Salina, Kansas Building Permit Guide

Inside Salina, the City’s Building Services Division at 300 W. Ash St., Room 205 (785-309-5715, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) issues building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, demolition, sign and pool permits, and you apply online through the City’s GovBuilt portal. A new house costs $0.65 per square foot of finished living space and $0.28 per square foot of garage, plus a $58 plan review fee; trade permits issued with a building permit for new work carry no extra charge.

What needs a permit in Salina?

The City requires a permit whenever a building is built, added to, remodeled, renovated, repaired, altered or converted, unless the work is on its exempt list. Building Services enforces the 2018 International Building, Existing Building, Residential and Fire Codes, the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code, the 2017 National Electrical Code and the 2018 Uniform Mechanical, Plumbing and Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Codes, with local amendments in Chapters 8 and 14 of the Salina Code.

Fences need a permit only in some cases (the fee schedule lists one for fences over 6 feet), and they must meet the zoning height and placement rules either way. Work in a street, alley or right-of-way, including curbs, sidewalks and driveway approaches, needs a separate permit from Public Works Engineering (785-309-5725).

Who issues permits in Salina?

Building Services, a division of the City’s Development Services Department, issues permits, reviews plans for zoning, building and fire code and ADA compliance, inspects construction including private water and sewer services, and coordinates the plan review of every department involved. Developers can reach the Development Coordinator at 785-309-5720. Contractor licences are handled by the City Clerk’s Office (785-309-5735).

Outside city limits, Saline County Planning and Zoning issues the county building permit and Saline County Environmental Health issues septic permits. Under a city-county interlocal agreement, Salina Building Services reviews and inspects non-farm buildings other than single-family homes in unincorporated Saline County, and adds 25% to its permit and plan review fees there.

Trade permits and contractor licensing

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are issued by Building Services. When they are issued with a building permit for new construction, an addition or a remodel, there is no separate charge for them, or for concrete; a stand-alone trade or manufactured home set-up permit is $45 for each category.

Salina licenses building contractors in Classes A, B, C and D and specialty contractors, and licenses electrical, mechanical, plumbing, mobile home and solid fuel appliance contractors, masters and journeymen; licences run for three years. The qualified individual on a building contractor licence, and every master or journeyman, must complete 6 hours of continuing education a year (18 per cycle), half of it code education. Trade exams need a City sponsorship form.

Salina permit fees

Building fees come from the City’s Comprehensive Fee Schedule and were last changed on January 1, 2025 by Resolution 24-8226; the published 2027 schedule, effective January 1, 2027, keeps the same building fees.

Commercial work and remodeling are priced on valuation: for remodels and repairs, the total cost of labor and materials, and for new buildings and additions, the City’s local modifier table applied to the ICC’s commercial valuation data table. Each slice of the valuation is charged at its own rate:

For example, a house with 2,000 sq ft of finished living space and a 500 sq ft garage pays $1,300 plus $140, plus $58 plan review: $1,498. A commercial project valued at $200,000 pays a $1,507.20 permit fee ($30 + $40.50 + $296.70 + $257.50 + $187.50 + $155 + $540) plus $452.16 plan review, $1,959.36 in all. Refunds of permit fees are capped at 75%, subject to the Building Official’s approval.

Application documents

The City’s Homeowner and Developer portals hold the submittal checklists. Residential handouts and checklists cover accessory buildings, basement finishes, detached garages and carports, decks and patio covers, interior alterations and pools. An accessory building must meet the zoning code, sit in an allowed location within the setbacks and be visually compatible with the house. Commercial submittals use the City’s commercial permit submittal requirements, code footprint checklist, statement of special inspections and stamped-drawings requirement.

How to get a building permit in Salina

Salina inspections

Building Services inspects construction under the permit, including private water and sewer services and limited trade service and repair work. Commercial final inspections and site visits are held on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; ask the administrative staff at 785-309-5715 for another time. A re-inspection costs $50 per hour per department, and inspections outside business hours cost $67 per hour. The first temporary certificate of occupancy inspection is free; later ones are $50 per hour per department.

Local details for Salina

Building code update: Ordinance 25-11264, passed on December 8, 2025 and in force since January 1, 2026, re-adopted the 2018 International Building Code with local amendments. For buildings under that code, it exempts re-roofing that does not involve structural components, replacement windows that need no wall or structural change, and exterior siding from permits. Some older pages on the City’s Homeowner and Developer portals still list 2012 codes.

Contractor licence fees in 2027: the 2027 schedule raises three-year building and trade contractor licences from $240 to $250 under Resolution 26-8367.

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

Official Salina permitting resources

• Salina Building Services and adopted codes
• Salina GovBuilt permits and licensing portal
• Salina: when do I need a permit?
• Salina Homeowner’s Portal (residential checklists)
• Salina Developer’s Portal (commercial forms)
• Salina contractor education, testing and licensing
• Salina 2026 Comprehensive Fee Schedule
• Salina 2027 Comprehensive Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2027)
• Salina Ordinance 25-11264: 2018 International Building Code

Salina permit FAQs

How much is a building permit for a new house in Salina?

$0.65 per square foot of finished living space and $0.28 per square foot of garage or unfinished basement, plus $58 plan review. A 2,000 sq ft house with a 500 sq ft garage pays $1,498.

Do I need a permit for a deck or shed?

Not for a shed of 120 sq ft or less or an uncovered deck no more than 30 inches above grade. Covered decks always need a permit.

Who licenses contractors in Salina?

The City Clerk’s Office (785-309-5735). Licences run for three years, and the qualified individual on a building contractor licence and every master or journeyman need 6 hours of continuing education a year.

Are electrical and plumbing permits extra?

Not when issued with a building permit for new construction, an addition or a remodel. On their own they cost $45 per category.

When are commercial final inspections?

Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Call 785-309-5715 to ask for another time.

Does Salina permit buildings outside city limits?

For non-farm buildings other than single-family homes in unincorporated Saline County, Salina Building Services reviews and inspects under an interlocal agreement and adds 25% to its fees; the county building permit comes from Saline County Planning and Zoning.

Simplify Salina 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.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Salina permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.