Administrative overview · FIPS 21067
Fayette 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
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Building Inspection / Division of Planning
For a project in or near Fayette 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
859-258-3770
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Building Inspection, 101 East Vine Street, Lexington, KY 40507; Fayette County Health Department, 1051 Whipple Court, Lexington, KY 40511.
Operating hours
Building Inspection and Planning: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Fayette County plumbing inspection office: Monday-Friday, 8:00-9:30 a.m. EST.
Review expectation
N/A. No published Lexington-Fayette 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 Fayette County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Building Inspection / Division of Planning 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 859-258-3770.
How long might review take?
N/A. No published Lexington-Fayette plan-review turnaround time was found.
How are inspections scheduled?
Contact Lexington-Fayette Building Inspection at 859-258-3770 or buildinginspection@lexingtonky.gov for permit and inspection questions. Applications and contractor registration are handled through the Accela Citizen Portal. State building inspector Justin Kimes is 859-285-1357 or justin.kimes@ky.gov; local electrical inspections are handled by Commonwealth Inspection Bureau at 859-263-7800; state electrical inspector David Landreth is 270-804-8111; state elevator contacts include Chris Sutherland at 502-352-0460, John Pennington at 502-226-0124, Jack Hancock at 502-330-3885, and Robert Moore at 859-382-7489. State HVAC inspector Joey Pratt is 606-671-7130. Plumbing inspectors Jimmy Isaacs, Nick McComber, and Doug King are 859-595-1696, 859-537-7469, and 859-583-0854, with office hours Monday-Friday 8:00-9:30 a.m. EST at Fayette County Health Department, 1051 Whipple Court, Lexington, 859-899-5244.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Lexington-Fayette currently lists the 2018 Kentucky Building Code based on the 2015 IBC, 2018 Kentucky Residential Code based on the 2015 IRC with Kentucky amendments, 2015 International Existing Building and Mechanical Codes, 2012 NFPA 54, 2012 commercial and 2009 residential energy codes, Kentucky plumbing law/code, state boiler regulations, and the 2023 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code. No newer 2026 KBC or KRC adoption was verified. A building permit is required before erecting, moving, adding to, or structurally altering a building or structure. The zoning ordinance does not require a zoning-compliance permit for agricultural uses or single-family/two-family residences, but those uses remain subject to the zoning ordinance and are not exempt from building-permit requirements. Confirm ordinary maintenance and minor cosmetic work with Building Inspection; electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and demolition permits may be separately required.