Jefferson County, Kentucky Building Permit Guide

The state’s Jefferson County jurisdiction sheet lists Louisville Metro, 444 South Fifth St., Louisville 40202, as the local building and HVAC inspector for the county, excluding the City of Jeffersontown. The Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimates put Jefferson County at 795,222, the Louisville/Jefferson County metro government balance at 641,962 and Jeffersontown at 29,193.

Louisville Metro’s Construction Review web pages could not be checked, so its office hours, inspection requests and current fee page are not covered here; call Construction Review directly. The only Metro fee schedule that could be read dates from 2020 and may be out of date.

What requires a permit in Jefferson County?

Any land disturbance over 2,000 square feet needs an MSD Site Disturbance Permit, and MSD’s erosion-control-only permit covers home construction, driveways, decks, patios and pools. Louisville Metro checks its records before issuing a residential building permit and will not issue one while the applicant has unresolved code violations.

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 programme reviews smaller ones. Kentucky rules

Who handles permitting in Jefferson County?

Filing with Louisville Metro

Louisville Metro building permits are filed on the Metro Business Portal (Accela). Building permits are under the Building tab, and contractor and business applications under the Licenses tab.

Jefferson County permit costs and fees

The figures below are from the Louisville Metro schedule under LMCO 150.096, effective January 15, 2020 and revised 9/1/2020. A newer schedule may exist, so confirm with Construction Review.

• New construction and additions: $.105 per square foot for Residential 1 & 2 Family and $.15 for Business or Mercantile, measured on every floor including finished basement areas. No building permit fee is less than $75.
• Alterations and foundations: partial alterations $50 plus $2.50 per $1,000 of estimated cost; a foundation-only permit $75 for single-family homes and $125 for other uses.
• Trades: electrical permit for initial wiring of a one- or two-family residence $200, including three inspections; HVAC for 1 & 2 family dwellings $105 for the first system and $50 for each additional system.
• Other: extra inspections $40; plan review without a permit, the higher of $30 or one third of the permit fee.

MSD land disturbance permits

Louisville MSD reviews and inspects all land disturbance in Jefferson County under the Louisville and Jefferson County Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control and Floodplain Ordinances. The Small Site Disturbance Permit covers over 2,000 square feet up to one acre. The Single Family, Demolition or Small Commercial permit (erosion control only) covers home construction, driveways, decks, patios, pools and commercial work under 2,000 square feet of disturbance; it is handled walk-in at the MSD Customer Counter, with same-day permits if approved.

Building in Jeffersontown

The City of Jeffersontown Department of Permitting, Planning, and Enforcement reviews construction inside city limits under a written agreement with the state. The state keeps plumbing, elevator, manufactured housing and state-licensed uses such as day cares, schools and hospitals.

Plans can be emailed as PDFs to permits@jeffersontownky.gov, and half the permit fee is due at submittal for plan review.

How to get a permit in Jefferson County

Inspections in Jefferson County

In Jeffersontown, inspections are requested by the professional who did the work, by calling (502) 267-8333 or emailing the inspector; failed inspections may cost $50 per re-inspection. Louisville Metro’s inspection request steps could not be checked, so ask Construction Review.

Official Jefferson County permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Kentucky jurisdiction sheet: Jefferson County
• Louisville Metro Business Portal
• Louisville Metro fee schedule (2020)
• Louisville MSD permitting
• Jeffersontown building code information
• Jeffersontown inspection information
• Census Bureau Vintage 2025 city estimates (Kentucky)

Frequently asked questions

Does Louisville Metro issue permits in Jeffersontown?

No. Jeffersontown reviews construction inside its limits under a written agreement with the state; the state keeps plumbing, elevators and some licensed uses.

Do I need an MSD permit for a deck?

MSD’s Single Family, Demolition or Small Commercial permit (erosion control only) covers decks, patios, pools and driveways, walk-in at 700 West Liberty Street.

Are the Louisville Metro fees current?

The only schedule that could be read is the 2020 one, so confirm current fees with Construction Review.

Simplify Jefferson County permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Confirm which office has the address and whether zoning, land disturbance or sewer approvals come first
• Prepare the building, trade and site applications for the portal or office that takes them
• Track review, fees and inspections through to the certificate of occupancy

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