What's Required in Louisville
- Cabinets, countertops, tile, paint and similar finish work need no permit (KRC R105.2).
- Moving a fixture or waste opening needs a state plumbing permit from the Division of Plumbing.
- State residential plumbing permits cost $50 plus $14 per fixture or opening.
- New circuits, receptacles or lighting need a Metro electrical permit ($75 up to $750 of work, $100 above).
- Wall or layout changes need a Metro building permit: $50 plus $2.50 per $1,000, $75 minimum.
- Homeowner plumbing permits require an affidavit and that the owner personally does the work.
- Homeowner electrical permits require Metro's notarized owner-occupant certification.
Do You Need a Permit to Remodel a Kitchen in Louisville?
It depends on what you touch. The Kentucky Residential Code (KRC), which Louisville Metro enforces, exempts painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work. New cabinets, countertops, backsplash and flooring need no permit. Once the job moves plumbing, adds circuits or changes walls, you need up to three permits from two different governments:
- Building permit from Construction Review (Louisville Metro Codes and Regulations) for walls, openings and layout changes.
- Electrical permit from Construction Review for new circuits, receptacles or lighting.
- Plumbing permit from the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Division of Plumbing. Metro's fee schedule has no plumbing section; under KRS 318.134, plumbing permits come from the state department, and the Division assigns its inspectors to Jefferson County by zip code.
State rules require a plumbing permit when a fixture, soil or waste opening is moved or relocated, for a new plumbing installation, and for a replaced water heater. Repairing leaks, cocks or valves and cleaning out drains need none.
Louisville Kitchen Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| New cabinets, countertops, tile, paint, flooring | None | KRC R105.2, Building item 6 |
| Moving the sink or adding a dishwasher drain | State plumbing permit, $50 + $14 per opening | 815 KAR 20:050 |
| New circuits, receptacles or lighting | Metro electrical permit, $75 or $100 | LMCO 150.096, Electrical item 3 |
| Removing or moving a wall | Metro building permit, $75 minimum | LMCO 150.096, partial alterations |
| Swapping a breaker of the same rating in place | None | KRC R105.2, Electrical item 3 |
| Replacing the water heater during the job | State plumbing permit, $50 | 815 KAR 20:050 |
| Installing a range hood | Ask Construction Review (schedule lists $75 per hood) | LMCO 150.096, HVAC item 5 |
How Much Do Kitchen Permits Cost in Louisville?
Metro prices a partial alteration by estimated cost: $50 plus $2.50 per $1,000, with a $75 minimum (LMCO 150.096, revised February 6, 2024). Electrical work in a one- or two-family home is $75 up to $750 of work and $100 above that, with one inspection included. The state plumbing permit for a one- or two-family home is $50 plus $14 per fixture or opening, with five inspections included.
Worked example for a $40,000 remodel that opens a wall, adds circuits and moves the sink and dishwasher: building $50 + 40 x $2.50 = $150; electrical $100; plumbing $50 + 2 x $14 = $78. Total: $328. A remodel that only adds a circuit or two costing $750 or less pays just the $75 electrical permit. The schedule also lists range hoods at $75 per unit under its mechanical permit types; it does not say whether that covers a residential kitchen hood, so ask.
Can You Do the Work Yourself?
Kentucky lets a homeowner pull a plumbing permit for a home they occupy if they file an affidavit and personally do all the work. A homeowner may also wire their own home: Metro's electrical application carries a notarized homeowner certification that you live there and the home is not for sale. Otherwise the electrical permit goes to a licensed electrical contractor and the plumbing permit to a licensed master plumber.
How to Get a Kitchen Remodel Permit in Louisville
Sort the scope
Separate finish work, which needs no permit, from plumbing, electrical and wall changes.
File the building permit
For wall or layout changes, file a Residential Alteration permit with Construction Review.
File the electrical permit
Your electrician files with Construction Review, or you sign the notarized homeowner certification.
File the state plumbing permit
A master plumber or the homeowner applies to the Kentucky Division of Plumbing before moving any fixture.
Schedule inspections
Book rough-in inspections before walls close; state plumbing inspectors are assigned by zip code.