Bolthole Index

Kenton County, Kentucky

Building permits, zoning and septic in Crestview Hills, Kentucky

Crestview Hills, Kentucky requires city building-permit submissions, with PDS contracted for plan review and building inspections.1 Crestview Hills sets its own zoning; Northern Kentucky Health Department handles septic inspections in Kenton County.23 Start with the City Building for a project inside city limits.1

At a glance

Building permits
City submission; PDS plan review and inspections1
Zoning
Crestview Hills ordinance applies inside city limits2
Septic
Northern Kentucky Health Department; state construction permit required34
Sewer connections
City permit required to make or alter a sanitary-sewer connection5
RV and tiny-home living
Not confirmed; ask the City Building about the proposed use2
Private wells
No owner permit application or fee under state rules; certified driller required6

Who to call

Building permits

Crestview Hills City Building — Building and Zoning

City building-permit submissions and local zoning questions; PDS provides contracted inspections and plan review.

859-341-7373

50 Town Center Boulevard Crestview Hills, KY 41017

Building permits

Planning and Development Services — Contracted Building Review and Inspections

PDS building and zoning application resources for Crestview Hills; coordinate city submissions with the City Building.

859-331-8980

1840 Simon Kenton Way, Suite 3400 Covington, KY 41011-2999

Septic permits

Northern Kentucky Health Department

Septic site evaluations, new and repair installation permits, and inspections for onsite sewage systems in Kenton County

859-341-4264

8001 Veterans Memorial Drive Florence, KY 41042

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

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Crestview Hills means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Crestview Hills, KY?

Crestview Hills directs applicants to submit a building permit and at least 3 copies of the plans to the City Building, even though PDS handles contracted plan review and inspections.1 The city adopts Kentucky building codes and retains responsibility for reviewing plans, issuing local-building permits and determining compliance.78 The city code lists local-building fees of $0.08 per square foot and state-building fees of $0.04 per square foot, depending on the review category.9 Ask the City Building which category and current fee schedule apply to your project before budgeting.

Who handles building permits and zoning in Crestview Hills?

The Crestview Hills City Building is the starting point for city building-permit submissions; PDS performs contracted building inspections and plan review.1 Call the City Building at 859-341-7373 to coordinate the city submission.1 PDS application forms and building checklists are linked from the city’s Building & Zoning page, which lists PDS at 859-331-8980.10 Ask the city how to coordinate zoning approval, plan review and inspection requests for your address. Septic review follows a separate route through Northern Kentucky Health Department, rather than the city’s building counter.3

Does Crestview Hills have zoning for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Crestview Hills has its own zoning ordinance covering zoning maps, fences, swimming pools and setbacks.2 PDS maintains the city’s zoning ordinances, and the city zoning page links the zoning map and code.1 We could not confirm Crestview Hills rules for RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny homes, manufactured homes or accessory dwellings; ask the City Building about the exact dwelling and proposed duration of use. We also could not confirm district-specific minimum lot size, minimum dwelling size, height or lot coverage. Ask for the parcel’s district and applicable dimensional schedule before choosing a house plan.

How do septic permits work inside Crestview Hills?

Northern Kentucky Health Department provides septic inspections in Kenton County, including the county containing Crestview Hills.3 Kentucky requires a local-health-department permit before constructing, installing or altering an onsite sewage disposal system, following a site evaluation.4 The Health Department lists a $300 site-evaluation fee payable with the application.3 Kentucky requires inspection of installed, constructed, altered or repaired systems by a certified inspector.11 For an existing septic system, local building offices require Health Department inspection before issuing a building or remodeling permit.3 Crestview Hills separately requires a city permit to make or alter a sanitary-sewer connection.5

Building a home in Crestview Hills: what are the steps?

  1. Ask the City Building to identify the parcel’s Crestview Hills zoning district and review the proposed use and setbacks against the city ordinance.2
  2. Establish the sewage route: coordinate a sanitary-sewer connection permit with the city, or a septic site evaluation and construction permit with Northern Kentucky Health Department.543
  3. Coordinate building review with the city and PDS; the city directs submission of at least 3 plan copies with a building permit.1
  4. Arrange PDS building inspections and any required septic inspection; ask the city what must be completed before occupancy.111

What should you check before buying land in Crestview Hills?

For land outside Crestview Hills city limits, consult the Kenton County guide: the county’s unincorporated zoning ordinance is distinct from the city ordinance.122 For a private well, Kentucky requires a certified water well driller but no property-owner permitting application or fee for construction or abandonment.6 Ask the City Building about driveway access and floodplain review, which we could not confirm for Crestview Hills. We also could not confirm a city owner-builder exemption or certificate-of-occupancy requirement; resolve those questions with the city before scheduling work or a move-in date.

Watch-outs

  • Crestview Hills short-term rentals are limited to 30 days per calendar year, with no rental shorter than 24 hours.13
  • Protect the septic area marked during the Health Department’s site evaluation from grading, heavy equipment traffic and building-material storage.3
  • We could not confirm permission to live in an RV or tiny home in Crestview Hills; ask the City Building before buying for that purpose.2

Sources

  1. Crestview Hills City Building — Building and Zoning (crestviewhills.gov)
  2. § 152.05 Zoning Code Adopted (Crestview Hills), quoted and re-checked
  3. Northern Kentucky Health Department (nkyhealth.org)
  4. 902 KAR 10:110. Issuance of on-site sewage disposal system permits (Kentucky statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. § 51.05 Building Sewers and Connections (Crestview Hills), quoted and re-checked
  6. Water Well Information for Home Owners (Kentucky statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. § 150.01 Adoption of Kentucky Building Code (Crestview Hills), quoted and re-checked
  8. § 150.04 Permit Fees for Local and State Inspection (Crestview Hills), quoted and re-checked
  9. § 150.04 Permit Fees for Local and State Inspection (Crestview Hills), quoted and re-checked
  10. Planning and Development Services — Contracted Building Review and Inspections (crestviewhills.gov)
  11. 902 KAR 10:085. System Installation Inspection (Kentucky statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Zoning Services, quoted and re-checked
  13. § 118.07 Maximum Rental Days (Crestview Hills), 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Crestview Hills

Crestview Hills’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings inside Crestview Hills city limits.

    • The city adopts the cited Kentucky codes, including amendments, by reference.
    “together with any amendments, are hereby adopted by reference as if fully set forth in this code of ordinances.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Crestview Hills city limits.

    • The adopted zoning ordinance is incorporated by reference; its attached district schedules and use controls were not available in the opened code section.
    “The Crestview Hills Zoning Ordinance provides Zoning Maps, fence, swimming pool, setback requirements, etc.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    A sanitary-sewer connection inside Crestview Hills city limits.

    • A city permit is required before a person makes or alters a public or private sanitary-sewer connection.
    • Every residential building must have a separate and independent sanitary building sewer.
    • This evidence does not establish that every new home must connect when sewer is available, nor a water-connection requirement.
    “No unauthorized person shall [...] make any connection with [...] sanitary sewers [...] without first obtaining a permit from the city.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Crestview Hills city limits.

    • A host may not rent a short-term rental for more than 30 days per calendar year.
    • The host chooses the allocation of days.
    • No short-term rental may be for less than 24 hours.

    maximum rental days: <= 30 days per calendar year · minimum rental period: >= 24 hours

    “No host shall rent his, her, or its short term rental for more than 30 days per calendar year.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Local and state buildings inside Crestview Hills city limits.

    • Local-building fees apply to buildings and structures not subject to Kentucky review under § 105 of the Kentucky Building Code as amended.
    • State-building fees apply to buildings and structures subject to that review.

    local building permit fee: 0.08 USD per square foot (Actual building size) · state building permit fee: 0.04 USD per square foot (Actual building size)

    “local buildings shall be at the rate of $ .08 per square foot [...] state buildings shall be at the rate of $ .04 per square foot”
  • Permit processPartial

    Local and state buildings inside Crestview Hills city limits.

    • For local buildings, the city reviews plans and specifications, issues permits, and determines compliance.
    • For state buildings, the applicable Commonwealth department and the city perform those functions under the Kentucky Building Code and city codes.
    “It shall be the responsibility of the city to review plans and specifications, issue permits, and to determine the compliance with law”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Crestview Hills or Kenton County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Crestview Hills city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Crestview Hills city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts inside Crestview Hills city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential districts inside Crestview Hills city limits.
  • Setbacks — Residential districts inside Crestview Hills city limits.
16 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Crestview Hills publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Kenton County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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