Kansas City building department

Kansas City, Missouri’s City Planning and Development Department (CPD) issues building and trade permits, reviews plans, runs inspections, and licenses contractors for property inside Kansas City limits. The city spans parts of Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass counties, but CPD handles permits everywhere inside the city. Neighboring cities and unincorporated county land have their own building departments. So does Kansas City, Kansas, which is in a different state. Applications, plan submittals, fee payments, inspection requests, and permit records all run through CompassKC, the city’s Tyler EnerGov self-service portal.

Applying and walk-in hours

All applications are submitted through CompassKC. Permit Technicians on the 5th floor of City Hall see walk-in customers Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Arrive by 3:45 p.m. Walk-ins are served first come, first served, and are expected to apply online before arriving. Bring your CompassKC application number. Emergency permits, homeowners doing their own work, and business-license zoning clearances are exceptions to these walk-in hours. The counter’s staff meeting runs every Tuesday from 9 to 10 a.m. Permit questions go to [email protected]. Code questions go to the Code Questions Hotline at (816) 513-1511.

Work that doesn’t need a building permit

Section 18-16 of the Building and Rehabilitation Code lists work exempt from a building permit. Common residential items:

Work	Exempt when
Sheds, playhouses, garages, carports	One story, detached, projected roof area of 200 sq ft or less
Decks and platforms	Not more than 30 inches above grade at any point and not over a basement or story below
Fences	Exempt
Retaining walls	4 feet or less from grade on the low side, unless supporting a surcharge or next to the public right-of-way
Reroofing	Replacing roof coverings on one- and two-family homes; not sheathing or structural work
Siding	Replacing exterior wall coverings on detached one- and two-family homes
Doors and windows	Replacement in existing openings where fire resistance isn’t required
Walks, patios, driveways	Built on existing grade

Gutters, tuck-pointing, cabinets, trim, and finish work such as painting and flooring are also exempt. On the electrical side, replacing switches, receptacles, and light fixtures (other than ceiling fans) is exempt where no circuit is altered or extended. Exempt work still has to meet the Zoning and Development Code and the building code. See also do I need a permit for a deck.

Homeowner permits

The owner of a single-family home can get building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits under the homeowner exception in Section 18-14 (Information Bulletin 146). The owner must live there as their principal residence, or will on completion. The owner and their family or friends must buy the materials and do the work themselves. For building permits, the homeowner can act as their own general contractor and hire unlicensed trades such as framing, drywall, or roofing subs. Licensed trades, such as electrical, plumbing, and mechanical, must pull their own permits. You apply in CompassKC by choosing “CPD Homeowner” as the contractor contact and uploading the homeowner affidavit. The city warns that unlicensed contractors often ask owners to pull homeowner permits, and that this is illegal.

Contractor licensing

The Permits Division licenses contractors under Article XII of the building code. A contractor first gets a city business license. Then the qualified individual gets a Certificate of Qualification in the trade through CompassKC. Then the business applies for its contractor license. A Residential Building Contractor license is required to build, structurally alter, or enlarge a one- or two-family dwelling or townhouse. It’s also required for detached accessory buildings and ground-mounted solar arrays over 400 sq ft. Pools, uncovered decks, retaining walls, non-structural remodels, and most roof-mounted solar need only a construction business license. The city keeps a searchable list of licensed contractors.

Codes in effect

The city’s 2018 code package took effect June 28, 2020. It includes the 2018 International Building, Existing Building, Residential, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, and Private Sewage Disposal codes, the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code, and the 2017 National Electrical Code. The 2021 International Energy Conservation Code took effect July 1, 2023. Plans submitted after September 29, 2023 must fully comply with it. Draft updates to the 2024 codes are posted for review but haven’t been adopted.

Inspections

Request inspections in CompassKC, by email to [email protected], or by calling (816) 513-1500, Option 1, then sub-option 1. Have the permit number ready. Requests received before 4 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day, and later ones for the second business day. A request made before 4 p.m. on a Friday is scheduled for Monday. The division sets a daily maximum. Once it’s reached, you’ll need to pick a later day.

Footing, foundation wall, garage and basement slab, and masonry fireplace throat inspections can get a two-hour response. Call between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Requests after 1 p.m. go to the next business day. Below 40°F, weather protection must be on site for concrete to pass.

For one- and two-family homes, Information Bulletin 104 lists the usual sequence: footing, foundation wall, groundwork, slab, backfill, rough-in/framing, electric and gas service, and final. Keep city-approved plans on site, or the inspection may fail and a reinspection fee may apply. Work in the public right-of-way, such as sidewalks and drive approaches, is inspected by Public Works and Water Services. New or remodeled space can’t be occupied until a certificate of occupancy or written approval is issued.

Fees

Permit fees are set in Section 18-20 of the Building and Rehabilitation Code and are based on the total cost of construction. The city posts a downloadable fee calculator for permit, plan check, and site disturbance fees. On projects valued at $100,000 or more, the rest of the permit fee is paid once plans are approved.

Rental properties are separate. The Health Department’s Healthy Homes Rental Inspection Program requires owners to register each rental unit. The 2026 permit fee is $25 per unit per year, plus a one-time $25 application fee.