Lexington, KY Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)
Key Facts
- Initial inspection
- Included with permit, free
- First re-inspection
- Included, free, § 5-29.4
- Second re-inspection fee
- $50.00
- Each further re-inspection
- Doubles prior fee
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 40-2019, § 7, 6-20-19
Summary
Every commercial or residential building permit in Lexington-Fayette Urban County includes one free initial inspection and one free re-inspection per inspection type, such as footer or framing. A second re-inspection for the same type costs $50, and each additional re-inspection doubles the previous fee, all payable before further inspections or permits proceed.
Each commercial or residential building permit issued shall include an initial inspection and one re-inspection for each inspection type (i.e. footer, framing, etc.). When a second re-inspection is scheduled for the same type, the director, division of building inspection shall receive a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00). For each additional re-inspection, the director, division of building inspection shall receive a fee that is double the previous re-inspection fee. All fees shall be paid prior to requesting additional inspections or permits.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Republication | Zoning Ordinance: Republication).
Full Breakdown
). 00). " The ordinance requires that "all fees shall be paid prior to requesting additional inspections or permits," meaning the Division of Building Inspection can withhold scheduling further site visits, and even hold up unrelated permits, until an escalating re-inspection balance is cleared. Practically, that means the second re-inspection of a failed footer check costs $50, a third costs $100, a fourth $200, and so on, doubling with every additional failed check on the same inspection type. 3 for work started before a permit issues, so a project that both skips its permit and fails repeated inspections can accumulate several stacked charges under the same article. The provision was added by Ordinance No. 40-2019, § 7, effective June 20, 2019.
Violations & Fines
Beyond the escalating re-inspection fee itself, $50 for the second re-inspection, doubling with each subsequent failure on the same inspection type, the division can decline to schedule any further inspections or issue additional permits on the project until all outstanding inspection fees under § 5-29.4 are paid in full.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many free inspections come with a Lexington building permit?
How much does a second building re-inspection cost in Lexington?
Can the city hold up my permit if I owe re-inspection fees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lexington
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