Administrative overview · FIPS 21145
McCracken 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
McCracken County Building and Electrical Inspection Department / McCracken County Fiscal Court; City of Paducah municipal building authority within Paducah
For a project in or near McCracken 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
McCracken County Chief Inspector Eric Tynes: 270-444-4724; McCracken County Inspection Department: 270-444-4724; McCracken County Fiscal Court: 270-444-4769; Planning and Community Development: 270-448-0125; City of Paducah Fire Prevention/building plan review: 270-444-8527.
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
McCracken County Inspection Department, 3700 Coleman Road, Paducah, KY 42001; McCracken County Fiscal Court, 300 Clarence Gaines Street, Paducah, KY 42003; City of Paducah Planning Department, 300 South 5th Street, Paducah, KY 42003.
Operating hours
McCracken County Inspection Department: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. County courthouse: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. McCracken Planning and Zoning: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Review expectation
N/A. The county publishes the Cloudpermit workflow but no general building-permit review timeline. County planning development-plan applications are generally heard within 60 days after receipt of a completed application.
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 McCracken County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
McCracken County Building and Electrical Inspection Department / McCracken County Fiscal Court; City of Paducah municipal building authority within Paducah 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 McCracken County Chief Inspector Eric Tynes: 270-444-4724; McCracken County Inspection Department: 270-444-4724; McCracken County Fiscal Court: 270-444-4769; Planning and Community Development: 270-448-0125; City of Paducah Fire Prevention/building plan review: 270-444-8527..
How long might review take?
N/A. The county publishes the Cloudpermit workflow but no general building-permit review timeline. County planning development-plan applications are generally heard within 60 days after receipt of a completed application.
How are inspections scheduled?
Apply and request inspections through Cloudpermit; the county says the system supports permit applications, tracking, payments and inspection requests. County inspection questions go to Eric Tynes at 270-444-4724 or jtynes@mccrackencountyky.gov. The county's site links instructions for submitting applications and requesting inspections. Within Paducah, use the City's Online Services Portal and coordinate building plan review with the Fire Prevention Division at 270-444-8527. McCracken County Health Department trade inspections are at 916 Kentucky Avenue, Paducah; plumbing office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:00-9:00 a.m. CST, phone 270-444-9631 ext. 157.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
McCracken County Code of Ordinances Title VII, Chapter 70 establishes the building-code program and applies it to all buildings, including single-family dwellings, under the adopted codes; the county's current online code is marked 2025 S-8. The program operates under Kentucky's 2018 Kentucky Building Code and 2018 Kentucky Residential Code with Kentucky amendments. The City of Paducah is a separate local building authority within city limits. No newer 2026 KBC or KRC adoption was verified. The county code provides a full inspection program for buildings, including single-family dwellings; residential accessory storage buildings still require a permit but are subject to permit-only treatment. No broad cosmetic exemption list was published. Separate stormwater-management exemptions include subdivisions with no new streets and no more than five lots, residential subdivisions/PUDs with minimum lot size over two acres, and certain nonresidential development under 10,000 square feet of impervious surface without concentrated flow affecting adjacent property; these do not waive building, zoning, electrical, or other permits.