Building permits, zoning and land rules in Bellevue, Kentucky

At a glance

Building permits

Required for new structures, relocation, additions and structural alterations¹

Building and zoning applications

Campbell County department, as directed by Bellevue’s municipal website³

Zoning

Bellevue’s adopted city zoning code applies inside city limits²

Septic approvals

Northern Kentucky Health Department; site evaluation before installation permit⁶⁴

Public sewer connections

Licensed plumber and city connection permit required⁷

Floodplain development

Development permit required before work in special flood hazard areas⁸

Private wells

No Kentucky owner construction application or fee; certified well driller required⁹

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Bellevue, KY?

Bellevue requires a building-inspector-issued permit before a building or other structure is erected, moved, added to or structurally altered.¹ Bellevue has adopted both the Kentucky Building Code and Kentucky Residential Code.¹⁰ The city’s fee schedule lists exemptions for painting, wallpapering, patching and plastering walls, and certain minor repairs; ask the building office whether your precise scope qualifies.¹

Bellevue’s published building-permit fee depends on construction cost, and beginning construction before issuance carries a penalty equal to 50% of the permit fee.¹¹ Request a current project-specific fee calculation from the Bellevue service contact before committing to a construction budget.³

Who handles building permits and zoning applications in Bellevue?

Bellevue’s municipal website directs building and zoning applicants to Campbell County Planning, Zoning and Building Inspection at (859) 292-3880.³ Bellevue also points applicants to the county website for zoning, building and sign application forms.³ Start with that department and identify your address as inside Bellevue so the project is reviewed under the city’s rules.³²

Bellevue’s inspection-program ordinance assigns Kentucky Building Code plan review and inspections to the county department, and Kentucky Residential Code review and inspections to city inspection staff; ask the current service contact who will inspect your project.¹² Building and zoning assistance does not replace septic approval, which comes from Northern Kentucky Health Department.⁶⁴

Does Bellevue have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Bellevue has adopted an Official Zoning Code, available for public inspection in the City Clerk-Treasurer’s office.² The county department provides Bellevue’s zoning application assistance, but the city’s adopted zoning is the starting point for a parcel inside Bellevue.³²

We could not confirm Bellevue’s private-land RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny-home or accessory-dwelling rules; ask the Bellevue zoning service contact for a written answer for the proposed address and use.³ We also could not confirm Bellevue’s district-specific minimum lot area, setbacks or minimum dwelling size; request the applicable district standards before selecting a house plan.³ For land outside Bellevue, use the Campbell County guide to investigate the county’s separate zoning requirements.¹³

How do septic permits and sewer connections work inside Bellevue?

For a Bellevue property proposing an onsite septic system, Northern Kentucky Health Department handles site evaluation and installation approval within its Campbell County service area.⁶⁴ The site evaluation costs $300, payable with the application; a suitable or provisionally suitable rating precedes the certified installer’s permit application, paperwork and separate permit fee.⁴ The installer must request inspection before any installed work is covered.⁵

For connections to Bellevue’s public storm or sanitary sewers, the city requires a licensed plumber and a connection permit.⁷ Bellevue’s code lists a $200 residential sewer-connection license fee and a $500 approved surety bond before the public-sewer connection license or permit is issued.⁷ Confirm the parcel’s sewer service and proposed connection with the building office before choosing an onsite alternative.³⁷

Building a home in Bellevue: what are the steps, in order?

1. Identify the Bellevue parcel and proposed use with the building and zoning service contact; request the applicable city zoning standards before finalizing plans.³²
2. Resolve wastewater service: arrange a licensed plumber and city permit for a public-sewer connection, or seek Northern Kentucky Health’s site evaluation and septic installation approval for an onsite system.⁷⁴
3. Ask Bellevue’s Floodplain Administrator whether the parcel lies in a special flood hazard area; obtain the city development permit before starting covered development there.⁸
4. Obtain the building permit before new construction, relocation, additions or structural alterations, and confirm the responsible inspection staff with the application contact.¹⁴¹²³
5. Arrange required building inspections and septic inspection before covering septic work; ask the building office what occupancy approval your finished home needs.¹²⁵³

What should you check before buying a building lot in Bellevue?

Ask the Bellevue building and zoning service contact for the parcel’s permitted use, dimensional standards and project review requirements before buying a lot for a particular home design.³² Bellevue requires a separate development permit before development activities in special flood hazard areas, with application forms supplied by the Floodplain Administrator.⁸ Request that determination before planning grading or construction.⁸

For a proposed private well, Kentucky requires no owner permitting application or fee for construction or abandonment, but construction, modification and abandonment must be performed by a Kentucky Certified Water Well Driller.⁹ We could not confirm a Bellevue owner-builder exemption or the precise local certificate-of-occupancy trigger; ask the building service contact before planning self-performed work or a move-in date.³

Watch-outs

• Beginning covered construction in Bellevue before the building permit is issued carries an additional charge equal to 50% of the permit fee.¹¹
• Bellevue’s public-sewer connection rule requires a licensed plumber; do not assume an owner-builder arrangement permits a homeowner to make the tap.⁷
• We could not confirm permission to occupy an RV or tiny home on private land in Bellevue; ask the Bellevue zoning service contact before buying for that use.³
• Bellevue’s floodplain development permit must precede development activities in special flood hazard areas.⁸

Sources

1. § 150.07 Building Permits (Bellevue), quoted and re-checked
2. § 158.01 Zoning Code Adopted by Reference (Bellevue), quoted and re-checked
3. Campbell County Planning, Zoning and Building Inspection — Bellevue service contact (bellevueky.org)
4. Septic Systems - Northern Kentucky Health Department, quoted and re-checked
5. Septic Systems - Northern Kentucky Health Department, quoted and re-checked
6. Septic Systems - Northern Kentucky Health Department, quoted and re-checked
7. § 51.02 Sewer Connections and Taps (Bellevue), quoted and re-checked
8. § 152.07 Establishment of Development Permit (Bellevue), quoted and re-checked
9. Water Well Information for Home Owners (Kentucky statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. § 150.01 Adoption of Kentucky Building Code (Bellevue), quoted and re-checked
11. § 150.02 Fee Schedule for Zoning, Building, and Wrecking Permits (Bellevue), quoted and re-checked
12. § 150.08 Building Inspection Program (Bellevue), quoted and re-checked
13. § 154.002 Authority (2026 county census)
14. § 150.07 Building Permits (Bellevue), quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.