Outside the cities, Osage County Land Development (717 Topeka Ave., second floor, Lyndon; 785-828-3347) issues the county building permit, the wastewater permit and zoning approvals. The building permit is $0.05 per square foot of total floor area, finished and unfinished, with a $25 minimum, and a new septic system adds a $200 wastewater permit. On new construction, failing to get the wastewater permit voids the building permit.
What needs a county permit in Osage County?
The county says wastewater systems, construction and land divisions all need permits. Its zoning regulations apply to all unincorporated land, and no new or changed building may be used until the Zoning Administrator issues a zoning certificate and certificate of occupancy.
County building permit
- New houses, whether site-built, modular or prefabricated
- Additions and interior or exterior remodeling
- Garages, decks and accessory buildings
- Manufactured homes, with tie-down and foundation details
- Buildings moved onto a property
Other county permits
- Wastewater system permit (septic, lagoon, aerated or mound)
- Wastewater inspection when a rural property is sold
- Conditional use, sign, fireworks and special event permits
- Lot splits under the subdivision regulations
Farm buildings: the application says all construction and every building moved onto a property needs a building permit, farm-exempt or not, and that farm-exempt buildings require at least 40 acres. Land used for agriculture is otherwise free of zoning restrictions, but new farm buildings must still meet floodplain rules and the setbacks along major roads.
Who issues permits in Osage County?
Land Development, led by the Land Development Director, issues county building and wastewater permits, administers the zoning and subdivision regulations, and takes the wastewater applications that the County Sanitarian reviews and inspects. Mail forms and payments to P.O. Box 221, Lyndon, KS 66451. Inside the cities:
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Town | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Osage City (pop. 2,784) | City of Osage City: the Code Enforcement Officer reviews plans for new buildings and enforces the building, safety and zoning codes. Code Administrator 785-528-3082. |
| Carbondale (pop. 1,296) | City of Carbondale: the city code adopts the 2018 International Building and Residential Codes, and the city licenses contractors. City Hall, 234 Main St., 785-836-7108. |
| Lyndon (pop. 1,032) | City of Lyndon, under its own zoning regulations (May 2025) and a permit fee schedule effective March 1, 2023: $100 for a house or duplex with site plan, $75 for an accessory building under $10,000, $50 for a fence. City office, 730 Topeka Ave., 785-828-3146. |
| Overbrook (pop. 985) | City of Overbrook: return the building permit application, made out to the building inspector, to City Hall; the city also has fence, sign and culvert permits. 785-665-7230. |
| Burlingame (pop. 925) | City of Burlingame: return the structure permit application to City Hall at least a week before the second Wednesday of the month; the planning commission chair, building inspector and city administrator sign it before the City Clerk issues it. 101 E. Santa Fe, 785-654-2414. |
| Scranton (pop. 637) | City of Scranton: a building permit from the City Clerk, after approval by the city’s building official, is needed to build, enlarge, move or structurally alter a building; decks, patios and walkways no more than 30 inches high are exempt. The city code adopts the 2006 International Building Code and sets a $25 permit fee. City Hall, 120 W. Boone St., 785-793-2414. |
| Melvern (pop. 340) | City of Melvern: a building permit from the building inspector is needed before any construction, move or remodel; the fee is $50. |
| Quenemo (286), Olivet (75) | The published sources do not say; ask the city clerk (Quenemo City Hall, 785-759-3315). |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Septic systems and lagoons
The wastewater permit is part of the same county application as the building permit. Submit a site plan and a detailed drawing of the system showing the buildings, the preferred system layout and its distances from streams, ponds, property lines and water lines. Osage County then does the soil profile; no other design is accepted unless the County Sanitarian has approved the applicant. Once the results are in, the owner chooses from the system options offered, and approval of the application allows construction to begin.
The sanitarian must see the installed system before it is covered with soil, and nobody may live in the building until that final inspection is approved. The owner agrees to install only the approved system and, if it fails, to rebuild it as the county directs.
Since January 1, 2012, every rural property outside city limits must have a wastewater inspection when it is sold. The tank must be pumped at the time of the inspection, and the $150 fee can be paid at closing or directly to Land Development; realtors use the county’s Sewage System Inspection Order Form.
The county application does not include electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits.
Osage County permit fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Total square feet × $0.05, minimum $25 |
| Wastewater permit | $200 |
| Wastewater inspection (property sale) | $150 |
| Conditional use permit | $500 |
| Sign permit | $25 |
| Fireworks permit | $25 |
| Special event, Type 1 / Types 2–3 / Type 4 / Type 5 | $0 / $25 / $50 / $100 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →The building fee is figured on all floor area, finished and unfinished, so a house and attached garage totaling 2,400 sq ft pays $120. If work starts without a zoning certificate, the zoning regulations quadruple the fee for the certificate issued later.
What the application asks for
- Owner, applicant and contractor details, the parcel number, section, township and range, and acreage
- Total square footage by floor, basement, deck and garage, plus the numbers of bedrooms and bathrooms
- For a manufactured home: make, year, size, tie-downs, foundation and installer
- Utilities: fuel type, water source and rural water district, and septic, lagoon or sewer district
- Road type and surfacing, and an entrance approved by the County Road and Bridge Department or the township
- A site plan showing the wastewater system and the front, rear and side setbacks
- The acknowledgement of everyone on the deed; it is recorded as a deed restriction if the property is sold
The zoning regulations also require the site plan to show entrances and exits, grades and elevations for drainage, sewage and any floodplain, and planned signs, lighting, fencing and landscaping.
How to get a county building permit
When zoning was first applied, land over 40 acres was zoned Agricultural and parcels of 1 to 40 acres Suburban Residential; new Suburban Residential lots must be 1 to 3 acres. On major roads the AG setbacks are 75 feet in front and 50 feet at the sides and rear.
Have the driveway entrance approved by Road and Bridge or the township.
Send the building and wastewater application with the site plan and system drawing to Land Development.
The county completes the soil profile and approves the system; the zoning certificate is issued or refused within 10 working days.
The permit is void if work does not start within 120 days or finish within a year.
The sanitarian must see the system before it is covered; the home may not be occupied until it passes.
Rather not deal with the Osage County building department?
Get a free quote →County inspections
The county sanitarian inspects every new wastewater system before it is covered, and inspects existing systems when rural property is sold. The Zoning Administrator issues the certificate of occupancy confirming that a building or use meets the zoning regulations, and can post a stop order, after 48 hours’ written notice, where work proceeds without a zoning certificate.
Local details for Osage County
Rural roads: the application warns that public earth and gravel roads are not consistently maintained, that owners may have to pay for road improvements they request, and that minimum-maintenance roads get no maintenance.
After a disaster: where a home is destroyed by fire or storm, the Zoning Administrator can allow a manufactured home on the lot for up to six months.
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 Osage County permitting resources
- Osage County Land Development (forms and fees)
- Osage County building permit and wastewater systems permit application
- Osage County Zoning Regulations, August 2026 Edition
- Osage County Subdivision Regulations
- Osage County sewage system inspection order form
- Osage County Commission agendas and minutes
- City of Osage City Code Administrator
- City of Lyndon permit and application fee schedule (2023)
- City of Carbondale code: building codes
- City of Overbrook building permits
- City of Burlingame forms, including the building permit
- City of Melvern departments and building permit
- City of Scranton code, Volume 5 (building code and permits)
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Osage County permit FAQs
How much is a building permit in rural Osage County?
$0.05 per square foot of total floor area, finished and unfinished, with a $25 minimum. A 2,400 sq ft house with garage pays $120, plus $200 for a wastewater permit if it needs a septic system.
Do farm buildings need a permit?
Yes. The county application says all construction, and any building moved onto a property, needs a building permit whether or not it is farm-exempt; farm-exempt status requires at least 40 acres.
Is a septic inspection required when I sell?
Yes. Since January 1, 2012, rural property outside city limits needs a $150 wastewater inspection at sale, with the tank pumped at the time.
How long is the permit good for?
Work must start within 120 days and finish within one year of issue.
What is the minimum lot size?
40 acres in the Agricultural district; Suburban Residential lots run from 1 to 3 acres.
Who issues permits in Osage City and Lyndon?
The cities do: Osage City’s Code Enforcement Officer (785-528-3082) and the City of Lyndon (785-828-3146), whose house permit is $100.
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More Kansas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Osage County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.