The more I hear about KY the more I want to move, LOL. I have a customer that lives in your neck of the woods (western KY). I do a lot of work for her mother that lives nearby. She says the same that things are fairly relaxed there.
Yes, all new residential, home, condo, townhouse, etc. has to have a sprinkler system. They are a dry pressurized system so no worry about freeze. Most minor renovations do not need them but all new construction. We have codes and inspections for everything. Footing inspection, slab inspection, framing inspection, insulation inspection, electric, plumbing and hvac.
I did a job near pittsburgh a couple of years ago. It was an industrial project at a landfill. We hung the drywall, taped and painted in a couple of days on one side. Left the inside alone for the inspector to look at things. He had a fit that we taped and painted the drywall. Apparently they had a drywall inspection as well in that jurisdiction!