Louisville building permits
Building permits in Louisville are issued by the Construction Review (Louisville Metro Department of Codes and Regulations)1. You can apply and request inspections online through aca-prod.accela.com2.
On this page
- Building department contacts
- Building codes in force in Louisville
- Louisville building permit fees
- How to get a building permit in Louisville
- Permit expiration and extensions
- Inspections in Louisville
- Building without a permit in Louisville
- Doing the work yourself (owner-builder)
- Kentucky rules that also apply in Louisville
- Sources
Building department contacts
Construction Review (Louisville Metro Department of Codes and Regulations)1
Building permits
- Website
- louisvilleky.gov3
- Apply online
- aca-prod.accela.com2
- Phone
- (502) 574-33212
- [email protected]4
- Address
- 444 S. 5th Street, Louisville, KY 402023
- Hours
- Customer Service 8:00 AM-5:00 PM Mon-Fri; Cashier 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Mon-Fri; Plan Review 8:00 AM-3:00 PM Tue-Fri3
- Inspections
- Building/HVAC: online portal or (502) 574-3321 option 4; electrical: contractors via portal, homeowners by email5
Building codes in force in Louisville
These are the model codes Louisville enforces, with the edition and the date it took effect. Plans are reviewed and work is inspected against them. For the state framework, see Kentucky building codes.
| Code | Title as adopted | Model edition | Effective | Adopted by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Residential Code (IRC) | 2018 Kentucky Residential Code (Based on the 2015 International Residential Code)6 | 20157 | 7 | Louisville Metro Code of Ordinances § 150.0018 |
| International Building Code (IBC) | 2018 Kentucky Building Code (Based on the 2015 International Building Code)6 | 20159 | 9 | Louisville Metro Code of Ordinances § 150.0018 |
| National Electrical Code (NEC) | 2023 NFPA 70 - National Electrical Code6 | – | – | Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction10 |
Louisville building permit fees
Fees come from the LMCO Chapter 150.096 Promulgated Fees & Regulations: Construction Permits and Inspection Fees11, effective 11.
How valuation is set. Square footage by occupancy; applicant-estimated cost where square feet cannot be calculated11.
Each line is worded as in Louisville’s schedule; formulas are not added up into a total (how permit fees work).
| Fee | Type | As the schedule states it |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit, Residential – 1 & 2 Family (per sq ft) | – | Residential – 1 & 2 Family $.10511 |
| Square footage basis | Per square foot | Square footage shall be based on the number of square feet on every floor, including all finished portions of basements, calculated to the outside of the exterior walls.11 |
| Partial alterations / structures other than buildings (valuation) | Based on project valuation | The fee shall be $50 plus $2.50 per $1,000 of estimated cost.11 |
| Minimum building permit fee | Minimum fee | No building permit fee calculated under this section shall be less than $75.11 |
| Plan review fee (no permit issued / refunds) | Plan review | The plan review fee shall be a minimum $30 or one third (1/3) the normal permit fee, whichever is higher.11 |
| Foundation only permit, single family | Flat fee | The fee for a “foundation only” permit shall be $75 for single family dwellings & their accessory structures and $125 for all other uses.11 |
| Certificate of Use and Occupancy without permit | Flat fee | The administrative fee for a Certificate of Use and Occupancy without issuance of an associated building permit shall be $75.11 |
| Electrical, initial wiring 1-2 family | Flat fee | The fees for initial installation of electrical wiring in one- or two-family residences shall be $200.11 |
| Electrical, service upgrade/repairs/additional wiring 1-2 family | Flat fee | The fee charged for service upgrade, new service, repairs or additional wiring in a one or two- family, condominium or patio home residence shall be $75, for work costing $750 or less and $100 for work costing over $750. which shall include one inspection.11 |
| HVAC, 1 & 2 family dwellings | – | 1. 1 & 2 Family Dwellings: new and replacement systems $105 for the first system, $50 for each additional system.11 |
| Additional inspection (electrical) | Re-inspection | The fee for any additional inspections not covered by the initial permit fee shall be $50.11 |
| Permit extension / reactivation | Flat fee | There shall be a permit extension fee charge of $35 for every approved request to reactivate an expired permit within 180 days of the expiration date.11 |
| Refund administrative fee (trade permits) | Flat fee | An administrative fee of $30 shall be charged on all requested permit refunds for issued Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration, Range Hood and Manufactured Fireplace Appliance permits.11 |
How to get a building permit in Louisville
- Apply via online portal (contractors) or in person/mail13
- Post the blue placard at the site8
- Request inspections when work is ready4
- Final: Certificate of Occupancy or Letter of Acceptance14
- Apply online
- Contractors only; homeowners apply in person12
- Posting the permit
- Remove the placard within 7 business days of final inspection and approval8
Permit expiration and extensions
- Extensions
- $35 to reactivate an expired permit within 180 days of expiration; after that, full fee11
Inspections in Louisville
The inspection Louisville’s published material names. Do not cover work until it has passed (how inspections work).
- Foundation, Framing/Rough-in, Final14
- How to schedule
- Building/HVAC: online portal or (502) 574-3321 option 4; electrical: contractors via portal, homeowners by email5
- Re-inspection fee
- $5012
- After the final inspection
- Certificate of Occupancy or Letter of Acceptance14
Building without a permit in Louisville
| Consequence | Applies to | As the city states it |
|---|---|---|
| Higher permit fee LMCO § 150.096 (promulgated fees) | Starting work without a permit (all permit types)11 | Penalty equal to the standard permit fee, paid in addition (electrical minimum $1,000)11 |
| Higher permit fee | Electrical work started before permit15 | $1,000 first offense; $2,000 subsequent15 |
For how unpermitted work is usually legalized, see how to legalize unpermitted work.
Doing the work yourself (owner-builder)
- Homeowner may pull a building permit
- Yes (in person at the office)12
- Homeowner electrical work
- Yes, own primary residence for next 12 months15
- Owner and occupancy requirement
- Primary residence for the next 12 months (electrical)15
Kentucky's statewide owner-builder and licensing rules are on the Kentucky permit guide.
Kentucky rules that also apply in Louisville
- Deadlines for permit decisions and inspections in Kentucky
- Contractor licensing in Kentucky
- Selling a home with unpermitted work in Kentucky
- Private plan review and inspections in Kentucky
Sources
- Louisville Metro KY - Active Construction PermitsLouisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Department of Codes and Regulations, Office (Division) of Construction ReviewLast updated November 6, 2026Checked November 6, 2026
- Accela Citizen Access (Louisville Metro Business Portal)Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government (Business Portal)Checked November 7, 2026
- Construction Review | LouisvilleKY.govLouisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Department of Codes and Regulations, Office (Division) of Construction ReviewChecked November 7, 2026
- Inspections | LouisvilleKY.govLouisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Department of Codes and Regulations, Office (Division) of Construction ReviewChecked November 7, 2026
- Request an Inspection | LouisvilleKY.govLouisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Department of Codes and Regulations, Office (Division) of Construction ReviewChecked November 7, 2026
- Codes Currently Adopted by KentuckyCommonwealth of Kentucky, Department of Housing, Buildings and ConstructionChecked November 6, 2026
- 815 KAR 7:125, Kentucky Residential CodeKentucky Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky Administrative RegulationsEffective December 3, 2024Checked November 6, 2026
- Building Permit | LouisvilleKY.govLouisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Department of Codes and Regulations, Office (Division) of Construction ReviewChecked November 7, 2026
- 815 KAR 7:120, Kentucky Building CodeKentucky Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky Administrative RegulationsEffective December 3, 2024Checked November 6, 2026
- KRS 198B.050Kentucky General Assembly, Legislative Research Commission, Kentucky Revised StatutesEffective June 29, 2017Checked November 6, 2026
- LMCO Chapter 150.096 Promulgated Fees & Regulations, Construction Permits and Inspection Fees (Revised 2/6/2024)Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Department of Codes and Regulations, Office (Division) of Construction ReviewRevised February 6, 2024Checked November 7, 2026
- Permits | LouisvilleKY.govLouisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Department of Codes and Regulations, Office (Division) of Construction ReviewChecked November 7, 2026
- Search for Permits | LouisvilleKY.govLouisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Department of Codes and Regulations, Office (Division) of Construction ReviewChecked November 7, 2026
- Building Inspections | LouisvilleKY.govLouisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Department of Codes and Regulations, Office (Division) of Construction ReviewChecked November 7, 2026
- Electrical Permits | LouisvilleKY.govLouisville/Jefferson County Metro Government, Department of Codes and Regulations, Office (Division) of Construction ReviewChecked November 7, 2026