Kentucky Contractor Licensing: No State General Contractor License, Local Rules in Louisville, Lexington and Bowling Green

If you searched for a Kentucky contractor license or a Kentucky handyman license, the short answer is that the state does not issue either one. Kentucky has no statewide general contractor license, and it has no statewide license for roofing, painting or handyman work. What you need depends on the trade you perform, the city and county where the job sits, and how you organize the business. This guide explains how the system works and what the three largest local markets in the state require.

Disclaimer: This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Licensing rules, fees and enforcement change, so confirm every figure with the agency named before you file or pay. For complex situations, talk to a qualified attorney or CPA.

Kentucky licenses by trade and agency, not by contractor title

Kentucky has no general statewide business license that applies to every business. Registering an entity with the Secretary of State or filing an assumed name is a filing, not a license. Licensing is organized by agency and trade:

• Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC): electrical, HVAC, plumbing, boiler, sprinkler, elevator and inspector work.
• Other state agencies: the Real Estate Authority, the Boards of Cosmetology and Barbering, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (child care and home health), and ABC (alcohol and tobacco).
• Local health departments: food permits.
• Cities and counties: local contractor licenses, registrations and occupational licenses.

DHBC does not license general contractors, roofers, painters or handymen. If you do electrical, plumbing or HVAC work, you need the DHBC license for that trade, and it does not replace local permits or registrations. Work outside DHBC's trades has no state license, so local rules, your insurance and your contracts govern it.

The emergency contractor registration rule

Kentucky has a narrow registration rule that applies only after a declared emergency. KRS 367.379, effective July 15, 2026, lets the Attorney General require roofing, siding, water damage, and tree or debris contractors to register. The implementing regulation, proposed as 40 KAR 12:450, would set a $100 fee and $200,000 in coverage. That regulation is not final as of October 2026, so confirm its status with the Attorney General before you market storm or emergency work.

Local rules in Bowling Green and Warren County

Bowling Green and Warren County run their own contractor licensing board. Expect the following requirements, with fees as of 2026:

Requirement	Detail
General contractor license	$250
Specialty contractor license	$100
Minimum liability insurance	$100,000
Workers' compensation	Coverage, or an exemption affidavit
City occupational license	Required in addition to the board license
Transient general contractor bond	$275 cash bond

If you are based outside the area and only take a single job in Bowling Green, the transient general contractor bond is the rule to check first. Confirm current fees with the board before you budget.

Louisville Metro

Louisville Metro requires a contractor registration for permit work. Building Type A costs $125 a year. Building Type B costs $50 and covers one permit. Either way, you need an occupational license number. Choose the type that matches how many permits you expect to pull in a year, and confirm the current type definitions with Louisville Metro's building permit office before you apply.

Lexington-Fayette

In Lexington-Fayette, you must register before you can pull permits. The requirements are:

• A Home Office Certificate ($10) or a Certificate of Occupancy ($25). Confirm which one fits how your business operates.
• An occupational business license.
• Liability and workers' compensation insurance naming the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG).
• An online application.

The registration fee itself is not confirmed in this guide. Call Building Inspection at (859) 258-3770 for the current amount before you budget.

Occupational license taxes and out-of-town contractors

Kentucky has 120 counties and about 420 cities. Cities, counties and school districts levy local occupational license taxes on payroll, net profits or gross receipts. These taxes apply to where the work happens, not only where your office is. In Paducah, for example, an out-of-city contractor owes occupational tax on the work it performs there. Check the occupational license tax district for each city and county where you work, since each runs its own forms and revenue office.

Kentucky has a flat 6% sales tax with no local sales taxes, but the tax reaches about 50 services. Whether a specific service you sell is taxable is a question for the Kentucky Department of Revenue at revenue.ky.gov.

Forming the business entity

If you form an LLC, you file Articles of Organization (Form KLC) for $40. Online filing through the Kentucky One Stop Business Portal is the fastest route. Processing is usually the same day, but it can take up to three business days. The name must include "limited liability company," "limited company," "LLC" or "LC." If you abbreviate "limited company," use "LTD CO."

Corporations file Articles of Incorporation (Form PAI) for $50. Every entity must keep a registered office with a Kentucky street address, since post office boxes are not accepted, and a registered agent. Changing the registered agent or office costs $10.

Kentucky has no franchise tax, but LLCs and corporations owe the Limited Liability Entity Tax (LLET), with a $175 minimum if Kentucky gross receipts or gross profits are $3 million or less. LLC income passes through to the members and is taxed at the 3.5% flat individual rate for 2026. The annual report costs $15 and is due June 30 every year. The filing window opens January 1, and a domestic entity that misses June 30 can be administratively dissolved if it does not correct the problem within 60 days of the Secretary of State's notice.

If you operate under a trade name, file a Certificate of Assumed Name (Form ASN) for $20 with the Secretary of State. Sole proprietors file with the county clerk in their county of residence. Remember that none of these filings is a contractor license.

Contractor checklist for Kentucky

1. Identify any work that DHBC licenses, such as electrical, HVAC or plumbing, and secure that license before you bid.
2. Check the city and county for every job site. Bowling Green and Warren County, Louisville Metro and Lexington-Fayette each have different requirements.
3. Buy the local liability and workers' compensation coverage that each jurisdiction requires.
4. Register your tax account with the Department of Revenue using Form 10A100 through MyTaxes.ky.gov, and apply for a sales tax permit if a service you sell is taxable.
5. Obtain each city and county occupational license where you work.
6. File your entity and any assumed name, then calendar the June 30 annual report.

Items to confirm before you rely on this guide

• The Lexington-Fayette registration fee, through Building Inspection at (859) 258-3770.
• The current Louisville Metro building type definitions and fees.
• The status of the emergency contractor rule under KRS 367.379 and 40 KAR 12:450.
• Current Bowling Green and Warren County board fees and bond amounts.

Official starting points include the Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings, the Secretary of State business search, and the Kentucky Small Business Development Center, which can help you think through the paperwork.

Because contractor rules depend on the trade, the location and how the business is structured, a qualified attorney or CPA should review your setup before you sign contracts or open a business account.