Georgetown building department

One office handles building plan review and inspections for both Georgetown and unincorporated Scott County. The Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC) lists Georgetown-Scott County Building Inspection as the local building and HVAC inspector for “Scott County (including the city of Georgetown).” The department’s first job is enforcing the Kentucky Building Code and Kentucky Residential Code. After that, it enforces the Georgetown and Scott County Zoning Ordinance.

What the office reviews and permits

The department does plan review and inspections for:

• new residential, commercial, and industrial buildings
• additions, renovations, and repairs to all three types
• signs, awnings, swimming pools, and storage buildings

Scott County set up its building inspection program in Ordinance 14-02 (2014), under KRS 198B.060(8). The program covers every building subject to the Kentucky Building Code, plus plan review and inspection of structures under the Kentucky Residential Code. The fee schedule attached to that ordinance carries the department’s name and covers Stamping Ground, Sadieville, Georgetown, and Scott County. It also says that when DHBC issues a state building permit, a local building permit is still required.

Applications are PDF forms

The department page posts a separate PDF application for each project type instead of linking to an online permit portal. The department asks applicants to review three documents first:

• the “What do I need?” checklist
• the current Permit Fee Schedule, effective October 1, 2026
• the Affidavit of Assurances

Category	Applications posted
Residential	New build, addition, renovation, basement finish, deck, accessory structure, in-ground pool, solar, demolition, modular/mobile home, temporary structure, farmstead exemption
Commercial	New build, fit-up/renovation, solar, demolition, firework tent, temporary structure
Specialty	Cell tower, sign, specialty/fire systems, erosion control plan (revised effective October 1, 2026)
HVAC	Separate residential, multi-family, and commercial forms

HVAC has its own permit. Every first-time HVAC installation needs a separate HVAC permit, including in a new house. Plan to file the HVAC form alongside the building application. The department also posts a 2018 Kentucky Residential Code Design Criteria sheet for people preparing residential drawings.

The farmstead exemption form is for farm buildings. The 2014 ordinance defines the exemption as farm dwellings and other farm-operation buildings outside city limits. It does not apply if the building is used for retail trade, is a regular workplace for 10 or more people, or is used to process or store timber products.

Codes in force

DHBC sets the codes statewide:

• 2018 Kentucky Building Code for commercial work
• 2018 Kentucky Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings, based on the 2015 International Residential Code

Both took effect January 1, 2019. Some larger or specialized buildings fall under state jurisdiction. For those, plans go to DHBC’s Division of Building Code Enforcement, but you still need the local permit.

Inspections and trades outside the building office

The 2014 ordinance lists the standard building inspections as footing, foundation, slab, framing, and final. Other trades are handled elsewhere, according to DHBC’s Scott County contact sheet:

• Plumbing permits and inspections come from the state plumbing inspector. That office is in the Scott County Health Department at 300 East Washington Street and keeps office hours Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 to 9 a.m. The health department’s environmentalist (septic and onsite sewage) is at (502) 863-5383.
• Electrical inspection questions go to the city office where the work is being done.
• Elevators, boilers, and manufactured-home installations have their own state inspectors, also listed on the sheet.

Zoning comes from a separate commission

The Georgetown-Scott County Planning Commission handles land use. It administers separate city and county zoning ordinances, development plans, subdivisions, plat certifications, floodplain information, and property addressing. Georgetown and Scott County each have their own Board of Adjustment for variances and conditional uses. The commission takes applications through its GovWell portal and posts an online zoning map and plat finder.

The commission’s office is at 230 E. Main Street, (502) 867-3701, open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Office hours

Building Inspection is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It closes for lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m., so walk-in submittals around midday should plan around that window.