Administrative overview · FIPS 21185
Oldham 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
Oldham County Fiscal Court, Planning & Development Services, Buildings & Inspections Division
For a project in or near Oldham 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
Chief Building Inspector Matthew Dunaway: 502-222-3967, cell 502-381-8950; Planning & Development Director Ryan Fischer: 502-222-1476; Oldham County Health Department: 502-222-3516; permits email: PermitsInspections@OldhamCountyKY.gov
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Oldham County Buildings & Inspections / Planning & Development Services, Fiscal Court Building, 100 West Jefferson Street, La Grange, KY 40031
Operating hours
Buildings & Inspections: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Planning & Development Services: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Review expectation
For complete construction plans and stormwater/erosion-control submissions, the Oldham County Engineer generally strives to review and return plans within four weeks; actual time varies with project complexity, completeness, code compliance, and queue. No separate guaranteed building-permit review time was published.
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 Oldham County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Oldham County Fiscal Court, Planning & Development Services, Buildings & Inspections Division 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 Chief Building Inspector Matthew Dunaway: 502-222-3967, cell 502-381-8950; Planning & Development Director Ryan Fischer: 502-222-1476; Oldham County Health Department: 502-222-3516; permits email: PermitsInspections@OldhamCountyKY.gov.
How long might review take?
For complete construction plans and stormwater/erosion-control submissions, the Oldham County Engineer generally strives to review and return plans within four weeks; actual time varies with project complexity, completeness, code compliance, and queue. No separate guaranteed building-permit review time was published.
How are inspections scheduled?
Submit building and electrical applications electronically to PermitsInspections@OldhamCountyKY.gov; residential swimming-pool applications must be submitted in person. The commercial application requires rough structural/mechanical, rough electrical, temporary-on-main when applicable, final structural, and final electrical inspections before occupancy. The permit fee includes three inspections; additional failed/re-inspection trips are $50 each. Plumbing, septic, and HVAC permits are not issued by county Planning & Development: plumbing and HVAC use the Kentucky DHBC SmartGov portal, while septic is handled by Oldham County Health Department Environmental Services. Call Matthew Dunaway at 502-222-3967 for building inspection scheduling.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Oldham County Planning & Development Services is the local enforcement agency for the Kentucky State Building Code; building inspections are performed by state-certified inspectors and electrical inspections by state-certified electrical inspectors. Kentucky's current adopted codes are the 2018 Kentucky Building Code and 2018 Kentucky Residential Code, based on the 2015 International Building Code and 2015 International Residential Code with Kentucky amendments. State DHBC jurisdiction may apply under KBC 104.2 based on project type, size, or occupancy. The county fee schedule states that an accessory building smaller than 120 square feet requires no building permit, although zoning regulations still apply. A deck or balcony built with the house has no separate fee. Other work may still require zoning, electrical, stormwater, septic, floodplain, or state approvals; confirm exemptions with the Building & Inspections Division before starting.