Lexington, KY
Lexington Electrical Permit Cost
Lexington electrical permits are unusually simple:
$10.00 each, as the city's electrical-permits page states plainly. The permit is issued by LFUCG Building Inspection; the inspections are performed — and priced — separately by the Commonwealth Inspection Bureau. Every electrical contractor pulling a permit must hold a Kentucky Master Electrician license (or employ one) and an LFUCG business license; homeowners may pull a permit for their own current residence.
How this fee is calculated
These are the components the schedule defines for this permit, as they applied on 2026-09-28. A component only applies to your project if its conditions match — read that column before assuming a figure. Want a figure for your own project? Estimate this fee with the permit fee calculator.
| Component | Formula | Applies when | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical permit ($10.00 each)Permit fee | $10.00 flat fee | Every permit of this type | — |
A real permit fee is these components added together. The department’s final calculation is the one that applies — this is the schedule it will be based on.
A worked example
Follow the arithmetic by hand. Every line is produced by the engine from the rules above, so the total cannot drift away from the schedule behind it.
Worked example
A licensed electrical contractor pulling one permit for a panel change and new circuits in a Lexington residence.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Occupancy class | Residential |
| Type of work | Alteration |
Example total
$10.00
An estimate, not an official fee. It is calculated from the published fee schedule as it applied on 2026-09-28. The permit office’s own calculation is the one that applies, and your project may fall under rules this schedule does not describe.
Fee schedule as of 2026-09-28Rules applied 1Rules considered 1
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Electrical permit ($10.00 each)Permit feelexingtonky.gov — Electrical permits, licensing and inspections: 'Electrical permits cost $10 each.' Issued by LFUCG Building Inspection to state-licensed master electricians (or their employers) with an LFUCG business license; homeowners may pull a permit for their own residence. Inspections are performed and priced separately by the Commonwealth Inspection Bureau.Show the working
| $10.00 flat fee | $10.00 |
| Total | $10.00 |
Assumptions
- Calculated from 1 fee rule in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
Electrical permit: $10.00. Total: $10.00.
What is different in Lexington
Electrical permits are required for all electrical work in Fayette County, and one $10.00 permit covers the job regardless of service size or circuit count — Lexington prices the permit, not the work. The state licenses electrical contractors, master electricians and electricians through the Office of Housing, Buildings and Construction in Frankfort. Homeowner permits cannot be issued for vacant property, rental property, duplexes or mobile homes, and scheduling an inspection means calling the Commonwealth Inspection Bureau at (859) 263-7800, whose fees are its own.
What this figure does not include
Impact fees, utility connections and other departments’ permits are the usual omissions, and in some jurisdictions they are larger than the permit fee itself.
Not included in these figures
This estimate covers the LFUCG electrical permit only. It excludes:
- Commonwealth Inspection Bureau inspection fees — the permit and the inspection are separate transactions in Lexington.
- Kentucky state electrical licensing fees.
- Building, plumbing and mechanical permits for the same project.
- LG&E and KU meter and service charges.
- Fire alarm permits reviewed with the fire marshal.
What you need before applying
- State master electrician license and LFUCG business licenseRequired
Electrical contractors may obtain permits if they hold a Kentucky Master Electrician license (issued through the Office of Housing, Buildings and Construction) or employ one, plus an LFUCG business license. Homeowners may pull permits for their own current residence — not vacant property, rentals, duplexes or mobile homes.
Common questions
How much is an electrical permit in Lexington?
$10.00 each, per the city's electrical-permits page. The fee is flat — Lexington prices the permit itself, not the amperage or circuit count of the work.
Electrical permits, licensing and inspections page
Who issues electrical permits in Lexington?
LFUCG's Division of Building Inspection issues the permits; electrical inspections, however, are performed by the Commonwealth Inspection Bureau, which schedules and prices its own inspections ((859) 263-7800).
Electrical permits, licensing and inspections page
Who can pull an electrical permit in Lexington?
Electrical contractors holding a Kentucky Master Electrician license — or employing one — with an LFUCG business license. Homeowners may pull permits for work on property they own and currently reside in; homeowner permits are not available for vacant property, rentals, duplexes or mobile homes.
Electrical permits, licensing and inspections page
Why is the electrical permit so cheap compared to other cities?
Because Lexington separates the permit from the inspection: the $10.00 fee covers issuance and record-keeping by Building Inspection, while the Commonwealth Inspection Bureau — a separate entity — performs and charges for the required inspections.
Electrical permits, licensing and inspections page
Does the $10 permit cover service upgrades and new circuits alike?
Yes. The page requires a permit for all electrical work in Fayette County and prices every permit at $10.00, whether the job is a service change, new circuits or a full install.
Electrical permits, licensing and inspections page
Are electrical inspections included in the $10?
No. Unlike Louisville's permits, which bundle a set number of inspections, Lexington's $10.00 permit excludes inspection fees — all electrical work must be inspected, and those inspections are arranged and priced through the Commonwealth Inspection Bureau.
Electrical permits, licensing and inspections page
Is the electrical permit fee in the Building Inspection fee schedule PDF?
No — the fee schedule PDF covers building, plan review, HVAC and fire fees. The $10.00 electrical permit fee is published on the city's electrical-permits page, which is the source cited here.
Electrical permits, licensing and inspections page
What licenses does Kentucky require for electrical contractors?
The Commonwealth issues three classes through the Office of Housing, Buildings and Construction in Frankfort: Electrical Contractor, Master Electrician and Electrician. Lexington permit-pullers need the Master Electrician class (or an employee holding it) plus the local business license.
Electrical permits, licensing and inspections page
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- City websiteCityPrimary source
City of Lexington — Electrical permits, licensing and inspections page
States plainly: 'Electrical permits cost $10 each.' Permits are issued by LFUCG Building Inspection to master electricians (state-licensed through Kentucky DHBC) with an LFUCG business license; inspections are performed by the Commonwealth Inspection Bureau ((859) 263-7800) separately from the permit.
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.