Ramps in Kentucky: when a home ramp needs a permit

Kentucky is one of the states with a mandatory statewide building code. So a family planning a wheelchair ramp might assume a state permit is automatic. The statute says otherwise for houses: permits and inspections for single-family residences are not mandatory unless the local government has passed an ordinance requiring them.

That makes the city or county the deciding voice for most home ramps. Renters, meanwhile, have their own protection under the Kentucky Civil Rights Act. Here is the statute language, the climate a Kentucky ramp has to handle, products for thresholds and doors, and where to get help.

The Uniform State Building Code and single-family homes

KRS 198B.050(1) directs the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction to "adopt and promulgate a mandatory Uniform State Building Code that establishes standards for the construction of all buildings." Enforcement, though, is local, and the enforcement statute carves out houses.

KRS 198B.060(1) requires each local government to employ or contract for code enforcement, "except that permits, inspections, and certificates of occupancy shall not be mandatory for single-family residences unless a local government passes an ordinance requiring inspections of single-family residences." Subsection (8) repeats the point: "Nothing in this subsection shall require a single-family dwelling to be permitted or inspected unless a local government has established a building inspection program as set out in this section." Subsection (4)(b) adds that the state "shall not preempt or assert jurisdiction for the enforcement of the code on single-family dwellings."

Put simply: if your city or county has a residential inspection program, its office decides whether your ramp needs a permit. If it has none, the statute does not require one for a single-family home. Either way, the ramp itself is still construction, and building it well matters. A quick question to the local building office settles which situation you are in.

Duplexes, apartment buildings, churches and businesses are a different case, because the single-family carve-out does not reach them.

Renting? Kentucky protects reasonable modifications

Under KRS 344.360(11)(a), an unlawful housing practice includes "A refusal to permit, at the expense of the disabled person, reasonable modifications of existing premises occupied or to be occupied by a person, if the modifications may be necessary to afford the person full enjoyment of the premises." The same paragraph lets a landlord, "where it is reasonable to do so," condition permission on the renter agreeing to restore the interior, "reasonable wear and tear excepted." A ramp is outside the interior, so talk through removal terms with the landlord in writing.

Rain, ice and a Kentucky ramp

According to NOAA's Kentucky climate summary, annual precipitation has averaged 7.4 inches above the long-term average since 2011, and "Extreme weather events in Kentucky include ice and snowstorms in the winter and severe thunderstorms in the warmer months." Increases in the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation are projected to continue.

Those facts point to surface and drainage. A ramp surface that sheds water and keeps traction when wet, a landing that does not collect runoff, and a plan for clearing ice in winter will matter more than any single dimension. Covered entries help where the house allows one. If the ramp will be used at night, outdoor lighting along its length and at the door is worth planning at the same time as the ramp itself, so nobody has to find the edge of a landing in the dark.

Smaller fixes at the door

• A lip at the threshold. The Harmar Rubber Threshold Ramp is modular, built from half-inch sections on 1 in bases, and covers thresholds up to 4 in high. Harmar says it is suited to indoor or outdoor use, and the rubber is non-slip.
• A heavy front door. The Open Sesame Residential Automatic Door Opener opens, pauses and closes the door, stops if it meets an obstruction, and lets the door work by hand when not activated. It runs on a low-voltage 24-volt wiring kit.
• A fixed button on the wall. The Open Sesame Wireless Wall Touch Pad (FT) gives everyone in the home one spot to touch, with no cable run to the operator.
• A remote on the key ring. The Open Sesame Keychain Transmitter (C) is a one-button mini remote powered by two 3V 2016 coin cells, meant for one door.

For a full ramp, the ramp fit check starts with the height from ground to doorway.

Assistive technology help in Kentucky

Kentucky's assistive technology program in the AT3 Center directory is the Kentucky Assistive Technology Service Network. The KATS Network runs a lending library, demonstration centers and the Project CARAT reuse program, and its Assistive Technology Resource Guide lists "grants, loans, and assistance programs" that may help with home access costs.

Ordering and delivery to Kentucky

We ship to your state. Installation isn't available here yet; email us and we'll help you find a local installer. Orders ship to the lower 48 states and DC, free when over $500 and $15 when under, and we cover the sales tax on every order. Most products are processed in 2-5 business days; some brands differ. More is on shipping to Kentucky, and the ramp fit check is a good first step.

Questions about ramps in Kentucky

Do I need a permit to build a ramp at my Kentucky house?

Only if your local government requires it. KRS 198B.060 says permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy "shall not be mandatory for single-family residences unless a local government passes an ordinance requiring inspections." Ask your city or county building office whether it has a residential inspection program.

Does Kentucky have a statewide building code?

Yes. KRS 198B.050 requires the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction to adopt a mandatory Uniform State Building Code. For single-family homes, though, enforcement is left to local governments, and KRS 198B.060(4)(b) bars the state from asserting enforcement jurisdiction over single-family dwellings.

Can my Kentucky landlord refuse to let me add a ramp?

KRS 344.360(11)(a) makes it an unlawful housing practice to refuse "reasonable modifications of existing premises" at the disabled person's expense when they may be necessary for full enjoyment of the home. A landlord may set reasonable conditions, so put the request and any agreement in writing.

What about a ramp for a church or small business in Kentucky?

The single-family exemption in KRS 198B.060 does not cover churches or businesses. Plans for those buildings go through the local government or the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, depending on size and use, so contact the local building office before ordering materials.

Browse the ramps and door openers collection, size a ramp with the ramp fit check, or take the full assessment. Questions? Email us at info@faithmobility.com.

Sources

• KRS 198B.050, Uniform State Building Code
• KRS 198B.060, local enforcement of the Uniform State Building Code
• KRS 344.360, unlawful housing practices
• NOAA NCEI State Climate Summaries 2022: Kentucky
• Faith Mobility product page: Harmar Rubber Threshold Ramp
• Faith Mobility product page: Open Sesame Residential Automatic Door Opener
• Faith Mobility product page: Open Sesame Wireless Wall Touch Pad (FT)
• Faith Mobility product page: Open Sesame Keychain Transmitter (C)
• AT3 Center: State AT programs directory (Kentucky)
• KATS Network