What's Required in Louisville
- One-story detached sheds and playhouses up to 200 sq ft need no building permit under KRC R105.2.
- Sheds over 200 sq ft, or with a second story, need a building permit from Construction Review.
- Each detached structure on a lot needs its own building permit when a permit is required.
- Permitted work that disturbs soil, sheds included, needs an MSD form with the application.
- Exempt sheds must still meet Land Development Code setbacks for your form district.
- In traditional form districts, accessory structures sit at least 2 ft from side property lines.
- Any wiring to the shed needs a Metro electrical permit ($75 or $100).
- Deed restrictions or HOA rules may be stricter than the city code; check them before you buy a kit.
Do You Need a Permit for a Shed in Louisville?
Not for most backyard sheds. Louisville Metro's Construction Review enforces the Kentucky Residential Code (KRC), the state's version of the 2015 International Residential Code, and Kentucky does not let a local government adopt a different code for one- and two-family homes. KRC Section R105.2 exempts one-story detached tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar structures with a floor area up to 200 square feet. A 10x20 shed (200 sq ft) is still exempt; a 12x20 (240 sq ft) is not, and neither is a two-story shed of any size, because the exemption covers one-story structures only.
No permit does not mean no rules. The Land Development Code (LDC) still decides where a shed can sit, and the setbacks depend on your form district. In the traditional form districts (the older city neighborhoods), the LDC sets a 2-foot minimum setback from side property lines for accessory structures, and a September 2026 Board of Zoning Adjustment report for a Traditional Neighborhood lot cited a 5-foot rear yard setback. Suburban form districts have their own Chapter 5 standards, which we could not retrieve for this guide, so look up your parcel's zoning and form district on the LOJIC Land Development Report and confirm the distances with the Office of Planning before you pour a pad. The LDC also warns that the Kentucky Building Code may require fire-rated construction for a structure less than three feet from a property line.
Louisville Shed Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| One-story shed or playhouse up to 200 sq ft | None | KRC R105.2, Building item 1 |
| Shed over 200 sq ft | Building permit, $75 minimum | LMCO 150.096 fee schedule |
| Two-story shed of any size | Building permit | KRC R105.2 exempts one-story only |
| Running a light or outlet to the shed | Electrical permit, $75 or $100 | Fee schedule, Electrical item 3 |
| Permitted shed that disturbs soil (slab, footings) | MSD form uploaded with the permit | Construction Review online guide |
| Shed in a traditional form district | No filing; 2 ft from side lines | LDC Chapter 5, traditional form districts |
| Two permitted sheds on one lot | One building permit each | Construction Review online guide |
How Much Does a Shed Permit Cost in Louisville?
An exempt shed costs nothing. Above 200 square feet, Construction Review prices new structures by floor area under its promulgated fee schedule (LMCO 150.096, revised February 6, 2024). A detached shed falls in the utility and miscellaneous class at $.13 per square foot, and no building permit fee can be less than $75. A 12x20 shed works out to 240 sq ft x $.13 = $31.20, so you pay the $75 minimum; any shed up to about 576 sq ft pays $75. If the plan reviewer uses the residential 1 & 2 family rate of $.105 per square foot instead, the minimum still controls at shed sizes. Wiring the shed adds an electrical permit: $75 for work costing $750 or less, $100 above that. Start without a required permit and Metro can charge a penalty equal to the standard fee; for electrical work the minimum penalty is $1,000.
Who Can Pull the Permit?
Construction Review's online permitting runs through the Accela-based Louisville Metro Business Portal, and its step-by-step guide says the portal offers the permit applications your contractor license type allows. Kentucky law lets a homeowner wire their own home, and Metro's electrical application carries a notarized homeowner certification for that. How an owner without a contractor license files a building permit for a large shed is not stated in any document we could reach, so call Construction Review at (502) 574-3321 first.
How to Get a Shed Permit in Louisville
Measure the floor area
Up to 200 sq ft and one story needs no building permit. Over that, plan for a permit.
Check your form district
Look up the parcel on the LOJIC Land Development Report and confirm the setbacks with the Office of Planning.
Prepare the application
For a permitted shed, prepare a site plan and the MSD form, since the work disturbs soil.
Apply through Construction Review
Licensed contractors apply in the Louisville Metro Business Portal; owners should call (502) 574-3321 to confirm how to file.
Add the electrical permit if wiring
File a separate electrical permit for any power to the shed and schedule its inspection.