Missouri / Kansas City

Solar Permit in Kansas City, Missouri

Permit required

Yes, a permit is required

Before installing any rooftop or ground mounted solar electric or solar water heating system, with a separate application for each trade involved.

Confirmed on official page Verified 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)

By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources

Quick answer

Solar is permitted work in Kansas City with no size floor. Information Bulletin IB162 states that solar water heating panels and solar electric panels are regulated by the Building and Rehabilitation Code and that construction permit requirements apply to all disciplines involved in the installation, and it adds that where multiple trades are involved, separate permits are required for each trade. So a typical rooftop photovoltaic job is at minimum an electrical permit, plus a building permit if any structural modification is required. What changes with size is which permits you file, not whether you file: IB162 notes that a ground mounted system needs a building permit in addition to the electrical permit once it exceeds 200 square feet in area, which is why no threshold is recorded in the threshold columns. No engineer's seal is required on construction documents for a system serving a detached one- or two-family dwelling or an individually served townhouse, but the submittal must include an electrical line drawing, the grade, species, spacing and span of the rafters, rafter and uplift calculations, a point load layout diagram, and documentation that the location complies with zoning Sec. 88-305-09. That zoning section allows building mounted systems on principal and accessory structures, limits street facing elevations to building integrated or flush mounted systems, and caps projection at three feet above the applicable height limit or five feet above the highest point of the roof line, whichever is less.

Who is pulling this permit?

Apply yourself

Apply on the Kansas City permit portal

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 any rooftop or ground mounted solar electric or solar water heating system, with a separate application for each trade involved.

What a solar permit costs in Kansas City

Line item
solar permitBy formulaEach trade permit is priced from the one- and two-family valuation table in Sec. 18-20(b)(2), which covers building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical permits alike: $52.00 up to $1,000.00 of valuation, $58.00 from $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, and $483.00 for the first $100,000.00 plus $1.41 per additional $1,000.00 above that. Information Bulletin IB162 requires the declared valuation to include the entire scope of the project, including the solar panels themselves. The scheduled express review option adds $30.00 for one- and two-family dwellings under Sec. 18-20(c)(4). Sec. 18-20 was last amended by Ord. No. 220612, Sec. 1, 10-27-22.
Fee schedule in forceOfficial scheduleRead . Fees are the jurisdiction’s; we do not mark them up or estimate them.

How to apply in Kansas City

A rooftop solar PV permit application is a combined structural and electrical plan set: a site plan and roof framing details proving the array's mounting can carry its added loads, plus a one line electrical diagram covering listed modules and inverters, disconnects, and the rapid shutdown design. Utility interconnection is a separate approval that runs in parallel with the permit.

What most solar permit applications include:

  • Both a building permit and a separate electrical permit are required, since the array must be designed and installed to the residential code's solar provisions and to the National Electrical Code (IRC R324.3).
  • The plan set identifies listed equipment: PV modules listed to UL 1703 (or both UL 61730-1 and UL 61730-2), and inverters listed to UL 1741, with grid-tied inverters listed for utility interaction (IRC R324.3.1).
  • Structural drawings show that the roof framing is designed to structurally support the array and withstand the gravity loads it adds (IRC R324.4.1).
  • The site plan lays out roof access pathways at least 36 inches wide, plus a ridge setback sized to how much of the roof the array covers, so firefighters retain pathways and ventilation access (IRC R324.6.1, IRC R324.6.2).
  • The one line electrical diagram shows the rapid shutdown method and the location of its single initiation device, since one control point must bring all system conductors down to safe levels (NEC 690.12, NEC 690.56(C)).
  • Interconnecting the array to the utility grid at a defined point of connection is a separate application process from the local building or electrical permit and must be approved before the system can operate (NEC 705.12).
  • Some permitting offices route applications through SolarAPP+, an automated review platform that checks the plan set against code requirements and issues eligible permits instantly (DOE SolarAPP+).

General submittal guidance from IRC 2021 R324 (Solar Energy Systems) and NEC 2020 Article 690 (Solar Photovoltaic Systems) and Article 705 (Interconnected Power Production Sources). 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

Inspectors verify the installed array against the approved plans, and some agencies run a rough check of roof attachments and penetrations while they are still exposed before the wiring and roofing close them in. The final inspection confirms rapid shutdown, disconnects, grounding, and required labels are installed correctly, and the system cannot be energized until the utility separately approves interconnection.

  1. Where an agency runs a rough or pre-inspection, it checks the array's roof penetrations while they are still exposed, confirming they are flashed and sealed (IRC R324.4.3).
  2. The inspector confirms whether rapid shutdown is required, how it is accomplished, and that it is properly identified (NEC 690.12, NEC 690.56(C)).
  3. PV disconnecting means must be permanently marked and installed where they are readily accessible, which the inspector confirms in the field (NEC 690.13).
  4. Bonding and grounding of the array, including every exposed non current carrying metal part and the grounding electrode system, is checked before sign off (NEC 690.43, NEC 690.47).
  5. At the service equipment, the inspector looks for the required rapid shutdown placard, a labeled diagram showing the initiation device's location in the specified colors and letter sizes (NEC 690.56(C)).
  6. Utility interconnection is inspected and approved separately from the local building department's sign off, and the system cannot be energized until both approvals are in hand (NEC 705.12).

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 NEC 2020 Article 690 (690.12 rapid shutdown, 690.13 disconnects, 690.43/690.47 grounding, 690.56 labeling) and IRC 2021 R324.4.3 (roof penetrations). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a solar permit in Kansas City?
Solar is permitted work in Kansas City with no size floor. Information Bulletin IB162 states that solar water heating panels and solar electric panels are regulated by the Building and Rehabilitation Code and that construction permit requirements apply to all disciplines involved in the installation, and it adds that where multiple trades are involved, separate permits are required for each trade. So a typical rooftop photovoltaic job is at minimum an electrical permit, plus a building permit if any structural modification is required. What changes with size is which permits you file, not whether you file: IB162 notes that a ground mounted system needs a building permit in addition to the electrical permit once it exceeds 200 square feet in area, which is why no threshold is recorded in the threshold columns. No engineer's seal is required on construction documents for a system serving a detached one- or two-family dwelling or an individually served townhouse, but the submittal must include an electrical line drawing, the grade, species, spacing and span of the rafters, rafter and uplift calculations, a point load layout diagram, and documentation that the location complies with zoning Sec. 88-305-09. That zoning section allows building mounted systems on principal and accessory structures, limits street facing elevations to building integrated or flush mounted systems, and caps projection at three feet above the applicable height limit or five feet above the highest point of the roof line, whichever is less. 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 solar permit cost in Kansas City?
Each trade permit is priced from the one- and two-family valuation table in Sec. 18-20(b)(2), which covers building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical permits alike: $52.00 up to $1,000.00 of valuation, $58.00 from $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, and $483.00 for the first $100,000.00 plus $1.41 per additional $1,000.00 above that. Information Bulletin IB162 requires the declared valuation to include the entire scope of the project, including the solar panels themselves. The scheduled express review option adds $30.00 for one- and two-family dwellings under Sec. 18-20(c)(4). Sec. 18-20 was last amended by Ord. No. 220612, Sec. 1, 10-27-22. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
How long does a solar permit take in Kansas City?
In Kansas City, a solar permit typically takes 7 business days (plan review turnaround goal for one- and two-family submittals). Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
Where do you apply for a solar 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 solar 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.

ProjectPermit needed?ThresholdTypical fee
Deck PermitIt dependsheight of a platform or deck above grade at any point, where it is also not located over any basement or story belowA deck over the exemption is a building permit priced from the one- and two-family...
Electrical PermitIt dependsNot specifiedElectrical permits for one- and two-family detached dwellings are priced from the same...
Fence PermitNo permit neededNot specifiedThere is no fence permit and no fence permit fee.
HVAC PermitIt dependsNot specifiedMechanical permits for one- and two-family detached dwellings run on the same valuation...
Patio PermitIt dependsNot specifiedA flat patio on existing grade is exempt and costs nothing.
Plumbing PermitIt dependsNot specifiedPlumbing permits for one- and two-family detached dwellings use the Sec.
Pool PermitIt dependswater 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 gradeThe pool building permit is priced from the one- and two-family valuation table in Sec.
Roof Replacement PermitIt dependsNot specifiedAn exempt reroof costs nothing.
Shed PermitIt dependsprojected roof area of a one-story detached accessory building used as a tool or storage shed, playhouse, garage, carport or similar useA shed that needs a permit is a general building permit priced from the one- and...

Solar Permit in other Missouri localities

Everything above, sourced

kcmo.gov: permits divisionread
kcmo.gov: 637423483333130000read

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

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