines are on the Kentucky claim deadlines page.
Kentucky: after a disaster
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| After the Governor activates the price order for a declared emergency, a Kentucky seller may not charge a grossly excessive price for repair or reconstruction services or building materials. A price does not violate the subsection if it is related to additional costs from a supplier or to the seller's own costs, ten percent (10%) or less above the pre-declaration price, or ten percent or less above the seller's costs plus normal markup, among other listed exceptions. A willful violation carries a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for a first violation (KRS 367.378(1)). |
KRS 367.374(1)(b), (c) Covers: The geographical area named in the declaration of emergency, while the Governor's order is in effect. The listed goods include building materials and goods or services used for emergency cleanup. | |
| After a declared emergency that destroys real estate, the Attorney General can order roofing and siding contractors in the area to register and to post their certificate at every job site. A contractor must also give proof of its registration to the insured and the insured's insurer with any direction of payment under an insurance claim. A local government cannot require its own emergency registration of a contractor who meets subsections (3)(a)-(c), unless the Attorney General finds the local rules greater. |
KRS 367.379(1)(a), (2)(a), (3) Covers: Roofing, siding, water damage and tree or debris removal contractors in the designated area, only while an Attorney General order is in effect. Effective July 15, 2026. |
What we could not confirm in Kentucky
- A cap on the deposit a Kentucky roofer may ask for: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (KRS 367.410 to 367.460, 367.620 to 367.628, 371.160, 371.180). KRS 367.626 only bars advance payments during the insurance-denial cancellation period.
- A general rule that every Kentucky home-improvement or roofing contract must be in writing: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read. KRS 367.430 requires a written agreement for a home solicitation sale, and KRS 367.624 requires notices and a form before an insurance-paid contract, but neither is a general writing rule.
- A preliminary notice a Kentucky roofer must send before it can lien: not confirmed. KRS 376.010(4) and (5) require a written notice only from a person who has not contracted directly with the owner. No notice for a roofer hired directly by the owner was found in the section read.
- A statewide general or roofing contractor license in Kentucky: not confirmed. Only the section titles of KRS Chapter 198B were scanned; the licensing sections listed cover elevator, fire sprinkler, HVAC master and home inspector licences, and no statewide roofing licence section appeared in the titles. The text was not read.
Kentucky contract questions
- How long can I cancel a roofing contract in Kentucky?
- KRS 367.420(1): 3 business days, counted from the day you sign. The federal rule gives 3 business days for sales made at your home. The median across the 25 of 27 states with a confirmed number is about 4 calendar days (business days scaled by 7/5). Kentucky does not define 'business day' in these sections, so the calculator counts every day, shows the earliest possible date, and the real last day can be later; confirm the date with the seller in writing. Cancellation occurs when you give written notice to the seller at the address stated in the agreement, and a mailed notice counts when it is deposited in a mailbox properly addressed with postage prepaid.
- Can I cancel if my Kentucky insurer denies the roof claim?
- KRS 367.622(1): If your insurer tells you in writing that part or all of the claim is not covered, you can cancel a Kentucky insurance-paid roofing contract until midnight of the fifth business day after you receive that notice. 5 business days, counted from the day the insurer denies the claim. KRS 367.620 does not define 'business day', so the calculator shows the earliest possible date. Cancellation is deemed to occur when you personally deliver written notice to the contractor, mail it postage prepaid to the contract address, or send it to the contractor by fax or email; the notice need not take a particular form.
- What are the deposit rules for a roofing job in Kentucky?
- KRS 367.626(2)(a): On an insurance-paid job a Kentucky contractor may not require any advance payment until the five-business-day cancellation period has run out, and must hand back all payments within ten days of a cancellation. Subsection (3) lets a contractor that provided repair services or emergency goods or services under a contract that is not enforceable, including repair services needed to prevent further damage, collect a reasonable and customary amount for what it provided. The sections read set no cap on the size of a deposit.
- What is a mechanic's lien on a house in Kentucky?
- KRS 376.080(1): A Kentucky lien claimant must file a sworn statement with the county clerk within six months after it stops work or supplying materials, and mail a copy to the owner within seven days of filing. The lien is dissolved if the statement is not filed in time or if the copy is not sent to the owner. Separately, KRS 367.628(2)(g) bars a contractor on an insurance-paid job from filing a mechanic's lien against the insured for any charge above what the insurer pays or is expected to pay.
- Can a roofer in Kentucky handle my insurance claim for me?
- KRS 367.628(1)(a), (c): A Kentucky contractor may not negotiate your insurance claim for you or present itself as a public adjuster, but may give an estimate. A contract provision that violates this rule is not enforceable. Paragraph (c) says the rule does not prohibit the contractor from providing an estimate for the goods or services or from conferring with the insurance company's representative about the damage after a claim has been submitted.
- Can a roofer in Kentucky waive my insurance deductible?
- KRS 367.628(2)(b): Where insurance is expected to pay for the work, a Kentucky contractor may not offer to pay or rebate any part of your deductible or claim money to win the job. The same subsection also bars the contractor from granting an allowance or discount against its fee and from paying or offering the insured any gift or other item of value over $100. A violation of KRS 367.620 to 367.628 can lead to an injunction, two times actual economic damages and attorney's fees (KRS 367.627(3)).
Where each Kentucky rule comes from
| Rule | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract: no fixed number Before you sign, a Kentucky contractor on an insurance-paid job must give you its phone number, the required cancellation notices, and a detachable Notice of Cancellation form. |
KRS 367.624 statute text Quote“Prior to entering into a real estate goods or services contract with any person, a contractor shall furnish the person with ... The telephone number of the contractor and, if applicable, the contractor's facsimile number and email address ... The following notices in at least ten (10) point boldface type ... A fully completed form in duplicate, under the conspicuous caption” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: 3 business days You can cancel a Kentucky sale a roofer made at your home until midnight of the third business day after you sign. |
KRS 367.420(1) statute text Quote“the buyer has the right to cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after the day on which the buyer signs an agreement or offer to purchase” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: no fixed number The Kentucky 3-day right covers a sale where the roofer solicits you at your home and you give your agreement or offer there. |
KRS 367.410 statute text Quote“a sale of goods or services, including consumer loans, in which the seller or a person acting for him engages in a personal solicitation of the sale at a residence of the buyer and the buyer's agreement or offer to purchase is there given to the seller or a person acting for him” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: 10 days After you cancel a Kentucky home solicitation sale, the seller has ten days to give back every payment and any note you signed. |
KRS 367.440(1) statute text Quote“Within ten (10) days after a home solicitation sale has been canceled or an offer to purchase revoked, the seller must tender to the buyer any payments made by the buyer and any note or other evidence of indebtedness.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: 5 business days If your insurer tells you in writing that part or all of the claim is not covered, you can cancel a Kentucky insurance-paid roofing contract until midnight of the fifth business day after you receive that notice. |
KRS 367.622(1) statute text Quote“A person who enters into a real estate goods or services contract with a contractor may cancel the contract prior to midnight of the fifth ... after the person has received written notice from the insurer that all or part of the claim is not a covered loss under the insurance policy.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Deposits and down payments: 10 days On an insurance-paid job a Kentucky contractor may not require any advance payment until the five-business-day cancellation period has run out, and must hand back all payments within ten days of a cancellation. |
KRS 367.626(2)(a) statute text Quote“A contractor shall: 1. Not require any advance payments under a real estate goods or services contract until the cancellation period provided in KRS 367.622 has expired ... Tender to the payor any payments, partial payments, or deposits made, and any note or other evidence of indebtedness provided, to the contractor under a real estate goods or services contract within ten (10) days after the contract has been cancelled under KRS 367.622” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: 75 days A Kentucky subcontractor or supplier who did not contract directly with the owner must send an owner-occupant a written notice within 75 days after the last labor or materials, or it gets no lien on the home. |
KRS 376.010(5)(a) statute text Quote“A person who has not contracted directly with the owner or the owner's authorized agent shall not acquire a lien under this section on an owner ... single or double family dwelling, the appurtenances or additions thereto ... (75) days after the last item of material or labor is furnished, of the delivery of the material or performance of labor and of his or her intention to hold the property liable and the amount for which he or she will claim a lien” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: 6 months A Kentucky lien claimant must file a sworn statement with the county clerk within six months after it stops work or supplying materials, and mail a copy to the owner within seven days of filing. |
KRS 376.080(1) statute text Quote“within six (6) months after he ceases to labor or furnish materials, files in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the building or improvement is situated a statement of the amount due him ... The claimant shall send by regular mail a copy of the statement to the property owner at his last known address within seven (7) days of filing the statement with the county clerk.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: 12 months A Kentucky lien is dissolved unless a suit to enforce it is filed within twelve months after the lien statement is filed with the clerk. |
KRS 376.090(1) statute text Quote“shall be deemed dissolved unless an action is brought to enforce the lien within twelve (12) months from the day of filing the statement in the clerk's office, as required by KRS 376.080” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number A Kentucky contractor may not negotiate your insurance claim for you or present itself as a public adjuster, but may give an estimate. |
KRS 367.628(1)(a), (c) statute text Quote“a contractor, or person representing a contractor, shall not: 1. Represent, negotiate, or advertise to represent or negotiate, as a public adjuster or otherwise, on behalf of any insured on any insurance claim in connection with the provision of goods or services relating to real estate” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number Where insurance is expected to pay for the work, a Kentucky contractor may not offer to pay or rebate any part of your deductible or claim money to win the job. |
KRS 367.628(2)(b) statute text Quote“Where goods or services relating to real estate are expected to be paid from property, casualty, or property and casualty insurance proceeds, a contractor or person representing a contractor shall not: ... Offer to pay or rebate all or any portion of an insurance deductible or claims proceeds as an inducement to the sale of goods or services by a contractor” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number Under Kentucky law a homeowner cannot hand a roofer the rights or benefits under the property insurance policy, and a contract that does so is void. |
KRS 304.20-105(2), (3) statute text Quote“shall not, either prior to or after a claimed or covered loss, assign or otherwise transfer, in whole or in part, to any other person ... Any contract entered in violation of this section shall be void and unenforceable.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| After a disaster: no fixed number After the Governor activates the price order for a declared emergency, a Kentucky seller may not charge a grossly excessive price for repair or reconstruction services or building materials. |
KRS 367.374(1)(b), (c) statute text Quote“No person shall sell, rent, or offer to sell or rent, regardless of ... a good or service listed in this paragraph or any repair or reconstruction service for a price which is grossly in excess of the price prior to the declaration and unrelated to any increased cost to the seller.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| After a disaster: no fixed number After a declared emergency that destroys real estate, the Attorney General can order roofing and siding contractors in the area to register and to post their certificate at every job site. |
KRS 367.379(1)(a), (2)(a), (3) statute text Quote“"Contractor" means any person or business engaged in: 1. Roofing or siding repair or replacement ... the Attorney General may issue an order requiring all persons ... Submit an application for registration to the Attorney General ... Conspicuously post a copy of the contractor's certificate of registration at each job site within the designated area” |
2026-10-09 official page |
Nearby states
Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa or all states.
Related: Kentucky claim deadlines, Kentucky roofers, insurer roof-age rules.