In unincorporated Labette County outside the Great Plains Industrial Park, building a house or other permitted use needs no county building or zoning permit: the County’s 2024 zoning regulations require a zoning permit ($250) only for conditional uses such as towers, landfills and commercial wind, solar and battery projects, issued by the Zoning Administrator at 501 Merchant Street, Oswego (620-795-2548 ext. 336). Septic systems need a $100 permit from the County Sanitation Officer. Parsons, Oswego, Altamont and Chetopa issue their own building permits inside their limits.
What needs county approval?
Labette County’s zoning regulations took effect under Resolution 2024-24-L on July 12, 2024. They cover the unincorporated county except the area around Parsons where the City applies its own extraterritorial zoning and subdivision rules (parts of Labette, Liberty, North and Walton townships). The regulations govern land use; the County publishes no building code or building inspection program for unincorporated land.
Zoning permit needed
- Commercial wind, solar and battery energy storage systems, private renewable energy transmission lines and other commercial generating systems (in the A-1 district)
- Communication towers and antennas taller than the height limits
- Landfills, incinerators, large recycling centers, transfer stations and hazardous waste facilities
- Public utilities, substations, pumping stations and water towers
- Crew camps tied to a conditional use
- Sexually oriented businesses, with distance limits
No zoning permit
- Permitted uses in every district, including new homes in the A-1 and A-2 districts
- Bona fide agricultural land, farm buildings and farm homesites
- Houses, shops and light industry in the five unincorporated villages
- Grading or excavating a site before a conditional use is permitted
Even without a zoning permit, a new septic system or water well needs a permit from the County’s Environmental Department, and the County has a floodplain administrator (contact below).
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in Labette County?
The Zoning Administrator, appointed by the County Commission, processes zoning permits, occupancy certificates, conditional uses, variances and appeals. The Planning Board holds hearings on conditional uses and rezonings, and its members also sit as the Board of Zoning Appeals.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Zoning Administrator | 501 Merchant St., Oswego, KS 67356; 620-795-2548 ext. 336 |
| Floodplain Administrator | 1712 Corning Ave., Parsons, KS 67357; 620-820-3267 |
| Septic and wells (Sanitation Officer) | Labette County Health Department; 620-421-4350 or 620-820-3267 |
| Great Plains Industrial Park permits and contractor licences | 620-820-3267 |
Each city decides whether it issues building permits inside its limits:
| Town | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Parsons (pop. 9,315) | City Inspection Office, City Engineering Department, 2nd floor, Municipal Building, 112 S. 17th St.; 620-421-7020. Enforces the 2006 International Building Codes and 2005 National Electrical Code; permits for HVAC, electrical and plumbing work, new construction, some remodels, driveways, demolition and carports |
| Oswego (pop. 1,621 in Labette County) | City office, 703 Fifth St.; 620-795-4433. The City issues building permits (no fee on its fee list) under the 2000 International Building Code, reviews setbacks and decides within 10 days, but does not inspect construction |
| Altamont (pop. 1,053) | City Clerk and Building Official; City Hall 620-784-5612. Every building, fence or structure needs an approved permit, applied for 21 days before work starts |
| Chetopa (pop. 907) | The City Clerk takes applications. The City code sets a $10 building permit fee, adopts the 2021 International Building Code and names a volunteer council member as Building Inspector; contractors need a City builder’s licence, and requests to move a building onto a lot go to a City Council hearing. City Clerk 620-236-7511 |
| Mound Valley (pop. 346) | The City’s website and posted ordinances do not cover building permits; ask City Hall, 620-328-3411 |
| Edna (381), Bartlett (68), Labette (61) | The published sources do not say; ask the city clerk |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →County fees
Zoning fees come from Resolution 2025-43-L, effective November 10, 2025. Every application also includes a written agreement to repay the County for unusual costs above the fee, such as consultants, publication, notices or a hearing venue.
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Zoning permit (also the occupancy certificate application) | $250 |
| Conditional use | $1,500 |
| Conditional use for wind, solar or battery storage, or private renewable transmission lines | $4,000 |
| Exception, rezoning or variance | $1,200 each |
| Appeal | $1,000 |
Withdrawing an application before notices go out refunds 50% of the application fee, before the Planning Board hearing 25%, and after the hearing none, plus any unspent amounts paid toward County costs.
| Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Septic system, lagoon, or vault or holding tank permit | $100 |
| Water supply permit | $50 |
| Sewage system inspection for a property sale | $250 |
| Subdivision plan review | $500 |
| Septic installer licence (annual) | $50 |
| Sewage hauler licence (annual) | $100 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Wastewater fees are paid to the Labette County Health Department, P.O. Box 786, Parsons, KS 67357, and unpaid fees go to the County’s property tax office after 90 days.
What to submit
Zoning permit
- A scale drawing or copy of the recorded plat, in duplicate, with the lot dimensions and any easements
- A digital copy in an approved format
- An approved site plan for the conditional use
- The signed agreement to repay unusual County costs
Septic permit
- The Wastewater System Permit Application, with the owner, the 911 address and the installing contractor
- For homes, the number of bedrooms and people, lot size and water use; for businesses, employees, bathrooms and shifts
- Whether the system is in a floodplain
- A drawing of the existing or proposed structures and where the work will go
How to build in unincorporated Labette County
Check whether the land is inside a city, in the Parsons extraterritorial area or in the Great Plains Industrial Park overlay, using the County zoning map.
Permitted and agricultural uses need no zoning permit; conditional uses need a Planning Board hearing and a zoning permit.
Pick up the Sanitation Code and application at the Health Department and ask for a pre-inspection visit to choose the site.
Pay the $100 septic permit fee, or file the zoning application and fees with the Zoning Administrator.
Give the Sanitation Officer 24 hours’ notice before septic work starts.
A conditional-use structure may not be used until the Zoning Administrator issues its occupancy certificate.
Rather not deal with the Labette County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections
The County publishes no building inspection program; its construction inspections are for septic systems. The Sanitation Officer must be present while a septic system is built: when the tank is set, when the absorption field is placed and before any dozer work, and must be told again before the lines are covered. The Zoning Administrator issues or refuses a zoning permit within 10 days of a complete application; a permit for most conditional uses is valid for one year, and an extension is needed if work stops for 180 days.
Local Labette County details
Great Plains Industrial Park: the former Kansas Army Ammunition Plant near Parsons is a zoning overlay district with its own underlying districts (Resolution 2011-42-L) and its own zoning and contractor licensing requirements; permits and fees there are handled through 620-820-3267.
Villages: Angola, Dennis, Montana, Strauss and Valeda are zoned V-1, where houses, manufactured homes, shops and light industry are permitted uses with 25 ft front and 10 ft side and rear setbacks.
Easements and height: no building or structure may stand on or over a recorded public easement or a known utility line. In the A-1 district buildings may be 60 ft tall and other structures 150 ft.
Floodplain: sites in or next to a floodplain or water body may also fall under the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s water rules, and the septic application asks whether the system is in a floodplain.
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 Labette County permit resources
- Labette County Planning & Zoning: jurisdiction and contacts
- Labette County Zoning Regulations, July 12, 2024 (PDF)
- Labette County zoning fee schedule, Resolution 2025-43-L (PDF)
- Labette County zoning district map (PDF)
- Labette County Environmental Health: septic and water well permits
- Labette County wastewater system checklist (PDF)
- Labette County wastewater system permit application (PDF)
- Labette County wastewater and water supply fees (PDF)
- City of Parsons building inspection
- City of Oswego building permit application, July 2024 (PDF)
- City of Altamont permits and licenses
- Chetopa Code of Ordinances, Chapter IV, Article 2: building code
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Labette County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit to build a house in rural Labette County?
Not from the County. A new home is a permitted use, so no zoning permit is needed, and the County publishes no building code. A septic system still needs a $100 County permit.
What does a Labette County zoning permit cost?
$250, plus $1,500 for the conditional use itself ($4,000 for wind, solar or battery storage projects) and any unusual County costs.
Who issues building permits in Parsons and Oswego?
Each city. Parsons’ City Inspection Office (620-421-7020) permits and inspects work inside Parsons; Oswego issues permits at its City office (620-795-4433) but does not inspect construction.
How do I get a septic permit?
Get the application from the Labette County Health Department, arrange a pre-inspection visit with the Sanitation Officer, pay $100 and give 24 hours’ notice before construction. Call 620-421-4350 or 620-820-3267.
Does the County zoning cover land near Parsons?
No. Parsons applies its own extraterritorial zoning and subdivision rules in parts of Labette, Liberty, North and Walton townships.
Are farm buildings exempt?
Yes. Land, buildings and farm homesites used for bona fide agriculture need no zoning permit or occupancy certificate.
Simplify Labette County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Kansas. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
Ready to break ground in Labette County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Labette County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Kansas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Labette County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.