Todd County, Kentucky Building Permit Guide

Todd County’s entry on the state inspector sheet, updated May 5, 2026, leaves the countywide local building inspector line blank and lists one local inspector, for the City of Guthrie. Outside Guthrie, the published sources show no county building permit; commercial and apartment projects there go to the state Division of Building Code Enforcement (502-573-0373) for plan approval before work starts. Every new house still needs a state HVAC permit, a state plumbing permit, an electrical inspection arranged through the county judge/executive’s office or the city, and, without sewer, a septic permit from the Todd County Health Department on West Main Street in Elkton.

What requires a building permit in Todd County?

Two different rule sets apply in Todd County, depending on where the lot is. Inside Guthrie, the city has a local building inspector on the state sheet, so start with Guthrie city hall: the sheet does not say which buildings that inspector permits or what the city charges. Elsewhere, including Elkton, Trenton and the rural county, no local inspector is listed, and the state’s rule for jurisdictions without a local building inspection program applies: every construction project except a dwelling under the Kentucky Residential Code (one- and two-family homes and townhouses) must be submitted to the Division of Building Code Enforcement and approved before construction begins; the state’s own page shortens this to “except single-family dwellings.”

For a house outside any local program, the state says plainly what happens: the builder must still meet the Kentucky Residential Code, but no one carries out building inspections. The heating and cooling system is inspected by the state HVAC division and the wiring by the local county electrical inspector; the state plumbing inspector checks a permitted plumbing job.

What the county decides and what the state holds

The published sources do not show whether the fiscal court requires a zoning or land-use approval; ask the judge/executive’s office. What the official sheets show is narrower: the county judge/executive’s office is the contact for electrical inspection outside the cities, and the county’s health department handles septic systems and hosts the state plumbing inspector. The state keeps plan review of all commercial and apartment buildings where no local program applies, HVAC and plumbing permits, manufactured home installation, elevators, boilers and trade licensing.

Todd County building department: who handles permitting

The Todd County contact sheet lists the state building inspector, manufactured housing inspector, electrical inspector, elevator inspector, HVAC inspector, plumbing inspector and boiler inspector assigned to the county, and one local building inspector for Guthrie. The sheet gives individual contact details for each person; the office numbers below are the ones to start with.

Cities in Todd County

Zoning, sign and business rules inside each city are set by that city, so call the city before you buy or build.

Todd County permit types and supporting documents

Most filings for a Todd County project outside Guthrie go to the state through its SmartGov portal, which takes building, HVAC, manufactured housing, plumbing and fire prevention applications. The portal asks first whether the project is under local, expanded or state jurisdiction; with no local program listed for the county, a commercial or apartment building outside Guthrie is a state file.

Residential permits

For a one-family house outside Guthrie the published sources show no local building permit, so the paperwork is the trade permits and the septic approval. The HVAC permit is bought by a licensed or authorized person. A licensed master plumber buys the plumbing permit, or the owner does, for a home the owner lives in or is building as their own residence: the homeowner applies before starting, signs an affidavit, does the work personally to the state plumbing code, and can receive one homeowner permit for a new home in any five-year period. Manufactured homes are installed under the state manufactured housing section, which has an inspector assigned to Todd County.

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

Commercial permits

A store, workshop, church, apartment building or any change of use is submitted to the Division of Building Code Enforcement with its construction documents, and construction waits for approval. Elevators go through their own state plan review and permit, and boilers have a separate state inspector. A modular building needs the state’s site placement approval for each unit, based on the site plan, pier or foundation design, tie-down details and any stairs or ramps built on site.

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

• Septic. Off sewer, the Todd County Health Department evaluates the site and issues the septic permit before the house is built.
• City approval. Inside Elkton, Guthrie or Trenton, ask city hall about zoning, utility taps and any city permit before the state filings.
• Floodplain. The county takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program; on a lot shown in a flood zone, ask the judge/executive’s office who reviews floodplain development.
• Road entrance. A driveway or utility line on a state route needs a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet encroachment permit from the District 3 office in Bowling Green.

Todd County permit costs and fees

No county building permit fee schedule appears in the published sources. Guthrie’s permit fees are set by the city; ask city hall. For the rest of the county, the costs a homeowner can confirm in advance are the state’s. Plumbing permit fees, in force since March 1, 2022, are:

Worked example. A new house with 15 plumbing openings pays the base $50 plus 15 × $14 ($210), or $260, for its state plumbing permit. HVAC permit fees are calculated in SmartGov when the permit is bought. Ask the local electrical inspector for the electrical fee; the health department sets its septic site evaluation and permit charges: call 270-265-2362, ext. 207 for the current amount. State plan review fees for a commercial building are shown when the plans are filed.

Trade permits and who may pull them

• Electrical. The state portal does not take electrical permits for private property. The Todd County sheet sends applicants to the county judge/executive’s office, or to the city office when the work is inside a city, to reach the local electrical inspector. A state electrical inspector is also assigned to the county.
• HVAC. Todd County is not on the state’s list of local HVAC jurisdictions (updated May 13, 2025), so the HVAC permit for any new construction comes from the state and is inspected by the state HVAC inspector for the county.
• Plumbing. A state permit and inspection for new plumbing, a relocated fixture, a new or replacement house sewer, water service or water heater, or a new backflow preventer. The plumbing inspector’s desk hours are Thursday mornings from 8:00 to 9:30 Central at the health department in Elkton. Farm dwellings and farm buildings on 10 acres or more outside any city’s limits, in bona fide agricultural use and registered with the county PVA, can qualify for the state farmstead exemption.
• Homeowners and licenses. State law lets a homeowner do the electrical and heating and air work on their own home without the trade license, though the permit is still required. Electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors otherwise need state licenses; the published sources show no county contractor license or registration.

How to apply for permits in Todd County

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The biggest delay in Todd County is starting in the wrong office. If you are unsure whether the state or a local program has jurisdiction, call the Division of Building Code Enforcement at 502-573-0373 before you file; the portal itself asks the same question. A commercial project cannot begin until the state approves its plans, so incomplete construction documents push back the start date. For a homeowner plumbing permit, the application and affidavit must come before any plumbing work.

Todd County inspections and final approval

On a state-reviewed building outside Guthrie, the state building inspector assigned to Todd County inspects against the approved plans. A one-family house outside a local program gets no building inspections; its HVAC system is inspected by the state HVAC inspector, its wiring by the local electrical inspector and its plumbing by the state plumbing inspector, who can be reached at the Elkton health department on Thursday mornings. Manufactured homes, elevators and boilers each have a state inspector on the county sheet. In Guthrie, ask the city’s inspector which stages are inspected and whether the city issues a certificate of occupancy.

Kentucky building code in Todd County

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists unincorporated Todd County as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with a current effective flood map dated July 22, 2010. Participation means federally backed flood insurance is available in the county, and the county is expected to regulate building in mapped flood zones.

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 for Todd County projects, including plan review files, HVAC and plumbing permits, are applied for and tracked in the SmartGov portal; questions about a state file go to 502-573-0373. Records of a Guthrie permit are held by the city, and septic permit records by the health department in Elkton.

• Todd County inspector contact sheet (updated May 5, 2026)
• State list of inspectors by county
• State building codes and places without a local program
• Division of Building Code Enforcement
• SmartGov state permit portal
• Division of Plumbing: permits and fees
• Plumbing questions: homeowner permits and farmstead exemption
• Division of HVAC permits
• Local HVAC jurisdictions list
• KYTC district permit offices
• KYTC highway districts by county
• FEMA Community Status Book, Kentucky

Todd County building permit FAQ

Is there a county building inspector in Todd County?

None is listed. The state sheet updated May 5, 2026 leaves the county line blank and lists a local inspector only for the City of Guthrie.

Do I need a building permit for a house near Elkton or Trenton?

The published sources show no local building permit for a house there. The house must still meet the residential code and needs HVAC, plumbing and electrical permits, plus a septic permit if there is no sewer.

Who approves a new shop or church outside Guthrie?

The state Division of Building Code Enforcement, before construction starts; call 502-573-0373 or file in SmartGov.

Where is the plumbing inspector?

At the Todd County Health Department, 617 West Main Street, Elkton, on Thursdays from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. Central.

Can I plumb my own house?

Yes, if you live in it or are building it as your own residence, with a state homeowner permit and affidavit filed before work starts.

What does a plumbing permit cost?

A house pays $50 plus $14 per opening; a water heater replacement alone costs $50.

Who handles a driveway onto a state highway?

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s District 3 permits office at 900 Morgantown Road, Bowling Green (270-746-7898).

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