Local rules and regulations for Jefferson County, Kentucky. Population: 782,969.
Verified from official government sources
Select a topic to see Jefferson County's rules on that subject.
Louisville Metro regulates amplified sound under LMCO Chapter 99. Outdoor amplified events on public property require a special event permit. Waterfront Park, NuLu, and the Highlands entertainment strips have specific sound conditions tied to ABC licenses.
Louisville Metro has no dedicated leaf blower ordinance. Gas and electric blowers are legal, but operation must comply with the general noise ordinance (LMCO Ch. 99) and construction-style hours, typically 7 AM to 9 PM in residential zones.
Jefferson County and Louisville merged in 2003 to form Louisville Metro Government, so all unincorporated Jefferson County areas fall under LMCO Chapter 99 (Noise). The ordinance prohibits unreasonably loud, harsh, or excessive noise. Construction near residential property is…
As part of Louisville Metro Government since 2003, Jefferson County follows LMCO § 99.03. Exterior construction within 100 feet of residential property is prohibited from 9 PM to 7 AM. Public right-of-way work for emergency or public-interest purposes is exempt at all times. No…
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) regulates barking dogs under LMCO Chapter 91. Dogs that bark, howl, or whine persistently in a manner unreasonably disturbing to neighbors may be reported to Metro Animal Services. Persistent violations can result in Class A misdemeanor…
Louisville Metro provides weekly curbside trash and every-other-week recycling inside the Urban Services District. Outside the USD, residents contract with private haulers. Waste Management, Rumpke, and Republic Services are the main licensed haulers.
Louisville Metro offers monthly junk set-out for Urban Services District residents. Haul-It-Away scheduled pickup and six Metro drop-off recycling/yard waste sites accept bulky items. Hazardous waste goes to the Metro Hazardous Waste Collection Facility on Meriwether Ave.
In the Urban Services District, Louisville Metro requires bins placed curbside after 6 PM the day before pickup and retrieved within 24 hours after collection. Bins must be stored out of public view between pickups per LMCO Ch. 51.
Louisville Metro operates single-stream curbside recycling in the USD, collected every other week. Accepted: paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum, steel cans, plastics #1, #2, and #5. Plastic bags, food waste, and #3/#6/#7 plastics are rejected.
Louisville Metro enforces property blight under LMCO Chapter 156 (International Property Maintenance Code adopted) and Chapter 150. Vacant Property Registration required (LMCO §156.050). Abatement liens attach to property.
Louisville Metro requires vacant lot owners to maintain grass under 10 inches, clear trash and debris, secure structures, and register vacant buildings. Metro Code of Ordinances (LMCO) Chapter 156 (Property Maintenance) and Chapter 157 (Vacant and Abandoned Property…
Louisville Metro LMCO §156 (Property Maintenance Code) applies to garage sale cleanup. Merchandise and signs must be removed by end of sale. Items left visible from the street trigger blight citations.
Louisville Metro Waste Management under LMCO Chapter 51 requires trash and recycling carts to be stored out of public view between pickups. Carts placed curbside no earlier than evening before and retrieved within 24 hours.
Louisville Metro LMCO §97.23 requires property owners and occupants to clear snow and ice from adjacent public sidewalks within 24 hours after snowfall ends. Failure allows Metro to clear and bill the property owner.
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) prohibits feeding of deer and elk under 301 KAR 2:075. Louisville Metro Animal Services addresses feeding that creates nuisance or wildlife conflicts under LMCO Chapter 91.
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) permits beekeeping under the 2021 Urban Agriculture LDC amendments (21-LDC-0003). No specific hive count or setback limits are set at the Metro level beyond general LDC urban agriculture standards. State registration with the Kentucky…
Jefferson County may permit backyard chickens with limits on flock size and setbacks. Roosters typically banned in residential zones. Kentucky Right to Farm Law protects agricultural operations.
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) LMCO § 91.002 requires all dogs off the owner's premises to be on a leash controlled by a responsible person. Dangerous dogs require a leash of maximum 4 feet and a muzzle when off the owner's property. Off-leash areas in designated Metro…
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) LMCO Chapter 91 § 91.140 regulates exotic species. Prohibited wild animals may not be kept without written approval from the Metro Animal Services Director. Most exotic wildlife is not permitted. Kentucky Fish & Wildlife (KRS Ch. 150) also…
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) has no breed-specific legislation. Previous restrictions were repealed in line with Kentucky state law KRS 258.235(4), which prohibits local breed-specific ordinances statewide. All dogs are regulated by individual behavior classification…
Louisville Metro has no just-cause eviction ordinance. Evictions follow Kentucky URLTA (KRS 383.500–715) as adopted locally: 7-day cure for nonpayment, 14-day cure for lease violations, and 30-day no-cause notice for month-to-month tenancies.
Louisville Metro operates the Rental Registry & Inspection Program under LMCO Chapter 156 (IPMC-based), requiring annual registration of all non-owner-occupied residential rental units with Develop Louisville's Property Maintenance division and periodic inspections.
Rent control is effectively unavailable in Jefferson County. Kentucky has no statewide rent-control preemption statute, but Louisville Metro has never enacted rent control and KRS 383.705 of the URLTA (adopted locally) presumes market-rate rent setting by landlord.
Louisville Metro's Land Development Code Chapter 4, Part 1 regulates outdoor lighting with full-cutoff fixture requirements for nonresidential uses, spillover limits at property lines, and specific standards near residential zones and parkways.
Louisville Metro LDC 4.1.7 caps light spillover at 0.1 footcandle at residential property lines and 1.0 footcandle at rights-of-way, with persistent light trespass also actionable as a private nuisance under Kentucky common law.
Louisville Metro authorized medical cannabis dispensaries under KRS Ch. 218B effective 2025 subject to Metro Council zoning regulations. LDC amendments restrict dispensary locations with 1,000 ft buffers from schools, daycares, and parks.
Kentucky prohibits home cannabis cultivation. KRS §218A.1422 criminalizes marijuana possession. Medical cannabis (KRS §218B, effective 2025) is processed-products only - no home grow. Recreational cannabis remains illegal statewide.
Hot tubs in Jefferson County require an electrical permit for the 240V circuit under 2018 Kentucky Residential Code. Barrier requirements met by ASTM F1346 safety cover. Setbacks follow LMCO Land Development Code.
Louisville Metro requires a building permit for in-ground and above-ground pools through Construction Review. Kentucky Building Code (815 KAR 7:120 / 2018 Kentucky Residential Code) governs barrier, electrical, and structural standards. Separate electrical permit required.
Above-ground pools in Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) with water depth over 24 inches require a building permit. Pool walls at least 48 inches above grade can serve as the required barrier. Ladder and stair access must be enclosed or non-climbable when pool is not in use…
Residential pools in Jefferson County require building permits from Codes & Regulations. Public pools (apartments, condos, hotels, clubs) are inspected twice annually by Louisville Metro Public Health under Board of Health regulations. Public outdoor pool permits cost $75/year.
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) requires all residential swimming pools to be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches tall with self-closing, self-latching gates, per the Kentucky Residential Code adopted under LMCO § 150.001. Gates must latch when released from 6 inches…
Kentucky's Home-Based Processor law (KRS §217.137) and Home-Based Microprocessor (KRS §217.139) allow home food sales. Louisville Metro does not add local barriers; registration with Kentucky Department for Public Health required for microprocessors.
Kentucky licenses home daycares under 922 KAR 2:100 (certified family child-care homes) for up to 6 children. Louisville Metro zoning under LMCO Land Development Code treats certified home daycare as permitted home occupation.
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) regulates home occupations under the LDC. Home businesses must be subordinate to residential use, not alter the home's appearance, and comply with traffic, sign, and employee restrictions. Some suburban cities in Jefferson County have…
Home businesses in Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) are limited to incidental signs of 2 square feet or less. Permanent signs require a sign permit. Temporary signs are regulated under LMCO Chapter 155 (max 120 days/year). Historic district properties have additional design…
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) LDC home occupation standards restrict customer and employee visits to preserve neighborhood character. High-traffic home businesses may require a Conditional Use Permit. Businesses generating traffic indistinguishable from normal residential…
MSD (Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District) regulates stormwater under federal MS4 permit. Projects adding 2,500+ sq ft impervious surface need MSD stormwater review. Project WIN addresses combined sewer overflows under EPA consent decree.
Jefferson County is inland but Ohio River floodplain, Beargrass Creek, Floyds Fork, and Mill Creek trigger MSD floodplain permits under LMCO Chapter 158, with 25-foot stream buffers and FEMA NFIP requirements applying to riparian development.
Louisville Metro requires grading permits for excavation or fill over 50 cubic yards or disturbance over 5,000 sq ft per LMCO Chapter 157 and MSD Design Manual, with drainage designed so runoff does not harm adjoining properties under Kentucky common-law rules.
Louisville Metro requires erosion prevention and sediment control (EPSC) plans for all land-disturbing activities of 1 acre or more under LMCO Chapter 159 and MSD Design Manual Chapter 23, with Louisville MSD enforcing Kentucky's KPDES construction stormwater general permit…
Jefferson County is governed by LMCO Chapter 157 (Floodplain Management Ordinance, 2017/2022) administered by MSD. Louisville participates in NFIP and FEMA's Community Rating System. The Local Regulatory Floodplain (LRF) is often wider than FEMA's SFHA — any development in the…
Louisville Metro LDC Chapter 8 treats garage sale signs as temporary signs (max 6 sq ft on private property, permit-free) with placement in the public right-of-way and attachment to utility poles prohibited under LMCO 97.10 and KRS 179.070.
Louisville Metro LDC Chapter 8 permits political/temporary expressive signs on private residential property without a permit (generally up to 6 sq ft per sign, 32 sq ft on nonresidential lots), with public right-of-way placement prohibited under LMCO Chapter 97.
Louisville Metro permits residential holiday decorations without a permit. LDC Chapter 8 exempts seasonal and decorative displays, though safety, sight-triangle, and LMCO Chapter 91 noise rules still apply after 11 p.m.
Louisville Metro Land Development Code (LDC) Ch. 5 establishes minimum setbacks by form district. R-4 single-family requires ~25 ft front, 5-8 ft side, 25 ft rear. Traditional neighborhood districts allow reduced setbacks.
Louisville Metro LDC limits residential structures to 35 ft in R-4/R-5 districts and 45 ft in R-6. Downtown and commercial form districts allow much greater heights. Height measured from average finished grade per LDC §5.3.
Louisville Metro LDC caps lot coverage at 35-50% in residential form districts, with stricter MSD stormwater rules for impervious surfaces. Ohio River floodplain lots face additional coverage and elevation requirements.
Louisville Metro requires door-to-door commercial peddlers to obtain a permit from Metro Revenue Commission under LMCO Chapter 115. Background check and photo ID badge required. Religious, political, and charitable canvassers exempt per First Amendment.
Louisville Metro honors posted 'No Soliciting' signs under LMCO Ch. 115 — commercial peddlers who ignore a sign face citations. No formal Metro-wide no-knock registry; some incorporated cities (St. Matthews, Jeffersontown) maintain their own opt-out lists.
Louisville Metro does not set a specific numeric cap on garage sales per year, but recurring sales may be classified as a home occupation under LDC §4.2.45 requiring zoning approval and licensing.
Louisville Metro does not require a permit for residential garage or yard sales. Sales must comply with LMCO signage rules (no right-of-way signs) and frequency limits to avoid classification as a home business under LDC §4.2.
Louisville Metro does not set specific hours for garage sales but LMCO §99.05 noise ordinance applies. Sales must not create disturbance during quiet hours (generally 11 PM-7 AM). Daytime weekend sales are standard practice.
Louisville Metro does not have a formal heritage tree ordinance but protects trees in Olmsted Parks, Tree Preservation Areas (TPAs), and historic landmark districts. TreesLouisville and Metro Parks track significant specimen trees.
Louisville Metro LDC §10 requires a tree removal permit for significant trees in buffer yards, landscape areas, and certain development projects. Street trees in public right-of-way are managed by Metro Public Works and require permits.
Louisville Metro LDC §10 requires tree replacement for landscape-required trees removed during development. Replacement uses caliper-inch ratios, typically 2:1, with approved species from the Metro tree list.
Louisville Metro LDC 4.2.62 caps short-term rental occupancy at 2 adults per bedroom plus 2 additional guests (max of 10 adults regardless of bedroom count), with STR registration required under LMCO Chapter 115A.
Louisville Metro LMCO Chapter 115A requires short-term rental operators to carry and maintain liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 covering STR activity, with proof required at registration and annual renewal.
STR guests in Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) must comply with LMCO Chapter 72 parking regulations. No STR-specific parking minimums apply beyond standard residential LDC requirements. Off-street parking must be on a hard/semi-pervious driveway surface. Guest parking impacts…
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) requires annual STR registration under LMCO § 115.516. The 2023 STR Ordinance (effective Sept. 28, 2023) tightened rules: owner must have lived on the property 6+ months before applying; non-owner-occupied STRs require a Conditional Use…
STR guests in Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) are subject to LMCO Chapter 99 noise regulations. No separate STR-specific quiet hours apply. Hosts are responsible for guest compliance. Two substantiated complaints in 12 months can trigger STR permit revocation.
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) imposes an 8.5% Transient Room Tax on all STR stays under 30 days under LMCO § 121.01. All hosts must register with the Louisville Metro Revenue Commission. Monthly electronic filings are required via EMINTS since July 1, 2023. Annual STR…
Louisville Metro requires an electrical permit for Level 2 EV charger installation under the 2018 Kentucky Residential Code. HOAs cannot prohibit EV chargers on owner property per KRS §381.9701 (2022 solar/EV protections).
LMCO §72.31 defines abandoned vehicles on public streets as those left over 72 hours. KRS §189.450 and §82.620 govern statewide removal. Private property junk vehicles regulated under LMCO Chapter 156 (Property Maintenance).
Louisville Metro has no blanket overnight parking ban on public streets. LMCO Chapter 72 prohibits parking over 72 hours in one spot, and posted restricted zones (2-6 AM) exist near hospitals and downtown.
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) street parking is governed by LMCO Chapter 72 and enforced by PARC (Parking Authority of River City) and Louisville Metro Police. Restrictions vary by neighborhood, posted signage, and permit zones. Inoperable/unregistered vehicles must be…
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) LDC restricts large commercial vehicles in residential zones. Heavy Trucks (multi-axle vehicles, trailers over 16 feet) are generally prohibited in residential districts. Light commercial vehicles (vans, pickups) follow standard residential…
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) LDC restricts RV and trailer parking in residential districts. RVs/boats over 25 feet or trailers over 16 feet are classified as 'Heavy Trucks' with strict limits. Medium-sized RVs (under the Heavy Truck thresholds) are allowed on lots 20,000+…
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) LDC requires residential driveways in front or street-side yards to be no wider than 20 feet and surfaced with a hard or semi-pervious material. Driveways must lead to a garage, carport, house, or backyard. Parking on unpaved front yards is…
Louisville Metro regulates food truck locations through zoning and right-of-way rules. Downtown vending is controlled by Louisville Downtown Partnership street program. Private property operation allowed with owner consent subject to LDC parking/use standards.
Louisville food trucks need a Mobile Food Unit permit from Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness plus a business license. Annual inspection, commissary agreement, and Jefferson County health department approval required under 902 KAR 45:005.
Louisville Metro encourages native Kentucky plants through the Louisville Grows program and MSD stormwater incentives. No ordinance mandates native plantings, and HOAs face limited KRS §381.9701 protections for water-conserving landscapes.
Kentucky has no state restrictions on residential rainwater harvesting. Louisville Metro allows rain barrels and cisterns freely. MSD offers rain barrel rebates through its stormwater quality program.
Louisville Metro permits residential artificial turf without specific permits. Installation must comply with MSD stormwater drainage requirements, and HOA covenants may still restrict use.
LMCO Chapter 102 requires permits for pruning trees in the public right-of-way throughout Jefferson County. Private property tree trimming needs no permit. Climbing spurs are prohibited for all pruning. Equipment must be decontaminated between trees to prevent disease spread.
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) has no standing outdoor watering restrictions or scheduled irrigation ordinance. Louisville Water Company draws from the Ohio River and rarely issues restrictions. Voluntary conservation guidance may be issued during unusual drought conditions.
LMCO Chapter 102 requires permits for removing trees in the public right-of-way throughout Jefferson County. Private property trees may be removed without a permit except in historic preservation districts. Unpermitted removal of ROW trees results in restoration cost assessments…
LMCO § 156.052 requires all properties in Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) to maintain grass and weeds below 10 inches. A Managed Natural Landscape (MNL) exception allows native plant gardens under specific conditions. Fines start at $100 and can accumulate to $1,500 with…
Jefferson County enforces weed abatement for property maintenance. Property owners responsible for clearing weeds per KRS §381.770 and local nuisance ordinances.
Louisville Metro requires a building permit for retaining walls over 4 feet in height (measured from bottom of footing) under the 2018 Kentucky Building Code. Engineered drawings required; MSD review triggered for drainage impacts.
Louisville Metro requires pool barriers per 2018 Kentucky Residential Code Appendix G: minimum 48-inch fence, self-closing/self-latching gates, and openings less than 4 inches. Inspection at permit required.
Louisville Metro Land Development Code allows wood, vinyl, masonry, and wrought iron in residential zones. Barbed and razor wire are prohibited in residential districts. Local Landmarks districts (Old Louisville, Butchertown, Cherokee Triangle) require preservation review for…
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) LDC sets fence heights by location and form district. Front yards allow 42 inches (Traditional) or 48 inches (Suburban). Side and rear yards allow up to 8 feet for solid privacy fences or 6 feet for see-through fences. Corner lot visibility…
Jefferson County has no municipal fence-sharing or cost-sharing ordinance. Kentucky's Boundary Line Fence Act (KRS Chapter 256) applies only to agricultural land. Residential fence disputes are civil matters. LDC standards must be met regardless of any private neighbor agreement.
Fences over 7 feet tall and retaining walls over 4 feet require a building permit in Jefferson County (Louisville Metro). Permits are obtained from Codes & Regulations. Lower fences need no permit but must comply with LDC height, setback, and material standards.
Louisville Metro requires a building and electrical permit for residential rooftop solar installations under the 2018 Kentucky Residential Code and 2017 NEC, with LG&E net metering available under KRS 278.465–466 and Kentucky PSC Order in Case No. 2020-00350.
Kentucky's KRS 381.620 (enacted 1979) blocks deed restrictions from prohibiting reasonable solar energy systems, but HOAs in Jefferson County retain authority to impose reasonable aesthetic conditions on placement, color, and screening.
Louisville Metro Parks close at 11 PM and open at 6 AM per Metro Parks regulations and LMCO Chapter 131. Waterfront Park has the same 11 PM curfew. After-hours presence is criminal trespass under KRS §511.080.
Jefferson County enforces a juvenile curfew for minors under 17. Nighttime curfew hours typically run 11 PM to 6 AM on school nights with later weekend hours.
Commercial drone operators in Louisville must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Most of the metro sits in SDF Class C or Bowman Class D airspace requiring LAANC. Filming permits may be required from Louisville Film Office for commercial shoots.
Recreational drones in Jefferson County follow FAA 49 USC §44809 rules — registration if over 0.55 lbs, 400-ft ceiling, TRUST test. Louisville SDF (Muhammad Ali International) Class C airspace covers much of the metro; LAANC required. Metro Parks prohibit drone launches without…
Louisville Metro regulates tiny homes via 2018 Kentucky Residential Code Appendix Q for units under 400 sq ft. THOWs typically classified as RVs and restricted to RV parks. ADU ordinance (2020) allows tiny accessory dwellings.
Louisville Metro requires a building permit for carports exceeding 200 sq ft under 2018 Kentucky Residential Code. LMCO Land Development Code sets side setback of 3-5 feet and counts carports toward lot coverage.
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) allows ADUs on single-family lots under LDC § 4.3.27 (2021 amendment). ADUs are limited to 800 sq ft or 30% of the main home. Owner occupancy of the main home or ADU is required. ADUs under this provision cannot be used as short-term rentals…
In Jefferson County (Louisville Metro), one-story detached accessory structures under 200 sq ft need no building permit. Structures 200 sq ft or larger require a permit. The combined footprint of all accessory structures cannot exceed the main house footprint. Maximum height is…
Garage conversions to living space in Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) require a building permit. Converting to an accessory apartment may require a Conditional Use Permit or follow the ADU process under LDC § 4.3.27. All work must meet Kentucky Residential Code standards.
Jefferson County is not mapped as a wildfire hazard zone. Louisville Metro has no WUI overlay or defensible space rules. Outdoor burning follows KRS 149.400 (Oct 1 to Dec 15 and Feb 15 to Apr 30, no burning 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. within 150 ft of woodland) and LMCO Chapter 97 burn…
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) follows LMCO § 94.40, which restricts consumer fireworks significantly beyond Kentucky state law. Aerial devices, firecrackers, and most 'Class C' items permitted by KRS 227.702 are banned locally. Only non-aerial ground items (sparklers…
Fire pits in Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) must not exceed 3 feet in any dimension. Portable fire pits must be commercially manufactured; permanent pits must use non-combustible materials. Only clean, dry firewood is permitted. All fires are banned during Air Quality…
Jefferson County requires property maintenance to reduce fire risk. Kentucky does not have wildfire defensible space mandates, but local codes require vegetation management.
Open burning is generally prohibited throughout Jefferson County under APCD regulations. Burning of yard waste, leaves, garbage, and debris is illegal. Recreational fires in approved fire pits (max 3×3×3 ft) with clean dry firewood are permitted without a permit, subject to air…
These cities are located within Jefferson County and may have their own ordinances.
Ordinance data for Jefferson County is sourced from the following official government references. Click any topic above for detailed citations.