Outside city limits, Sumner County’s Planning, Zoning and Environmental Health Department, 110 E. 10th Street, Wellington (620-326-2207), issues the county’s Building Permit: a zoning certificate checked by a staking inspection for setbacks and a completion inspection. The county says it has no building, electrical or plumbing codes to enforce except on commercial- and industrial-zoned land. The same office issues septic and lagoon (wastewater) permits and private water well permits. Wellington, Mulvane, Belle Plaine and most other cities permit work inside their own limits.
Who issues permits in Sumner County?
The Planning, Zoning and Environmental Health Department handles zoning, subdivision, floodplain and environmental health matters for the unincorporated county. Barry Fleming is the director; the office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and completed applications can be emailed or faxed to 620-399-1033, with fees paid online by card or check. Sedgwick County’s Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department (MABCD) also lists this office as the Sumner County contact, and KDHE lists it as the county’s local environmental protection program.
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Get a free quote →| Place | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Sumner County | Sumner County Planning, Zoning & Environmental Health, 110 E. 10th Street, Wellington; 620-326-2207. Zoning certificate (county Building Permit); building, electrical and plumbing codes only on commercial- and industrial-zoned land |
| Wellington (pop. 7,541) | City Building/Codes/Zoning, 317 S. Washington Ave.; 620-326-3871. Building permits, contractor and trade licences and inspections, filed through the City’s online permit portal |
| Belle Plaine (pop. 1,442) | City building inspector under the 2009 International Building Code; permits from the city clerk at $30 up to 500 sq ft, $40 to 1,000 sq ft, $50 to 1,500 sq ft and $100 above that, plus $25 for each inspection |
| Conway Springs (pop. 1,141) | City zoning administrator: a $25 zoning permit is needed before any building is put up, enlarged or moved; the city adopts no building code and recommends the latest International Building Code as a guide |
| Mulvane (Sumner County part, pop. 1,034) | City of Mulvane Planning & Development, 211 N. 2nd Street; 316-777-1143. Mulvane contracts with MABCD for some services, so contractors also need a current MABCD licence |
| Oxford (pop. 1,038) | City of Oxford: a $35 building permit, $10 electrical, plumbing and fence permits under its fee schedule |
| Caldwell (pop. 1,000) | City of Caldwell posts a demolition permit and contracts nuisance code enforcement to Professional Code Compliance; for building work, the Planning & Zoning Administrator is at 620-845-6676 and City Hall, 14 W. Central, at 620-845-6514 |
| Argonia (pop. 447) | City of Argonia: a $10 building permit for new buildings, additions and fences, under the 2015 International Building Code, plus $10 for each inspection |
| South Haven (pop. 329) | City of South Haven: building and sign permit form, approved by the City Council |
| Geuda Springs (Sumner County part, pop. 147), Mayfield (71), Milan (48), Hunnewell (47) | The published sources do not say; ask the city clerk |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →What the county permits on rural land
Building Permit (zoning certificate): the county’s structure permit checks zoning and setbacks rather than construction. The department verifies ownership and zoning from the deed, checks the flood map, stakes the site to confirm setbacks, issues the certificate and makes a completion inspection; a notice of completion is issued on request. The county states that it has no building, electrical or plumbing codes to enforce except on commercial- and industrial-zoned tracts, so outside those zones the county checks a building’s location and setbacks, not its construction against a building code.
Other county applications on the department’s page include floodplain development (structures or fill), entrance and driveway requests, address assignment, signs, temporary and conditional uses, zone changes and plats.
Agricultural exemption: an owner can file a notarized Ag Exempt Affidavit to have agricultural land and buildings exempted from the zoning and subdivision regulations. The exemption does not cover airport, floodplain or environmental rules, or setbacks from roads and property lines, and leasing farmland does not by itself qualify.
Septic, lagoon and water well permits
A septic system or lagoon on rural land needs the county’s Wastewater Permit. The owner arranges a percolation test, or a soil evaluation with the contractor and a department representative; the department reviews the results, checks ownership and the flood map, stakes the site for setbacks and then issues the permit. Intermediate inspections follow as the type of system requires, and a completion inspection closes it out.
A private water well needs a county Water Well Permit. The department confirms that the driller holds a State of Kansas licence (unless owners drill their own well), stakes the location for setbacks and makes a completion inspection.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What Wellington requires
Wellington requires permits for new homes and commercial buildings, additions, decks, garages, fences, fireplaces, pools, water heaters, garage conversions, basement finishes, kitchen expansions, re-roofing, and electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems. The City enforces the 2015 International Codes and the 2014 National Electrical Code, licenses building contractors and electrical, mechanical and plumbing trades, and takes applications, documents, payments and inspection requests through its online permit portal.
Wellington also enforces its zoning ordinances on land outside the city within 3 miles of its boundaries, so a rural site near Wellington can fall under the City’s zoning rules. Some construction in Wellington may qualify for the Sumner County Neighborhood Revitalization Program, administered by the Sumner County Appraiser’s Office; a building permit is part of that application, which must reach the county before any work begins.
How to start a project in Sumner County
Check whether the site is inside a city’s limits, and near Wellington whether it falls in the 3-mile zoning area.
Send the Building Permit (zoning certificate), wastewater and well applications to Planning, Zoning and Environmental Health by email or fax and pay online.
Arrange the percolation test or soil evaluation before the wastewater permit can be issued.
The department stakes the site to confirm setbacks before the permit is issued.
Wellington takes applications through its online portal; for the other cities, use the offices in the table above.
The county inspects finished structures, septic systems and wells.
Rather not deal with the Sumner County building department?
Get a free quote →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 Sumner County permitting resources
- Sumner County Planning, Zoning & Environmental Health: forms and contacts
- Sumner County Planning, Zoning & Environmental Health summary of functions
- Sumner County Agricultural Exemption Affidavit
- Sedgwick County MABCD jurisdictions, including the Sumner County permit office
- KDHE directory of county sanitarians (local environmental protection programs)
- Wellington Building/Codes/Zoning
- Wellington building permits and inspections
- Wellington online permit portal information
- Belle Plaine City Code, building code article
- Conway Springs City Code, building code article
- Oxford comprehensive fee schedule
- Caldwell permits and applications
- Argonia ordinances and zoning regulations
- Argonia City Code Chapter IV, buildings and construction
- South Haven permits and ordinances
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Sumner County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit to build a house in rural Sumner County?
Yes, the county’s Building Permit, which is a zoning certificate. The department stakes the site for setbacks and makes a completion inspection; the county enforces no building, electrical or plumbing codes on homes outside commercial and industrial zones.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues septic permits in Sumner County?
Planning, Zoning and Environmental Health issues wastewater permits for septic systems and lagoons after a percolation test or soil evaluation.
Does an agricultural exemption remove all county rules?
No. The Ag Exempt Affidavit exempts farm land and buildings from the zoning and subdivision regulations only; floodplain rules and setbacks from roads and property lines still apply.
Who issues building permits in Wellington?
The City of Wellington Building/Codes/Zoning department at 317 S. Washington Ave. (620-326-3871), through its online permit portal.
Does Wellington control land outside the city?
Its zoning ordinances apply within 3 miles of the city limits.
Who permits construction in Mulvane?
The City of Mulvane Planning & Development office (316-777-1143), including the part of the city in Sumner County; contractors also need a current MABCD licence.
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More Kansas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Sumner County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.