Kentucky

Kentucky Revised Statutes — Penal Code (Ch. 500–534)

532 sections, each with the official text and a plain-English explanation of what it means for you.

• § 500.010 — Title
• § 500.020 — Offenses defined by statute -- Common law abolished
• § 500.030 — Rule of construction
• § 500.040 — Restrictions on applicability
• § 500.050 — Time limitations
• § 500.060 — Territorial applicability
• § 500.070 — Burden of proof -- Defenses
• § 500.080 — Definitions for Kentucky Penal Code
• § 500.090 — Forfeiture
• § 500.092 — Forfeiture of personal property not used as a residence triggered by violation or attempted violation of certain offenses -- Forfeiture of real and personal property associated with violation or attempted violation of KRS 531.310 or 531.320
• § 500.093 — Prohibition against court or law enforcement agency retaining firearms or ammunition to prevent their transfer or sale
• § 500.095 — Alternative sentence of community work
• § 500.100 — Effect of commentary
• § 500.110 — Trial of prisoner on untried indictment within 180 days after prisoner's request for final disposition
• § 500.120 — Subpoena power of Attorney General and commissioner of Department of Kentucky State Police in cases involving use of an internet service provider, social networking company, mobile payment service, or cloud storage service in the exploitation of children and other cases
• § 500.130 — Operation of unmanned aircraft system -- Definitions -- Restrictions
• § 501.010 — Definitions
• § 501.020 — Definition of mental states
• § 501.030 — Criminal liability
• § 501.040 — Culpability -- Construction of statutes
• § 501.050 — Absolute liability
• § 501.060 — Causal relationships
• § 501.070 — Liability -- Ignorance or mistake
• § 501.080 — Liability -- Intoxication
• § 501.090 — Liability -- Duress
• § 501.100 — Offense against a vulnerable victim
• § 501.110 — Offense committed with the aid of an unmanned aircraft system
• § 502.010 — Liability for conduct of innocent or irresponsible person
• § 502.020 — Liability for conduct of another -- Complicity
• § 502.030 — Liability for conduct of another -- No defense
• § 502.040 — Liability for conduct of another -- Exemptions
• § 502.050 — Corporate liability
• § 502.060 — Individual liability for corporate conduct
• § 503.010 — Definitions for chapter
• § 503.020 — Justification -- A defense
• § 503.030 — Choice of evils
• § 503.040 — Execution of public duty
• § 503.050 — Use of physical force in self-protection -- Admissibility of evidence of prior acts of domestic violence and abuse
• § 503.055 — Use of defensive force regarding dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle -- Exceptions
• § 503.060 — Improper use of physical force in self-protection
• § 503.070 — Protection of another
• § 503.080 — Protection of property
• § 503.085 — Justification and criminal and civil immunity for use of permitted force -- Exceptions
• § 503.090 — Use of physical force in law enforcement
• § 503.100 — Prevention of a suicide or crime
• § 503.110 — Use of force by person with responsibility for care, discipline, or safety of others
• § 503.120 — Justification -- General provisions
• § 504.010 — Repealed, 1976
• § 504.020 — Mental illness or intellectual disability
• § 504.030 — Disposition of person found not guilty by reason of insanity
• § 504.040 — Repealed, 1982
• § 504.050 — Repealed, 1982
• § 504.060 — Definitions for chapter
• § 504.070 — Evidence by defendant of mental illness or insanity -- Examination by psychologist or psychiatrist by court appointment -- Rebuttal by prosecution
• § 504.080 — Court-ordered examination -- Conditions -- Persons to be present at hearing -- Termination of criminal proceedings not bar to civil proceedings
• § 504.085 — Facility's standing to petition for clarification or modification and to appeal
• § 504.090 — Incompetent defendant not to be tried
• § 504.100 — Appointment by court of psychologist or psychiatrist during proceedings
• § 504.110 — Alternative handling of defendant depending on whether he or she is competent or incompetent to stand trial -- Commitment proceeding
• § 504.120 — Verdicts of jury -- Prohibition on verdicts
• § 504.130 — Grounds for finding defendant guilty but mentally ill
• § 504.140 — Examination before sentencing
• § 504.150 — Sentence for person found guilty but mentally ill -- Petition for ongoing treatment upon expiration of sentence
• § 505.010 — Entrapment
• § 505.020 — Prosecution for multiple offenses
• § 505.030 — Effect of former prosecution for same offense
• § 505.040 — Effects of former prosecution for different offenses
• § 505.050 — Effects of former prosecution in another jurisdiction
• § 505.060 — Effects of fraudulent prosecution or lack of jurisdiction
• § 506.010 — Criminal attempt
• § 506.020 — Criminal attempt -- Defense of renunciation
• § 506.030 — Criminal solicitation
• § 506.040 — Criminal conspiracy
• § 506.050 — Conspiracy -- General provisions
• § 506.060 — Criminal solicitation or conspiracy -- Defense of renunciation
• § 506.070 — Incapacity of solicitee or co-conspirator
• § 506.080 — Criminal facilitation
• § 506.090 — Criminal facilitation -- No defense
• § 506.100 — Criminal facilitation -- Exemptions
• § 506.110 — Multiple convictions
• § 506.120 — Engaging in organized crime
• § 506.130 — Repealed, 2000
• § 506.135 — Definitions for chapter
• § 506.140 — Criminal gang recruitment
• § 506.150 — Criminal gang activity or recruitment -- Actions not constituting defenses
• § 506.160 — Minimum service of sentence required if convicted defendant was member of criminal gang acting for the purpose of benefitting, promoting, or furthering the interest of criminal gang
• § 506.170 — Enhancement of penalty and minimum service of sentence for conviction of criminal gang-related felonies resulting in risk of physical injury, serious physical injury, or death -- Application to juveniles and persistent felony offenders
• § 506.180 — Cause of action by victim of criminal gang incident against defendant for damages
• § 506.190 — Criminal gang-related property subject to forfeiture under same criteria and process as set out in KRS 218A.405 to 218A.460
• § 507.010 — Definitions for chapter
• § 507.020 — Murder
• § 507.030 — Manslaughter in the first degree
• § 507.040 — Manslaughter in the second degree
• § 507.050 — Reckless homicide
• § 507.060 — Vehicular homicide
• § 507.070 — Murder of a first responder
• § 508.010 — Assault in the first degree
• § 508.020 — Assault in the second degree
• § 508.022 — Certain assault convictions operate as applications for protective orders
• § 508.025 — Assault in the third degree
• § 508.030 — Assault in the fourth degree
• § 508.032 — Assault of family member or member of an unmarried couple -- Enhancement of penalty
• § 508.040 — Assault under extreme emotional disturbance
• § 508.050 — Menacing
• § 508.060 — Wanton endangerment in the first degree
• § 508.070 — Wanton endangerment in the second degree
• § 508.075 — Terroristic threatening in the first degree
• § 508.078 — Terroristic threatening in the second degree
• § 508.080 — Terroristic threatening in the third degree
• § 508.090 — Definitions for KRS 508.100 to 508.120
• § 508.100 — Criminal abuse in the first degree
• § 508.110 — Criminal abuse in the second degree
• § 508.120 — Criminal abuse in the third degree
• § 508.125 — Female genital mutilation
• § 508.130 — Stalking
• § 508.140 — Repealed, 2026
• § 508.150 — Repealed, 2026
• § 508.152 — Unlawful use of a tracking device
• § 508.155 — Interpersonal protective order to be issued upon violation of KRS 508.130
• § 508.160 — Disarming a peace officer -- Penalty -- Applicability
• § 508.170 — Strangulation in the first degree
• § 508.175 — Strangulation in the second degree
• § 508.180 — Definitions for KRS 508.180 to 508.186
• § 508.182 — Hazing in the first degree -- Defenses -- Sentencing
• § 508.184 — Hazing in the second degree -- Defenses -- Sentencing
• § 508.186 — Construction of KRS 508.180 to 508.186
• § 509.010 — Definitions
• § 509.020 — Unlawful imprisonment in the first degree
• § 509.030 — Unlawful imprisonment in the second degree
• § 509.040 — Kidnapping
• § 509.050 — Exemption
• § 509.060 — Defense
• § 509.070 — Custodial interference
• § 509.080 — Criminal coercion
• § 510.010 — Definitions for chapter
• § 510.015 — Treatment of third or subsequent misdemeanor under KRS Chapter 510 as Class D felony
• § 510.020 — Lack of consent
• § 510.030 — Defenses to prosecution based on victim's lack of consent
• § 510.035 — Exception to KRS 510.020
• § 510.037 — Conviction for rape, sodomy, or sexual abuse or for criminal attempt, conspiracy, facilitation, or solicitation to commit any degree of these crimes triggers application for interpersonal protective order
• § 510.040 — Rape in the first degree
• § 510.050 — Rape in the second degree
• § 510.060 — Rape in the third degree
• § 510.070 — Sodomy in the first degree
• § 510.080 — Sodomy in the second degree
• § 510.090 — Sodomy in the third degree
• § 510.100 — Sodomy in the fourth degree
• § 510.110 — Sexual abuse in the first degree
• § 510.120 — Sexual abuse in the second degree
• § 510.130 — Sexual abuse in the third degree
• § 510.140 — Sexual misconduct
• § 510.145 — Repealed, 1992
• § 510.148 — Indecent exposure in the first degree
• § 510.150 — Indecent exposure in the second degree
• § 510.155 — Unlawful use of electronic means originating or received within the Commonwealth to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities -- Prohibition of multiple convictions arising from single course of conduct -- Solicitation as evidence of intent
• § 510.160 — Grooming a minor
• § 510.300 — Expungement of record
• § 510.310 — Repealed, 2000
• § 510.320 — Human immunodeficiency virus testing for defendants accused of certain sexual offenses -- Results -- Counseling when test positive -- Cost -- Effect of appeal
• § 511.010 — Definitions for chapter
• § 511.020 — Burglary in the first degree
• § 511.030 — Burglary in the second degree
• § 511.040 — Burglary in the third degree
• § 511.050 — Possession of burglar's tools
• § 511.060 — Criminal trespass in the first degree
• § 511.070 — Criminal trespass in the second degree
• § 511.080 — Criminal trespass in the third degree
• § 511.085 — Domestic violence shelter trespass
• § 511.090 — General provisions
• § 511.100 — Trespass upon key infrastructure assets
• § 511.110 — Unlawful camping
• § 512.010 — Definitions for chapter
• § 512.020 — Criminal mischief in the first degree
• § 512.030 — Criminal mischief in the second degree
• § 512.040 — Repealed, 2024
• § 512.050 — Criminal use of noxious substance
• § 512.060 — Criminal possession of noxious substance
• § 512.070 — Criminal littering
• § 512.080 — Unlawfully posting advertisements
• § 512.090 — Unlawful acts relating to acquiring metals
• § 513.010 — Definition of "building." The following definition applies in this chapter unless the context otherwise requires: "Build
• § 513.020 — Arson in the first degree
• § 513.030 — Arson in the second degree
• § 513.040 — Arson in the third degree
• § 513.060 — Burning personal property to defraud insurer
• § 514.010 — Definitions
• § 514.020 — General provisions
• § 514.030 — Theft by unlawful taking or disposition -- Penalties
• § 514.040 — Theft by deception
• § 514.050 — Theft of property lost, mislaid, or delivered by mistake
• § 514.060 — Theft of services
• § 514.065 — Possession, use, or transfer of device for theft of telecommunications services
• § 514.070 — Theft by failure to make required disposition of property
• § 514.080 — Theft by extortion
• § 514.090 — Theft of labor already rendered
• § 514.100 — Unauthorized use of automobile or other propelled vehicle
• § 514.110 — Receiving stolen property -- Penalty
• § 514.120 — Obscuring identity of machine or other property
• § 514.130 — Seizure and forfeiture of certain property
• § 514.140 — Theft of mail matter