Plumbing Permit in Kansas City, Missouri
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Before installing, altering, repairing or replacing waste, vent, water or gas piping, fixtures and water heating equipment. Not needed to clear a stoppage, repair the working parts of a faucet or valve, replace a defective fixture or valve without altering piping, or replace a lavatory or sink trap.
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Plumbing needs a permit in Kansas City, and the more useful thing to know is which department issues it. City Planning and Development issues permits for plumbing work inside a structure, for water supply lines running from the main structure to accessory buildings, and for sanitary sewer work on private property, applied for in CompassKC as "Plumbing General-Residential." The Water Services Department issues the permit for the water or fire service line from the main to the meter and on to the control devices inside the building, and for stormwater and sanitary sewer service line connections to the main and line repairs in the public right of way or in easements on private property, applied for as "New Service Line Work," "Service Line Repairs" or "Sanitary Sewer Work." Sec. 18-16(b)(3) exempts only four kinds of work: repairs involving only the working parts of a faucet or valve, clearance of stoppages, repair or replacement of defective fixtures or valves where no alteration or extension of piping is made, and replacement or repair of lavatory and sink traps. Work must be done by a Kansas City licensed Plumbing Contractor, or a Gas-Fired Appliance Contractor for gas appliances other than warm air units, unless the owner occupies the single family dwelling and does the work personally.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
When a permit is usually needed
Before installing, altering, repairing or replacing waste, vent, water or gas piping, fixtures and water heating equipment. Not needed to clear a stoppage, repair the working parts of a faucet or valve, replace a defective fixture or valve without altering piping, or replace a lavatory or sink trap.
What a plumbing permit costs in Kansas City
How to apply in Kansas City
You apply for a residential plumbing permit at your local building department by filing an application that describes the scope of work and site, along with construction documents, before any regulated plumbing installation, alteration, or repair begins. Minor repairs that do not touch piping or fixtures are generally exempt, and once issued the permit only stays valid if work is started within its time limit.
What most plumbing permit applications include:
- A permit is required before any owner or authorized agent constructs, alters, repairs, removes, converts, or replaces a plumbing system regulated by the code (IRC R105.1).
- The application must identify and describe the work, describe the site, state the intended use and occupancy, and be signed by the applicant or an authorized agent (IRC R105.3).
- Two or more sets of construction documents must accompany the application, drawn with enough clarity to show the location, nature, and extent of the proposed plumbing work and how it will conform to code (IRC R106.1, R106.1.1).
- Minor plumbing repairs, such as clearing a stoppage or removing and resetting a water closet without rearranging pipes or fixtures, are exempt from permit (IRC R105.2).
- Once issued, a permit is only valid for a limited window, commonly 180 days, and becomes invalid if the work is not started or is abandoned within that time, though extensions can be requested (IRC R105.3.2, R105.5).
General submittal guidance from 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), Chapter 1 Scope and Administration, Sections R105 Permits and R106 Construction Documents. Source. 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) sets the exact checklist for Kansas City.
Where to apply 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)
- 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
Inspections and closing out your permit
Plumbing inspections are timed to whatever is about to hide the pipe: underground and under-slab piping is checked before concrete covers it, rough-in piping is pressure or water tested before walls close up, and a final inspection checks every fixture and backflow protection once the work is complete.
- Piping and equipment placed under a slab or floor must be in place and inspected before any concrete is poured or floor sheathing is installed over it (IRC R109.1.1.1).
- Rough plumbing, along with the mechanical, gas, and electrical rough-in, must be inspected prior to covering or concealment and before fixtures or appliances are set (IRC R109.1.2).
- Rough drain, waste, and vent (DWV) piping is tested with water, air, or (for plastic piping) a vacuum, and must show no evidence of leakage before it is closed in (IRC P2503.5.1).
- The water-distribution piping is tested and must hold tight under the system's working pressure, or under a 50 psi air test for non-plastic piping, before it is concealed (IRC P2503.7).
- The framing inspection cannot proceed until the plumbing rough inspection, along with the mechanical and electrical rough inspections, has been approved (IRC R109.1.4).
- At the final drainage test, each fixture is filled and then drained, and its traps and fixture connections must prove watertight by visual inspection (IRC P2503.5.2).
- Final inspection is made after all work required by the permit is complete, and includes confirming backflow protection, such as vacuum breakers on hose bibbs, is installed (IRC R109.1.6, P2902.4.3).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Kansas City permit portal or by phone at 816-513-1500.
Inspection sequence from 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), Section R109 Inspections and Section P2503 Inspection and Tests. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Plumbing Permit checklist for Kansas City
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Usually needed: Before installing, altering, repairing or replacing waste, vent, water or gas piping, fixtures and water heating equipment. Not needed to clear a stoppage, repair the working parts of a faucet or valve, replace a defective fixture or valve without altering piping, or replace a lavatory or sink trap.
- Budget the fee. Plumbing permits for one- and two-family detached dwellings use the Sec. 18-20(b)(2) valuation table: $52.00 for total valuation of $0.00 to $1,000.00, $58.00 for $1,001.00 to $2,000.00, then $58.00 for the first $2,000.00 plus $4.33 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof to and including $100,000.00. Sec. 18-20 was last amended by Ord. No. 220612, Sec. 1, 10-27-22. Water and sewer service line permits are billed separately by the Water Services Department under the KC Water Rules and Regulations for Water Service Lines (May 2022), not under Sec. 18-20; that counter is reachable at 816-513-2174. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. You apply for a residential plumbing permit at your local building department by filing an application that describes the scope of work and site, along with construction documents, before any regulated plumbing installation, alteration, or repair begins. Minor repairs that do not touch piping or fixtures are generally exempt, and once issued the permit only stays valid if work is started within its time limit. Start at the Kansas City permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. 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). Phone: 816-513-1500. Address: City Planning and Development Department, Permits Division, City Hall 5th floor, 414 E 12th St, Kansas City, MO 64106.
- Plan for inspections. Plumbing inspections are timed to whatever is about to hide the pipe: underground and under-slab piping is checked before concrete covers it, rough-in piping is pressure or water tested before walls close up, and a final inspection checks every fixture and backflow protection once the work is complete.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a plumbing permit in Kansas City?
- Plumbing needs a permit in Kansas City, and the more useful thing to know is which department issues it. City Planning and Development issues permits for plumbing work inside a structure, for water supply lines running from the main structure to accessory buildings, and for sanitary sewer work on private property, applied for in CompassKC as "Plumbing General-Residential." The Water Services Department issues the permit for the water or fire service line from the main to the meter and on to the control devices inside the building, and for stormwater and sanitary sewer service line connections to the main and line repairs in the public right of way or in easements on private property, applied for as "New Service Line Work," "Service Line Repairs" or "Sanitary Sewer Work." Sec. 18-16(b)(3) exempts only four kinds of work: repairs involving only the working parts of a faucet or valve, clearance of stoppages, repair or replacement of defective fixtures or valves where no alteration or extension of piping is made, and replacement or repair of lavatory and sink traps. Work must be done by a Kansas City licensed Plumbing Contractor, or a Gas-Fired Appliance Contractor for gas appliances other than warm air units, unless the owner occupies the single family dwelling and does the work personally. Always confirm with the 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) before starting.
- How much does a plumbing permit cost in Kansas City?
- Plumbing permits for one- and two-family detached dwellings use the Sec. 18-20(b)(2) valuation table: $52.00 for total valuation of $0.00 to $1,000.00, $58.00 for $1,001.00 to $2,000.00, then $58.00 for the first $2,000.00 plus $4.33 for each additional $1,000.00 or fraction thereof to and including $100,000.00. Sec. 18-20 was last amended by Ord. No. 220612, Sec. 1, 10-27-22. Water and sewer service line permits are billed separately by the Water Services Department under the KC Water Rules and Regulations for Water Service Lines (May 2022), not under Sec. 18-20; that counter is reachable at 816-513-2174. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a plumbing permit in Kansas City?
- You can apply through the Kansas City permit portal or contact the 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) directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a plumbing permit themselves in Kansas City?
- Under Missouri law (RSMo 701.055.1 and 701.055.2; RSMo 327.101.2(5)(a); RSMo 327.191.2(5)(a); RSMo 700.656.5): Missouri does not license general contractors at the state level and has no statewide owner-builder permit statute, disclosure affidavit, or resale restriction comparable to Florida's one year rule. Whether a homeowner may pull the permit and do the work is decided by the city or county that issues the permit. Where state law does speak, it is permissive: RSMo 327.101.2(5)(a) and RSMo 327.191.2(5)(a) let an unlicensed person render architectural and engineering services for the construction, remodeling or repair of a privately owned dwelling house, provided the drawings say the person is not licensed, so plans for a house do not have to be sealed by an architect or engineer. RSMo 701.055.1 expressly preserves a property owner's right to install, modify or repair their own on-site sewage disposal system as long as the state standard is met, and RSMo 701.055.2 adds that no permit or contractor registration is required simply to clean it. RSMo 700.656.5 exempts a person who installs a manufactured home on his or her own property for his or her own occupancy from the otherwise mandatory state installer license. None of these exemptions excuses a local permit where the local jurisdiction requires one. Confirm how Kansas City applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Kansas City
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| 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 | A deck over the exemption is a building permit priced from the one- and two-family... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Not specified | Electrical permits for one- and two-family detached dwellings are priced from the same... |
| Fence Permit | No permit needed | Not specified | There is no fence permit and no fence permit fee. |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Not specified | Mechanical permits for one- and two-family detached dwellings run on the same valuation... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Not specified | A flat patio on existing grade is exempt and costs nothing. |
| 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 | The pool building permit is priced from the one- and two-family valuation table in Sec. |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Not specified | An exempt reroof costs nothing. |
| 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 | A shed that needs a permit is a general building permit priced from the one- and... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Each trade permit is priced from the one- and two-family valuation table in Sec. |
Plumbing Permit in other Missouri localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Kansas City documents; the office above sets the local rules.
Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with 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). Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Plumbing Permit requirements across Missouri localities
Permit office
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)
816-513-1500Permit portal