Bath County, Kentucky Building Permit Guide

Bath County has no countywide building inspection program. The state’s contact sheet for the county, updated June 12, 2026, lists a local building inspector for the City of Owingsville only. In the rest of the county, including Salt Lick and Sharpsburg, apartment buildings and commercial and other non-residential buildings go to the state’s Division of Building Code Enforcement (502-573-0373) for plan review before work starts, and the published sources show no local building permit for houses; a new house still needs its HVAC, plumbing and electrical permits.

What requires a building permit in Bath County?

Which rule applies depends on where the land is. Inside Owingsville, the city’s local building inspector handles building permits. Outside it, the state’s rule for places without a local program takes over: every construction project except a dwelling covered by the Kentucky Residential Code (a one- or two-family home or a townhouse) must be submitted to the Division of Building Code Enforcement and approved before construction begins.

The state is explicit about houses where no single-family inspection program exists: the builder must still meet the Kentucky Residential Code, but there are no building inspections, only the mechanical inspections by the state HVAC division and the electrical inspection by the local county electrical inspector.

What the county decides and what the state holds

Local decisions in Bath County are narrow: Owingsville’s building inspection, the local electrical inspection arranged through the County Judge/Executive’s office or a city office, the county’s floodplain program (Bath County takes part in the federal flood program and earns a Community Rating System discount), and septic permits through the county health department. The state holds plan review and inspection for commercial and apartment buildings and other buildings outside the residential code, outside Owingsville, all HVAC and plumbing permits, manufactured home installations, modular building approvals and trade licensing.

Bath County building department: who handles permitting

The state contact sheet for Bath County lists the Owingsville-only local building inspector; a state building inspector; a state inspector who handles RV inspections only; the state manufactured housing, electrical, elevator, HVAC, plumbing and boiler inspectors; and, for local electrical inspection, the instruction to contact the County Judge/Executive’s office or the city office where the work is done.

Cities in Bath County

Bath County permit types

Outside Owingsville most building filings go to the state through its online portal, which asks applicants to settle first whether a project is under local, expanded or state jurisdiction and offers a plan submission application guide.

Residential permits

A house outside Owingsville (one- or two-family, or a townhouse) has no local building permit in the published sources and no state building review, so its permits are the trade permits. The HVAC permit comes from the state and can be bought only by a licensed or authorized person. The plumbing permit comes from the state; a homeowner may take one for a home they live in or are building for their own residence, filed before work starts with an affidavit and done personally, and only one homeowner new-home permit is issued to a person in five years. The electrical permit and inspection come from the local electrical inspector, reached through the County Judge/Executive’s office. A manufactured home goes through the state’s manufactured housing section, and the state sheet lists a dedicated manufactured housing inspector for the county.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit expediting, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Commercial buildings, apartment buildings of three or more units and other buildings outside the residential code are, outside Owingsville, submitted to the Division of Building Code Enforcement for review and approval before construction. For a project under state jurisdiction where no local building official serves, the state’s affidavit of assurances, confirming that every contractor and subcontractor carries workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance, goes with the filing. Commercial plumbing plans are reviewed by the state’s plumbing division, which approves plans for buildings serving the public.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit applications through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the building permit

• Septic. A health department evaluation and permit at 68 Oberline Street wherever there is no sewer. The Gateway District’s site evaluation application (state form DFS-319) asks for the number of bedrooms, whether there will be a basement or garbage disposal, and for a business the daily waste flow; it must come with a location map, a site drawing showing property lines, existing buildings, wells, ponds, streams, easements, roads and drives, and the proposed house and system locations. Backhoe pits may be required for the evaluation, and the construction permit needs its own application and fee after the site passes. The district posts a list of its certified septic installers.
• Floodplain. Bath County participates in the federal flood program on a map that took effect February 28, 2025; a mapped lot needs local floodplain review.
• State highway access. A Kentucky Transportation Cabinet permit for any entrance or work in a state road right-of-way; Bath County is in Highway District 9, whose permit supervisor works from Flemingsburg (606-845-2551).
• Inside Owingsville. The city’s local building inspector before the building permit.

Bath County permit costs and fees

With no county building permit outside Owingsville, the costs on a rural house are the state trade permits and the septic permit. The state’s published plumbing fees are:

Example. A house with 10 plumbing openings: $50 + (10 × $14) = $190 for the state plumbing permit. The HVAC permit is priced in the state portal and the electrical permit by the local electrical inspector. Owingsville’s building permit fees are set by the city.

Trade permits and who may pull them

• Electrical. The state portal does not issue private-property electrical permits; it sends applicants to the County Judge/Executive’s office, and the Bath County sheet adds the city office for work inside a city.
• HVAC. A state permit for all new construction since January 1, 2011, available only to licensed or authorized applicants; the state HVAC inspector does the inspection.
• Plumbing. A state permit, held by a licensed master plumber or by a homeowner for their own residence. The state plumbing inspector’s office hour is Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern at the health department (606-674-2731).
• Farmstead exemption. The state plumbing rules offer a farmstead exemption for a farm dwelling and farm buildings on 10 acres or more outside a city’s corporate limits, on land in bona fide agricultural use.

How to get permits in Bath County

Review, corrections and what causes delay

A commercial, apartment or other non-residential project outside Owingsville cannot start until the state approves its plans, so state review time sets the schedule. Filing with the wrong office is the next most common setback: a project in Owingsville belongs to the city’s inspector, one elsewhere to the state. For a house, the trade permits are the only permits, so each should be issued before that trade starts work.

Inspections in Bath County

Outside Owingsville, buildings under state review are inspected by the state building inspector assigned to the county. A house there (one- or two-family, or a townhouse) receives no building inspection; its mechanical systems are inspected by the state HVAC division and its wiring by the local county electrical inspector, while the state plumbing inspector checks plumbing on a permitted job. Owingsville’s local inspector inspects work inside the city. Recreational vehicles have their own state inspector, and elevators and boilers in commercial buildings their own state inspectors.

Kentucky building code in Bath County

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Bath County as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, on a current flood map effective February 28, 2025, with a Community Rating System class 8 rating that gives flood insurance policyholders a 10% discount.

Kentucky has one mandatory statewide building code that local governments may not add to. Cities and counties enforce it and run zoning. The state reviews plans for larger and higher-risk buildings, and the local program reviews smaller ones. Kentucky rules

Permit search and official resources

State building, HVAC and plumbing filings for Bath County projects are made through the state’s online portal; the state building codes office (502-573-0373) answers jurisdiction questions. Owingsville permit records are kept by the city.

• State contact sheet for Bath County inspectors (June 12, 2026)
• State building codes: rules where there is no local program
• State Division of Building Code Enforcement
• State online permit portal (SmartGov)
• State affidavit of assurances (workers’ compensation)
• State plumbing permits and fees
• State plumbing FAQ: homeowner permits and farmstead exemption
• State HVAC permits
• Gateway District Health Department offices
• Gateway District septic systems page
• Septic site evaluation application (DFS-319)
• Gateway District certified installers (2024)
• Kentucky Transportation Cabinet permits
• Transportation Cabinet district permit contacts
• FEMA Community Status Book, Kentucky

Bath County permit FAQs

Does Bath County issue building permits?

The state contact sheet lists a local building inspector for the City of Owingsville only; the rest of the county has no local building inspection program.

Do I need a building permit for a house outside Owingsville?

The published sources show no local building permit for houses there. The house must still meet the residential code and needs HVAC, electrical and plumbing permits.

Who reviews a commercial building in Bath County?

Outside Owingsville, the state’s Division of Building Code Enforcement, before construction starts; 502-573-0373.

Where do I get an electrical permit?

Through the County Judge/Executive’s office, or the city office for work inside a city.

How much is a plumbing permit?

$50 plus $14 per opening for a one- or two-family home, paid to the state.

Who handles septic systems?

The Bath County Health Department, part of the Gateway District, 68 Oberline Street, Owingsville; 606-674-2731, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The septic site evaluation and the construction permit are separate applications, each with its own fee.

Is flood insurance available in Bath County?

Yes. The county participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and its CRS class 8 rating gives a 10% discount.

Simplify Bath County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Kentucky. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Bath County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.