Louisville Metro Building Permits

Louisville Metro requires a building permit for most construction, alteration, and repair work affecting structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems. Permits are issued by the Louisville Metro Department of Codes & Regulations, Construction Review division, which was established following the 2003 merger of Louisville and Jefferson County governments.

Louisville Metro enforces the Kentucky Building Code (KBC) and the Kentucky Residential Code (KRC) — state-adopted versions of the International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC) with Kentucky-specific amendments. These codes are maintained by the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings & Construction (DHBC). Louisville Metro enforces them locally and may also apply local ordinances through the Land Development Code.

When You Need a Permit

You generally need a Louisville Metro building permit for:

• New construction, including new homes, commercial buildings, and accessory structures
• Additions that increase gross floor area or extend the building footprint
• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and garage conversions
• Structural alterations, load-bearing wall changes, and foundation work
• Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical (HVAC) changes, including panel upgrades and new service connections
• Reroofing and replacement of structural roofing components
• Windows and doors that change the size of rough openings in exterior walls
• Swimming pools, hot tubs, and most retaining walls above a height threshold
• Demolition of any habitable structure
• Decks, porches, and attached carports

Minor cosmetic work — interior painting, floor coverings, replacement of fixtures with like-for-like units not requiring rough-in changes — is typically exempt. When in doubt, contact the Department of Codes & Regulations before starting work; proceeding without a required permit can result in stop-work orders, fines, and required demolition of unpermitted work.

ePermits — The Online Portal

Louisville Metro ePermits is the jurisdiction's online permitting portal at epermits.louisvilleky.gov. Through the portal you can:

• Apply for residential and commercial building permits
• Upload plans for electronic plan review
• Respond to correction comments and resubmit documents
• Pay fees
• Schedule and track inspections
• Look up permit history for any parcel

In-person services are available at the Louisville Metro Department of Codes & Regulations office. For questions about submittal requirements or to confirm whether your specific project requires a permit, call the department directly.

Permit Costs

Louisville Metro permit fees are set by the Metro Council and published in the Department of Codes & Regulations fee schedule. Fees are typically based on:

• Building permit fee — scales with project valuation (total estimated cost of construction)
• Plan review fee — a percentage of the building permit fee
• Trade permit fees — separate permits for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work
• Impact and utility fees — for new construction connecting to water and sewer

Always check the current Louisville Metro Codes & Regulations fee schedule on the official website before budgeting for your project. Do not rely on third-party fee calculators; rates are updated periodically by Metro Council action.

Typical Timeline

Timelines vary with current workload, project complexity, and the completeness of your initial submittal.

Second and subsequent correction cycles are typically shorter than the initial review when the resubmittal fully addresses all plan examiner comments. Incomplete resubmittals restart the clock.

The Process

1. Pre-application: Confirm zoning, overlays, and applicable codes using Louisville Metro's LOJIC online mapping system and the Land Development Code before designing your project
2. Plans: Prepare construction documents stamped by a Kentucky-licensed architect or engineer where required — single-family residential may use contractor-drawn plans for simpler projects
3. Submit via ePermits: Create an account on the ePermits portal, complete the application, upload all required documents, and pay the plan review fee
4. Plan review: Department of Codes & Regulations plan examiners review for compliance with the Kentucky Building Code, Kentucky Residential Code, and local ordinances; zoning, fire, and other departments may conduct concurrent reviews
5. Corrections: Respond to all plan examiner comments in writing and upload revised drawings through the ePermits portal; all corrections must be addressed before approval
6. Permit issuance: Pay any remaining fees and download the approved permit documents; post the permit at the job site as required
7. Construction: Work must be performed in accordance with the approved plans; any changes require a plan revision or amendment permit before proceeding
8. Inspections: Schedule required inspections at each construction phase through the ePermits portal or by phone
9. Final inspection: Pass all final inspections and receive a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion where required

Inspections

The Department of Codes & Regulations conducts field inspections to verify that work matches the approved plans and meets the Kentucky Building Code. Typical inspection stages for a residential project include:

• Footing and foundation (before pouring concrete)
• Underground plumbing and electrical (before backfilling)
• Framing (before covering with insulation or drywall)
• Rough plumbing, electrical, and mechanical (before covering)
• Insulation
• Drywall (where required)
• Final building inspection
• Final trade inspections (electrical, plumbing, mechanical)

Schedule inspections through the ePermits portal or by calling the Department of Codes & Regulations. Inspections are typically performed the next business day for requests submitted before the department's cut-off time. Work covered before a required inspection is approved may be ordered to be uncovered at the applicant's expense.

Common Reasons for Denial or Corrections

• Plans do not meet the Kentucky Building Code or Kentucky Residential Code requirements
• Missing structural calculations, energy compliance documentation (KY Energy Code), or required design-professional stamps
• Zoning conflicts — setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, or permitted use not confirmed before design
• Missing civil or site plan items: drainage, right-of-way dedication, floodplain elevation certificate
• Incomplete submittal — missing trade drawings, site plan, or energy compliance form
• Floodplain issues — properties in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) require additional floodplain development permits and may require an Elevation Certificate
• Historic district or overlay review not initiated or incomplete; portions of Louisville Metro (including NuLu, Old Louisville, and Butchertown) have additional preservation requirements

Official Sources

Always verify current permit requirements with the Louisville Metro Department of Codes & Regulations before submitting plans or beginning construction. See the sources listed in the frontmatter for direct links to the department, the ePermits portal, the Louisville Metro Code of Ordinances on Municode, and the Kentucky DHBC building codes page.

Disclaimer: This guide summarizes publicly available information from official Louisville Metro and Kentucky state sources and is provided for general orientation only. It does not constitute legal or engineering advice. Building code and permitting requirements change — always confirm current rules with the Louisville Metro Department of Codes & Regulations and the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings & Construction before submitting plans or starting construction.