Pendleton County, Kentucky Building Permit Guide

The state’s contact sheet for Pendleton County (updated August 6, 2026) lists no local building inspector, so commercial, apartment (three or more units) and public buildings need a building permit from the state Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, and the published sources show no local building permit for houses. Inside Falmouth the city’s zoning office (City Hall, 230 Main Street, 859-654-6937) issues zoning permits, $125 for a single-family home, and floodplain permits that require the lowest floor to sit 1 foot above the base flood elevation. Septic systems are permitted by the Three Rivers District Health Department’s Pendleton County office.

What requires a building permit in Pendleton County?

The building permit itself is a state matter here, and only for buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses. Local permits are about land use and flooding, and the clearest local rules are Falmouth’s. The city’s planning page sums up what a commercial, multi-family or public building needs before work beyond normal maintenance: a commercial building permit from the state, a floodplain permit if the site is in the floodplain, and a zoning permit where one applies.

The state’s rule for a county without a single-family inspection program is that the house must still meet the Kentucky Residential Code, but the only system inspections that rule names are of the HVAC system, by the state, and of the electrical work; plumbing and septic are inspected under their own permits.

What the county and cities decide and what the state holds

The Pendleton County Joint Planning Commission approved Falmouth’s zoning ordinance on April 27, 2009, and that ordinance refers to the Pendleton County Subdivision Regulations; Falmouth’s planning page links to a county planning and zoning page on the fiscal court’s website. One local flood permit form serves Falmouth, Butler and the unincorporated county. The state keeps the building permit for non-residential work, plumbing and HVAC permits and trade licensing.

Pendleton County building department: who handles permitting

The state contact sheet lists the state building, manufactured housing, electrical, elevator, HVAC, plumbing and boiler inspectors for Pendleton County. For electrical work it sends people to the county judge/executive’s office or to the city office where the work is done.

Cities in Pendleton County

Pendleton County permit types

Falmouth posts residential, commercial and sign zoning permit applications, a local flood permit application, the state floodplain permit application with its instructions, a low-water crossing standard drawing and a typical floodplain cross-section. Elsewhere in the county, the permits are the state’s and the health department’s, plus the shared flood permit.

Residential permits

Falmouth’s residential zoning permit application asks for the zoning, setbacks and any variance date, whether the site is in the floodplain or on an original hillside slope of 20% or more, how many acres will be disturbed, the electric company, and the sewage and water arrangements; it also asks whether a county or state encroachment permit is needed. Under section 6.10 of the zoning ordinance, a building with access to public water or a central sanitary sewer must connect to it. A manufactured home must be installed by a state-certified installer on a permanent foundation, and the application asks for its B-1 seal number.

Falmouth’s ordinance is stricter on manufactured homes than the application alone suggests. A unit must carry the HUD certification or the state’s Class B-1 seal; units with a B-2 seal are not allowed. The owner applies to the Zoning Administrator for a zoning permit and an occupancy permit before the home is brought in or moved, the permits must be approved before installation and occupancy, and they must be displayed in a conspicuous place inside the home. The ordinance also makes it unlawful to occupy, alter or convert any building without a zoning permit, and the Zoning Administrator keeps the record of certificates of occupancy, with copies available to owners on request.

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 (three or more units) and public buildings take a state building permit, with plan review by the state’s Division of Building Code Enforcement before construction. Inside Falmouth they also take a commercial zoning permit and, where the zoning ordinance calls for them, stage I and stage II development plans. A change of use in an existing building needs a zoning permit even when nothing is built.

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. The local flood permit asks for the FIRM zone and panel, the base flood elevation and the required lowest floor, which includes 1 foot of freeboard above the base flood elevation; floodway sites need a no-rise certification, and work costing 50% or more of a building’s market value triggers the substantial improvement rules. Subdivisions of 50 lots or 5 acres, whichever is less, must supply flood elevations.
• State permit. Falmouth’s flood page also posts the state permit application form and its instructions, for work that needs a state permit as well as the local one.
• Septic. A health department or engineer site evaluation, then a construction permit applied for by a certified installer.
• State highways. Driveways on state roads need a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet permit; Pendleton County is in District 6.

Pendleton County permit costs and fees

No county building permit fee is published. Falmouth’s zoning fees were reset by a City Council resolution dated March 2026, replacing the schedule set when the zoning ordinance was first adopted in 2010 (the posted copy leaves the day of adoption blank):

State plumbing permits cost $50 plus $14 per opening for a one- or two-family home and $50 plus $20 per opening for commercial work; a water-heater-only permit is $50. The health department sets its septic fees, and the local flood permit form has a filing fee line; call Falmouth City Hall for the amount. Printed copies of the zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations or comprehensive plan cost $30 each under the same resolution, and other copies 25 cents a page.

Worked example. A new single-family house with 14 plumbing openings inside Falmouth: $125 zoning permit + $50 + (14 × $14) = $246 for the state plumbing permit, $371 before electrical, HVAC and septic or sewer charges.

Trade permits and who may pull them

• Electrical. Ask the county judge/executive’s office, or Falmouth or Butler City Hall for work in those cities, which inspector to use; the state’s online portal does not issue private-property electrical permits. Electricians are licensed by the state.
• Plumbing. State permit and state inspector, whose desk at the health department office on Highway 330 West is open Wednesdays from 8 to 9 a.m. Eastern. Master plumbers and homeowners plumbing their own homes can buy permits.
• HVAC. State permit for all new construction, purchased through the SmartGov portal by a licensed or authorized installer.
• Contractors. Kentucky has no general contractor license; Falmouth’s site lists an occupational license and occupational tax for businesses working in the city.

How to get a project permitted in Pendleton County

Review, corrections and what causes delay

On a flood-zone site, settle the elevations before drawing the house: the required lowest floor includes the freeboard, mechanical equipment must also be elevated or floodproofed, and the as-built lowest floor is confirmed with an elevation certificate before the certificate of compliance. Falmouth’s application warns that no work may start before permits issue and that fees are non-refundable. Commercial projects stall when the state plan approval is missing.

Inspections in Pendleton County

A house is inspected for its HVAC system by the state and for its wiring by a certified electrical inspector; plumbing is inspected by the state plumbing inspector, and the septic system gets an initial installation inspection and a final inspection by the health department. There are no county footing or framing inspections. On a floodplain permit, the local administrator records who inspected the work and issues a certificate of compliance for the as-built construction, based on the elevation or floodproofing certificate. Commercial buildings are inspected by the state building inspector assigned to the county.

Kentucky building code in Pendleton County

The 2018 Kentucky Building Code (fourth edition) and 2018 Kentucky Residential Code (third edition), drawn from the 2015 International Codes, apply throughout the county. FEMA lists Pendleton County as a participant in the National Flood Insurance Program on a flood map effective June 18, 2013, with a Community Rating System class 9 rating worth a 5% discount on flood insurance premiums.

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

For Falmouth zoning and floodplain permits, contact the zoning office at City Hall (859-391-0448); the city also takes open records requests through its website. Septic records sit with the health department, and plumbing and HVAC permits with the state.

• Falmouth Planning and Zoning
• Falmouth zoning ordinance (through Ordinance 2025.13)
• Falmouth zoning fee resolution (2026)
• Falmouth residential zoning permit application
• Falmouth commercial zoning permit application
• Falmouth flood management page
• Local flood permit application (Falmouth, Butler, unincorporated county)
• Falmouth flood damage prevention ordinance
• Three Rivers District Health Department locations
• Three Rivers on-site sewage process
• State contact sheet for Pendleton County inspectors
• State building codes: local and state jurisdiction
• State Division of Plumbing: permits and fees
• State HVAC division: permits
• Kentucky Transportation Cabinet permits
• FEMA Community Status Book, Kentucky

Pendleton County permit FAQs

Is there a county building inspector in Pendleton County?

No. The state’s August 2026 contact sheet lists none, so commercial building permits come from the state.

What does a zoning permit for a new house cost in Falmouth?

$125 for a single-family home under the city’s 2026 fee resolution; an addition or accessory building is $75.

How high must a new floor be in a flood zone?

At least 1 foot above the base flood elevation, the freeboard the local flood permit form requires.

Who handles septic permits?

The Three Rivers District Health Department’s Pendleton County office at 329 Highway 330 West, Falmouth (859-654-6985).

Can I do my own plumbing?

Yes, in your own home, with a homeowner permit from the state plumbing inspector, who has Wednesday morning hours at the health department.

Does Pendleton County get a flood insurance discount?

Yes. Its Community Rating System class 9 gives a 5% discount on flood insurance premiums.

Can I place a used manufactured home in Falmouth?

Only if it carries the HUD certification or a state Class B-1 seal; B-2 units are not allowed. It needs a zoning permit and an occupancy permit before it is moved in, and a certified installer must set it on a permanent foundation.

Who approves a commercial building in Falmouth?

The state issues the building permit; the city adds the floodplain permit where needed and its zoning permit.

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