Contractor Licensing
In order to safeguard life, health, and property, any person, firm, partnership or corporation practicing or offering to practice the following types of work or to contract that work in Louisville Metro, shall hereafter be required to be identified with Louisville Metro Department of Codes & Regulations. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, or corporation to practice or to offer to practice that work in Louisville Metro unless they have been duly identified. (Louisville Metro Code of Ordinances 150.083)
To be identified with Louisville Metro, a contractor shall make application to the department for that specific type of work, be approved, and maintain the identification annually.
General requirements of contractor identification and licenses
For wrecking contractors only: Agents Questionnaire, Bond Form, Supervisor Affidavit
- No identification may be transferred.
- All identified contractors shall notify the Department within 5 days if the firm changes ownership, address, or name.
- All identified contractors shall notify the Department within 5 working days if the licensee changes contractors.
- Identifications may be suspended or revoked for false application information, failure to maintain insurance, bonds or necessary licenses, or failure to comply with the requirements of the Department regarding permitting and inspections.
- All identified contractors shall provide affidavit that they shall be in compliance with the Kentucky requirements for Workers’ Compensation Insurance according to KRS Chapter 342 and Unemployment Insurance according to KRS Chapter 341, unless a certificate of insurance for a specific amount of coverage is required in detail under the type of identification/license that the contractor has obtained.
- All identified contractors shall provide a certificate of insurance verifying that they have obtained a commercial general liability insurance policy with limits of liability of not less than $250,000, per person per occurrence and $500,000 aggregate, including products and completed operations coverage. Wrecking contractors have different insurance requirements, see table below.
- All identified contractors shall provide workers compensation and commercial general liability insurance policies endorsed to state that written notice will be sent by their insurance company of the company’s intention to terminate or cancel such policy, at least 30 days, as required by KRS 304.20 - 304.320, before the cancelation shall take effect, to Louisville Metro Department of Codes and Regulations. Upon the date of expiration, the Code Official shall cause the affected contractor’s identification to become suspended until such time as satisfactory evidence of a new insurance policy is presented to the Department.
- When a surety bond is required the surety company shall notify the Department in writing of its intention to terminate or cancel such bond at least 30 days before the cancelation shall take effect. Upon the date of expiration, the Code Official shall cause the affected contractor’s identification to become suspended until such time as evidence of a new bond is presented to the Department.
- All identified contractors shall properly identify all vehicles used in the operations of the contractor and shall assure that automobile liability insurance with minimum limits of liability as required by KRS 304.39.010 is purchased and maintained.
- Any contractor who has not renewed their identification within a period of one year after it expired shall be subject to reexamination, as determined by the Code Official and pay the required fee for the years for which the identification was not renewed. This also applies to wrecking licensees.
- All identified contractors shall provide an account number from the Revenue Commission.
Contractor Identification Programs
| Type | Annual License Term | Annual Fee | Specific Notes |
| Building "A" | 01/01-12/31 | $125 | Residential work requires 6 hours Continuing Education |
| Building "B" | One Permit | $50 | 1 permit only per year |
| Plumbing | 03/01 - 02/29 | $150 | State Master Plumber License required |
| HVAC | 03/01-02/29 | $200 | State Master Hvac License required. Can also perform manufactured fireplace, range hood, and mechanical refrigeration work without additional local identification. |
| Manufactured Fireplace Appliance | 03/01-02/29 | $75 | none |
| Range Hood | 03/01-02/29 | $75 | Excludes residential range hoods |
| Mechanical/Commercial Refrigeration | 03/01-02/29 | $75 | none |
| Fire Detection | 05/01-04/30 | $75 | Excludes systems confined to one living quarter |
| Fire Suppression | 05/01-04/30 | $75 | State Suppression Contractor's License required except for systems of 10 heads or less on a domestic water system |
| Moving | 05/01-04/30 | $75 | none |
| Sign Identification | 05/01-04/30 | $125 | None |
| Wrecking "A" | 05/01-04/30 | $125 | For wrecking of structures less than 35' tall, or 2 stories, or less than 3,000 square feet. Additionally requires: $10,000 Surety Bond; $300,000/$600,000 insurance; and licensed wrecking supervisor. |
| Wrecking "B" | 05/01-04/30 | $225 | For wrecking of structures that do not meet the requirements of Type A. Additionally requires: $25,000 Surety Bond; $1,000,000/$2,000,000 insurance; and licensed wrecking supervisor. |
| Wrecking Supervisor License | 05/01-04/30 | $75 |
Requires separate application and test. Contact the Department for testing information. |
