Shawnee building department

The Building Codes Division of Shawnee’s Community Development Department issues building permits, reviews plans and inspects new construction on private property inside Shawnee city limits. Its counter is on the lower level of the west wing of Shawnee City Hall, 11110 Johnson Drive. You can reach the division at [email protected]. Johnson County’s other cities and unincorporated areas have their own permit offices.

Adopted codes

Starting April 1, 2026, Shawnee enforces these codes:

Code	Edition
International Building Code	2024
International Residential Code	2024
International Fire Code	2024
International Plumbing Code	2024
International Mechanical Code	2024
International Fuel Gas Code	2024
International Energy Conservation Code	2018
National Electrical Code	2023

The Building Permits & Inspections page links a PDF for each adopted code.

How to apply

You can apply in person at City Hall or online through the city’s Citizenserve portal, which also has a public permit search. Plans prepared by a design professional are required for all buildings, including single-family and two-family homes.

The city publishes permit guidelines for these project types:

• accessory buildings
• basement finishes
• decks and fences
• demolition
• house moving
• new commercial and new residential buildings
• residential foundations
• retaining walls
• roofed additions
• swimming pools and hot tubs
• tenant finish projects

It also links to the Johnson County building officials’ construction guidelines for decks, basement finishes, foundations, stucco, and cold-weather concrete.

New one- and two-family homes

A new-home permit application needs:

• A signed New One, Two and Townhome Residential Application, which also covers the right-of-way and land disturbance permits
• Electronic building plans sealed by a Kansas-registered architect or engineer
• A notarized Contractor Registration Form on file with the Building Codes Division
• A valid Class A, B or C Johnson County contractor license held by the applicant
• A plot plan sealed by a Kansas-licensed land surveyor that follows the subdivision’s approved as-built grading plan. The maximum sheet size is 11 x 17 in. Typical scale is 1 in. = 20 ft, or 1 in. = 30 ft for lots over an acre.
• The energy compliance path you will use: ERI (HERS), prescriptive, or simulated performance

New homes also need a work within the right-of-way permit. Its $80 fee is included in the building permit fee. This permit requires a certificate of insurance and a $10,000 combined Low Impact LDP/ROW and maintenance bond.

A Low Impact Land Disturbance Permit ($150) is required for a new roofed structure with more than 1,000 sq ft of projected roof area, where total land disturbance is under one acre. It requires a grading plan and an erosion and sediment control plan, and a gravel construction entrance must be in place before work starts. Mud or debris in the street must be cleaned up within four hours of notice, or the city will clean it up and bill the permit holder.

Decks and fences

Decks must meet the zoning setbacks for the property’s district, but a deck may extend 6 ft into the required rear yard. Every fence must be built from approved fencing materials, whether or not it needs a permit. Approved materials include wrought iron or other decorative metal, masonry, concrete, stone, chain link, metal tubing, wood planks, and vinyl or fiberglass composite made for fencing. The Building Official can approve temporary silt or safety fencing for active construction.

Fees

Building permit fees are based on project valuation. Examples from the city’s fee table:

Project valuation	Building permit fee
$500 or less	$20
$2,000	$50
$10,000	$122
$25,000	$257
$50,000	$432
$100,000	$682
$100,001 to $500,000	$682 + $4 per additional $1,000
Over $500,000	$2,282 + $3 per additional $1,000

When commercial plans are required, the plan review fee is 65% of the permit fee. Review of later changes to approved plans costs $50 per hour, with a two-hour minimum. The full fee list is in the city’s Comprehensive User Fee Schedule.

Inspections and permit expiration

The permit holder and the property owner are both legally responsible for getting the required inspections. Work must stay exposed until it is approved.

Under Section 105.5 of the city code, a permit becomes invalid if:

• work does not start within 180 days of issuance, or
• no inspection is obtained in any 180-day period, or
• work is suspended for 180 days.

Every permit also expires two years after issuance. The Building Official may grant one written extension of up to 180 days for justifiable cause. It is unlawful to let a permit expire without a passing final inspection.

The city requires site plan approval before it issues a building permit for any duplex, multifamily, commercial or industrial building. The Fire Department’s Strategic Services Section handles commercial fire plan review, new-construction and tenant-finish fire inspections, fire alarm acceptance tests and hood suppression tests. To schedule a new-business fire inspection, call (913) 742-6101 and give at least 72 hours’ notice.

Related offices

Development Engineering reviews engineering plans and issues private development permits through Citizenserve. The city also publishes the Shawnee Design & Construction Manual online. The Planning Department supports the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals, and it handles zoning, subdivisions and site plans. Before you dig, call Kansas One Call at 811.