Clay County, Kentucky Building Permit Guide

Clay County splits building oversight between a local residential inspector and the state. The Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC) county contact sheet, updated December 31, 2025, lists the local building inspector as “Residential”, with only personal contact details, while the Fiscal Court’s own website lists no building or planning department, ordinance or fee. The Judge/Executive’s office at the Clay County Administration Building, 102 Richmond Road in Manchester (606-598-2071), is the county’s front desk; HBC handles commercial, apartment and other non-residential buildings, plumbing and HVAC, and the Clay County Health Department permits septic systems.

What requires a building permit in Clay County?

The sheet’s “Residential” label shows that a local inspector works on houses in Clay County, but no county ordinance, application or fee schedule is posted, so what a homeowner must file locally is not published. Ask the Judge/Executive’s office before building or adding on to a house whether a county permit is needed, what it covers and what it costs. Everything outside residential work follows the state’s published rules.

What the county decides and what the state holds

The Fiscal Court, the Judge/Executive and six magistrates, governs the unincorporated county, keeps up county roads and bridges and arranges local electrical inspection, and the sheet shows residential building inspection as a local function. It cannot adopt its own building code: whatever it inspects is checked against the Kentucky Residential Code. HBC keeps non-residential plan review, all plumbing and HVAC permits (Clay County is not on HBC’s local HVAC list, updated May 13, 2025), manufactured home installation, elevators, boilers and trade licensing.

Clay County building department: who handles permitting

The Clay County sheet lists the local residential inspector, the state building and manufactured housing inspectors, and the state electrical, elevator, HVAC, plumbing and boiler inspectors for the county. County offices are in the Administration Building at 102 Richmond Road, open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Cities in Clay County

Inside Manchester, ask City Hall (open weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) whether the city requires anything before you build, and arrange sewer and water through Manchester Water Works, the city’s water and wastewater provider, at the same address. The city’s posted ordinances cover council business only, so ask City Hall about any land-use rules.

Clay County permit types and supporting documents

A Clay County project usually means a county conversation for houses, state filings through the SmartGov portal for everything else, and the health department for septic. The portal takes building, HVAC, manufactured housing, plumbing and fire prevention applications once you have chosen whether the job is local, expanded or state jurisdiction.

Residential permits

Ask the Judge/Executive’s office for the residential inspector’s application and fee, since none is posted. The trade permits are set by the state: plumbing permits go to licensed master plumbers or to a homeowner working personally on a home they occupy or are building for their own use, who must apply before starting, sign an affidavit and may receive only one new-home permit in five years; HVAC permits go only to licensed or authorized applicants. A manufactured home is installed under HBC’s manufactured housing section, which has an inspector assigned to the county.

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

Commercial permits

With the local inspector listed for residential work only, plan on HBC review for a commercial building or an apartment building of three or more units: complete construction documents filed through the portal and approved before construction, and inspection by the state building inspector the sheet lists. Commercial plumbing has its own state plan review. Modular buildings need site placement approval with site, foundation and tie-down drawings.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Septic or sewer. Off sewer, a site evaluation and permit at the health department on Shamrock Road; inside Manchester, sewer service through Manchester Water Works.
• Septic help. In October 2026 the Fiscal Court posted the PRIDE Septic Program, which helps low-income owners repair, replace or install a septic system or hook up to sewer; applicants must own the home and land, have the electric service in their name and be at or below 75 percent of the HUD poverty guideline (kypride.org, 606-677-6166).
• Deeds and plats. Recorded with the County Clerk in Suite 101.
• Flood zones. The county takes part in the flood insurance program; ask the Judge/Executive’s office about floodplain review for land near a creek or in a mapped flood zone.
• Road access. A Kentucky Transportation Cabinet permit for any entrance, culvert change or utility line on a state route, from the District 11 office on Railroad Avenue in Manchester; county roads are maintained by the Road Department.

Clay County building-permit costs and fees

Clay County posts no building permit fee schedule and no fiscal court fee order online; ask the Judge/Executive’s office for the residential inspection fee in writing, and the health department (606-598-2425) for septic evaluation and permit fees. The state plumbing fees have been in effect since March 1, 2022:

Worked example. A house addition adding a bathroom and laundry with 5 new openings costs $50 + (5 × $14) = $120 in state plumbing permit fees; a restaurant with 16 openings pays $50 + (16 × $20) = $370. The HVAC permit price appears in the portal at purchase, and state plan review fees apply to the buildings HBC reviews.

Trade permits and who may pull them

• Electrical. HBC’s portal does not sell electrical permits for private property. The Clay County sheet tells applicants to contact the Judge/Executive’s office, or the city office for Manchester jobs, for the local electrical inspector; a state electrical inspector also covers the county.
• Plumbing. A state permit, inspected by the state plumbing inspector, who keeps desk hours at the Clay County Health Department on Thursday mornings from 8:00 to 9:30 Eastern (606-598-2425, ext. 224). Farm dwellings and farm buildings on 10 acres or more outside Manchester’s limits can be exempt under the state farmstead rule if the land is in bona fide agricultural use and registered with the PVA.
• HVAC. Since January 1, 2011 Kentucky has required a state HVAC permit for all new construction; only licensed or authorized people may buy it, and the state HVAC inspector for Clay County inspects.
• Licenses. HBC licenses electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors. There is no state general-contractor license, and the county’s pages show no local contractor license or registration.

How to apply for permits in Clay County

Review, corrections and what causes delay

To raise an issue with the Fiscal Court, which meets on the second Thursday of each month at 3:00 p.m. in the Administration Building, call or stop by the Judge/Executive’s office at least ten days before the meeting to get on the agenda. For state-reviewed buildings, work cannot start until HBC approves the plans, so incomplete drawings are the usual cause of delay; a homeowner plumbing permit taken out after work has started is not allowed.

Clay County building inspections and final approval

A house is inspected by the local residential inspector the sheet lists; ask that inspector for the inspection stages and any final approval. Its wiring is inspected by the local electrical inspector, its plumbing by the state plumbing inspector and its heating and cooling by the state HVAC inspector, and an onsite sewage system is inspected by the health department. Non-residential buildings are inspected by the state building inspector against the plans HBC approved; manufactured homes, elevators and boilers have their own state inspectors.

Kentucky building code in Clay County

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Clay County as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with a current effective flood map dated September 28, 2007, so flood insurance is available and construction in a mapped flood zone is subject to the county’s floodplain rules.

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 permits are tracked in HBC’s SmartGov portal. For county records, ask the Judge/Executive’s office; recorded deeds and plats are at the County Clerk, and property maps and building characteristics at the PVA. In Manchester, open records requests go to the City Clerk, who takes them through a form on the city’s website.

• Clay County Fiscal Court
• Fiscal Court meetings and magistrates
• Judge/Executive’s office contact
• Clay County Road Department
• Clay County Clerk
• Clay County PVA
• Clay County Emergency Management
• PRIDE Septic Program notice
• City of Manchester: City Hall
• Manchester Water Works
• Manchester City Clerk: open records
• State contact sheet for Clay County inspectors (Dec. 31, 2025)
• State building codes: local and state jurisdiction
• State Division of Building Code Enforcement
• State SmartGov permit portal
• State plumbing permits and fees
• State plumbing FAQ: homeowner and farmstead rules
• State HVAC permits
• Kentucky Transportation Cabinet permits
• KYTC district permit offices
• FEMA Community Status Book, Kentucky

Clay County building permit FAQ

Who inspects new houses in Clay County?

The state sheet updated December 31, 2025 lists a local building inspector for residential work; ask the Judge/Executive’s office (606-598-2071) or HBC (502-573-0373) how to reach the inspector.

Who reviews a new store or church?

HBC’s Division of Building Code Enforcement, 502-573-0373, since the local inspector is listed for residential work only.

Where do I get a septic permit?

The Clay County Health Department, 330 Shamrock Road, Manchester; 606-598-2425.

Is there help paying for a septic system?

The PRIDE Septic Program, posted by the Fiscal Court in October 2026, assists low-income owners who meet its income limits.

When is the plumbing inspector available?

Thursdays, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. Eastern, at the health department.

Who handles driveways on state highways?

KYTC District 11, 603 Railroad Avenue, Manchester; 606-598-2145.

Can I do my own plumbing?

Yes, in a home you occupy or are building for yourself, with a state homeowner permit and affidavit obtained first.

How do I bring a road or drainage problem to the Fiscal Court?

Call 606-598-2071 or visit the Judge/Executive’s office at least ten days before the second-Thursday meeting to be placed on the agenda.

Simplify Clay 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 Clay County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.