In Great Bend, building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits come from the City’s Building Inspections office, 1217 Williams Street (620-793-4106), whose Building Official is Matt Schafer. Applications can be filed through the City of Great Bend Citizen Portal, and work may start only once the official permit is issued. Under the 2026 Master Fee Schedule a $240,000 house pays a $403 building permit fee, plus a plan review fee of 25% of all the permit fees assessed.
What needs a permit in Great Bend?
City code requires a permit before any building or structure is erected, altered, rebuilt or remodeled inside city limits, and the Building Inspections office says a permit is required for all work by contractors or homeowners.
Common permit jobs
- New houses, additions and commercial buildings
- Garages, sheds and other accessory buildings
- Decks, porches and fences
- Finishing basements and remodeling rooms
- Roof repairs and re-roofing
- Heating and air units, plumbing and electrical work
- Demolition, moving a building, mobile homes and signs
- Concrete flatwork
Site rules
- Nothing may be built in a utility easement; the plot plan must show the easements
- Call Dig Safe (811) before applying so utility lines can be shown on the plot plan
- Single-story buildings over 150 sq ft need footings; accessory buildings of 151 to 720 sq ft need footings 12 inches wide and 12 inches below grade, and buildings over 720 sq ft need footings at least 30 inches deep
- Curb cuts, sidewalks and other right-of-way work need an Engineering permit (620-793-4150)
Who issues building permits in Great Bend?
Building Inspections enforces the City’s building, electrical, fire, mechanical and plumbing codes, reviews plans for zoning and code compliance, issues the permits, inspects the work and licenses contractors and tradespeople. The City enforces the 2018 International Building, Residential, Fire and Existing Building Codes, the 2018 Uniform Plumbing and Mechanical Codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code. Questions about zoning, the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals also go to this office.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 1217 Williams Street, Great Bend, KS 67530 |
| Phone | 620-793-4106 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. |
| Building Official | Matt Schafer |
| Online | City of Great Bend Citizen Portal (permit and licence applications, contractor search) |
The City also enforces its zoning and subdivision regulations in a three-mile extra-territorial zoning area around Great Bend; building there is permitted jointly with Barton County (see Local details).
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Great Bend
Each trade has its own City application, and trade permit fees follow the same valuation table as building permits, based on the estimated labor and material cost. A service entrance inspection and a gas pressure test cost $25 each. Before gas that has been off for a while is turned back on, Kansas Gas Service may require an inspection, with the lines pressure-tested on a gauge.
Permits go only to licensed contractors and to homeowners working on the home they own and live in. Rental and commercial work must be done by licensed contractors. Work on a second home or a relative’s house needs a licensed contractor or tradesperson.
| Licence | Fee |
|---|---|
| Class A General, Class B Building, Class C Residential | $250 new, $200 renewal |
| Class D Roofing Unlimited, Class E Roofing Limited | $200 new, $150 renewal |
| Class F Limited (including signs), Class G Demolition, Class H Moving | $175 new, $150 renewal |
| Electrical, Mechanical or Plumbing Contractor | $250 new, $200 renewal |
| Master or Journeyman certificate | $10 |
Licences run two years from July 1 of an even year. Most classes need a score of at least 75% on an ICC, Prometric or Block & Associates exam, and every contractor must carry general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence; demolition and house-moving contractors also post a $5,000 surety bond. Roofers also need State of Kansas roofer registration.
Great Bend permit fees
Fees are set by the Master Fee Schedule, Resolution 011926-A, adopted by the City Council on January 19, 2026 and effective January 1, 2026. It replaced Resolution 111824-A of November 2024, which the City’s permits page still names. New construction, remodels and plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits are priced from the estimated labor and material cost, with a $25 minimum.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Total valuation | Fee |
|---|---|
| $1 to $2,000 | $25 |
| $2,001 to $40,000 | $25 for the first $2,000, plus $1 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $40,001 to $100,000 | $63 for the first $40,000, plus $1 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $123 for the first $100,000, plus $2 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $923 for the first $500,000, plus $3 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 | $2,423 for the first $1,000,000, plus $3 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
| Over $5,000,000 | $14,423 for the first $5,000,000, plus $3 for each additional $1,000 or fraction |
For example, a house valued at $240,000 pays $123 plus 140 × $2 = $280, a building permit fee of $403. Plan review is charged on top at 25% of all the permit fees assessed for the project (building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical); it applies to new homes, to anything used commercially, and to every commercial project that needs document submittal.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Fence, flatwork or sign (each) | $25 |
| Demolition | $25 per residential structure; $50 per commercial structure |
| Mobile home | $50 |
| Moving a building | $50 (mobile home) to $750 (over 1,500 sq ft) |
| Three-mile area building permit | $25 |
| Reinspection | $25 per inspection over two (each inspection type counted separately) |
| Work started without a permit | Triple the permit fee for the first and second offense; then $750 or triple the fee, whichever is greater |
| Rezoning or conditional use | $250 |
| Floodplain development | $75 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →A Certificate of Occupancy is not issued until every fee, including reinspection fees, is paid.
What to submit
Every permit needs an application. New homes and commercial buildings, accessory structures, signs, mobile homes, fences and flatwork also need a site plan showing the property lines from the approved plat, setbacks, existing and proposed buildings with their dimensions and distances, underground utility lines and easements, a location map with north arrow and scale, and driveways.
One- and two-family homes
- Residential application listing the general, foundation, framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors and roofers’ state registration numbers
- Site plan, submitted at least 24 hours before the permit is wanted
- Building drawings for a new house (not for accessory buildings)
- Window schedule and truss package with bracing
- For remodels: a floor plan of the affected rooms and at least one wall section
Commercial and 3+ unit buildings
- Two hardcopy sets of plans and one digital set
- Plans stamped by a Kansas-licensed architect or engineer, including electrical, mechanical and plumbing drawings, filed at least 10 working days before the permit is wanted
- Architect-stamped code footprint
- Civil plans stamped by a Kansas engineer: drainage, contours, landscaping, signage, elevations, screening, dumpsters, parking, fire lanes and sidewalks
- Asbestos survey before demolishing or renovating a commercial or public building
The 10-working-day lead time also applies to alterations that change a building’s use or affect its structure. Unplatted land or a lot split may need to be platted before a building permit is issued.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to get a Great Bend building permit
Inside the city, Building Inspections handles everything; in the three-mile area, use the Three-Mile Radius New Construction application.
Have Dig Safe mark the utility lines, then show them, the easements and the setbacks on the site plan.
Unless you are the owner-occupant, each trade must hold a current Great Bend licence; contractors can be checked in the Citizen Portal.
Submit the residential, commercial or trade application with the drawings through the Citizen Portal, or at 1217 Williams Street.
The office reviews the application and emails about fees; paying at submission does not mean the permit is issued.
A permit lasts up to a year and lapses if work has not started within six months; call for each inspection, including the final one.
Inspections in Great Bend
City code says inspections are completed within one business day after the request is received. The inspector checks the building layout against lot lines and setbacks, then the footing or foundation forms before concrete is poured, and makes a final inspection when the work is done; the permit holder must call for the final inspection by the estimated completion date. Each inspection gets a tag marking approval or listing corrections.
Reinspections cost $25 for each one over two, counted separately for each inspection type, and the fee is paid before the inspection. Once all permits are closed and inspections passed, the City may issue a Certificate of Occupancy.
Local Great Bend details
Three-mile area: outside the city limits but within three miles, the City enforces its zoning and subdivision regulations, and building permits are handled jointly with Barton County on the City’s Three-Mile Radius New Construction application ($25). The application needs two scale drawings showing structures, distances to property lines, septic tanks and laterals, easements and streets. Barton County adds a floodplain determination, and the lowest habitable floor must be certified by a Kansas engineer or surveyor before anyone moves in. The form notes that Barton County has not adopted a national building code, so buildings there must meet the Kansas fire prevention code minimums; wells and septic systems go through the Barton County Environmental Management Division.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Neighborhood Revitalization Plan: the residential application points to the City’s plan, which can rebate the added property tax on new buildings or improvements over five or ten years if its eligibility rules and deadlines are met.
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
Official Great Bend permit resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Great Bend Building Inspections
- Great Bend permits, applications and adopted codes
- City of Great Bend Citizen Portal
- Great Bend 2026 Master Fee Schedule, Resolution 011926-A
- Great Bend permit application submittal requirements
- Great Bend contractor and trade licensing
- Great Bend Planning & Zoning
- Great Bend three-mile extra-territorial zoning
- Great Bend Code Chapter 15.04, building permits
- Great Bend Code Chapter 15.08, inspections
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions about Great Bend permits
Who issues building permits in Great Bend?
The City’s Building Inspections office at 1217 Williams Street, 620-793-4106. Matt Schafer is the Building Official.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Great Bend?
A $240,000 house pays $403 under the 2026 fee table, plus plan review at 25% of all the permit fees assessed, including the trade permits.
Do I need a permit for a fence, shed or new roof?
Yes. Fences, sheds, decks and roof repairs all need permits; a fence permit is $25 and needs a site plan.
Can I do my own work?
Yes, on the home you own and live in, with permits and inspections. Rental and commercial property must be worked on by licensed contractors.
How fast are inspections?
City code says within one business day of the request.
Does Great Bend regulate land outside the city?
Yes, zoning and subdivision in the three-mile area around the city. Building there uses a joint City and Barton County application with a $25 fee.
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More Kansas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Great Bend permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.