Fees, valuation & enforcement
Permit fees are a project input. Enforcement exposure is a project risk. Use the official schedule where available, then confirm valuation, trade permits, plan review, and inspection charges with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
Official fee pathway
The final charge may depend on declared construction value, occupancy classification, square footage, plan review, state surcharges, trade permits, technology fees, and inspection activity. Do not use a neighboring city’s fee table as a substitute for this jurisdiction.
Fee desk contact
Pulaski County Judge/Executive's Office: 606-678-4853; County Commercial Building Inspector Wes Finley: 606-416-4182; State Building Inspector Dillon Fields: 606-312-9428; Pulaski County Health Department: 606-679-4416; State Electrical Inspector Anisa Ross: 606-278-4383; HVAC Mark Clemons: 606-875-6011
Ask the counter to confirm current charges before submitting a project with multiple trades or a change of use.
Financial exposure
Plan for building, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, energy, zoning, septic, right-of-way, or other reviews that the project scope triggers. The lowest initial permit fee is not always the lowest project cost.
Enforcement exposure
When work begins without authorization, the agency may halt the site, require corrective plans, impose additional fees, withhold inspection release, or require concealed work to be exposed for review.
Closeout exposure
A missing final inspection or certificate can complicate occupancy, refinancing, sale, insurance, and utility connection. Preserve the approved plans and signed inspection record through closeout.
Professional field note
Even when a cosmetic or minor project does not require a building permit, zoning, floodplain, shoreline, historic, utility, fire, or right-of-way controls may still apply. Confirm the full jurisdictional picture before work starts.
Source trail
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
Pulaski County Fiscal Court; County Commercial Building Inspector Wes Finley is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact Pulaski County Judge/Executive's Office: 606-678-4853; County Commercial Building Inspector Wes Finley: 606-416-4182; State Building Inspector Dillon Fields: 606-312-9428; Pulaski County Health Department: 606-679-4416; State Electrical Inspector Anisa Ross: 606-278-4383; HVAC Mark Clemons: 606-875-6011.
N/A. No Pulaski County or DHBC commercial plan-review timeline was published.
For commercial projects in the county, contact County Commercial Building Inspector Wes Finley at 606-416-4182. Local electrical inspectors are Jackie Spears, Michael Ledger, Larry Strunk, and Ron Ebling; the county page directs applicants to the county judge executive's office or the city office where work occurs. State Building Inspector Dillon Fields is 606-312-9428. Plumbing: Joe Mike Wiese, 606-219-1841, Pulaski County Health Department Tuesday-Friday 8:00-9:30 a.m. HVAC: Mark Clemons, 606-875-6011. Manufactured housing: Mark Pruitt, 606-224-7464. Elevator: Benjamin Pennington, 502-234-8725. Boiler: David Miller, 606-594-8146. The county states that it does not issue certificates of occupancy.
Applicable Kentucky 2018 Kentucky Building Code and 2018 Kentucky Residential Code, based on the 2015 IBC/IRC with Kentucky amendments, plus applicable state electrical, plumbing, HVAC, manufactured-housing, elevator, boiler, and fire-safety requirements. Pulaski County states that commercial construction requires a permit and directs applicants to the county commercial inspector or state building codes; residential construction in the unincorporated county does not require a county building permit. Pulaski County's official government page states that building permits are not required for residential construction in the county, while commercial construction requires a permit. It also states that Pulaski County currently has no zoning laws. Work inside a municipality, including Somerset or Burnside, may be subject to that municipality's separate permit and zoning rules; verify the exact jurisdiction before beginning.
Why permit costs vary
Building departments commonly calculate charges from valuation, occupancy, floor area, project type, plan review effort, trade scope, state surcharges, and inspection activity. A remodel that appears small on paper may still trigger structural, energy, fire, or utility review. Ask the permit counter which disciplines apply before you finalize the construction budget.
The same discipline applies to enforcement. Correcting unpermitted work after finishes are installed can require demolition, revised plans, additional inspections, and schedule disruption. Authorization is usually the less expensive project-management decision.