Richmond building department

The City of Richmond’s Building Inspection Department reviews construction plans, issues permits, and inspects buildings inside Richmond city limits. It enforces the Kentucky codes under a contract with the state Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC) and the City of Richmond Code of Ordinances. The office is at 239 West Main Street and is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, closed on major holidays. The department’s page lists (859) 625-6428. Its FAQ and inspection documents use the main codes, planning and safety number, (859) 625-6404. Daniel Abrams is the director. Staff include two residential building inspectors, a commercial building inspector, an HVAC/mechanical inspector, an electrical inspector, and a permit technician.

Richmond, Berea, or Madison County?

The department doesn’t review plans or inspect outside Richmond city limits. Check the city’s online zoning map if you’re not sure which side of the line a parcel is on.

Area	Building program	Office
City of Richmond	Richmond Building Inspection Department	239 West Main Street, (859) 625-6428
City of Berea	Berea building and HVAC inspectors	212 Chestnut Street, Berea, (859) 986-8528
Unincorporated Madison County	Madison County Building and Codes	321 N. Madison Avenue, Richmond, (859) 624-4780

What needs a permit

The city’s FAQ lists these common cases:

Project	Permit?
New construction	Yes
Structural additions or alterations, room additions, basement remodels that change occupant load	Yes
Shed, garage, or other accessory structure	Yes if 200 sq ft or larger
Deck or porch, new or replacement	Yes if 200 sq ft or larger, 30 in. or more above ground, roofed, serving the front door, or structurally attached to the house
Retaining wall	Yes if 4 ft or taller at the highest point
In-ground pool holding 24 in. or more of water	Yes; barriers must meet KRC R326.8
Electrical wiring, panels, new hard-wired fixtures	Electrical permit
Furnace, A/C, replacement HVAC units	Mechanical/HVAC permit
Fence up to 6 ft (side/back yard) or 4 ft (front yard)	No
Re-roof only (no structural changes)	No
Painting, flooring, cabinets, countertops, play equipment	No

In the H-1 historic district, the Architectural Review Board must approve exterior changes, including decks and accessory buildings, before a building permit is issued.

Applying

Apply through the city’s Accela Citizen Access portal or with a paper application at the office. Residential submittals need a site plan with setbacks from the lot lines, elevations, foundation and footing details, wall, floor, stair, and roof framing information, and energy code compliance (the Kentucky prescriptive package or REScheck). Decks need connection, framing, stair, and railing details. Roof-mounted solar on truss roofs needs a letter from a Kentucky-licensed engineer. Pool permits require a pre-construction meeting with the homeowner. Commercial projects have separate submission requirements. All fees must be paid before plan review is completed and the permit is issued.

Who can pull permits

Permit	Who may apply
Building	Property owner, or a licensed and identified contractor. Owners must be the owner of record and live in the property
Electrical	Owner for their primary residence only, or a contractor with a valid state master license
Mechanical/HVAC	Owner for their primary residence only, or a contractor with a valid state master license

Homeowner electrical and HVAC permits can’t be issued for vacant property, rentals, or duplexes. Every contractor and subcontractor needs a City of Richmond business license, and proof of it plus a workers’ compensation certificate is required before a permit is issued.

Codes

The city’s adopted-codes list includes the 2018 Kentucky Building Code and 2018 Kentucky Residential Code, the 2015 International Mechanical and Fire Codes, and the 2017 National Electrical Code. It also lists the 2012 IECC for commercial work and the 2009 IECC for one- and two-family homes, plus the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code. Richmond operates under an Expanded Jurisdiction agreement with DHBC. Some larger buildings may still need state plan review under KBC Chapter 1.

Inspections

The permit holder must request each inspection once the work is ready. Residential inspections must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. A new home needs footing, slab, foundation, envelope, framing, and final inspections, plus a poured-wall inspection where one applies. Alteration permits need at least a rough-in/framing and a final. The insulation inspection is skipped when a HERS rater is used for performance compliance. Before the final, the house must pass its plumbing, electrical, and HVAC finals, and the site work must pass a Planning inspection.

A building permit expires 180 days after it’s issued or after the last inspection, so show progress at least every 180 days. A certificate of occupancy is issued only after the final passes, and nobody may move in before then. A change of use, such as business to mercantile, also needs a certificate of occupancy even with no construction. A change of owner or tenant alone does not.

State inspections

Some trades are inspected by the state, not the city:

Trade	Inspector	Contact
Plumbing	Kentucky Division of Plumbing, through the Madison County Health Department	216 Boggs Lane; DHBC lists (859) 623-5988, office hours Tue–Fri 8–9:30 a.m. The city FAQ lists the local plumbing inspector at (859) 302-4135
Manufactured housing	State inspector	(606) 359-4656
Elevators and boilers	State inspectors	Listed on the DHBC Madison County sheet