Administrative overview · FIPS 21007
Ballard County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Ballard County / Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction Building Inspection
For a project in or near Ballard County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
270-223-8699
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Ballard County Courthouse, 132 North 4th Street, Wickliffe, KY 42087; state/local inspector Michael Sullivan serves Ballard County.
Operating hours
N/A for building inspection; plumbing office hours are Tuesday, 12:30-1:30 p.m. CST.
Review expectation
N/A. No published building-plan review timeline was found.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Ballard County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Ballard County / Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction Building Inspection is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 270-223-8699.
How long might review take?
N/A. No published building-plan review timeline was found.
How are inspections scheduled?
Contact state/local building inspector Michael Sullivan at 270-223-8699 or michaell.sullivan@ky.gov. State electrical inspector Tony Mercer is 270-601-1698; HVAC inspector Andy Suiter is 270-356-6319. Plumbing inspector Robert ‘Lynn’ Bundy is 270-210-6293; plumbing office hours are Tuesday 12:30-1:30 p.m. CST at Ballard County Health Department, 198 Bluegrass Drive, La Center, KY 42056, 270-665-5432.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The official Kentucky inspector sheet identifies Michael Sullivan as Ballard County’s state and local building inspector. The statewide framework is the 2018 Kentucky Building Code and 2018 Kentucky Residential Code, based on the 2015 IBC/IRC with Kentucky amendments. No newer 2026 code adoption was verified. No Ballard County-specific minor-work exemption list was published. Applicable Kentucky code exemptions generally include qualifying small detached sheds/playhouses, fences up to 7 feet, retaining walls up to 4 feet, sidewalks/driveways, ordinary finish work, qualifying awnings and decks, and certain minor electrical, mechanical, gas, or plumbing work; confirm with Michael Sullivan before relying on an exemption.