New business locations and business locations undergoing renovation may be subject to state building codes, local zoning requirements, and Americans with Disabilities Act public access requirements. These regulations can vary with each business location depending on:
- type of business
- location within the county or city
- number of employees
- public access
- type of structure
Listed below are the state and local agencies you may need to contact before opening your business or before renovating an existing business structure.
Department of Housing, Buildings and
Construction, Division of Building Code Enforcement
Department of Housing,
Buildings and Construction, Division of Fire Prevention
(elevator, electrical, boiler, and general requirements)
Local Building Requirements
Contact your local county
clerk, city clerk,
or
planning/zoning office for information on zoning and building codes in your area. Zoning is a local issue, and the requirements can vary substantially in different locations.
Federal Public Accommodation Requirements
(Americans with Disabilities Act)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that businesses improve accessibility and/or eliminate or compensate for architectural barriers (such as doorways, stairs, water fountains, bathrooms, eating accommodations, seating, curbs, sidewalks, parking, etc.) to the disabled in all commercial and public buildings and transportation systems.
The Office of the Kentucky ADA Coordinator has an ADA Accessibility Checklist. Additional ADA information is available from the U.S. Department of Justice.