Administrative overview · FIPS 21015
Boone 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
Boone County Building Department
For a project in or near Boone 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
859-334-2218
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Boone County Building Department, 2950 Washington Street, Room 312, Burlington, KY 41005
Operating hours
N/A. The official Building Department materials publish the office address and phone but not public counter hours.
Review expectation
Zoning permit: approval or denial within seven days under the official zoning-permit instructions. No general building-plan review deadline was published; construction-related review timing depends on project scope and required inspections.
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 Boone County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Boone County Building Department 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 859-334-2218.
How long might review take?
Zoning permit: approval or denial within seven days under the official zoning-permit instructions. No general building-plan review deadline was published; construction-related review timing depends on project scope and required inspections.
How are inspections scheduled?
Contact the Boone County Building Department at 859-334-2218 or buildinginspector@boonecountyky.org. The official zoning form requires a zoning permit before a building permit; the Zoning Administrator has seven days to approve or deny a zoning application. The FY2026 fee schedule includes rough/final, re-inspection, electrical, HVAC, and other inspection fees. Farm-exempt projects receive no county building inspections under the affidavit.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Boone County adopts the Kentucky Building Code, consisting of the International Building Code with Kentucky Supplement, and the Kentucky Residential Code, consisting of the International Residential Code with Kentucky Supplement. Kentucky's current 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. A qualifying farm exemption is available for agricultural or horticultural land registered with the PVA, on one lot or contiguous lots of at least 10 acres, outside municipal limits, with construction incident to a farm operated in good faith. The exemption removes Kentucky Building Code compliance and county building inspections, but the official affidavit still requires appropriate zoning, electrical, sewage, encroachment, HVAC, and other permits. Standard Kentucky code exemptions include qualifying small detached sheds/playhouses, fences up to 7 feet, retaining walls up to 4 feet, sidewalks/driveways, painting and similar finish work, qualifying awnings and decks, minor electrical work, and certain mechanical/gas/plumbing repairs.