In unincorporated Marion County, permits are required before construction begins. The county Planning and Zoning office, which is also the Environmental Health department, at 1240 Commercial Drive in Marion (620-382-2945) issues zoning certificates for houses, garages and pole barns, floodplain permits, and septic and water well permits. A zoning certificate is issued or refused within 10 working days, and farm uses pay no fee for it. The cities, led by Marion, Hillsboro and Peabody, permit work inside their own limits.
Who issues permits in Marion County?
Planning and Zoning enforces the county zoning and subdivision regulations across the unincorporated county, and the same office, led by Director Sharon Omstead, runs Environmental Health: permits and consultation for water wells and sewage disposal, private water screening and real estate inspections of water and wastewater systems. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the office asks you to call ahead because staff hours vary.
County zoning covers land outside the cities. Inside a city, apply to the city:
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Place | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Marion County | Marion County Planning & Zoning, 1240 Commercial Drive, Marion; 620-382-2945 |
| Hillsboro (pop. 2,646) | City Building Department, 118 E. Grand; 620-947-3162; city code adopts the 2021 International Building and Residential Codes |
| Marion (pop. 1,897) | City Building Inspections, 208 E. Santa Fe; 620-266-6051; 2026 building, electrical, plumbing, demolition and sign permit forms |
| Peabody (pop. 909) | City Planning & Zoning: construction permit application and fee sheet; 620-983-2174 |
| Goessel (pop. 558) | City building permit under the city code (2018 International Building Code); City Office 620-367-8111 |
| Florence (pop. 377) | City building permit under the city code; fences need City Council approval |
| Burns (pop. 227) | The published sources do not say; ask City Hall, 620-726-5819 |
| Ramona, Lincolnville, Lehigh, Tampa, Durham and Lost Springs | The published sources do not say; ask the city clerk |
What needs a county permit
County permits
- Structures: houses, garages, pole barns and other buildings
- Floodplain development, including culvert replacements, retaining walls, repairs and fill
- Wastewater systems: septic tanks and lagoons
- Water wells for homes, lawns and gardens, and livestock
- Conditional uses, rezonings, variances, lot splits and plats
- Emergency placement of a manufactured home or RV after a fire or storm, for up to one year
Not accepted for now
- Applications for data centers in the unincorporated county (moratorium to June 1, 2027)
- Commercial battery storage over 10 megawatts of capacity and 2 megawatts of discharge (moratorium to March 1, 2027)
- Commercial or utility-scale wind projects in 15 townships
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Under Article 22 of the zoning regulations, no new or remodeled building may be occupied, and no land may be put to a new use, until the Zoning Administrator issues a zoning certificate, followed by a certificate of occupancy.
What goes with a zoning certificate application
The application is made on the county’s form with a scaled site plan showing:
- The legal description of the property
- The location and size of every building, structure, yard and open space
- The width and length of all entrances and exits, and the adjoining roads or highways
- Grades and elevations for building placement, the sewage disposal system, drainage and any floodplain
- Signs, lighting, fencing, screening and landscaping
A new home in the country usually also needs the Environmental Health permit for its septic system or lagoon and, if it is on a private well, a water well permit.
Fees and timelines
Zoning certificate fees are set by resolution of the County Commission. Agricultural uses and farm dwellings pay no fee for the certificate. If construction starts without a certificate, the Zoning Administrator can issue a stop order and the fee for the later certificate is quadrupled.
A certificate is issued or refused within 10 working days. It becomes void if construction has not started within 90 days, and it expires when the certificate of occupancy is issued or one year after issue, whichever comes first. Environmental Health charges $20 to screen a private water supply for nitrates and bacteria and $100 for a real estate field inspection of a private water supply and wastewater system, or $50 each, plus $20 for a re-inspection trip.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a county permit
Each city in the table above handles permits inside its limits.
Check the zoning district, setbacks, floodplain and whether a moratorium or township wind ban applies; ask for the current fee.
For a rural home site, apply to Environmental Health in the same office.
Attach the scaled site plan with the items listed above.
Start work within 90 days of issue and finish within a year, or reapply.
Do not occupy or use the building until the Zoning Administrator issues it.
Local rules worth knowing
Moratoriums and wind ban: the County Commission adopted a moratorium on data center applications on March 2, 2026 (Resolution 2026-12) and extended it to June 1, 2027 (Resolution 2026-19). Resolution 2026-09, adopted on February 17, 2026, suspends commercial battery storage systems over 10 megawatts of storage and 2 megawatts of discharge until March 1, 2027. Zoning amendments approved by the Commission on June 15, 2026 (Resolution 2026-22) prohibit commercial and utility-scale wind projects in West Branch, East Branch, Liberty, Menno, Peabody, Centre, Clear Creek, Lehigh, Milton, Risley, Wilson, Gale, Durham Park, Colfax and Catlin townships.
Floodplain: the county regulates development in its Floodplain District (Article 10, adopted in a May 2024 edition), including culvert replacements, retaining walls, repairs and fill.
Rather not deal with the Marion County building department?
Get a free quote →Septic help: Environmental Health has reported grant money to replace failing private wastewater systems for households up to 200% of the poverty level.
City details: Florence charges $2 per $1,000 of cost for work over $1,000 and its permits expire after six months; Peabody’s posted residential fee sheet is valuation-based, starting at $19 for work up to $500 and reaching $804.93 for the first $100,000 plus $4.53 per additional $1,000.
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 Marion County permitting resources
- Marion County Planning & Zoning and Environmental Health
- Marion County zoning and subdivision regulations
- Zoning Regulations Article 22: zoning certificates (PDF)
- Zoning Regulations Article 10: Floodplain District (PDF)
- Marion County 2026 resolutions (moratoriums, wind ban)
- Cities in Marion County
- City of Marion Building Inspections
- City of Marion building permit applications
- City of Hillsboro departments (Building Department)
- City of Peabody Planning & Zoning permits
- City of Goessel code: building code
- City of Florence code: building permits
Marion County permit FAQs
Do I need a permit to build in rural Marion County?
Yes. The county is zoned and permits are required before construction begins on houses, garages, pole barns and other structures, and for floodplain work, septic systems and wells.
Who issues septic and well permits?
Marion County Environmental Health, in the Planning and Zoning office at 1240 Commercial Drive, Marion, 620-382-2945.
How long does a zoning certificate take?
The Zoning Administrator issues or refuses it within 10 working days. It is void if work does not start within 90 days.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do farm buildings need a zoning certificate?
The regulations say agricultural uses and farm dwellings pay no fee for the zoning certificate.
Can I build a data center or battery storage site in Marion County?
Not for now. Data center applications are on hold until June 1, 2027, and large commercial battery storage until March 1, 2027.
Who issues permits in Hillsboro and Marion?
Each city: Hillsboro’s Building Department (620-947-3162) and Marion’s Building Inspections (620-266-6051).
Simplify Marion 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 Marion County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Marion County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Kansas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Marion County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.