In July 2003, he moved to Dundee United on a Bosman transfer. Their manager Ian McCall had been keeping tabs on the Scotland Under-21 player since he himself left Falkirk. Kerr soon settled at Tannadice and became a regular in the side, and by the end of his first season, he had racked up 33 League and two cup appearances. His tenacity in midfield was a feature of the latter part of the campaign in which United finished strongly to take fifth place.