Kentucky: business records and regulators
Where to look a business up in Kentucky, where to search the UCC filings against it, and the offices that regulate banks, lenders and securities there.
Each link opens the state's own site in a new tab, so what you type there goes to that site, not to us. Some state searches charge a fee or ask you to make an account. Privacy
Kentucky records and regulators
Business search
Look a business up in the state's register of businesses.
UCC search
Find the UCC filings against a business: the financing statements lenders file to record a lien on its assets, such as a blanket lien.
Banking and lending regulator
Oversees the banks the state charters. Check its site for the lender and broker licenses the state requires.
Securities regulator
The state office for securities offerings, brokers and investment advisers.
Find a lender in Kentucky
Official lists of the lenders that work in Kentucky. Each opens on its own site, filtered to Kentucky where the list allows it.
SBA 504 lenders (Certified Development Companies) (opens in a new tab)
The nonprofit lenders that make SBA 504 loans for property and big equipment, from the SBA's own list, filtered to the state.
SBA microloan lenders (opens in a new tab)
Nonprofit lenders that make SBA microloans of up to $50,000, from the SBA's own list, filtered to the state.
SBA Lender Match (opens in a new tab)
The SBA's own matching tool: you answer a few questions about your business on its site, and two business days later it gives you a list of the lenders interested; some may contact you. It is not a loan application. What you type goes to the SBA and those lenders, not to us.
Certified CDFIs (community lenders) (opens in a new tab)
The CDFI Fund's list of every certified community development financial institution (CDFI): loan funds, banks and credit unions. Download the list and sort it by the State column.
The FDIC's BankFind: search for the banks with offices in the state.
Credit unions (opens in a new tab)
The NCUA's credit union locator. Credit unions lend to their members, so check who can join.
Before you sign with any lender, check it is licensed: see the banking and lending regulator above, and Check a lender or platform. A few national lenders and platforms are named, with how they were chosen, in the provider directory.
State rules for Kentucky on our route pages
- Business line of credit: On a written loan of more than $15,000 the parties can agree any rate. On $15,000 or less the limit is 19% a year, or 4 percentage points above the Federal Reserve discount rate if that is lower. A corporation, LLC, limited partnership or business trust cannot plead usury, unless its main asset is a one- or two-family home. A lender that charges more than this limit on a loan of $15,000 or less needs a consumer loan company license from the state. A licensed lender may then charge up to 3% a month on a loan of $5,000 or less, and a little less on larger ones. A loan broker, anyone paid to arrange, or help or advise you to get, a loan, credit card or line of credit, may not take any fee before the loan closes, or mislead you. Arranging credit for a partnership or corporation only for business purposes is left out, so the rule protects sole proprietors more than companies; banks, credit unions, licensed lenders, attorneys, securities and real estate firms acting under their licenses are left out too. A borrower who loses money can sue for up to three times the loss, plus attorney's fees, and the Attorney General enforces the law as an unfair practice under the Consumer Protection Act. (Kentucky Revised Statutes 360.010: legal interest rate; agreement for a higher rate; Kentucky Revised Statutes 360.025: excess interest no defense for a corporation; Kentucky Revised Statutes 360.027: excess interest no defense for a limited partnership, LLC or business trust; Kentucky Revised Statutes 286.4-420: license required for finance companies; Kentucky Revised Statutes 286.4-530: charges a licensed consumer loan company may make; Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.380: definitions for the loan broker law; Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.381: loan brokers, prohibited acts; Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.387: remedies for borrower)
- Equipment loans and finance agreements: On a written loan of more than $15,000 the parties can agree any rate. On $15,000 or less the limit is 19% a year, or 4 percentage points above the Federal Reserve discount rate if that is lower. A corporation, LLC, limited partnership or business trust cannot plead usury, unless its main asset is a one- or two-family home. A lender that charges more than this limit on a loan of $15,000 or less needs a consumer loan company license from the state. A licensed lender may then charge up to 3% a month on a loan of $5,000 or less, and a little less on larger ones. A loan broker, anyone paid to arrange, or help or advise you to get, a loan, credit card or line of credit, may not take any fee before the loan closes, or mislead you. Arranging credit for a partnership or corporation only for business purposes is left out, so the rule protects sole proprietors more than companies; banks, credit unions, licensed lenders, attorneys, securities and real estate firms acting under their licenses are left out too. A borrower who loses money can sue for up to three times the loss, plus attorney's fees, and the Attorney General enforces the law as an unfair practice under the Consumer Protection Act. (Kentucky Revised Statutes 360.010: legal interest rate; agreement for a higher rate; Kentucky Revised Statutes 360.025: excess interest no defense for a corporation; Kentucky Revised Statutes 360.027: excess interest no defense for a limited partnership, LLC or business trust; Kentucky Revised Statutes 286.4-420: license required for finance companies; Kentucky Revised Statutes 286.4-530: charges a licensed consumer loan company may make; Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.380: definitions for the loan broker law; Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.381: loan brokers, prohibited acts; Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.387: remedies for borrower)
- Online business loans: On a written loan of more than $15,000 the parties can agree any rate. On $15,000 or less the limit is 19% a year, or 4 percentage points above the Federal Reserve discount rate if that is lower. A corporation, LLC, limited partnership or business trust cannot plead usury, unless its main asset is a one- or two-family home. A lender that charges more than this limit on a loan of $15,000 or less needs a consumer loan company license from the state. A licensed lender may then charge up to 3% a month on a loan of $5,000 or less, and a little less on larger ones. A loan broker, anyone paid to arrange, or help or advise you to get, a loan, credit card or line of credit, may not take any fee before the loan closes, or mislead you. Arranging credit for a partnership or corporation only for business purposes is left out, so the rule protects sole proprietors more than companies; banks, credit unions, licensed lenders, attorneys, securities and real estate firms acting under their licenses are left out too. A borrower who loses money can sue for up to three times the loss, plus attorney's fees, and the Attorney General enforces the law as an unfair practice under the Consumer Protection Act. (Kentucky Revised Statutes 360.010: legal interest rate; agreement for a higher rate; Kentucky Revised Statutes 360.025: excess interest no defense for a corporation; Kentucky Revised Statutes 360.027: excess interest no defense for a limited partnership, LLC or business trust; Kentucky Revised Statutes 286.4-420: license required for finance companies; Kentucky Revised Statutes 286.4-530: charges a licensed consumer loan company may make; Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.380: definitions for the loan broker law; Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.381: loan brokers, prohibited acts; Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.387: remedies for borrower)
Sources
- Kentucky Secretary of State: Business Filings (Business Entity Search) · checked October 20, 2026
- Kentucky Secretary of State: UCC (links the UCC filings search) · checked October 20, 2026
- Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions: home page (depository, non-depository and securities) · checked October 20, 2026