Administrative overview · FIPS 21139
Livingston 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
Livingston County Building Inspection / Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction
For a project in or near Livingston 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
Local Building Inspector Pat Rhodes: 270-339-4188; State Building Inspector Spence Sowell: 270-889-7066; Livingston County Fiscal Court: 270-928-2105; Livingston County Health Department: 270-928-2193; DHBC plan-review questions: 502-573-0373.
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Livingston County Fiscal Court, 321 Court Street, Smithland, KY 42081; Livingston County Health Department, 124 State Street, Smithland, KY 42081; DHBC, 500 Mero Street, Frankfort, KY 40601.
Operating hours
Livingston County courthouse and offices: Monday-Friday, except holidays, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Plumbing inspection office hours: Friday 8:00-9:00 a.m. CST, at the Livingston County Health Department.
Review expectation
N/A. No current Livingston County or DHBC plan-review turnaround time was published on the verified pages.
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 Livingston County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Livingston County Building Inspection / Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction 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 Local Building Inspector Pat Rhodes: 270-339-4188; State Building Inspector Spence Sowell: 270-889-7066; Livingston County Fiscal Court: 270-928-2105; Livingston County Health Department: 270-928-2193; DHBC plan-review questions: 502-573-0373..
How long might review take?
N/A. No current Livingston County or DHBC plan-review turnaround time was published on the verified pages.
How are inspections scheduled?
For local building inspections, contact Pat Rhodes at 270-339-4188. Commercial construction permit questions go to DHBC/state inspector Spence Sowell at 270-889-7066 or spence.sowell@ky.gov and use the DHBC SmartGov portal. Local electrical questions go to the county judge/executive or city office; state electrical inspector Tony Mercer is 270-601-1698, with local electrical contacts Alfred B. Cossey and Mathus D. Conrad at 270-350-6773 and 270-821-1363. Manufactured housing Jackie Story: 270-226-5693; elevator Jacob Menser: 270-226-4742; HVAC Kevin Purdy: 270-963-3978; plumbing Michael Murt: 270-498-1863, Friday 8:00-9:00 a.m. at the Health Department; boiler Dale Snyder: 270-363-9056.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The current DHBC assignment lists Pat Rhodes as Livingston County's local building inspector and directs commercial construction to DHBC for building permits. The applicable 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 KBC or KRC adoption was verified. No Livingston County-specific minor or cosmetic exemption list was published on the verified county pages. Ordinary maintenance and narrow code exceptions may be exempt, but structural work, commercial construction, manufactured housing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, septic and floodplain work should be confirmed with Pat Rhodes, DHBC or the relevant city office before starting.