Johnson County, Kentucky Building Permit Guide

The state’s contact sheet for Johnson County (updated August 29, 2025) lists a local building inspector for the City of Paintsville only (office 606-789-2600). Outside the city, every building other than a single-family house goes to the state’s Division of Building Code Enforcement (502-573-0373) for review before work starts, and the published sources show no county building permit for houses. The Fiscal Court’s own permit is the floodplain development permit, issued through the Judge/Executive’s office (606-789-2550) for any work in a mapped flood zone.

What requires a building permit in Johnson County?

Johnson County has no countywide building inspection program, so the state’s rule for places without one applies outside Paintsville: all construction other than a single-family dwelling, new work as well as additions, alterations, renovations and changes of use, is submitted to the state and approved before it begins. A house built in the county is still expected to meet the Kentucky Residential Code, but the state says no building inspections are made on it except of the mechanical systems: the HVAC system by the state and the wiring by the local electrical inspector, while permitted plumbing gets the state plumbing inspection.

Inside Paintsville the city’s own inspector applies the city’s rules; ask the city office what it requires before building there.

What the county decides and what the state holds

The Fiscal Court’s permitting role centers on flood hazard areas. Its Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, adopted September 9, 2015, names the County Judge/Executive or a designee as Floodplain Administrator, who grants or denies development permits. Before approving one, the administrator checks that every other required state and federal permit, including a permit under section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act where one applies, has been obtained, and that the project, together with existing and expected development, will not raise the base flood more than one foot at any point. Moving or altering a watercourse requires notice to neighboring communities, the Division of Water and FEMA. The county also maintains county roads and culverts, shares a 911 communications center with the City of Paintsville that answers E-911 address questions, licenses businesses and collects occupational tax. The state Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction handles plan review and inspection of non-house buildings outside Paintsville, HVAC and plumbing permits, manufactured home installations, elevators, boilers and trade licensing.

Johnson County building department: who handles permitting

The state sheet names the local building inspector for the city of Paintsville, then lists the state building inspector, manufactured housing inspector, electrical, elevator, HVAC, plumbing and boiler inspectors assigned to Johnson County, and sends people looking for a local electrical inspector to the County Judge/Executive’s office or the city office where the work is done.

Cities in Johnson County

The rest of the county is unincorporated and follows the state route above. The Fiscal Court meets on the second Monday of each month at 4:30 p.m.

Johnson County permit types

Outside Paintsville the permits for a project come from three places: the state, through its SmartGov portal (building plan review, HVAC, plumbing, manufactured housing); the county, for floodplain development; and the health department, for septic.

Residential permits

A single-family house needs no building permit in the published county sources. Its paperwork is the HVAC permit bought by the licensed HVAC contractor, the plumbing permit bought by a master plumber or by the owner for a home they live in or are building for themselves (after filing the homeowner affidavit, and no more than one new-home homeowner permit in five years), the electrical permit, and the septic permit where there is no sewer. A manufactured home is installed under the state manufactured housing section (502-573-1795). If the lot is in a mapped flood zone, the county development permit and the elevation certificates described below come first.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial, multi-family and other non-house buildings outside Paintsville are submitted to the state Division of Building Code Enforcement with construction documents and wait for its approval; elevators and boilers have their own state programs. A contractor working in the county also needs a county business license ($25 a year, or $75 for a temporary license) and is subject to the county occupational tax of 0.5% of wages paid for work performed in Johnson County.

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

• Floodplain. In zones A, AE, A1–A30, AH or AO on the flood maps, both a local and a state floodplain permit are required for new or substantially improved buildings, bridges, excavation and fill; call the Floodplain Coordinator at 606-789-2550 before starting.
• Stream work. The state Division of Water must approve any construction in or along a stream that could obstruct flood flows; the county posts the application form, and a project disturbing more than 1 acre also needs a stormwater notice of intent.
• Address. An E-911 address from the communications center (606-789-4221), with 3-inch numbers on the front of the building, 2-inch reflective numbers on both sides of the mailbox, and a post by the road if the building cannot be seen from it.
• Septic. Site evaluation and permit from the health department on James S. Trimble Boulevard.
• Road access. On a state route, a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet permit from the District 12 office, 109 Loraine Street, Pikeville (606-433-7791); on a county road, ask the Road Department, which installs and maintains culvert pipes.

Johnson County permit costs and fees

The county publishes no building permit fee schedule, because it does not issue building permits outside Paintsville. The fees that apply to a typical rural project are the state’s trade permit fees, the health department’s septic charges and, for contractors, the county business license. State plumbing fees (in effect since March 1, 2022) and county license fees are:

Plumbing example. A house with 10 plumbing openings pays the state $50 + (10 × $14) = $190. HVAC permit fees appear in the state portal when the contractor buys the permit; septic evaluation and permit fees come from the health department (606-789-2661); electrical permit fees from the local electrical inspector arranged through the Judge/Executive’s office. Each day a floodplain violation continues counts as a separate offense.

Trade permits and who may pull them

• Electrical. The state’s portal does not issue electrical permits for private property and refers applicants to the County Judge/Executive’s office; the Johnson County sheet adds the city office for work in Paintsville. A state electrical inspector is also assigned to the county.
• HVAC. Johnson County is not on the state’s list of local HVAC jurisdictions, so a state HVAC permit is required for all new construction and only licensed or authorized people can buy it; the state HVAC inspector for the county inspects.
• Plumbing. State permits, available through the plumbing inspector’s desk at the health department on Friday mornings (606-789-2590) or online. A permit is needed for new plumbing, moved fixtures or drains, a new or replaced house sewer or water service, a backflow device or a water heater. Permits go to licensed master plumbers or to homeowners for plumbing in their own residences.
• Licenses. Electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors hold state licenses; the county’s own requirement is the business license.

How to get permits for a Johnson County project

Review, corrections and what causes delay

On flood-zone lots, the state’s floodplain construction permit cannot be processed until the county Floodplain Administrator endorses it, so the county application comes first. It must include plans in duplicate showing the work, existing and proposed structures, fill, materials storage and drainage, and the proposed lowest floor elevation. For a commercial building, nothing starts until the state approves the plans; ask 502-573-0373 early if it is unclear whether a project is state or local.

Inspections in Johnson County

Outside Paintsville, state building inspectors inspect the non-house projects they approved. A single-family house gets no building inspection, but the state HVAC inspector checks its heating and cooling, the electrical inspector its wiring and the state plumbing inspector its permitted plumbing. Manufactured homes, elevators and boilers are inspected by the state inspectors listed on the county sheet.

In a flood zone, the ordinance adds an inspection step of its own: as soon as the lowest floor is placed, and before construction continues, the permit holder must give the Floodplain Administrator and the state a certification of the as-built lowest floor (or flood-proofing) elevation. In zones with a set base flood elevation, a registered land surveyor or professional engineer prepares or supervises and certifies it; flood-proofing is certified by an engineer or architect. Any work done before the certificate is filed is at the permit holder’s risk, deficiencies must be corrected before work goes further, and failing to file the survey or make the corrections is cause for a stop-work order.

Kentucky building code in Johnson County

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Johnson County as a participant in the National Flood Insurance Program, with a current flood map effective September 16, 2015; the county adopted its Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance a week earlier, on September 9, 2015, after a first reading on August 10.

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

The Floodplain Administrator keeps documentation of floodplain development available for public inspection. Those and other county records are requested from the Fiscal Court under its open records page; state plan approvals and trade permits are looked up in the SmartGov portal; records of permits inside Paintsville are kept by the city.

• Johnson County Fiscal Court
• Johnson County floodplain management
• Johnson County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (2015)
• State stream construction permit application (posted by the county)
• Johnson County Road Department
• Johnson County 911 and address rules
• County business license and occupational tax
• Johnson County open records requests
• State contact sheet for Johnson County inspectors (Aug. 29, 2025)
• State building codes: places without a local program
• State Division of Building Code Enforcement
• State SmartGov permit portal
• State HVAC permits
• State plumbing permits and fees
• State plumbing FAQ: homeowner and farmstead rules
• Kentucky Transportation Cabinet permit offices
• Kentucky highway districts by county
• FEMA Community Status Book, Kentucky

Johnson County building permit FAQ

Does Johnson County issue building permits?

Not outside Paintsville, according to the published sources. The state sheet lists a local building inspector only for the City of Paintsville.

Do I need a permit to build a house in the county?

No local building permit is shown, but you need HVAC, plumbing and electrical permits, a septic permit off sewer, and a floodplain permit in a flood zone.

Who approves a new business building outside Paintsville?

The state Division of Building Code Enforcement, before construction starts; 502-573-0373.

Is my lot in a flood zone, and what then?

Call the Floodplain Coordinator at the Judge/Executive’s office (606-789-2550); in a mapped zone you need county and state floodplain permits and an elevation certificate once the lowest floor is placed.

Where do I get a plumbing permit?

At the state plumbing desk in the health department, 630 James S. Trimble Boulevard, on Fridays from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m., or online.

Can I do my own plumbing?

Yes, in a home you live in or are building for yourself, with a state homeowner permit and affidavit before work starts.

How do I get an electrical inspection?

Through the County Judge/Executive’s office (606-789-2550), or the city office in Paintsville.

Does a contractor need a county license?

Yes, a Johnson County business license ($25 a year) and county occupational tax on wages for work done in the county.

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