Bolthole Index

Madison County, Kentucky

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Richmond, Kentucky

Richmond, Kentucky requires building permits for new homes and commercial buildings; the city Building Inspection Department handles building permits and inspections inside city limits.1 Richmond administers its own zoning, while Madison County Health Department handles onsite septic evaluations and sewage permits.23

At a glance

Building permits
Required for new residential and commercial construction; apply to the city1
Zoning
City zoning applies inside Richmond corporate limits4
Septic permits
Madison County Health Department: $250 site evaluation and an additional $370 sewage permit3
Agricultural district lots
AG: 1 acre for a single-family dwelling; 5 acres for a farm5
Agricultural district setbacks
AG: 50 feet front, 25 feet side and rear6
Private wells
No property-owner application or fee; use a Kentucky Certified Water Well Driller7

Who to call

Building permits

Richmond Building Inspection Department

City building permit applications and construction inspections

859-625-6428

239 West Main Street, Richmond, KY 40475

Zoning

Richmond Planning and Zoning Department

City zoning, land use and development review

(859) 625-6426

239 W Main Street, Richmond, KY 40475

Septic permits

Madison County Health Department Environmental Office

Onsite septic evaluations, sewage permits and existing-system inspections

859-626-4249

216 Boggs Ln Richmond, KY 40475

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 Richmond means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Richmond, KY?

Richmond requires a building permit for all new residential and commercial construction.1 Richmond accepts building permit applications online through Accela or as a physical application submitted to the Building Inspection Department.1 Call the city Building Inspection Department at 859-625-6428 for the application and inspection requirements for your project.1 Work requiring a building permit also requires the inspections the city deems necessary, and the permit holder must contact Building Inspection to arrange them.1 Richmond requires payment of applicable fees before plan review can be completed and building permits issued, unless otherwise stated.1

Does Richmond have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Richmond zoning governs land use, structures, subdivision and development inside the city corporate limits.4 Richmond uses district-specific dimensional requirements and allowable-use tables, so ask Planning and Zoning to identify the parcel’s district before choosing a house location or dividing land.82 In Richmond’s AG district, a single-family dwelling needs a minimum building site of 1 acre, while a farm needs 5 acres.5 AG setbacks are 50 feet in front and 25 feet at the sides and rear; maximum structure height is 35 feet.69 In R-1A, minimum building site area is 12,000 square feet, with corner lots required to be 25% larger.10

How do septic permits work inside Richmond?

For a Richmond property using onsite sewage disposal, Madison County Health Department’s Environmental Office handles site evaluations, sewage permits and existing-system inspections.3 The health department instructs buyers to obtain a soil site evaluation before buying a lot for a house or mobile home; the stated fee is $250.3 After site approval and selection of the system type, a certified installer or homeowner can obtain the sewage permit, which costs an additional $370.3 The proposed system must be laid out onsite and inspected before the sewage permit is issued, and the installed system must be inspected and approved before the local building inspector issues a certificate of occupancy.3

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on Richmond land?

We could not confirm Richmond’s rules for long-term RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy, accessory dwellings or minimum dwelling size; ask Richmond Planning and Zoning about the proposed use at the specific address.2 Richmond’s ordinance distinguishes permitted, conditional, accessory and unclassified uses, with allowable uses determined by district.8 A parcel’s minimum building site area therefore does not establish permission for the proposed housing use; request a district and use review from Richmond Planning and Zoning before buying an RV or tiny home for that parcel.82

Building a home in Richmond: what steps come first?

Start with Richmond Planning and Zoning to identify the district and review the proposed land use and site layout; civil plans must be submitted through the city’s online portal.82 For a site using septic, obtain the Madison County Health Department soil evaluation before purchase, then arrange the system design and sewage permit after site approval.3 Apply to Richmond Building Inspection for the building permit through Accela or a physical application, and pay applicable fees before plan review and permit issuance.1 Arrange required construction inspections with Richmond Building Inspection as work is completed.1 Have the septic system installed, inspected and approved before seeking the local building inspector’s certificate of occupancy.3

What stays with Madison County, and what should Richmond buyers check?

Madison County Health Department remains the contact for onsite septic evaluations and sewage permits at Richmond properties using septic; city building permit and zoning review are separate responsibilities.312 Kentucky does not require a property-owner permitting application or fee for constructing or abandoning a private water well, but well work must be performed by a Kentucky Certified Water Well Driller.7 We could not confirm Richmond’s public water and sewer connection requirements, driveway approval or floodplain development process; ask Richmond Planning and Zoning which approvals the parcel needs.2 For land outside city limits, consult the Madison County guide for county-administered building and land-development requirements.11

Watch-outs

  • Richmond’s historic district requires Architectural Review Board approval for exterior changes, including decks and accessory structures; ask city Planning and Zoning whether the address is in the historic district.1
  • An AG district lot-size rule does not establish an agricultural building permit exemption; ask Richmond Building Inspection about the proposed farm structure.51
  • Kentucky prohibits seepage pits, cesspools and dry wells as onsite sewage disposal systems, subject to narrow existing-system and older-lot exceptions.12

Sources

  1. Richmond Building Inspection Department (richmondky.gov)
  2. Richmond Planning and Zoning Department (richmondky.gov)
  3. Environmental Health – Madison County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  4. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  5. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  6. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  7. Water Well Information for Home Owners (Kentucky statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. § 157.041 Land Use Classification and Designation (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  9. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  10. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  11. Applications & Regulations – Madison County, quoted and re-checked
  12. 902 KAR 10:085 Kentucky Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems (Kentucky statewide rule), 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 Richmond

Richmond’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land use and development inside Richmond city's corporate limits.

    • The development ordinance was passed April 8, 2025.
    “These regulations shall govern the use of land and structures and the subdivision and development of land within the corporate limits of the city on and after the date of adoption.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land-use districts inside Richmond city, including R-1A, R-1B, R-1C, R-2, R-3, RE, MP, PUD, AG, business, public/semi-public, industrial, and overlay districts.

    • The ordinance distinguishes permitted, conditional, accessory, and unclassified uses.
    • District dimensional requirements and allowable-use tables apply by district.
    “Land use districts are divisions of land use in which more specific land use categories are identified. Each district is described below with the purpose it is designed to serve.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and development of land within Richmond city's corporate limits.

    • The regulations govern subdivision and development on and after the date of adoption.
    “These regulations shall govern the use of land and structures and the subdivision and development of land within the corporate limits of the city on and after the date of adoption.”

Rules another office applies inside Richmond

Richmond does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    AG agricultural district inside Richmond city.

    • The minimum building site area for a single-family dwelling is 1 acre.
    • The minimum site area for a farm is 5 acres.

    minimum building site area for single-family dwelling: >= 1 acre (Farm minimum site area is 5 acres)

    “Minimum building site area (acre) | 1 or 5 acres 3 [...] 3 The minimum building site area for a single-family dwelling is 1 acre; the minimum site area for a farm is 5 acres.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Residential Estates and single-family residential districts inside Richmond city; this claim records the R-1A district minimum building site area.
      “Minimum building site area (sq. ft) | 12,000 | 9,500 | 8,500 | 8,500 | 6,500 2 | 1 ac | 4,000 |”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    AG agricultural district inside Richmond city.

    • Minimum front-yard setback is 50 feet.
    • Minimum side-yard setback is 25 feet.
    • Minimum rear-yard setback is 25 feet.

    front-yard setback: >= 50 ft · side-yard setback: >= 25 ft · rear-yard setback: >= 25 ft

    “Minimum front yard setback | 50 Minimum side yard setback | 25 Minimum rear yard setback | 25”
  • Building heightSpecified

    AG agricultural district inside Richmond city.

    • Maximum structure height is 35 feet.
    • Accessory structures are limited in size and placement where structural failure cannot impact adjoining property or rights-of-way.

    maximum structure height: <= 35 ft (Accessory-structure limitation applies)

    “Maximum structure height 1 | 35 1 Accessory structures are limited in size and placement where structural failure cannot impact adjoining property or rights-of-way.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Richmond or Madison County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Richmond city.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Richmond city.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption inside Richmond city.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Richmond city.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Richmond city.
18 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Lot coverage
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Richmond publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Madison County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Madison County: county rules, score and offices