Administrative overview · FIPS 21017
Bourbon 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
Bourbon County Joint Planning Commission / Bourbon County Planning Administrator and Building Inspector
For a project in or near Bourbon 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
859-987-2150
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Bourbon County Joint Planning, 525 High Street, Suite 126, Paris, KY 40361
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
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 Bourbon County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Bourbon County Joint Planning Commission / Bourbon County Planning Administrator and Building Inspector 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 859-987-2150.
How long might review take?
N/A. No published building-plan review timeline was found.
How are inspections scheduled?
Contact Michelle Thornsburg, Planning Administrator/Building Inspector Level II, at 859-987-2150 or mthornsburg@paris.ky.gov. The official state inspector sheet identifies her as the local building inspector for both the City of Paris and Bourbon County. Electrical inspection arrangements are made through the county judge executive’s office or the city office where work occurs; plumbing office hours are Friday 8:00-9:30 a.m. at the Bourbon County Health Department, 341 East Main Street, Paris, KY 40361, 859-298-8721.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The local inspector administers the Kentucky Building Code and Kentucky Residential Code through the county/local building inspection program. 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. No county-specific minor-work exemption list was published on the verified pages. 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 minor electrical, mechanical, gas, or plumbing work; confirm applicability with the local inspector. Agricultural and other exemptions may also depend on the applicable Kentucky statutes and regulations.