Administrative overview · FIPS 21033
Caldwell 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
State Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked State Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Caldwell County state building inspection
For a project in or near Caldwell 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
270-889-7066
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Caldwell County Courthouse, 100 East Market Street, Room 27, Princeton, KY 42445; plumbing inspection office: Caldwell County Health Department, 600 South Jefferson, Princeton, KY 42445.
Operating hours
Caldwell County offices generally Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; plumbing inspector office hours Wednesday 8:00-9:00 a.m. CST.
Review expectation
N/A. No published state or county plan-review turnaround time 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 Caldwell County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked State Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel 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 270-889-7066.
How long might review take?
N/A. No published state or county plan-review turnaround time was found.
How are inspections scheduled?
For commercial building inspection and plan review contact state building inspector Spence Sowell at 270-889-7066 or spence.sowell@ky.gov. State manufactured-housing inspector Jackie Story is 270-226-5693; state electrical inspector Tony Mercer is 270-601-1698; HVAC inspector Javan McGregor is 270-350-8210; elevator inspector Jacob Menser is 270-226-4742. Plumbing inspector Jerry Dorris is 270-577-5350, with office hours Wednesday 8:00-9:00 a.m. CST at the Caldwell County Health Department, 600 South Jefferson, Princeton, 270-365-6571. Local electrical contacts are the County Judge Executive or the city office where the work occurs; listed local inspectors are Alfred B. Cossey at 270-350-6773 and Mathus D. Conrad at 270-821-1363.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The Kentucky DHBC assignment identifies a state building inspector for Caldwell County and no local building inspector. Under Kentucky’s jurisdiction framework, commercial projects not assigned to a local program are submitted to DHBC; the applicable codes are 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. Single-family dwellings do not require permits, inspections, or certificates of occupancy in jurisdictions without a local single-family inspection program unless a local ordinance requires them. All other covered construction is subject to the applicable state or local inspection jurisdiction. Caldwell County’s official FAQ states there are no county zoning restrictions.