Inside Atchison city limits, building permits come from the City’s Community Development Department, 515 Kansas Avenue (913-367-5560), which reviews residential and commercial plans and inspects the work on site. One Construction Permit application covers new buildings, additions, remodels, demolition, roofs, electrical, plumbing and fences, and it can be sent by email or fax. Fees follow a valuation table: $632.55 for the first $100,000 of new construction plus $3.80 for each further $1,000 up to $500,000, with commercial plan review adding 65%.
What needs a permit in Atchison?
The Construction Permit application has boxes for new buildings, additions, repairs and remodels, demolition, roofs, electrical work, plumbing and fences. The City adopted the 2018 International Residential and Building Codes by Ordinance 6626 in January 2020 and rewrote their permit exemptions, so some small jobs need no building permit.
Permit required
- New houses and commercial buildings
- Additions, repairs and remodels
- Demolition
- Re-roofing
- Electrical and plumbing work
- Fences (fence permit, $35)
- Signs (sign permit application)
No building permit
- One-story detached accessory buildings up to 200 sq ft (setbacks still apply)
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work
- Prefabricated pools under 24 inches deep (setbacks still apply)
- Playground equipment for a one- or two-family home
- Residential window awnings supported by an exterior wall
- Detached decks up to 200 sq ft and no more than 30 inches above grade that do not serve the required exit door
Under Ordinance 6626, an exemption from a permit does not authorize work that breaks the code or other city ordinances. The City’s permit page also lists siding and retaining walls up to 4 feet as needing no building permit, but neither appears in Ordinance 6626’s exemption lists, so ask Community Development (913-367-5560) before starting that work.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Atchison’s amendments to the 2018 IRC make automatic fire sprinklers optional in one- and two-family homes, delete the code’s energy efficiency chapter and adopt appendices A, B, C, E, G, J, N, P and Q.
Who issues building permits in Atchison?
Community Development combines building inspection, code enforcement, and planning and zoning in one office on the second floor of City Hall. It reviews plans, issues the permits, inspects construction, licenses electricians, plumbers and gasfitters, and handles zoning, conditional use and fence applications. Its permits apply inside the city limits; land outside them falls under Atchison County.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Community Development, City Hall, 515 Kansas Avenue, Atchison, KS 66002 |
| Phone | 913-367-5560 |
| Fax | 913-367-3092 (applications may be faxed) |
| City Hall main line | 913-367-5500 |
Electrical, plumbing and gas work in Atchison
Electrical and plumbing permits are requested on the same Construction Permit application as building work, which names the electrical and plumbing contractors. For new construction, the City’s fee table includes the mechanical, electrical and plumbing permit fees in the building permit fee.
Electricians, plumbers and gasfitters need a City licence to work in Atchison. The City accepts the standard ICC, IAPMO or Prometric examinations with a score of at least 75%, requires 12 hours of approved continuing education every two years (or 6 hours a year), and requires licensed contractors to carry at least $100,000 of general liability insurance.
| Licence | Fee |
|---|---|
| Contractor | $150 a year |
| Master | $35 the first year, then $20 a year |
| Journeyman | $25 the first year, then $15 a year |
| Apprentice | $10 a year |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The trade codes are the 2017 National Electrical Code (Ordinance 6627), the 2018 Uniform Mechanical Code (Ordinance 6628) and the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code (Ordinance 6629), each with City amendments.
Atchison building permit fees
The fee schedule the City posts is Ordinance 6285, effective July 1, 2007. Building permit fees for new residential and commercial construction are set by the total valuation of the work.
| Total valuation | Fee |
|---|---|
| $1 to $500 | $15 |
| $501 to $2,000 | $15 for the first $500, plus $1.95 for each additional $100 or fraction |
| $2,001 to $25,000 | $44.25 for the first $2,000, plus $8.85 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $250.46 for the first $25,000, plus $7.51 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $410.75 for the first $50,000, plus $4.11 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $632.55 for the first $100,000, plus $3.80 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $2,055.79 for the first $500,000, plus $2.06 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| Over $1,000,000 | $3,556.52 for the first $1,000,000, plus $2.49 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| Commercial plan review | An additional 65% of the building permit fee |
For example, a new house valued at $250,000 pays $632.55 plus 150 × $3.80 = $570, a building permit fee of $1,202.55.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Other City charges: a fence permit is $35 and a change in zoning application $100. The conditional use application shows a $100 fee in its heading and a $75 filing fee in its instructions.
What to submit with an Atchison application
New construction
- Construction Permit application with the legal description of the property
- Plot plan showing distances from property lines
- Footing and foundation details
- Wall section showing joists and rafters, and whether the roof is trussed or hand-stacked
- Floor plans, including the basement
- Elevations: the front only on level ground, otherwise front, back and side
- Heating and cooling sizing documents (Manual J and Manual S or similar) for every new house
- Plumbing and electrical diagrams for commercial and multi-family work
Existing buildings
- Construction Permit application
- Wall section, where it applies
- Floor plan showing existing and proposed walls
- Plot plan showing distances to other structures and property lines, where it applies
- Plumbing and electrical diagrams for commercial and multi-family work
Residential jobs need one set of blueprints; commercial jobs need two sets, preferably with at least one PDF copy. Commercial, industrial and multi-family plans must be stamped by an architect or engineer registered in Kansas and include a site plan and an 11 x 17 inch code footprint.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to get an Atchison building permit
Give Community Development the lot, block and addition to confirm the zoning allows the use; a rezoning also goes to the Planning Commission, and a conditional use can take 45 to 60 days.
Assemble the plot plan, foundation, wall section, floor plans and elevations from the City’s submittal list, with stamped plans for commercial, industrial and multi-family work.
Make sure the electrician, plumber or gasfitter on the job holds a City of Atchison licence.
Email it to Community Development, fax it to 913-367-3092 or bring it to City Hall, with the valuation of the work.
The permit is not valid until the fees are paid and an authorized City inspector has signed it.
The permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days; contact Community Development when work is ready to be inspected.
Inspections in Atchison
Community Development’s inspectors check the work on site, and the permit form has separate sign-offs for approval to build and for completed, approved construction. Questions about inspections go to the department at 913-367-5560. Pools, hot tubs and spas holding water over 24 inches deep need a safety barrier, whether in-ground, above-ground or on-ground.
Local Atchison rules
Fences: under Ordinance 6592, front-yard fences may be no more than 4 feet high and side and rear fences no more than 6 feet. On the street side of a corner lot the limit is 4 feet where sight triangles are an issue. T-posts, construction fencing, pallets and livestock fencing are not accepted materials, and the finished side must face out.
Zoning and design: the City publishes its zoning regulations, zoning district map, subdivision regulations and Downtown/Riverfront Design Guidelines, plus applications for temporary uses, signs, residential chicken keeping and Board of Zoning Appeals variances.
Fire code: the City lists the 2012 International Fire Code and the 2012 NFPA Life Safety Code among its adopted codes.
Kansas building code
Kansas has no general statewide building code: each city and county adopts and amends its own. A few state rules apply everywhere, led by the Kansas Fire Prevention Code. Kansas rules
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Atchison permit resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Atchison Community Development permit-office location
- Atchison building permits, exemptions and code editions
- Atchison Construction Permit application
- Atchison Building Permit Fee Schedule, Ordinance 6285
- Ordinance 6626: 2018 IBC, IRC and IEBC with Atchison amendments
- Atchison construction trades licences
- Atchison Planning & Zoning: regulations, maps and applications
- Atchison fence permit application and Ordinance 6592
- Atchison Code of Ordinances
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions about Atchison permits
Who issues building permits in Atchison?
The City of Atchison Community Development Department at City Hall, 515 Kansas Avenue, 913-367-5560.
How much is a building permit in Atchison?
For new construction the fee follows the valuation table in Ordinance 6285. A $250,000 house pays $1,202.55; commercial projects add 65% for plan review.
Do I need a permit for a shed or deck?
Not for a one-story detached accessory building of 200 sq ft or less, or a detached deck of 200 sq ft or less that is no more than 30 inches above grade and does not serve the exit door. Setbacks still apply.
Do I need a permit for a fence or a new roof?
Yes. Fences need a $35 fence permit, and re-roofing is one of the permit types on the Construction Permit application.
Which building codes does Atchison use?
The 2018 International Building, Residential and Existing Building Codes, the 2017 National Electrical Code, the 2018 Uniform Mechanical and Plumbing Codes, and the 2012 International Fire Code, with City amendments.
Does an electrician need an Atchison licence?
Yes. Electricians, plumbers and gasfitters must be licensed by the City; a contractor licence is $150 a year and requires $100,000 of liability insurance.
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More Kansas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Atchison permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.