What's Required in Louisville
- Replacing or installing a furnace, AC, heat pump or mini-split needs a Metro HVAC permit.
- Fee: $105 for the first system, $50 for each additional system (one- and two-family homes).
- A system can be heating, cooling or a combination of the two.
- Portable and window units and like-for-like part replacements need no permit (KRC R105.2).
- HVAC work must comply with KRS 198B and 815 KAR 8; inspectors check licensure.
- Owner-occupants are exempt from state HVAC licensing on their own property (KRS 198B.674).
- Manufactured fireplaces need a $50 permit per unit.
- Water heater replacement needs a $50 state plumbing permit, not an HVAC permit.
Do You Need a Permit to Replace a Furnace or AC in Louisville?
Yes. Louisville Metro's fee schedule charges the HVAC permit for new and replacement systems in one- and two-family homes, and Construction Review's online portal has an HVAC Residential - Replacement record type. A like-for-like swap of a furnace, AC condenser or heat pump needs the permit. So does a ductless mini-split, since it is a heating or cooling system.
What does not: the Kentucky Residential Code's mechanical exemptions cover portable heating appliances, portable ventilation equipment, portable cooling units, replacement of any part that does not alter the equipment's approval or make it unsafe, and self-contained refrigeration systems with 10 pounds or less of refrigerant and motors of 1 horsepower or less. A capacitor, blower motor or control board replaced with an equivalent part is part replacement, not a new system.
Louisville HVAC Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Replacing a furnace, AC or heat pump | HVAC permit, $105 | LMCO 150.096, HVAC item 1 |
| Replacing two separate systems (two zones) | HVAC permit, $105 + $50 | LMCO 150.096, HVAC item 1 |
| Installing a ductless mini-split | HVAC permit, $105 | LMCO 150.096; KRC R101.6 |
| Window AC or portable unit | None | KRC R105.2, Mechanical items 1 and 3 |
| Replacing a capacitor, motor or control board | None | KRC R105.2, Mechanical item 5 |
| Gas fireplace insert (manufactured fireplace) | Permit, $50 per unit | LMCO 150.096, HVAC item 5 |
| Replacing the water heater | State plumbing permit, $50 | 815 KAR 20:050 |
How Much Does an HVAC Permit Cost in Louisville?
Metro's promulgated fee schedule (LMCO 150.096, revised February 6, 2024) sets a flat residential fee: $105 for the first system and $50 for each additional system, and it defines a system as a heating system, a cooling system, or a combination. A gas furnace and AC replaced together as one split system therefore reads as one combination system, $105. A house with a second system for the upstairs pays $105 + $50 = $155. Manufactured fireplaces are $50 per unit. The fee does not depend on the price of the equipment for one- and two-family homes; the value-based table in the same schedule is for commercial work. A water heater is plumbing, not HVAC: the Kentucky Division of Plumbing's water-heater-only permit is $50.
Who Can Do the Work?
The Kentucky Residential Code says all HVAC work must comply with KRS Chapter 198B and 815 KAR Chapter 8, and the building official must check proof of licensure at inspections. In practice that means a state-licensed master HVAC contractor, and Metro's portal lists HVAC Contractor as a license type. The state licensing law exempts an individual owner working on property the owner both owns and occupies, and people installing or replacing residential window air conditioners. Whether Construction Review issues an HVAC permit to an owner without a license is not stated in any document we could reach, so call (502) 574-3321 before buying equipment for a DIY install.
If the job needs a new circuit or disconnect, ask whether the HVAC permit covers it or a separate electrical permit ($75 for work up to $750, $100 above) is needed.
How to Get a HVAC Permit in Louisville
Confirm the scope
A whole system or a new mini-split needs a permit; a part swap or a window unit does not.
Hire a licensed contractor
Use a Kentucky-licensed master HVAC contractor, or confirm owner filing with Construction Review.
File the permit
The contractor files HVAC Residential - Replacement in the Louisville Metro Business Portal and pays $105.
Add other permits
Ask about a separate electrical permit for a new circuit; a water heater needs the state plumbing permit.
Pass the inspection
Schedule the Construction Review inspection; the inspector checks the installer's license.