Paducah, Kentucky Building Permit Guide

Inside the City of Paducah, permits come from the Building Division of the Community Development Department, City Hall, 300 South 5th Street (270-444-8527), and are applied for and paid through the city’s Online Services Portal. The city created the department in 2026, moving building and electrical inspection out of the Fire Prevention Division. Plan check takes from a few days to 30 days, every new house needs a certificate of occupancy, and land in McCracken County outside the city goes to the county’s own inspection department instead.

What requires a building permit in Paducah?

Paducah’s rule is broad: apart from cosmetic finishes, every new building, addition and renovation needs a permit, residential or commercial. The Building Division’s permit page then spells out the common cases.

Accessory buildings must meet the zone’s side and rear setbacks and may not be taller or larger than the house or main building. Manufactured homes are allowed for single-family use in the R-2, R-3 and R-4 districts. An in-ground pool needs building and electrical permits, a fence permit if no enclosure exists, and a plumbing permit to discharge waste water. The permit page still says demolition permits come from the Fire Prevention Division; since the 2026 reorganization, ask the Building Division where to file.

What the city decides and what the state holds

The city enforces the 2018 Kentucky Building Code and Kentucky Residential Code, splitting the work with the state Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (HBC) under section 104 of the building code: the Building Division reviews and inspects what the code leaves local, and HBC takes the buildings it reserves. HBC also approves the site placement of factory-built Kentucky Industrialized Buildings. Zoning, site plans, historic review, flood rules and right-of-way work are the city’s own.

Paducah building department: who handles permitting

On August 25, 2026 the mayor announced a Department of Community Development combining the Planning Department with code enforcement and the building and electrical inspection services that had sat in the Fire Prevention Division; Carol Gault, the planning director, heads it. The city’s downloadable permitting guide still sends applicants to the Fire Prevention Division at the same 270-444-8527 number. HBC’s McCracken County contact sheet, last updated July 19, 2024, lists the City of Paducah as the local building and HVAC inspector at 300 South 5th Street, and the McCracken County inspector for the rest of the county, excluding Paducah.

Outside the city limits, McCracken County’s inspection department handles permits; the Building Division can confirm whether an address is inside the city.

Paducah permit types

Paducah files permits through its Online Services Portal, a 24-hour system that needs a free account. From it you apply for residential and commercial building permits and for plans, rezonings, subdivisions and sign permits, upload documents, follow reviews, see inspection results and pay invoices, fines and liens. The city’s Scope My Project tool asks questions about a project and returns a summary of zoning rules, permits, licenses and an estimated permit fee.

Residential permits

House permits are filed under “Apply for Permit”. Work that does not change a home’s layout or size may not need drawings or a site plan. An owner working on their own home completes the city’s Homeowner’s Affidavit instead of the contractor paperwork. Short-term rentals are a zoning question first: in R-1 only special-event rentals of up to seven days, two weeks a year, are allowed; R-2, R-3, POP and NSZ need a conditional use permit; R-4 and denser zones allow them by right.

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

Commercial permits

Every commercial, industrial and multi-family development, parking lot and addition needs an approved site plan before any permit issues. Staff recommend a kick-start meeting with the Development Liaison and staff from each department first. The site plan, drawn to the city’s checklist, is filed under “Apply for Plans” and reviewed by Planning, Engineering and, where it applies, Fire Prevention. No new business may open before it has a certificate of occupancy and a city business license.

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

• Boards. Variances, conditional uses and non-conforming use changes go to the Board of Adjustment (last Monday, 5:30 p.m.); zone changes, major subdivisions, planned unit developments and certificates of site approval go to the Planning Commission (first Monday, 5:30 p.m.). Applications are due the Friday 21 days before the meeting.
• Historic and neighborhood zones. Exterior changes visible from a public right of way in the H-1 and H-2 zones need a Certificate of Appropriateness, and exterior changes in the Neighborhood Services Zone a Certificate of Zoning Compliance, both from the Historic and Architectural Review Commission (second Monday, 5:30 p.m.). Razing a building in the Demolition Control Zone needs a demolition control permit, decided within 30 days.
• Stormwater. A stormwater management plan is required when a project disturbs an acre or more, is part of a larger common plan, or is a non-residential development with 10,000 sq ft or more paved and under roof; disturbing an acre or more also needs an erosion prevention and sediment control permit from Engineering.
• Floodplain. Any development in a special flood hazard area needs the city’s development permit before work starts.
• Right of way. A new driveway or curb cut on a city street needs an Engineering right-of-way permit with insurance and a bond; state highways need a KYTC District 1 permit.

Paducah permit fees

The city says some permit fees are fixed and others are based on the value of the construction, and the portal invoices them; the plan check fee is paid when plans are submitted. The building fee schedule itself sits in the Paducah Code of Ordinances, with the zoning and planning fees in section 126-143, and is not reproduced on the city’s pages. Ask the Building Division for a quote, or use Scope My Project for an estimate. The fees the city does print:

Trade permits and who may pull them

• Electrical. The Building Division issues and inspects electrical permits; give the electrician’s CE and ME license numbers. Work must be done by a licensed electrical contractor employing a licensed master electrician, but a homeowner working on their primary residence is exempt from the licensing requirement. Finished electrical work receives a Certificate of Compliance.
• HVAC. Paducah is one of the local HVAC jurisdictions on HBC’s list, so the city issues HVAC permits. HVAC has its own application, completed by a master HVAC license holder; homeowners are exempt from licensing on their primary residence when replacing like for like in the same place, and only licensed contractors may work on commercial systems.
• Plumbing. Plumbing permits and inspections are HBC’s; the state inspector keeps office hours at the McCracken County Health Department. HBC issues permits to licensed master plumbers or to homeowners plumbing their own residence.
• Contractors. Every contractor and subcontractor needs a Paducah business license, and the general contractor must carry workers’ compensation or file a waiver affidavit if it has no employees.

How to apply for a Paducah building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Complex projects go through plan check, which takes from a few days to 30 days depending on size and type; simpler ones go straight to clerical review. That review checks contractor business licenses, workers’ compensation, state licenses, the stated construction value, unpaid city payroll taxes, liens or fines on the property and the address. Drawings that need changes come back with a corrections list. Missing a board deadline (21 days before the meeting) or skipping the site plan are the usual causes of delay.

Inspections in Paducah

Book inspections through the portal or by calling the Building Division at 270-444-8527 (the web version of the permitting guide gives the department’s 270-444-8690), at least 24 hours ahead; there is no need to ask for a particular inspector. Have the permit number, address, project type and inspection type ready, and have someone on site.

Every new house, one- and two-family included, needs a final inspection and a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in, and so does every new business. A change of use needs a new certificate; a change of owner alone does not. Appeals from the inspectors’ decisions go to the Building, Electrical, and Fire Codes Appeals Board.

Kentucky building code

Alongside the state codes, the Building Division works under chapters 18 (building regulations), 42 (environment, including rental occupancy permits) and 46 (fire prevention) of the Paducah Code. The flood damage prevention ordinance and current flood maps were adopted in November 2011; FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Paducah as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program on a map dated November 2, 2011. The City Engineer is the floodplain administrator, and a flood permit needs plans by a Kentucky-registered engineer or architect and a FEMA elevation certificate. The 12.25-mile floodwall protects about 11,000 acres. The City Commission’s November 10, 2026 agenda carries an ordinance renaming the street-cut rules “Right of Way Encroachments” and extending them to temporary closures and equipment in a public way.

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

Paducah permit search and official resources

Permit, plan, inspection and code-case records can be looked up in the Online Services Portal. Commission agendas and minutes are on the city clerk’s meeting page.

• Paducah permits for construction and FAQ
• Online Services Portal (apply, pay, search records)
• Community Development Department
• Announcement of the Department of Community Development (August 25, 2026)
• Permitting and Licensing Guide
• Site plan submittal and fees
• Site plan requirements checklist
• Flood prevention and SFHA development permit
• Applications, boards and fee schedule reference
• Historic and Architectural Review Commission
• Planning and Zoning and Scope My Project
• Short-term rentals
• Fire Prevention Division
• City Commission agenda, November 10, 2026
• HBC McCracken County inspector contact sheet
• HBC local HVAC jurisdictions
• HBC Building Codes: state and local jurisdiction
• HBC Division of Plumbing
• KYTC permit contacts by district
• FEMA Community Status Book, Kentucky

Paducah permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Paducah?

The Building Division of the Community Development Department, City Hall first floor, 270-444-8527. McCracken County handles land outside the city.

Do I need a permit for a shed or fence in Paducah?

A residential shed or accessory building needs one above 200 sq ft, and every residential fence needs one. Commercial fences need one only above 8 ft.

How long does plan review take?

From a few days to 30 days for the initial review, depending on size and project type.

Can a homeowner do their own electrical or HVAC work?

On a primary residence, yes: homeowners are exempt from the licensing requirement, though a permit is still needed. For HVAC the exemption covers like-for-like replacement in the same location.

Does a new house need a certificate of occupancy?

Yes. All new homes, including one- and two-family dwellings, need a final inspection and certificate before use.

How much is a demolition permit?

$50, for any building except residential accessory structures.

What if my lot is in a flood zone?

File a special flood hazard area development permit with Engineering ($100) before any work, with engineered plans and an elevation certificate.

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