Kentucky Plumbing Code & Regulation

Kentucky State Division of Plumbing

• Before adding a bathroom, building on or installing any new plumbing, you'll have to get your plans approved through the Kentucky State Division of Plumbing. The state's plumbing division is responsible for reviewing and approving construction plans, issuing plumbing permits and inspecting new plumbing. You may not have any plumbing installed in your home without receiving a permit for doing so from the Division of Plumbing. A licensed plumber or plumbing company will obtain all needed permits for you; the fees for these permits will be added to your final bill. Homeowners may install their own plumbing, but only if they obtain a permit first. Ordinary service of plumbing pipes and fixtures does not require a permit; nor are permits generally required to replace fixtures and piping. However, it is necessary to obtain a permit to have a water heater installed, and an inspection may follow.

Plumbing Definitions

• By Kentucky state law, plumbing includes all pipes and fixtures used to distribute water and provide drainage. Sewer lines and fixtures in and around the home are also included as plumbing by Kentucky codes and regulations. Some gas lines are also covered by Kentucky plumbing regulations. Only a licensed, master plumber is legally capable of taking out permits, and plumbing must, by law, be completed under a master plumbing license. Maintenance men may be used to fix leaks and other small plumbing problems, but they are not licensed to install new plumbing of any kind (including water heaters). Plumber's apprentices, as they are referred to in Kentucky, work under a master plumber.

Legal Plumbing Projects

• The Kentucky Plumbing Code and Regulation rule book is extremely extensive; there are many different codes regarding venting and drainage systems, among other plumbing procedures. Licensed plumbers in Kentucky are tested on these subjects every few years, to ensure they know all the right measurements and requirements for proper plumbing. When you or your plumber submits a request for a plumbing permit, it must be accompanied by plans that show the changes or additions being made. Fees for the permit and subsequent inspection must also be paid before the paperwork is complete. After plumbing is completed, an inspector must give the work a passing grade. Homeowners are free to fix leaks, change drains and replace fixtures within their homes, but any amount of installation or significant change must follow the letter of the Kentucky state law.

State and Local Plumbing

• The Kentucky Plumbing Code and Regulation book does not vary from city to city or county to county. Local governments are enabled to enforce the statewide code. Depending upon where you live, you will be contacting your city or county courthouse in order to obtain permits and plumbing inspections. Larger cities, such as Lexington and Louisville, have their own city inspectors. In more rural areas, you will be working with the county government.