Lexington building department

Lexington and Fayette County have one merged government, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG). Its Division of Building Inspection, part of Environmental Quality and Public Works, reviews plans and issues building permits for the whole county. Planning and zoning is a separate LFUCG division in the same Phoenix Building at 101 E. Vine Street. Electrical and plumbing inspections are not done by city staff. They go to a contracted inspection firm and the state.

Contractors must register before pulling permits

LFUCG will not issue permits to unregistered contractors. You register online through the Accela portal (lexingtonky.gov/permits) under Building Inspection. You need to upload:

• A Home Office Certificate ($10) or a commercial Certificate of Occupancy ($25) for the business location. Contractors based outside Fayette County don’t need this.
• A Lexington occupational business license from the Division of Revenue, 218 E. Main Street, 2nd floor, (859) 258-3340.
• A certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers’ compensation, with “LFUCG, 200 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40507” as certificate holder. Companies with no employees answer “yes” to the workers’-comp-exempt question.

Homeowner projects that need a permit

The Homeowner’s Corner says these projects need a building permit:

• accessory structures and accessory dwelling units
• remodeling and additions
• decks
• solar panels
• in-ground pools
• residential paving and private walkways
• fences and walls

Each project type has its own PDF guide. Homeowners who pull their own permit also sign a Homeowner Responsibility Acknowledgement.

Submitting a new house

A new single-family permit needs these drawings, at least 8½” x 11” and drawn to scale or fully dimensioned:

• a dimensioned site plan
• foundation plan
• floor plan with room labels
• wall section
• front, side, and rear elevations
• framing details
• floor elevation callout

You also need approval of site drainage and erosion control from the LFUCG Division of Engineering. Fees are based on square footage plus a per-dwelling base fee. A new-construction staff inspector does the on-site inspections at no extra charge. You need a final inspection and a Certificate of Occupancy before anyone moves in.

Commercial submittals and who reviews what

Commercial applications go through the same portal. Building Inspection may ask for both paper and electronic sets on large projects (more than about 50 sheets). Different parts of a commercial job go to different reviewers:

Work	Reviewer / inspector
Building, additions, remodels, paving, fences, retaining walls, canopies	LFUCG Building Inspection
Electrical	Commonwealth Inspection Bureau, (859) 263-7800
Plumbing	State plumbing inspector (DHBC)
Fire suppression and alarm shop drawings	Lexington Fire Department
Signs	LFUCG sign review

DHBC’s Fayette County sheet puts the state plumbing office in the Fayette County Health Department, 1051 Whipple Court. Office hours are weekdays 8 to 9:30 a.m., phone (859) 899-5244.

Fee schedule highlights

The posted Division of Building Inspection fee schedule is dated effective July 1, 2019 and revised October 27, 2021. If you start work without a permit, the fee doubles. Residential lines:

Residential item	Fee
Single-family residence	$0.10/sq ft (min. $150) + $180
Duplex/townhouse, apartments/condos	$0.10/sq ft (min. $150) + $100 per unit
Remodeling (including basement finishes)	$0.10/sq ft (min. $150)
Additions (including attached garages, decks, dormers)	$0.10/sq ft (min. $150)
Accessory buildings (detached garages, sheds)	$0.10/sq ft (min. $150)
Residential swimming pool	$100
Residential fence	$50

Commercial fees are per square foot by occupancy. HVAC fees are tiered by construction cost.

Adopted codes

Building type	Codes
Commercial and multi-family	2018 Kentucky Building Code (2015 IBC base), 2015 IEBC, 2015 IMC, 2012 NFPA 54, 2012 IECC
One- and two-family	2018 Kentucky Residential Code (2015 IRC base), 2015 IMC, 2009 IECC, 2009 National Fuel Gas Code
Both	Kentucky State Plumbing Law (815 KAR Chapter 20), 2023 NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code)

Certificates of occupancy for businesses

Every business in Lexington needs an occupancy certificate:

• Home-based business: a $10 Home Office Certificate with no inspection. The business must use 300 square feet or less of the main residence and can’t have outdoor signs or customer foot traffic.
• Storefront or office leased as-is: a $25 Certificate of Occupancy. Apply online, then call (859) 231-5668 to set up the fire life-safety inspection.
• Remodel or change of use: you need a building permit first. The CO is issued once the permit is finished.

Planning and historic review

The Planning Division is on the 7th floor at 101 E. Vine Street, (859) 258-3160, open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It handles zoning permits and zoning verification. Three boards hear cases:

• the Planning Commission for zone changes and development plans
• the Board of Adjustment for conditional uses, variances, and appeals
• the Board of Architectural Review for exterior work in historic districts