STATE LICENSE
NoneSee what applies
No Kentucky Revised Statutes chapter licenses general or residential contractors. The Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC) adopts the Uniform State Building Code, and local governments enforce it — they examine plans, issue building permits and other licenses within their area of responsibility, and inspect (KRS 198B.060). For single-family residences, permits and inspections are mandatory only where the local government has passed an ordinance requiring them.
What applies statewide: every permit requires an affidavit that all contractors and subcontractors comply with workers' compensation and unemployment insurance law (KRS 198B.060(10)); electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work must be done by HBC licensees; and on any job paid from property insurance proceeds, the 2025 and 2026 amendments to KRS 367.620–.628 impose cancellation notices, a no-advance-payment rule, and a ban on covering deductibles.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Kentucky has no state license for this trade. HBC adopts the Uniform State Building Code (Kentucky Building Code and Kentucky Residential Code), and each local government enforces it, issuing building permits, licenses, and certificates within its area (KRS 198B.060(2)(b)). Permits for single-family homes are mandatory only where a local ordinance requires them (KRS 198B.060(1)), and every permit requires a workers' comp and unemployment insurance affidavit (KRS 198B.060(10)).
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Kentucky county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Under KRS 198B.060(1), permits, inspections, and certificates of occupancy are not mandatory for single-family residences unless the local government passes an ordinance requiring them.
Any electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work inside your job must be performed by HBC-licensed electricians, plumbers, or HVAC contractors.
Since July 15, 2026, the Attorney General may require roofing, siding, water-mitigation, and tree contractors working in a declared emergency area to register before working there (KRS 367.379).
A practical sequence for a new general contracting contractor in Kentucky. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
A building permit issues only on an affidavit that every contractor and subcontractor on the job complies with Kentucky workers' compensation and unemployment insurance law; a person who fails to honor that assurance is fined, enforced by the county attorney.
Violating the Uniform State Building Code, the residential code, or an order issued under it is a daily offense; anyone damaged by a code violation may also sue for damages and litigation costs.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Fayette County Lexington (consolidated gov.) | Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government — Division of Building Inspection ↗ | Lexington-Fayette Permitting Portal (One-Stop Shop) ↗ |
| Jefferson County Louisville (consolidated gov.) | Louisville Metro Government — Construction Review (Department of Codes and Regulations) ↗ | Louisville Metro Business Portal (Accela Citizen Access) ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Which Kentucky cities and counties (reportedly including Louisville Metro and Lexington-Fayette) require their own contractor license or registration, and on what terms — no official local source was retrieved · Which local governments have adopted an ordinance requiring permits and inspections for single-family residences under KRS 198B.060(1) · Local building permit fees and any local occupational license tax (set by each city or county)
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.