Building permits in Kansas City, Missouri
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Kansas City, 1 needs a permit outright and 8 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Kansas City
One thing Kansas City does not make you permit
Worth knowing before you call anyone. Most jurisdictions we cover require all of these.
- Fence Permit
No city permit is needed to build a residential fence. Approval is only needed if you want to exceed the height limits in Chapter 27, which is a special exception application to the Board of Zoning Adjustment.
Kansas City, Missouri City Planning and Development Department, Development Management Division (construction permits are issued by the department's Permits Division on the 5th floor of City Hall)
- City Planning and Development Department, Permits Division, City Hall 5th floor, 414 E 12th St, Kansas City, MO 64106
- Phone: 816-513-1500
- Email: cdpermits@kcmo.org
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Kansas City
Kansas City runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
What needs a permit in Kansas City
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Kansas City, 1 needs a permit outright and 8 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | height of a platform or deck above grade at any point, where it is also not located over any basement or story below | ...priced from the one- and two-family valuation table in Sec. 18-20(b)(2): $52.00 up... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Before any electrical installation, alteration, repair or replacement, including new... | ...priced from the same valuation table as every other trade, Sec. 18-20(b)(2): $52.00... |
| Fence Permit | No permit needed | Exempt | ...27-11(e), "The filing fee for requesting of a special exception shall be $174.00."... |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Before installing, altering, servicing, replacing or repairing a heating, ventilating... | ...run on the same valuation table as building permits, Sec. 18-20(b)(2): $52.00 for... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Not needed for a walk, patio or driveway laid on existing grade | A flat patio on existing grade is exempt and costs nothing |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | Before installing, altering, repairing or replacing waste, vent, water or gas piping... | ...and two-family detached dwellings use the Sec. 18-20(b)(2) valuation table: $52.00... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | water capacity of a prefabricated above ground pool accessory to a one- or two-family dwelling that is also less than 24 inches deep with its walls entirely above the adjacent grade | ...is priced from the one- and two-family valuation table in Sec. 18-20(b)(2): $52.00... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Not needed to strip and re-cover a one- or two-family roof with a light roof covering | ...priced from the one- and two-family valuation table in Sec. 18-20(b)(2): $52.00 up... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | projected roof area of a one-story detached accessory building used as a tool or storage shed, playhouse, garage, carport or similar use | ...two-family valuation table in Sec. 18-20(b)(2) of the Code of Ordinances: $52.00... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...which covers building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical permits alike: $52.00 up... |
Planning a project in Kansas City?
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Kansas City permit fees compared with nearby Missouri localities
| Missouri locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | ...valuation table in Sec. 18-20(b)(2): $52.00 up to... | ...table as building permits, Sec. 18-20(b)(2): $52.00... | ...table as every other trade, Sec. 18-20(b)(2): $52.00... |
| St. Louis | ...permit on estimated construction cost: $25.00... | There is a $25.00 application fee for each permit | The application fee for all electrical permits is $25.00 |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Missouri jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Kansas City penalty for work started without a permit
Kansas City publishes what it charges when work begins before the permit, quoted here from the schedule or permit page we verified.
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A reinspection is $75.00 under Sec. 18-20(h)(6), and building without the permit first triples the permit fee under Sec. 18-20(e)(2).
Kansas City deck permit page · last checked
The Missouri statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit: building without a permit in Missouri.
Kansas City permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Kansas City?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Kansas City, 1 always requires a permit (for example a solar permit), 8 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance), and 1 needs no permit at all in Kansas City. Each Kansas City permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Kansas City?
- Kansas City publishes a fee for 10 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by Kansas City, Missouri City Planning and Development Department, Development Management Division (construction permits are issued by the department's Permits Division on the 5th floor of City Hall); we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Kansas City?
- Kansas City, Missouri City Planning and Development Department, Development Management Division (construction permits are issued by the department's Permits Division on the 5th floor of City Hall) issues permits in Kansas City, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 816-513-1500. The Kansas City official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
- What is the penalty for building without a permit in Kansas City?
- Kansas City publishes its own charge for work started before the permit: A reinspection is $75.00 under Sec. 18-20(h)(6), and building without the permit first triples the permit fee under Sec. 18-20(e)(2). That is the local bill; the Missouri statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit are on the Missouri building-without-a-permit page.
How the Kansas City pages were verified. 10 permit types, 8 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Kansas City, Missouri City Planning and Development Department, Development Management Division (construction permits are issued by the department's Permits Division on the 5th floor of City Hall) or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Kansas City is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.