Franklin County, KY Solar Energy: Panel Permits (2026)

The Franklin County Fiscal Court sets two printed fees for residential solar. Section 150.02(D) lists a Solar array line at $200 in the residential schedule for inspection and issuance of building permits. Section 150.05(D) lists Solar at $100 in the residential electrical inspection schedule. Section 150.05(B) makes an electrical permit and inspection a precondition to constructing or erecting structures outside the City of Frankfort, and § 150.05(C) has a certified electrical inspector of the Fiscal Court perform that work and issue the permits. The electrical contractor furnishes a copy of the contract to the Planning and Building Codes Department when applying (§ 150.05(E)).

Zoning treats a solar collector as a special device. Section 155.218 allows special devices, including solar collectors, as an accessory use in any zoning district, provided no device is located in front of any structure on lots less than one and one-half acres, no device is located within any required side yard on lots less than one and one-half acres, and no device is located closer to any lot line than the height of that device. The accessory use table in § 155.217 also carries a Solar collectors row under agriculture residence uses with its own front, side and rear entries, so a project should be checked against both sections before the permit is filed.

Section 150.02(E) states that filing an application after commencing construction can result in additional fees, and § 150.02(F) provides that collected fees become county property. Because the Kentucky Building Code and Residential Code apply under § 150.02(A), plans are reviewed against those codes, with a $25 plan review line in the residential schedule.