Building permits, zoning and land rules in Edgewood, Kentucky

At a glance

Building permits

Contact PDS through the city’s building-permit referral¹

Zoning

Edgewood zoning ordinance applies inside city limits²

Residential inspections

At least 3 for single- and two-family residential construction⁴

Septic approvals

Northern Kentucky Health Department: site evaluation, installation permit and inspection³

Agricultural land division

Subdivision-definition exception for agricultural parcels of at least 5 acres without a new street⁵

Private wells

Kentucky requires a certified driller; no owner permit application or fee for construction or abandonment⁶

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 Edgewood, KY?

Edgewood directs building-permit applicants to PDS rather than a separate city application counter.¹ Contact PDS Building Codes Administration about the proposed work and submit building, zoning, planning or subdivision applications through the PDS online submission portal.⁷

Edgewood requires at least 3 inspections for single- and two-family residential construction, covering footing, masonry/framing and final stages.⁴ The builder must give advance notice; the stated 24-hour notice rule has adjustments for Fridays, holidays and regular workdays, so arrange the inspection schedule with the Building/Zoning Inspector before work reaches each stage.⁴

Does Edgewood have zoning, and what about RVs or tiny homes?

Edgewood has a city zoning ordinance, and the city identifies PDS as its building/zoning department.²⁸ Ask PDS to identify the parcel’s district and confirm the proposed use, lot size, setbacks and building footprint before choosing a house plan.⁸

We could not confirm Edgewood’s rules for living in an RV, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy or minimum dwelling floor area; ask PDS about the exact structure and intended duration of occupancy.⁸ A building footprint is not the same question as total dwelling floor area. Ask separately about manufactured homes and any zoning approval needed before moving a home onto the parcel.⁸

How do septic permits work inside Edgewood?

Northern Kentucky Health Department handles septic evaluations and installation approvals in Kenton County, including the health department’s service area within Edgewood.³ For a proposed septic system, the site evaluation application carries a $300 evaluation fee; an installation permit follows a suitable or provisionally suitable site rating and the installer’s application.³ The installer must request the health department’s inspection before covering the work.³

For an existing septic system, local building code offices require a health department inspection before issuing a building or remodeling permit.³ We could not confirm when Edgewood allows septic instead of a public sewer connection; ask PDS about connection requirements before paying for a septic design.⁸

Building a home in Edgewood: what are the steps?

1. Contact PDS about the Edgewood parcel, proposed home and building-permit application; use the city’s referral so the inquiry clearly concerns land inside Edgewood.¹
2. Ask the building/zoning department to confirm zoning approval for the proposed site and use before submitting the final design.⁸
3. If septic is proposed, obtain the health department’s site evaluation and installation approval, and arrange inspection before the system is covered.³
4. Submit the relevant applications through PDS and coordinate footing, masonry/framing and final inspections with the Building/Zoning Inspector.⁷⁴

We could not confirm an Edgewood owner-builder exemption; ask PDS which work the owner may perform and which approvals remain necessary.¹

What should you check before buying land in Edgewood?

Edgewood development must provide the improvements required by applicable Kenton County Subdivision Regulations.² The agricultural land-division exception applies to parcels of at least 5 acres without a new street; that exception concerns the definition of subdivision and does not waive all other requirements.⁵

Kentucky does not require the property owner to submit a permit application or pay a fee for constructing or abandoning a private well, but construction, modification and abandonment must be performed by a Kentucky Certified Water Well Driller.⁶ Ask PDS to confirm Edgewood’s public-water connection requirements, floodplain review and access approvals for the specific parcel.⁸ For land outside Edgewood, consult the Kenton County guide for the county’s unincorporated-area zoning answer.⁹

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm Edgewood RV or tiny-home occupancy rules; ask PDS before buying land for either use.⁸
• An agricultural division into parcels of at least 5 acres without a new street is a subdivision-definition exception, not a blanket building or zoning exemption.⁵
• A septic installation approval does not resolve Edgewood’s public-sewer connection question; ask PDS before committing to onsite sewage disposal.³⁸

Sources

1. Edgewood building-permit referral to PDS (edgewoodky.gov)
2. Edgewood Zoning Ordinance (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
3. Northern Kentucky Health Department (nkyhealth.org)
4. § 150.35 Building/Zoning Inspector; Powers and Duties (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
5. Edgewood Zoning Ordinance (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
6. Water Well Information for Home Owners (Kentucky statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. PDS Building Codes Administration (pdskc.org)
8. Edgewood building/zoning department (PDS) (edgewoodky.gov)
9. Zoning Services, 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.