Nelson County, KY zoning map, flood zone and property lines by address
Free, no account. Or open the Kentucky map and tap a lot.
Towns in Nelson County: Bardstown.
Flood zone by address
ParcelSheet reads FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at the lot: the zone, whether it is a high risk area where lenders ask for flood insurance, and the base flood elevation where FEMA lists one. FEMA's countywide study for Nelson County has 37 FIRM panels, the newest effective October 2025; no coastal V zones are mapped in it.
The official panel and any Letter of Map Amendment are at FEMA's Map Service Center. An elevation certificate for a Nelson house comes from a licensed surveyor and is often on file with the county or city building office.
Property lines
The parcel outline, parcel number and mapped size come from the Kentucky county parcel layers (each county publishes its own), so a Nelson lot shows the same lines the county property valuation administrator draws. Nelson County covers about 267,959 acres of land and 3,450 acres of water.
Mapped lines are approximate. The Nelson County property valuation administrator keeps the parcel record (Nelson County website); a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
Zoning
Nelson County zones its unincorporated land, and Bardstown zones the land inside its limits. ParcelSheet shows the use the county property valuation administrator lists for the lot and links the planning and zoning office for the county for the district, the uses it allows and the lot size it needs.
ADU and guest houses
Under Kentucky's planning and zoning law (Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 100), local governments can allow an accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a house. Whether a Nelson lot can add one depends on its district; the planning and zoning office for the county has the rule. ParcelSheet shows the mapped lot size and the ground's slope, the first two things the question turns on.
Septic and soil
ParcelSheet reads the USDA soil survey at the lot: the soil's name, its septic absorption rating and whether it is prime farmland. Nelson County is soil survey area KY179, Nelson County, Kentucky, last updated September 2026, on Web Soil Survey.
A new or changed septic system in Nelson County needs a permit from the Nelson County health department (Kentucky Department for Public Health onsite sewage program).
Setbacks
Setbacks in Nelson County come from the zoning district: the front, side and rear distances a house must keep. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines; the county zoning office gives them for the lot's district, and Bardstown for land inside its limits.
Hazards that apply
- Wetlands and wildfire. ParcelSheet shows the National Wetlands Inventory near a Nelson lot and the Forest Service wildfire hazard rating at it.
Questions
Is my house in a flood zone in Nelson County?
Type the address in the box above and ParcelSheet reads FEMA's flood zone at the lot's center. FEMA's countywide flood map for Nelson County has 37 panels, the newest effective October 2025. A lender or insurer uses the official FIRM panel; FEMA's Map Service Center has it.
How do I find property lines in Nelson County?
Open the Kentucky map, type the address, and the parcel outline from the Nelson County property valuation administrator shows on the map with its parcel number and mapped size. Mapped lines are approximate; only a licensed surveyor sets the true corners.
What is my property zoned in Nelson County?
Zoning in Nelson County is set by the county for unincorporated land and by each city (such as Bardstown) inside its own limits. ParcelSheet shows the use code the county property valuation administrator lists and links the office that sets the zoning; the planning office has the final word.
Can I build an ADU in Nelson County?
Under Kentucky's planning and zoning law (Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 100), counties and cities can allow an accessory dwelling unit, and each sets its own rules. In Nelson County ask the zoning office for the lot's district first; ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped so you can see the room you have.
Do I need a septic permit in Nelson County?
Yes. A new or changed septic system in Nelson County needs a permit from the Nelson County health department (Kentucky Department for Public Health onsite sewage program). ParcelSheet shows the USDA soil survey's septic rating at the lot, from survey area KY179 (Nelson County, Kentucky).
What can I build on 5 acres in Nelson County?
Zoning in Nelson County is set by the county for unincorporated land and each city inside its own limits (such as Bardstown). The zoning district decides the uses, how many homes and the smallest lot it allows on 5 acres. ParcelSheet shows the lot size as mapped and the use code on the parcel record; the planning office has the district and its rules. See the Nelson County website.
What are the residential setbacks in Nelson County (2026)?
Setbacks in Nelson County come from the zoning code of the county, or of the city when the lot is inside city limits: the front, side and rear distances depend on the lot's district. ParcelSheet does not draw setback lines or give a number it did not read; the zoning office gives them for the district. See the Nelson County website.
Next to Nelson County: Anderson County, Bullitt County, Hardin County, Larue County, Marion County, Spencer County, Washington County.
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