What building code does Louisville, KY use?
Louisville, KY currently enforces the 2018 KBC, Fourth Edition (Feb 2024) Kentucky Building Code (state-amended 2015 IBC). Louisville enforces the state-adopted code. Louisville Metro enforces the mandatory statewide Kentucky Building and Residential Codes, whose latest (Dec 3, 2024) KAR revisions are still 2018 editions based on the 2015 IBC/IRC — Kentucky has not moved to 2021/2024 base codes — with the 2023 NEC statewide (certain residential provisions delayed until July 15, 2026) and the state's own plumbing code.
Adopted codes
| Scope | Code | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Building | Kentucky Building Code (state-amended 2015 IBC) | 2018 KBC, Fourth Edition (Feb 2024) |
| Residential | Kentucky Residential Code (state-amended 2015 IRC) | 2018 KRC, Third Edition (Aug 2024) |
| Fire | NFPA 1 Fire Code (Kentucky Standards of Safety, 815 KAR 10:060) | 2018 |
| Mechanical | International Mechanical Code | 2015 |
| Plumbing | Kentucky State Plumbing Code (815 KAR Chapter 20, state-written; not IPC/UPC-based) | current KAR text |
| Electrical | National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) | 2023 |
| Energy | International Energy Conservation Code (per KBC/KRC references) | 2012 (commercial) / 2009 (residential) |
| Other | International Existing Building Code | 2015 |
Current adoptions effective 2024-12-03.
Permits: Louisville permitting office
Get this data as JSON
curl https://codes.submittal.app/api/v1/cities/louisville.jsonConfidence: high · Verified against official sources:
- https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/815/007/120/
- https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/815/007/125/
- https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/815/010/060/
- https://dhbc.ky.gov/Documents/Find%20Currently%20Enforced%20Code.pdf
- https://dhbc.ky.gov/Documents/July%2015%202026%20NEC%20Update.pdf
Part of the open building-codes dataset (CC BY 4.0). See also: Kentucky statewide adoptions.