Louisville, KY
Louisville Electrical Permit Cost
Louisville electrical permits are priced by items 1–8 of the promulgated fee schedule.
A first-time installation in a one- or two-family residence is a flat $200.00 including three inspections; a condominium or patio home pays $150.00 plus $0.25 per service ampere to 600 A ($0.50 per ampere over); other-than-residence new wiring pays a $100.00 base, $25.00 per subpanel, $25.00 per dwelling unit on multi-family, and the same amperage charges. Service upgrades and repairs run $75.00–$100.00 by work cost, and a temporary pole is $85.00. The $75.00 permit minimum applies here too.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional inspection beyond those included ($50.00 each)Inspection fee | $50.00 per inspection | additional inspections at least 1 | — |
| Other-than-residence new wiring — service amperes, 600 A or less ($.25 per ampere)Permit fee | $0.25 per ampere | amperage up to 600 and Occupancy is not residential and condo or patio is not provided | — |
| Other-than-residence new wiring — the first 600 service amperes ($150.00 flat)Permit fee | $150.00 flat fee | amperage over 600 and Occupancy is not residential and condo or patio is not provided | — |
| Other-than-residence new wiring — service amperes over 600 ($.50 per ampere)Permit fee | $0.5 per ampere above the first 600 A | amperage over 600 and Occupancy is not residential and condo or patio is not provided | — |
| New wiring other than a residence, base permit ($100.00)Permit fee | $100.00 flat fee | Occupancy is not residential and condo or patio is not provided and work cost cents is not provided | — |
| Subpanels on other-than-residence new wiring ($25.00 each)Permit fee | $25.00 per electrical panel | Occupancy is not residential and panels at least 1 | — |
| Dwelling units in a residential structure other than 1-2 family ($25.00 each)Permit fee | $25.00 per dwelling unit | Occupancy is residential and Dwelling units at least 1 | — |
| Condominium or patio home — service amperes, 600 A or less ($.25 per ampere)Permit fee | $0.25 per ampere | amperage up to 600 and condo or patio is true | — |
| Condominium or patio home — the first 600 service amperes ($150.00 flat)Permit fee | $150.00 flat fee | amperage over 600 and condo or patio is true | — |
| Condominium or patio home — service amperes over 600 ($.50 per ampere)Permit fee | $0.5 per ampere above the first 600 A | amperage over 600 and condo or patio is true | — |
| Condominium or patio home base permit ($150.00)Permit fee | $150.00 flat fee | condo or patio is true and Work type is new construction | — |
| Initial installation, one- or two-family residence ($200.00)Permit fee | $200.00 flat fee | Occupancy is residential and Work type is new construction and condo or patio is not provided | — |
| Temporary pole ($85.00)Permit fee | $85.00 flat fee | temporary service is true | — |
| Service upgrade, new service, repairs or additional wiring, work costing $750 or less ($75.00)Permit fee | $75.00 flat fee | work cost cents is provided and work cost cents up to 75000 | — |
| Service upgrade, new service, repairs or additional wiring, work costing over $750 ($100.00)Permit fee | $100.00 flat fee | work cost cents is provided and work cost cents over 75000 | — |
| 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 commercial tenant space in Louisville: new wiring with a 400-amp service entrance and two subpanels.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Occupancy class | Commercial |
| Type of work | New construction |
| Number of electrical panels | 2 |
| Service amperage | 400 A |
Example total
$250.00
An estimate, not an official fee. It is calculated from the published fee schedule as it applied on 2026-09-28. The permit office’s own calculation is the one that applies, and your project may fall under rules this schedule does not describe.
Fee schedule as of 2026-09-28Rules applied 4Rules considered 16
| Component | How it is calculated | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Other-than-residence new wiring — service amperes, 600 A or less ($.25 per ampere)Permit feePromulgated fees, Electrical item 4: additionally $.25 for each ampere at the service entrance up to and including 600 amperes.Show the working
| $0.25 per ampere | $100.00 |
New wiring other than a residence, base permit ($100.00)Permit feePromulgated fees, Electrical item 4: installation of new electrical wiring other than in a one/two-family, condominium or patio home residence, $100.00 base, including two inspections.Show the working
| $100.00 flat fee | $100.00 |
Subpanels on other-than-residence new wiring ($25.00 each)Permit feePromulgated fees, Electrical item 4: additionally $25.00 for each subpanel.Show the working
| $25.00 per electrical panel | $50.00 |
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 $250.00 calculated | $0.00 |
| Total | $250.00 |
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.
- Other-than-residence new wiring — the first 600 service amperes ($150.00 flat) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Other-than-residence new wiring — service amperes over 600 ($.50 per ampere) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Dwelling units in a residential structure other than 1-2 family ($25.00 each) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Condominium or patio home — service amperes, 600 A or less ($.25 per ampere) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Condominium or patio home — the first 600 service amperes ($150.00 flat) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Condominium or patio home — service amperes over 600 ($.50 per ampere) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Condominium or patio home base permit ($150.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Initial installation, one- or two-family residence ($200.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Temporary pole ($85.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Service upgrade, new service, repairs or additional wiring, work costing $750 or less ($75.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Service upgrade, new service, repairs or additional wiring, work costing over $750 ($100.00) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
- Additional inspection beyond those included ($50.00 each) — This fee does not apply to the inputs provided.
Assumptions
- Calculated from 4 fee rules in effect on 2026-09-28.
- Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, once, at the end of each component.
Base permit (other-than-residence new wiring): $100.00. Subpanels: 2 × $25.00 = $50.00. Service amperes: 400 × $0.25 = $100.00 (all within the first 600 A). Total: $250.00 — above the $75.00 minimum, so no shortfall applies.
What is different in Louisville
Electrical permits are issued by Construction Review, with the number of inspections included varying by permit type (three for residence installations, two for other new wiring, one for upgrades and temporary poles); anything beyond the included count is $50.00 per inspection. Commonwealth of Kentucky licenses electrical contractors, master electricians and electricians, and Construction Review verifies licensing when permits are pulled. A burnout repair on a service prices at the same $75.00/$100.00 work-cost ladder as other repairs.
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 electrical permit fee only. It excludes:
- Additional inspections beyond those included with the permit — $50.00 each, payable before further permits issue.
- Louisville Gas & Electric (LG&E) and KU meter, service-drop and transformer charges.
- Building, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits for the same project.
- Fire alarm plan review by the fire marshal.
- The $1,000 minimum penalty for electrical work started without a permit (charged in addition to the standard fee).
What you need before applying
- Kentucky electrical licenseRequired
Electrical permits are issued through Construction Review against licensed electrical work; the Commonwealth of Kentucky (Office of Housing, Buildings and Construction) licenses Electrical Contractors, Master Electricians and Electricians statewide.
Common questions
How much is an electrical permit for a new house in Louisville?
$200.00 flat for the initial installation of electrical wiring in a one- or two-family residence, including three inspections. Larger service sizes do not change the residence row — amperage pricing begins with the condo/patio-home and other-than-residence permits.
Promulgated Permit Fees, Electrical item 1
How are service amperes priced on Louisville electrical permits?
$0.25 for each ampere at the service entrance up to and including 600 amperes, then $0.50 for each ampere over 600. A 400-amp service adds $100.00; a 700-amp service adds $150.00 + $50.00 = $175.00 (600 × $0.25 + 100 × $0.50).
Promulgated Permit Fees, Electrical items 2 and 4
What does a service upgrade cost to permit in Louisville?
$75.00 when the work costs $750.00 or less, $100.00 over that — covering service upgrades, new service, repairs and additional wiring on one/two-family, condominium and patio-home residences, one inspection included.
Promulgated Permit Fees, Electrical item 3
How much is a subpanel on a Louisville electrical permit?
$25.00 per subpanel on other-than-residence new wiring and on commercial rewiring or repairs. Multi-family residential structures add $25.00 per dwelling unit instead.
Promulgated Permit Fees, Electrical items 4 and 5
How much is a temporary pole permit in Louisville?
$85.00, including one inspection. Temporary poles are common on new construction sites before permanent service is energized.
Promulgated Permit Fees, Electrical item 6
What happens if my electrical permit needs more inspections?
Each additional inspection beyond the permit's included count is $50.00, and the Department may decline to issue further permits to the applicant until additional inspection fees are paid in full.
Promulgated Permit Fees, Electrical item 7
Does the $75 permit minimum apply to electrical permits?
Yes — the schedule's item 10 minimum applies to fees calculated under the section, and the electrical rows sit in it. Small permits under $75.00 of computed fees (rare, since the base rows start at $75.00–$100.00) would be topped up to $75.00.
Promulgated Permit Fees, Electrical item 10
Is there an electrical penalty for working without a permit?
Yes — electrical work carries a minimum $1,000.00 penalty fee, in addition to the standard fee, when work starts without a permit. Other trades' penalties are the same amount as the standard fee.
Promulgated Permit Fees, Penalty section
Source and verification
The documents behind every figure on this page, with the dates that make them checkable.
- City websiteCityPrimary source
Louisville Metro Construction Review — Permit Fees page
Construction Review's Permit Fees page, restating the promulgated rows in prose (per-sq-ft occupancy table, $50 + $2.50 per $1,000 estimated cost, wrecking, signs, parking lots) and linking the promulgated-fees PDF; the department's address (444 S. 5th Street) and phone are verified from the Construction Review contact block.
- 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.