Louisville, KY Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer distance
- 15 feet from building entrances
- First offense fine
- $50 to $100
- Repeat-offense fine
- up to $500
- Enforcing agency
- Louisville Metro Health Department
- Hookah lounges
- exempt from the buffer
Summary
Louisville Metro bans smoking within 15 feet of any building entrance to keep smoke from drifting indoors, part of the Smoke Free Law enforced by the Health Department.
Smoking is prohibited within 15 feet of the outside entrance to any building so as to ensure that tobacco smoke does not enter the building through entrances, windows, ventilation systems, or other means. The 15 feet distance restriction does not apply to hookah lounges. (Lou. Metro Ord. No. 123-2005, approved 8-17-2005, effective 11-15-2005; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 189-2006, approved 10-17-2006, effective 7-1-2007; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 1-2008, approved 1-11-2008; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 83-2017, approved 5-22-2017)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-47: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinances passed by the Council and approved by the Mayor as of July 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Louisville Metro's Smoke Free Law bars smoking within 15 feet of any building entrance so smoke can't drift through doors, windows, or vents; hookah lounges are exempt from the buffer. A separate Land Development Code rule bans smoking in and within 15 feet of any seasonal outdoor dining area permitted under Chapter 4 Part 3. There's no blanket ban covering parks or open green space beyond those buffers. Property owners can also post their own no-smoking rules for patios, parking lots, or other outdoor areas they control, and patrons must comply. The Louisville Metro Health Department enforces the chapter through Code Enforcement Board citations.
Violations & Fines
First offense draws a $50-$100 civil fine, second offense $150-$250, and third or later offenses within a year $350-$500, cited through the Code Enforcement Board under § 90.99.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I smoke on a restaurant patio in Louisville Metro?
Does Louisville Metro ban smoking in parks generally?
Does this apply in cities like Jeffersontown or St. Matthews?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Louisville
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