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
Union County Planning Commission: (270) 389-2093; State Building Inspector Travis Albin: (270) 662-9038; Electrical Inspector John Jenkin: (270) 952-2301
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
This record is marked State Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact Union County Planning Commission: (270) 389-2093; State Building Inspector Travis Albin: (270) 662-9038; Electrical Inspector John Jenkin: (270) 952-2301 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
N/A. No county or state review timeline was published on the official permit pages.
Union County's official page says building inspection permits and scheduling are obtained by contacting the building inspector; commercial, multifamily, and change-of-occupancy applications go to Kentucky DHBC. The current DHBC county listing identifies State Building Inspector Travis Albin at (270) 662-9038. Electrical permits and inspections are arranged with John Jenkin at (270) 952-2301; homeowners may obtain electrical permits for work at their current residence, and contractors must hold or employ a Master Electrician.
2018 Kentucky Building Code (KBC) for commercial and other state-reviewed work; 2018 Kentucky Residential Code (KRC) for single-family dwellings, with applicable Kentucky electrical and referenced standards. The official county page states that building-code permits are required for new construction and alteration of multifamily dwellings, commercial buildings, and changes of occupancy, while single-family dwellings are handled locally rather than submitted to DHBC. No broader county list of minor or cosmetic exemptions was published; electrical permits are required for all electrical work, subject to the county's homeowner and licensed-contractor rules.
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.