Administrative overview · FIPS 21167
Mercer 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
Mercer County Building Inspector / Mercer County Joint Planning & Zoning Commission
For a project in or near Mercer 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
859-734-3375 ext. 102 (Building Inspector David Coleman); Planning and Zoning: 859-734-6066 or 859-734-3375; electrical: 859-324-3285; plumbing: 859-734-7360 or 859-582-7273; HVAC: 270-283-1042; septic evaluations: Mercer County Health Department 859-734-4522 ext. 135
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Mercer County Building Inspector, 109 Short Street (back of City Hall), Harrodsburg, KY 40330
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00-4:30 p.m.; permits and plan reviews are normally handled in the mornings and field inspections in the afternoons.
Review expectation
N/A. The county says permits and plan reviews are normally handled in the morning but does not publish a guaranteed review timeline.
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 Mercer County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Mercer County Building Inspector / Mercer County Joint Planning & Zoning Commission 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 859-734-3375 ext. 102 (Building Inspector David Coleman); Planning and Zoning: 859-734-6066 or 859-734-3375; electrical: 859-324-3285; plumbing: 859-734-7360 or 859-582-7273; HVAC: 270-283-1042; septic evaluations: Mercer County Health Department 859-734-4522 ext. 135.
How long might review take?
N/A. The county says permits and plan reviews are normally handled in the morning but does not publish a guaranteed review timeline.
How are inspections scheduled?
Call the building inspector's office with the owner's name, project site, permit number, and requested inspection, allowing lead time. Required building inspections are footer, foundation, framing, insulation, and final; framing must occur after rough-ins and before drywall, and final follows plumbing, electrical, and septic completion. Zoning preliminary and final inspections do not require an appointment. Plumbing inspections are scheduled Tuesdays with Mark Long at 859-734-7360 or 859-582-7273; electrical, HVAC, and septic contacts are listed by the county.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Kentucky's 2018 State Building Code (including the Kentucky Building Code/Residential Code framework and Kentucky amendments) is the current code vintage identified by the county's official farmstead affidavit. The county building inspector handles local review; floodplain permits may additionally require Kentucky Division of Water approval. No newer county-specific 2026 code adoption was verified. Concrete patios, driveways, and fences under 6 feet are listed as exempt from the county building permit requirement. Agricultural structures in agriculturally zoned districts on tracts over 10 acres may use the farmstead exemption if the tract is qualified agricultural/horticultural land, outside municipal limits, and the structure is incidental to farm operation; the principal dwelling and excluded commercial/public or larger-workplace uses do not qualify. Zoning approval is still required regardless of state or local building-code review.