Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 517.020 (2026)

Deceptive business practices

✓ current as of May 2026
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(1) A person is guilty of deceptive business practices when, in the course of engaging in a business, occupation or profession, he knowingly: (a) Uses or possesses for use a false weight or measure or any other device for falsely determining or recording any quality or quantity; or (b) Sells, offers or exposes for sale, or delivers less than the represented quantity of any commodity or service; or (c) Takes or attempts to take more than the represented quantity of any commodity, thing or service when as a buyer, agency or receiver he furnishes the weight, measure, or weighing or measuring device by means of which the amount of the commodity, thing or service is determined; or (d) Sells, offers or exposes for sale adulterated commodities; or (e) Sells, offers or exposes for sale mislabeled commodities. (2) Deceptive business practices is a Class A misdemeanor. Effective: January 1, 1975 History: Created 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 406, sec. 146, effective January 1, 1975.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1992–2023 · leading case: Skilcraft Sheetmetal, Inc. v. Kentucky Mach., Inc., 836 S.W.2d 907 (Ky. Ct. App. 1992).
Skilcraft Sheetmetal, Inc. v. Kentucky Mach., Inc., 836 S.W.2d 907 (Ky. Ct. App. 1992). · cites it 4× “The final order also dismissed the counterclaim filed by the appellant Richard Anderson which asserted claims of negligence and strict liability and alleged violations by the appellee of the Consumer Protection Act and of KRS 517.020 which deals with deceptive business practices.”
Alexander v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 714 F. App'x 504 (6th Cir. 2017). · cites it 2× “Alexander argues that he was discharged for refusing to violate various Kentucky laws— namely, KRS § 517.020 (deceptive business practices); KRS § 517.”
Chavez v. Dakkota Integrated Sys., LLC, 832 F. Supp. 2d 786 (W.D. Ky. 2011). · cites it 2× “5 Plaintiff argues that “he was asked to violate the Consumer Protection Act and Deceptive Business Practices laws, which violations could have subjected him to criminal action, by being asked to place defective airbags into production” and that his refusal to do so resulted in…”
Allen v. Commonwealth, 395 S.W.3d 451 (Ky. 2013). “Arguably, defrauding a creditor is exactly what Allen did, but her offense does not really fit within KRS Chapter 517, which criminalizes things like deceptive business practices, KRS 517.020, false advertising, KRS 517.030, and bait-and-switch advertising, KRS 517.”
Henderson v. Skyview Satellite Networks, Inc. (W.D. Ky. 2020). · cites it 2× “See KRS § 517.020 (deceptive business practices); KRS § 517.”
Sams v. The Anthem Companies, Inc. (W.D. Ky. 2021). · cites it 2× “170 (the unfair or deceptive trade statute previously described) and the Deceptive Business Practices section of the penal code, Ky. Rev. Stat. § 517.020. Chavez, 832 F. Supp.”
Hicks v. Express Emp. Professionals (W.D. Ky. 2023). “030 (false advertising), Hicks’s complaint cites, without explanation, § 517.020—a deceptive-business practices provision.”
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