Administrative overview · FIPS 21205
Rowan 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
Rowan County Building Inspection Program
For a project in or near Rowan 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
Rowan County Building Inspector Justin Caudill: 606-548-1148; Rowan County Fiscal Court: 606-784-6345; Rowan County Health Department: 606-784-4376; plumbing inspector Chris Ferguson: 606-362-3495; electrical state inspector James Burt: 502-330-3513; HVAC Charles Caldwell: 606-305-3409
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Rowan County Services Building, 200 American Legion Way, Morehead, KY 40351; county administrative mailing address: 600 West Main Street, Morehead, KY 40351; Rowan County Health Department, 105 East Main Street, Morehead, KY 40351
Operating hours
Rowan County Building Inspection Program: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday. Rowan County Health Department trade-inspection hours listed by DHBC are Tuesday and Friday 8:00-9:30 a.m. EST.
Review expectation
N/A. The county states that applications are reviewed and applicants are then notified of permit status and fees; no fixed review timeline 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 Rowan County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Rowan County Building Inspection Program 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 Rowan County Building Inspector Justin Caudill: 606-548-1148; Rowan County Fiscal Court: 606-784-6345; Rowan County Health Department: 606-784-4376; plumbing inspector Chris Ferguson: 606-362-3495; electrical state inspector James Burt: 502-330-3513; HVAC Charles Caldwell: 606-305-3409.
How long might review take?
N/A. The county states that applications are reviewed and applicants are then notified of permit status and fees; no fixed review timeline was published.
How are inspections scheduled?
Obtain and complete the Rowan County Building Permit Application, submit it with the required documentation to the Building Inspection Program, and contact Justin Caudill at 606-548-1148 to schedule required inspections. After a satisfactory final inspection, the county issues a Certificate of Occupancy. For floodplain permitting, contact Solid Waste and Floodplain Coordinator Tyler Brown at 606-784-6345. Electrical permits are required for new-home construction, service upgrades, mobile homes, and commercial buildings; state electrical contact James Burt is 502-330-3513. Plumbing: Chris Ferguson, 606-362-3495, Tuesday and Friday 8:00-9:30 a.m. at the Health Department. HVAC: Charles Caldwell, 606-305-3409. Manufactured housing: Tracee Brewer, 606-359-4656. Elevator: Dan Stifle, 606-748-9337. Boiler: Scott Shepherd, 502-382-0545.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Kentucky's 2018 Kentucky Building Code and 2018 Kentucky Residential Code, based on the 2015 IBC/IRC with Kentucky amendments, with applicable Kentucky electrical, plumbing, HVAC, manufactured-housing, elevator, boiler, and fire-safety requirements. Rowan County's building program states that it oversees safe and adequate construction throughout the county; the current DHBC roster also lists state and trade inspectors. No current Rowan County-specific minor or cosmetic exemption list was published. Applicants must use the county application and required documentation process, and the inspector advises which inspections are required. Confirm any repair, agricultural, accessory-structure, or other proposed exemption with the county inspector before work begins.