In Lenexa, building permits come from the Community Development Department’s Licensing and Permitting staff at City Hall, 17101 West 87th Street Parkway (913-477-7725, permits@lenexa.com). You apply, pay and schedule inspections in the city’s online Application and Permitting Portal; residential plans are reviewed in five business days. Fees come from the 2026 Schedule of Fees: a house valued at $400,000 pays a $1,195 permit fee plus a 20% plan review fee of $239.
The city enforces the 2018 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Fire, Existing Building and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes, the 2017 National Electrical Code and the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code. They were adopted by Ordinance 5696 on December 4, 2018, took effect on April 1, 2019, and were updated by Ordinance 5890 on August 1, 2022. Every contractor and subcontractor on a permit needs a Johnson County contractor licence and a Lenexa business licence.
The City of Lenexa in Johnson County. Olathe, Overland Park, Shawnee and the other Johnson County cities issue their own permits under their own adopted codes.
The electrical and energy codes are older than the rest. Lenexa’s adopted list pairs the 2018 International Codes with the 2017 National Electrical Code and the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code. Electrical drawings and energy compliance are checked against those editions, not the 2018 set.
What requires a building permit in Lenexa?
Lenexa requires a permit for any remodeling or construction at a home that involves framing, electrical, mechanical or plumbing work.
Permit required
- Additions, remodeling, basement finishes, covered porches and sunrooms
- Detached accessory structures over 120 square feet, and any structure attached to the house whatever its size
- Decks, new or replacement, and major repairs that change deck framing
- Demolition and fire repair
- Drive approaches and public sidewalks
- New fences (6 feet maximum, finished side out), except decorative fences under 3 feet and agricultural fences
- Retaining walls, except walls under 4 feet that do not alter water flow at lot lines
- Furnace, air conditioner and water heater replacement, and other electrical, mechanical or plumbing alterations
- Re-roofing
- Swimming pools, hot tubs and spas
No permit
- Painting, cabinetry and carpeting
- Siding
- Decorative fences under 3 feet and agricultural fences
- Lawn sprinklers and landscaping improvements
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →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
Lenexa building department: who handles permitting
Community Development’s Licensing and Permitting staff take applications, issue permits and schedule inspections, and city building inspectors inspect the work. Contractor licences come from Johnson County Contractor Licensing in Olathe.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Permit office | Community Development, Licensing and Permitting, Lenexa City Hall, 17101 West 87th Street Parkway, Lenexa, KS 66219 |
| Phone and email | 913-477-7725; permits@lenexa.com |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm |
| Online | Application and Permitting Portal: business licence, building permit and planning applications, fees, inspection scheduling and status |
| Contractor licensing | Johnson County Contractor Licensing, 111 South Cherry Street, Suite 1000, Olathe, KS 66061; 913-715-2233, option 1 |
In 2025, building permits issued in Lenexa authorized 230 new privately owned housing units, all of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
Permit types
Residential permits
A new house application in the portal needs construction plans sealed and signed by a Kansas-licensed architect or engineer, the sewer or septic permit from Johnson County Wastewater or the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment, and a legal plot plan sealed by a Kansas civil engineer or land surveyor. The plot plan shows the address, legal description, lot dimensions, contours, structures, distances to lot and building lines, utilities, easements, rights-of-way, retaining walls and decks. The application also lists the square footage of each floor, the garage, basement and decks, and the county licences of the general and subcontractors. Decks, pools, fences and additions need a scaled plot plan, and decks and additions need construction drawings.
Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit expediting, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Commercial permits
Commercial building, tenant and remodel permits are filed in the same portal and priced on the commercial fee table, with plan review at 40% of the permit fee. Contractors first create a portal account and call 913-477-7725 for the Lenexa ID and licence type that link their business licence to it. Expedited plan review for tenant and remodel projects costs 50% of the plan review fee, with a $100 minimum.
Kansas has no state licence for general contractors or the main trades; cities and counties license them under state rules. Roofers register with the Attorney General. Kansas rules
For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit applications through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.
Lenexa permit costs and fees
Construction permit fees are set in the City of Lenexa 2026 Schedule of Fees. For new buildings, additions and accessory structures the city multiplies the floor area by the cost per square foot in its construction cost table (for example $175.92 for a type VB one- or two-family dwelling, or $31.50 for an unfinished basement), compares that with the estimated actual cost, and applies the greater figure to the fee table. Remodels and demolitions use the estimated actual cost. The cost table is adjusted each year to the ICC building valuation data.
| Valuation | Permit fee |
|---|---|
| $1 to $2,000 | $30 minimum |
| $2,001 to $5,000 | $30 for the first $2,000 plus $10 for each additional $1,000 or part |
| $5,001 to $25,000 | $60 for the first $5,000 plus $8 for each additional $1,000 or part |
| $25,001 to $100,000 | $220 for the first $25,000 plus $5 for each additional $1,000 or part |
| $100,001 to $1,000,000 | $595 for the first $100,000 plus $2 for each additional $1,000 or part |
| $1,000,001 and more | $2,395 for the first $1,000,000 plus $1 for each additional $1,000 or part |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Worked example: a house valued at $400,000 pays $595 plus 300 × $2 = $600, a permit fee of $1,195, and a residential plan review fee of 20%, or $239, for $1,434 in total.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Commercial fee table (Table B1) | $30 minimum; for example $830 for the first $100,000 plus $4 per additional $1,000 |
| Plan review | 20% of the permit fee for residential ($25 minimum); 40% for commercial ($30 minimum); $50 for a repeat master plan |
| Valuation rates for small residential work | Decks, canopies, basement finishes and in-ground pools $20 per sq ft; fences $10 and retaining walls $15 per linear foot |
| Re-roofing; solar panels | Greater of the valuation fee or $50 per residential building; solar covers all trades |
| Footing and foundation permit | Greater of $200 or the valuation fee |
| Re-inspections and inspections with no listed fee | $100 an hour, one-hour minimum |
| After-hours inspections | $100 an hour, two-hour minimum |
| Working without a permit | Investigation fee equal to the permit fee, or $100 if greater |
| Certificate of occupancy | No fee with a building permit; temporary certificate $100 |
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Trade permits and who may pull them
Licence and permit rules
- Electrical, mechanical and plumbing alterations, furnace, air conditioner and water heater replacements need a building permit
- Every subcontractor must have a current Lenexa business licence and a Johnson County contractor’s licence on file before the permit is issued
- Johnson County licences cost a $100 application fee plus $225 per licence type and are valid for one year
- The solar panel permit covers the building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work
Exceptions
- A homeowner doing the work at the home he or she occupies does not need a contractor
- Fence, land disturbance and site development permits do not require the Johnson County licence
Trade work is permitted separately under the codes the jurisdiction has adopted. Kansas rules
How to apply for a Lenexa building permit
Use the city’s list of permit-required work and its guides for accessory structures, basements, decks, garage doors and pools.
Each contractor and subcontractor needs a Johnson County licence and a Lenexa business licence on file; call 913-477-7725 with licensing questions.
New houses need sealed plans, a sealed plot plan and the Johnson County sewer or septic permit; decks and additions need drawings and a scaled plot plan.
Create an account, submit the building permit application and pay the fees online.
Residential projects take five business days to review, and each resubmittal another five.
Book each inspection at least one business day ahead; the permit lapses after 180 days without an approved inspection.
Review, corrections and what actually causes delay
A missing licence on file for any subcontractor stops the permit from being issued. Work started before the permit carries an investigation fee equal to the permit fee, and a lapsed permit has to be reinstated for a fee based on the remaining work before inspections resume.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Lenexa
City building inspectors inspect every permitted project, and inspections must be scheduled at least one business day in advance, either in the portal or by calling Licensing and Permitting at 913-477-7725 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm on weekdays. Concrete inspections, work in occupied homes and owner-builder projects must be booked by phone. A permit is valid for 180 days and each approved inspection extends it by another 180 days; permits for single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses also expire two years after issue whatever their inspection history. The city tries to mail a courtesy reminder 30 days before expiry, but the permit expires either way. Certificates of occupancy carry no fee when issued with a building permit.
Lenexa permit search and official resources
- Lenexa building codes — the city’s adopted codes and Ordinance 5890
- Lenexa code adoption history — editions and ordinance numbers since 2001
- City of Lenexa 2026 Schedule of Fees — construction cost table, residential and commercial fee tables, inspection fees
- Application and Permitting Portal — permit applications, payments, inspection scheduling and forms
- Remodeling projects — what needs a permit, review times, inspections and expiry
- Residential construction — new house submittal list and construction guides
- Johnson County Contractor Licensing — county licences used by Lenexa contractors
- Kansas State Board of Technical Professions — when a Kansas-licensed architect or engineer must seal the drawings
- Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal — the Kansas Fire Prevention Code, mandatory statewide, and the occupancies it reviews
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions
How much is a building permit in Lenexa?
It depends on valuation. Residential work starts at $30, and a $400,000 house pays $1,195 plus a 20% plan review fee of $239 under the 2026 Schedule of Fees.
Which codes has Lenexa adopted?
The 2018 International Codes, the 2017 National Electrical Code and the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (Ordinances 5696 and 5890). The 2024 ICC codes were proposed in 2025 but are not yet listed as adopted.
How long does residential plan review take?
Five business days, and five more for each resubmittal of revisions.
Do I need a permit for a deck, fence or shed?
Yes for new or replacement decks, for new fences other than decorative fences under 3 feet and agricultural fences, for detached accessory structures over 120 square feet, and for any structure attached to the house. Fences may be no more than 6 feet tall.
Can a homeowner pull a permit in Lenexa?
Yes, for work at the home he or she occupies. Any contractor or subcontractor needs a Johnson County licence and a Lenexa business licence.
How do I schedule an inspection?
In the portal or at 913-477-7725, at least one business day ahead; concrete, occupied-home and owner-builder inspections are booked by phone.
Simplify Lenexa permitting with Alliance Permitting
Lenexa publishes what it has adopted, which only helps if each code is checked separately. We verify building and electrical independently and confirm the drawings carry a Kansas seal where the city requires one.
Ready to break ground in Lenexa sooner?
Send us the scope and the parcel. We confirm the review path with the City of Lenexa Community Development Department, assemble the submittal, file it, and track it through issuance — corrections included.
More Kansas permitting guides
More Kansas permitting guides
Olathe
Read guide →Overland Park
Read guide →Shawnee
Read guide →Liberal Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Lyon County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Manhattan Building Permit Guide
Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Lenexa permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.