Live in Kentucky, work in Ohio
Reciprocity agreement: you pay income tax only to your home state. Give your employer the work state's exemption form so it withholds for your home state instead.
State income tax: $3,382 a year
Living in Kentucky and working in Ohio, you'd pay about $3,382 in state income tax on $100,000 of wages.
Reciprocity agreement: you pay income tax only to your home state. Give your employer the work state's exemption form so it withholds for your home state instead.
State tax at different salaries
| Wages | To OH | To KY | Total | If you worked in KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $0 | $1,632 | $1,632 | $1,632 |
| $75,000 | $0 | $2,507 | $2,507 | $2,507 |
| $100,000 | $0 | $3,382 | $3,382 | $3,382 |
| $150,000 | $0 | $5,132 | $5,132 | $5,132 |
| $250,000 | $0 | $8,632 | $8,632 | $8,632 |
Single filer, all wages earned in Ohio, 2026 state tax rules, standard deductions. Local income taxes not included.
What to do
- Reciprocity: KY residents working in OH exempt from OH state tax on wages; file Form IT-4NR. Not available to 20%+ S-corp owner-employees. OH municipal income taxes still apply.
- Keep a record of the days you work in each state, especially if you sometimes work from home.
Local income taxes
- Ohio: ~600+ municipalities levy income tax on wages at work location (commonly 1-2.5%; e.g., Columbus 2.5%, Cleveland 2.5%, Cincinnati 1.8%), regardless of state reciprocity. Residence city may also tax, with a full/partial/no credit for work-city tax depending on the city. 20-day occasional-entrant rule before work-city withholding starts. Many school districts also levy a resident-only income tax.
- Kentucky: City/county occupational license taxes are levied by work location on residents and nonresidents alike (e.g., Louisville Metro ~2.2% combined, Lexington 2.25%), and are NOT covered by KY's state reciprocity agreements - OH/IN commuters into Louisville/Covington still pay them.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay Ohio income tax if I live in Kentucky?
No. Under the reciprocity agreement you pay only Kentucky. KY residents working in OH exempt from OH state tax on wages; file Form IT-4NR. Not available to 20%+ S-corp owner-employees. OH municipal income taxes still apply.
Do I have to file taxes in both Kentucky and Ohio?
Usually you file only one state return (a resident return in Kentucky), though some states still require a nonresident return to get a refund of any wrongly withheld tax.
Will I be taxed twice?
No. Under the reciprocity agreement only Kentucky taxes your wages: about $3,382 on $100,000.
Related
- Live in Ohio, work in Kentucky
- Moving from Kentucky to Ohio
- Moving from Ohio to Kentucky
- Live in Kentucky, work in Illinois
- Live in Kentucky, work in Indiana
- Live in Kentucky, work in Missouri
- Live in Kentucky, work in Tennessee
- Live in Kentucky, work in Virginia
- Live in Kentucky, work in West Virginia
Rules reviewed 2026-09-24 from state revenue departments and the Tax Foundation. Estimates only; confirm with each state's revenue department.