Louisville, KY
Louisville Building Permit Cost
Louisville building permits are priced by Construction Review from the promulgated fee schedule under LMCO Chapter 150.096 (revised February 6
2024). New construction charges by occupancy type per square foot: $0.105 for one- and two-family residential — about $420 on a 4,000-square-foot home — and $0.13 to $0.16 for commercial, storage and institutional uses. Work whose square footage cannot be calculated pays the estimated-cost ladder instead: $50.00 plus $2.50 per $1,000 of cost, or fraction thereof. Whatever the path, no building permit fee is less than $75.00.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assembly ($0.16 per sq ft)Permit fee | $0.16 per sq ft | Project area at least 1 and building use is one of assembly | — |
| Business or mercantile ($0.15 per sq ft)Permit fee | $0.15 per sq ft | Project area at least 1 and building use is one of business, mercantile or building use is not provided and Occupancy is commercial | — |
| Estimated-cost ladder ($50 + $2.50 per $1,000 of estimated cost)Permit fee | $50.00 + $2.50 per $1,000 of project valuation above $1,000, or fraction thereof | Project area is not provided and Project valuation is provided | — |
| Factory ($0.15 per sq ft)Permit fee | $0.15 per sq ft | Project area at least 1 and building use is one of factory or building use is not provided and Occupancy is industrial | — |
| Foundation-only permit, all other uses ($125.00)Permit fee | $125.00 flat fee | foundation only is true and Occupancy is not residential | — |
| Foundation-only permit, single family dwellings and accessory structures ($75.00)Permit fee | $75.00 flat fee | foundation only is true and Occupancy is residential | — |
| High hazard ($0.16 per sq ft)Permit fee | $0.16 per sq ft | Project area at least 1 and building use is one of high hazard | — |
| Institutional ($0.15 per sq ft)Permit fee | $0.15 per sq ft | Project area at least 1 and building use is one of institutional | — |
| Residential 1 & 2 family ($0.105 per sq ft)Permit fee | $0.105 per sq ft | Project area at least 1 and building use is one of residential 12 family or building use is not provided and Occupancy is residential and Dwelling units is not provided or Dwelling units up to 2 | — |
| Residential — other, multi-family ($0.15 per sq ft)Permit fee | $0.15 per sq ft | Project area at least 1 and building use is one of residential other, apartments, condominium or building use is not provided and Occupancy is residential and Dwelling units at least 3 | — |
| Storage ($0.14 per sq ft)Permit fee | $0.14 per sq ft | Project area at least 1 and building use is one of storage | — |
| Utility; miscellaneous ($0.13 per sq ft)Permit fee | $0.13 per sq ft | Project area at least 1 and building use is one of utility | — |
| Permit minimum ($75.00)Surcharge | the shortfall up to the $75.00 minimum on calculated permit 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 new single-family home in Louisville with 4,000 square feet of finished area across two floors.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Project area | 4,000 sq ft |
| Occupancy class | Residential |
| Type of work | New construction |
Example total
$420.00
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 2Rules considered 13
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Residential 1 & 2 family ($0.105 per sq ft)Permit feePromulgated fees, item 1: Residential — 1 & 2 Family, $.105 per square foot. This is the default residential rate when no building use is named and the structure holds fewer than three dwelling units.Show the working
| $0.105 per sq ft | $420.00 |
Permit minimum ($75.00)SurchargePromulgated fees, item 10: 'No building permit fee calculated under this section shall be less than $75.' Charged only when the permit's own fees fall short of $75.00 (the news release moving the minimum from $50.00 to $75.00 took effect 2018-07-01; the 2024 revision carries it).Show the working
| $75.00 minimum on calculated permit fee, less the $420.00 calculated | $0.00 |
| Total | $420.00 |
Fees that do not apply here
Listed so you can see what was considered and left out, rather than wondering whether something is missing. A rule can also be left out because it is not published for this permit at all, and that is stated where it matters.
- Assembly ($0.16 per sq ft) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Business or mercantile ($0.15 per sq ft) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Estimated-cost ladder ($50 + $2.50 per $1,000 of estimated cost) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Factory ($0.15 per sq ft) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Foundation-only permit, all other uses ($125.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Foundation-only permit, single family dwellings and accessory structures ($75.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- High hazard ($0.16 per sq ft) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Institutional ($0.15 per sq ft) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Residential — other, multi-family ($0.15 per sq ft) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Storage ($0.14 per sq ft) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Utility; miscellaneous ($0.13 per sq ft) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
Assumptions
- Calculated from 2 fee rules in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
Residential 1 & 2 Family rate: $0.105 × 4,000 sq ft = $420.00, which clears the $75.00 minimum, so no shortfall is charged. Total: $420.00.
What is different in Louisville
Construction Review, at 444 S. 5th Street, issues building permits for all of Louisville Metro and Jefferson County. Square footage counts every floor, including finished basements, to the outside of the exterior walls. A fast-track elective allows early foundation-only permits — $75.00 for single-family dwellings and accessory structures, $125.00 for other uses — before full plan review completes. Before a residential permit issues, the department searches its records for unresolved Building Code violations against the applicant and holds issuance until they are cured.
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 Louisville building permit fee only. It excludes:
- Plan review charged when an application is reviewed without permit issuance — the greater of $30.00 or one third the normal permit fee.
- Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits, each priced separately.
- Wrecking/demolition, moving, sign and parking-lot permits on the same promulgated schedule but outside this calculator.
- MSD sewer and Louisville Water Company tap and impact fees.
- Penalties for starting work without a permit (double the fee).
What you need before applying
- Construction documents for plan reviewRequired
Applications for permits that require review go in with complete construction documents; Construction Review conducts a plan review before issuance, and a fast-track elective allows early site/foundation, shell and phased approvals (foundation-only fees apply to the foundation stage).
- Outstanding-code-violation search before issuance (residential)Required
Before a building permit issues for a one/two-family or multi-family residential project, the Department searches its records for unresolved or uncured Building Code violations against the applicant and withholds issuance until they are removed, cured or corrected (item 11, revised 6/8/2023).
Common questions
How is a Louisville building permit fee calculated?
By occupancy type, per square foot, under the promulgated fee schedule: $0.16 Assembly and High hazard, $0.15 Business/Factory/Institutional/Mercantile/Residential-other, $0.14 Storage, $0.13 Utility/miscellaneous, and $0.105 for one- and two-family residential. A 4,000 sq ft single-family home pays $0.105 × 4,000 = $420.00.
Promulgated Permit Fees, LMCO Ch. 150.096 (rev. 2/6/2024)
What is the minimum building permit fee in Louisville?
$75.00 — the schedule's item 10 states that no building permit fee calculated under the section shall be less than $75. The minimum was raised from $50.00 to $75.00 effective July 1, 2018, and the 2024 revision carries it.
Promulgated Permit Fees, LMCO Ch. 150.096 (rev. 2/6/2024)
How does Louisville charge for remodels or work without measurable square footage?
By estimated cost: the fee is $50.00 plus $2.50 for every $1,000 of the estimated cost, or fraction thereof, as submitted by the applicant and verified by the Department. A $20,000 remodel pays $50.00 + 20 × $2.50 = $100.00.
Promulgated Permit Fees, LMCO Ch. 150.096 (rev. 2/6/2024)
What square footage counts toward the fee?
The number of square feet on every floor, including all finished portions of basements, calculated to the outside of the exterior walls. Unfinished basements do not add finished square feet; every other floor does.
Promulgated Permit Fees, LMCO Ch. 150.096 (rev. 2/6/2024)
How much is a foundation-only permit in Louisville?
$75.00 for single-family dwellings and their accessory structures, $125.00 for all other uses. Foundation-only permits are part of the fast-track elective, which lets construction start on the foundation while the full plan review proceeds.
Promulgated Permit Fees, LMCO Ch. 150.096 (rev. 2/6/2024)
Is there a separate plan review fee in Louisville?
For applications that are reviewed without the issuance of a building permit — and for refunds on issued permits — the plan review fee is the greater of $30.00 or one third of the normal permit fee. Permits that are issued after review carry their review inside the permit fee; charging both would double-count, which is why the calculator prices the permit itself.
Promulgated Permit Fees, LMCO Ch. 150.096 (rev. 2/6/2024)
What happens if I start work without a permit in Louisville?
A penalty fee equal to the standard fee is assessed — and for electrical work the penalty carries a $1,000.00 minimum — paid in addition to the standard fee itself. Metro-owned property projects may be waived by the Director of Codes & Regulations.
Promulgated Permit Fees, LMCO Ch. 150.096 (rev. 2/6/2024)
Can code violations stop my Louisville building permit?
Yes, on residential work. Before issuing a one/two-family or multi-family residential permit, the Department searches its records for unresolved or uncured Building Code violations against the applicant and may not issue until all outstanding violations are removed, cured or corrected.
Promulgated Permit Fees, LMCO Ch. 150.096 (rev. 6/8/2023 item 11)
How much is a Certificate of Use and Occupancy without a building permit?
$75.00 — the schedule's item 9 sets the administrative fee for a Certificate of Use and Occupancy issued without an associated building permit at that amount.
Promulgated Permit Fees, LMCO Ch. 150.096 (rev. 2/6/2024)
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- Fee schedule (PDF)CityPrimary source
Promulgated fee schedule under LMCO 150.096: Building & Tent per-square-foot table by KBC occupancy with the $75 permit minimum (item 10), the $50 + $2.50/$1,000 estimated-cost ladder (item 3), plan review at the greater of $30 or one third the permit fee (item 5), foundation-only fees (item 7), and the electrical schedule (items 1-8). Table and prose cross-checked in the layout-mode extraction.
Verification
Last verified against the official source in Sep 2026.