In unincorporated Reno County you need a county zoning permit, not a building permit, for any structure over 120 square feet, and a floodplain development permit for a structure of any size in a floodplain. Both come from the Planning and Zoning Division of Reno County Public Works, 600 Scott Boulevard in South Hutchinson, by appointment at 620-694-2978. Reno County does not enforce or implement building codes and makes no construction inspections.
The county suggests building to the latest code standard, and its zoning permit form recommends the Uniform Building Code, Uniform Plumbing Code, National Electrical Code and Uniform Fire Code, but nothing is inspected. Wells and private wastewater systems are permitted by the Environmental Division of Public Works under the Reno County Sanitation Code, and entrances onto county roads by Public Works. Part of the county is unzoned; the planning office still has to be contacted there because floodplain, entrance, septic and well permits may apply.
Unincorporated Reno County. Hutchinson, South Hutchinson, Haven, Buhler and the other cities handle permits inside their own limits; the next section lists all 15.
No county building code, no county inspections. Reno County does not enforce or implement building codes and requires no HVAC, concrete or other code inspections in the unincorporated county. The permits it does issue are zoning, floodplain, entrance, well and wastewater approvals.
What requires a building permit in Reno County?
No county building permit exists. The approvals below apply in the unincorporated county, in zoned and unzoned areas alike for the floodplain, entrance, well and wastewater items.
County permit or approval needed
- A zoning permit for any structure over 120 square feet, new, moved on or added to (houses, garages, shops and commercial buildings)
- A floodplain development permit for any structure, dirt work or channel change in a floodplain, whatever its size; some also need a state Division of Water Resources permit first
- A private wastewater permit and a private water well permit from the Environmental Division
- An entrance permit from Public Works for a driveway onto a county road; for a township road, the township official
- Rezonings, conditional use permits and variances, heard by the Planning Commission or Board of Zoning Appeals
No county permit
- Structures of 120 square feet or less outside the floodplain
- Building code, plumbing, electrical or mechanical permits and inspections, which the county does not issue
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Get a free quote →A street address is assigned to vacant land only when a zoning permit is issued for a structure.
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
Reno County building department: who handles permitting
Planning and Zoning and the Environmental Division are both part of Reno County Public Works at 600 Scott Boulevard. An appointment is needed before filing a zoning permit, zoning amendment, conditional use permit or variance, so the planner can go over the proposal and procedure first.
| Office | Contact | Handles |
|---|---|---|
| Planning and Zoning Division | 600 Scott Boulevard, South Hutchinson, KS 67505; 620-694-2978 (County Planner Mark Vonachen, CFM); by appointment, Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, closed 1:00 to 2:00 pm | Zoning permits, floodplain permits and map checks, rezoning, conditional uses, variances |
| Public Works | 620-694-2976 | Appointments when the planner is unavailable (Monday to Thursday), county road entrance and culvert permits |
| Environmental Division | 620-259-2105; same address | Private water well and wastewater permits, wastewater contractor licences, subdivision site evaluations |
| City (2025 pop.) | Who issues permits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson (39,595) | City of Hutchinson | Residential and commercial building permits, trade licensing and an online permit portal |
| South Hutchinson (2,516) | City of South Hutchinson | Building permits and contractor registrations online; the city adopted the 2012 IBC and IFC in January 2015; City Office 620-663-7104 |
| Buhler (1,320) | City of Buhler | Zoning and building application on the city’s forms page |
| Haven (1,169) | City of Haven | Building permit application, fee schedule and floodplain development permit |
| Nickerson (1,051) | City of Nickerson | The municipal code has a Buildings and Construction chapter; city office 620-422-5981 |
| Pretty Prairie (652) | City zoning administrator | City zoning permit and occupancy certificate needed before building |
| Arlington (430), The Highlands (352), Turon (308), Sylvia (212), Partridge (210), Plevna (83), Abbyville (81), Willowbrook (72), Langdon (41) | Not stated in published sources | Ask the city clerk before building |
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Residential permits
For a house, garage or shop, the planning office reviews the zoning permit for compliance with the land development regulations, and the owner completes the health department water and wastewater form so staff can check that the building does not interfere with the septic system or well. The permit records the site and building dimensions, estimated value, zoning, setbacks and whether septic, water, entrance and floodplain permits are needed. In a floodplain, the elevation or floodproofing certificate showing as-built elevations must reach the planning office after the lowest floor, basement included, is finished and before any further construction.
Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit expediting, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.
Commercial permits
Commercial buildings follow the same zoning permit route, with conditional uses and variances heard by the Planning Commission or the Board of Zoning Appeals. The zoning regulations were amended in 2026, and separate articles cover solar energy systems (2024), commercial solar (2025) and commercial wind. The county carries out no building plan review, so code compliance rests with the owner and the design team.
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
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit applications through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.
Reno County permit costs and fees
There is no building permit fee because there is no county building permit. The zoning permit fee is set by resolution of the County Commission under Section 18-104 of the zoning regulations, and building without a zoning permit can bring a penalty that may be double the permit fee (Section 18-107). The Environmental Division fees below took effect on November 20, 2023 and apply to all requests made since then; paperwork and fees are due before the site appointment.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Private wastewater permit | $275 ($550 if late) |
| Private water well permit | $175 ($350 if late) |
| Semi-public wastewater or water well permit | $275 or $175 ($550 or $350 if late) |
| Wastewater contractor licence | $100 countywide; $30 homeowner |
| Subdivision plan review | $300 |
| Subdivision environmental site assessment and soil profile, per lot | $175 |
| Sanitary service licence; vehicle inspection | $35; $35 per vehicle |
Card payments carry a 2.5% surcharge and electronic checks $1.50; returned payments cost $30.
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Get a free quote →Trade permits and who may pull them
County requirements
- Reno County licenses wastewater contractors ($100 countywide) and homeowners who install their own system ($30)
- Septic pumpers and haulers need a sanitary service licence and a vehicle inspection
- Well and wastewater placement must meet the Reno County Sanitation Code setbacks
Not issued by the county
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits or inspections in the unincorporated county
- Trade licences for builders, electricians or plumbers
Trade work is permitted separately under the codes the jurisdiction has adopted. Kansas rules
How to apply for Reno County permits
The county’s zoned and unzoned map and the GIS parcel map show the zoning; the planner gives formal zoning determinations.
Call 620-694-2978, or Public Works at 620-694-2976 if there is no answer, before bringing an application.
Submit the Environmental Division paperwork and fees before its site appointment.
The planning office runs a floodplain map check as part of the zoning permit; floodplain work may need a state permit before the local one.
Give site and building dimensions, the estimated value and setbacks; the county assigns an address once the permit is issued.
Apply to Public Works for a county road entrance, or to the township for a township road, and send the floodplain elevation certificate when required.
Review, corrections and what actually causes delay
Applications are discussed at an appointment before they are filed, the Environmental Division wants paperwork and fees in hand before its site visit, and floodplain work that needs a state Division of Water Resources permit cannot get the local permit until the state permit, or written notice that none is needed, arrives.
Inspections in Reno County
Reno County makes no building, HVAC, concrete or other code inspections in the unincorporated county. The Environmental Division works with owners on the location of wastewater systems and wells, and in a floodplain construction must stop after the lowest floor until the as-built elevation or floodproofing certificate is returned to the planning office. Inside the cities, inspections are the city’s.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Reno County permit search and official resources
- Reno County Planning and Zoning Division — appointments, FAQs on zoning permits, floodplain and addressing
- Public Works permits and applications — zoning permit, floodplain, entrance and other application packets
- Reno County zoning permit application — the form, its building code note and the floodplain map check
- Zoned and unzoned areas map (2024) — which parts of the county are zoned
- Reno County zoning regulations — current articles, including the 2026 amendments
- Environmental Division — well and wastewater permits, appointments
- Environmental Division fee schedule — fees effective November 20, 2023
- Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal — the Kansas Fire Prevention Code, mandatory statewide, and the occupancies it reviews
- Kansas State Board of Technical Professions — when a licensed architect or engineer must seal the construction documents
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Reno County?
No county building permit exists. You need a zoning permit for any structure over 120 square feet, a floodplain permit for any structure in a floodplain, and well and wastewater permits from the Environmental Division.
Which building code applies?
None is enforced by the county. It suggests building to the latest code standard, and its zoning permit form recommends the Uniform Building, Plumbing and Fire Codes and the National Electrical Code.
How much is a septic permit in Reno County?
$275 for a private wastewater permit and $175 for a private well, or double if the application is late, under the fee schedule effective November 20, 2023.
My land is unzoned. Do I still contact the county?
Yes. Floodplain, entrance, septic and well permits may still be required.
Does the county permit inside Hutchinson?
No. Hutchinson, South Hutchinson, Buhler, Haven, Nickerson and Pretty Prairie handle permits inside their limits; for the other nine cities the published sources do not say.
Do I need an appointment?
Yes. Call 620-694-2978 before visiting the planning office, which closes daily from 1:00 to 2:00 pm.
Simplify Reno County permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Reno County the question under the parcel matters as much as the one on it. We raise the ground and records questions before the foundation, then file the zoning, floodplain and health permits the county actually requires.
Ready to break ground in Reno County sooner?
Send us the scope and the parcel. We confirm the review path with the Reno County Planning and Zoning Department, assemble the submittal, file it, and track it through issuance — corrections included.
More Kansas permitting guides
More Kansas permitting guides
Saline County
Read guide →Sedgwick County
Read guide →Butler County
Read guide →Riley County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Salina Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Seward County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Reno County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.