Franklin County, KY Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)

Chapter 130 of the Franklin County Code, adopted by the Fiscal Court in 2012 and amended in 2019, states its purpose in § 130.01(B)(1) as regulating smoking or use of vapor products in buildings open to the general public. Section 130.02 defines COUNTY to mean the unincorporated areas of Franklin County, Kentucky, and excludes the City of Frankfort.

The outdoor rule is § 130.04. Smoking or use of vapor products is prohibited within a reasonable distance of the outside entrance to or open windows of any building and from the air intake of a ventilation system serving a building, so that smoke does not enter the building. The code prints no footage for that distance, so the standard is the stated purpose: smoke must not enter through entrances, windows or ventilation systems. Section 130.02 defines SMOKING as inhaling or exhaling the smoke from any burning cigar, cigarette, pipe or other burning tobacco product, and VAPOR PRODUCT covers electronic cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and pipes.

Section 130.03(B) lets the owner, lessee, principal manager or person in control of any place, including any motor vehicle, outdoor area or dwelling, prohibit smoking completely, and no person may fail to abide by that private prohibition. That is how a business can close its own patio. Section 130.05 requires no-smoking signs or the international symbol at the entrance to every building. Section 130.07 designates the County Judge/Executive's office to assign enforcing departments and accept citizen complaints. Section 130.03(C) also refers to county property including Lakeview Park, the Carter House and the Lakeview Golf Course while owned by the Fiscal Court.