<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000940397-03-000092
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030729
<FILING-DATE>20030731
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>REPUBLIC BANCORP INC /KY/
<CIK>0000921557
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6022
<IRS-NUMBER>610862051
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>KY
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>REPUBLIC CORPORATE CENTER
<STREET2>601 WEST MARKET ST
<CITY>LOUISVILLE
<STATE>KY
<ZIP>40202
<PHONE>5025843600
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>TRAGER STEVE
<CIK>0001078587
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-24649
<FILM-NUMBER>03814538
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>601 WEST MARKET STREET
<CITY>LOUISVILLE
<STATE>KY
<ZIP>40202
<PHONE>5025608628
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000921557</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>REPUBLIC BANCORP INC /KY/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RBCAA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001078587</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TRAGER STEVE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>601 WEST MARKET STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOUISVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>40202-2700</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>160625.25</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Jaytee Properties Limited Partnership </value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1527534.78</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Teebank Limited Family Partnership</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Spouse</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>65000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By 401(k) Plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1167.4212</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By ESOP</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F3"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F7"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><footnoteId id="F3"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>197677.65</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Teebank Limited Family Partnership</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F3"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F7"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><footnoteId id="F3"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F3"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F7"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><footnoteId id="F3"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By 401(k) Plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F3"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1034.98</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>17.20</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F7"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1034.98</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>32005.3</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Jaytee Properties Limited Partnership (1)</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Jaytee Properties Limited Partnership is a family limited partnership of which the reporting person is a general partner and a limited partner and of which trusts for the benefit of, among others, the reporting person, the reporting person's spouse, and the reporting person's two minor children are limited partners.  The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Teebank Family Limited Partnership is a family limited partnership of which the reporting person is a general partner and a limited partner and of which trusts for the benefit of, among others, the reporting person, the reporting person's spouse, and the reporting person's two minor children are limited partners.  The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Conversion  is on a share for share basis.</footnote><footnote id="F4">The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of such securities.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Reflects ESOP allocation of 301.1747 shares of Class A common stock, based upon information provided by the plan administrator.</footnote><footnote id="F6">Immediate</footnote><footnote id="F7">None</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Steven E. Trager</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-31</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SUBMISSION>
