Building Permit Fees in Lexington, KY (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$175.00

$150.00 building permit + $25.00 plan review

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

$175.00

$150.00 building permit + $25.00 plan review

New single-family home

$350,000 value, new single-family 2,400 sq ft

$445.00

$240.00 building permit + $180.00 application + $25.00 plan review

How Lexington calculates your permit fee

The city charges a building permit fee using $0.10 per square foot, plus a $180.00 application fee, with a $150.00 minimum. Plan review is a separate charge: a flat $25.00. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work gets its own permits.

The fee table

Single family residence, new

$0.10 per square foot, plus a $180.00 application fee, with a $150.00 minimum.

Residential additions (attached garages, decks, dormers)

$0.10 per square foot, with a $150.00 minimum.

Residential remodeling (incl. finishing basements)

$0.10 per square foot, with a $150.00 minimum.

Commercial remodeling

$0.10 per square foot, with a $250.00 minimum.

What counts as project value

Floor area (square feet). Residential and most commercial building permit fees are per square foot of floor area, not valuation. Commercial HVAC fees use construction cost; wrecking/moving use assessed valuation.

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: 2,400 sq ft × $0.10 = $240.00
Application fee: fixed = $180.00
Plan review fee: flat = $25.00
Total before trade permits: $445.00.

Fees people miss

May also apply (not in the totals above)

Work started without a permit: when work started without a permit; $150.00 on the standard projects.

Fee	Amount
1st reinspectionWhen: reinspection	$50.00 each
2nd reinspectionWhen: reinspection	$100.00 each
3rd reinspectionWhen: reinspection	$200.00 each
Certificate of occupancy not associated with a building permitWhen: stand-alone CO	$25.00 each
Home office certificate of occupancyWhen: home office	$10.00 each

Trade permits are separate. Mechanical: Residential: $105 first system, $50 each additional. Commercial: lookup table by construction cost from $125 ($2,000 or less) to $3,965 + $200 per $100,000 above $1,600,000.

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value and floor area.
Submit to Division of Building Inspection, Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works online through LFUCG online permit portal.
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.
Questions: 859-258-3770 · 101 East Vine St., 2nd Floor, Lexington, KY

Source record

Effective: 2019-07-01
Verified: 2026-11-04
Issuer: Division of Building Inspection, Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works
Valuation: Floor area (square feet)
Confidence: medium

What this page does not cover (4)

Fee schedule effective July 1, 2019 (document revised 10/27/21, marked 'subject to change without notice'); the city page still calls these the current fees
Duplex/townhouse/apartment per-unit base fee ($100/unit) not modelled (calculator has no unit count)
Commercial new-construction lines (e.g. 'Office Building .062 X Sq. Ft. (Min. $250) + .175 X Sq. Ft.') have two per-sq-ft terms whose meaning is not explained; commercial new construction not modelled
Electrical and plumbing permits are separate (not on this schedule); fire detection/sprinkler review fees not modelled

Separate electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire, impact, utility and school fees are usually not included unless they are listed. BuildingPermitCost is not a government permit office, and this is not legal advice.

Report an error · How we verify fees

How Lexington compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $175.00 in Lexington: 54% below the national median of $380.00.

A $75,000 addition costs $175.00 in Lexington: 79% below the national median of $820.58.

A $350,000 new home costs $445.00 in Lexington: 85% below the national median of $2,918.63.

Same standard projects everywhere, including plan review and required surcharges. All Kentucky places · Compare side by side

Lexington permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Lexington, KY?

A $25,000 remodel: $175.00. A $75,000 addition: $175.00. A $350,000 new single-family: $445.00. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Lexington permit fee?

No. Plan review is charged separately at a flat $25.00.

How does Lexington determine project value?

Floor area (square feet). Residential and most commercial building permit fees are per square foot of floor area, not valuation. Commercial HVAC fees use construction cost; wrecking/moving use assessed valuation.

Are electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits included?

No. They are separate permits. Mechanical: Residential: $105 first system, $50 each additional. Commercial: lookup table by construction cost from $125 ($2,000 or less) to $3,965 + $200 per $100,000 above $1,600,000.

When did these Lexington fees take effect?

The schedule is effective Jul 1, 2019 (“EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2019 (document revised 10/27/21)”). We last checked it against the official source on Nov 4, 2026.