County Building Permits
Pottawatomie County, KS - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Pottawatomie County, Kansas. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Unincorporated Pottawatomie County; the office also administers zoning, sign permits, floodplain management, addressing, and subdivision plat reviews
- Department
- Pottawatomie County Planning and Zoning Office
- Address
- 207 N. 1st, Westmoreland, KS 66549
- Phone
- 785-457-3551
Online Permit Portal
Platform: GovBuilt • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
Typical processing time: Not published as a fixed number in the reviewed county pages. County FAQ says zoning/rezone matters may take 60 to 90 days, but routine permit timing was not stated.
General Requirements
All site-built dwellings, accessory structures, manufactured homes, moved-in homes, and additions to structures
Required Documents
- County directs applicants to its Licensing and Permitting Guide; publicly visible FAQ confirms online applications and portal use but does not show the full checklist in the reviewed source
- Permit validity
- Not clearly stated on the reviewed public pages
- Building code
- County FAQ says the county has only adopted building codes within the Blue Township Sewer District, except ADA requirements for commercial buildings. Outside the sewer district, the county does not state a countywide adopted building code
- Owner-builder
- Not clearly stated on the reviewed public pages
- Contractor requirements
- County publishes contractor licensing fees for general, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, combination plumbing/mechanical, master trade, and journeyman trade licenses
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $50 for most new accessory buildings or additions; $200 for new dwellings outside a sewer district
- Plan check fee
- Not separately published in the reviewed fee page
- Permit fee formula
- Flat fee by permit type
- Reinspection fee
- Not separately published in the reviewed fee page
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- When permit required: All site-built dwellings, accessory structures, manufactured homes, moved-in homes, and additions to structures
- Small storage sheds 120 square feet or less
- Fences
- Play houses
- Play equipment
- Agricultural structures on 40 acres or more have no permit fee, but the county still says a permit is needed to confirm floodplain and setback compliance
- Building permits page: https://www.pottcounty.org/219/Building-Permits
- Fees page: https://www.pottcounty.org/532/Fees
- UDR PDF: https://www.pottcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/10064/Updated-Complete-UDR-2023-Digital
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Not publicly detailed in the reviewed sources (phone)
- Inspection hours
- Planning and Zoning office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Typical inspection sequence: Not clearly published in the reviewed sources
Additional Resources
- Building code: County FAQ says the county has only adopted building codes within the Blue Township Sewer District, except ADA requirements for commercial buildings. Outside the sewer district, the county does not state a countywide adopted building code
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- Zoning URL
- License lookup guide: Kansas Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Kansas Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Kansas hub: Kansas Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Pottawatomie County Planning and Zoning Office before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pottawatomie County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Pottawatomie County, KS?
- All site-built dwellings, accessory structures, manufactured homes, moved-in homes, and additions to structures
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Pottawatomie County, KS?
- The minimum permit fee is $50 for most new accessory buildings or additions; $200 for new dwellings outside a sewer district. Fees are calculated as: Flat fee by permit type. Plan check fee: Not separately published in the reviewed fee page.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Pottawatomie County, KS?
- Typical processing time is Not published as a fixed number in the reviewed county pages. County FAQ says zoning/rezone matters may take 60 to 90 days, but routine permit timing was not stated..
- What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Pottawatomie County, KS?
- The following work is generally exempt: When permit required: All site-built dwellings, accessory structures, manufactured homes, moved-in homes, and additions to structures; Small storage sheds 120 square feet or less; Fences; Play houses; Play equipment; Agricultural structures on 40 acres or more have no permit fee, but the county still says a permit is needed to confirm floodplain and setback compliance; Building permits page: https://www.pottcounty.org/219/Building-Permits; Fees page: https://www.pottcounty.org/532/Fees; UDR PDF: https://www.pottcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/10064/Updated-Complete-UDR-2023-Digital.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Pottawatomie County, KS?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: Not publicly detailed in the reviewed sources.
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