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12 permits · verified 2026-10-12

What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in Johnson County Ks?

In short

No permit applies to every contractor or trade in Johnson County Ks, KS. All 12 depend on your premises, the work you do or how you are set up. Kansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division charges $90 one-time filing for the articles of organization (llc). 6 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-12 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a contractor or trade in Johnson County Ks

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Johnson County Contractor License (11 classes; participating cities and unincorporated county)only if it applies to youJohnson County Contractor Licensing (Planning, Housing and Community Development)New license: $100 application fee (new licenses only) plus $225 per license type ($325 for one type, $550 for two). Renewal $225 per license type; late renewal fee $75 per license type, applied on Feb. 1. Company name change $25; license verification $25.one year ("Contractor licenses are valid for one year"); renewed for the following calendar year2026-10-12
Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC Contractor Licensing — Local Option under K.S.A. 12-1526 and 12-1542 (Kansas)only if it applies to youKansas Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionNo feeset locally, where a local government chooses to license at all2026-09-04
Roofing Contractor Registrationonly if it applies to youKansas Attorney General, Roofing Registration UnitAn application fee of roughly $125 to $250 depending on timing; a late renewal fee capped by statute at $300annual — renewed by 30 June2026-09-04

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Johnson County Ks

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Commercial/Industrial On-Site Wastewater (Septic) Installation Permit and Operation License (conditional: sites not on public sewer)only if it applies to youJohnson County Department of Health and Environment, Environmental DivisionVaries — formula on the Johnson County Ks pageinstallation permit per system; operation license renewed annually2026-10-12
Zoning and Land-Use Approvals: Conditional Use, Sign, Floodplain Development, Rezoning and Development Plan (unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning (Planning, Housing and Community Development)Varies — formula on the Johnson County Ks pageper application2026-10-12
Commercial Sewer Permit and Connection Fee (Johnson County Wastewater)only if it applies to youJohnson County WastewaterVaries — formula on the Johnson County Ks pageone year ("Wastewater permits are valid for one year")2026-10-12
Building Permit and Commercial Plan Review (unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Building Codes (Planning, Housing and Community Development)Varies — formula on the Johnson County Ks pagesix months from issue, and valid as long as there is an inspection within each six months2026-10-12

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

KS registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youKansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division$90 one-time filingperpetual, but an information report is due every two years2026-09-04
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youKansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division$85 filed online; $90 on paperperpetual, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-04
Corporation Annual Reportonly if it applies to youKansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division$53 filed online; $55 on paperannual — due within three and a half months of the close of the entity's tax year, commonly 15 April2026-09-04
LLC Information Reportonly if it applies to youKansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division$90 filed online, every two years; $110 on paperbiennial — an entity formed in an even year files in each succeeding even year, and the same pattern holds for odd years2026-09-04
General Business License — Kansas Business Portal Positiononly if it applies to youKansas Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionNo feenot applicable2026-09-04

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

How much does it actually cost to permit a contractor or trade in Johnson County Ks?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 12 records listed for a contractor or trade in Johnson County Ks, KS, 0 apply to every business of this type and 12 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

6 of the 12 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Johnson County Contractor License (11 classes; participating cities and unincorporated county): New license: $100 application fee (new licenses only) plus $225 per license type ($325 for one type, $550 for two). Renewal $225 per license type; late renewal fee $75 per license type, applied on Feb. 1. Company name change $25; license verification $25.

Roofing Contractor Registration: An application fee of roughly $125 to $250 depending on timing; a late renewal fee capped by statute at $300

The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Johnson County Ks permits page and the KS state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Johnson County Ks?

Permits for a contractor or trade in Johnson County Ks, KS come from 7 separate offices: Johnson County Contractor Licensing (Planning, Housing and Community Development), Johnson County Department of Health and Environment, Environmental Division, Johnson County Planning (Planning, Housing and Community Development), Johnson County Wastewater, Johnson County Building Codes (Planning, Housing and Community Development), Kansas Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Kansas Attorney General, Roofing Registration Unit. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a contractor or trade need in Johnson County Ks that other businesses do not?

3 of the 3 permits particular to a contractor or trade here apply to no other business type we cover in Johnson County Ks: Johnson County Contractor License (11 classes; participating cities and unincorporated county), Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC Contractor Licensing — Local Option under K.S.A. 12-1526 and 12-1542 (Kansas) and Roofing Contractor Registration.

Johnson County Contractor License (11 classes; participating cities and unincorporated county)

Johnson County's Contractor Licensing office issues 11 classes of contractor license: Class A General, B Building (up to three stories), C Residential, DE Electrical, DF Fire Protection, DFA Fire Alarm, DM Mechanical, DP Plumbing, DR Roofing, DS Swimming Pool and DW Wood Framing. The New License Application (Rev. 01/08/26) names the governing regulation as the Johnson County Contractor Licensing Regulations (Resolution 076-24). The county's New Application Instructions (Rev. 1/08/26) list these participating jurisdictions: De Soto, Edgerton, Fairway, Gardner, Leawood, Lenexa, Merriam, Mission, Mission Hills, Olathe, Overland Park, Prairie Village, Roeland Park, Shawnee, Spring Hill and Unincorporated Johnson County. The county's New License & License Types page lists the fees: $100 application fee for new licenses only, $225 per license type for a new license, $225 per license type to renew, a $75 per type late fee applied on Feb. 1, $25 for a company name change and $25 for a license verification; a company applying for one type pays $325 and for two types $550. The page states: "Contractor licenses are valid for one year." The renewal form refers to renewing for the following calendar year, lists a $75 late fee after 2/01 and a $100 inactive renewal, and requires the qualifying individual to complete 8 hours of continuing education per license type to renew. Each company designates a qualifying individual who meets the education or examination requirement for each type, and files general liability insurance and workers' compensation insurance (or a notarized waiver if it has no employees). New applications are filed in person or by mail; renewals can be done online. The county's Building Permits FAQ states: "All commercial projects must have a licensed General Contractor and licensed Subs listed, the owner cannot do the work." Contact: 913-715-2233, Option 1.

Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC Contractor Licensing — Local Option under K.S.A. 12-1526 and 12-1542 (Kansas)

Kansas Statutes sections 12-1526 and 12-1542 address 'any county or city requiring the licensure' of electricians or HVAC contractors, making licensing of these trades a local option — a city or county may choose to license electricians, plumbers or HVAC contractors, or may choose not to — so there is no state license fee for them, and those sections set no state framework for general contracting. What the state does impose is a reciprocity rule: wherever a local government does require a competency exam for one of these trades, it must accept a certificate earned in any other Kansas city or county without making the holder sit a further exam. Roofing is the one exception with a genuine statewide credential — see that record.

Roofing Contractor Registration

The one genuine statewide trade credential in Kansas construction sits with the Attorney General rather than a trades board — a placement worth knowing before assuming every credential here comes from the same kind of agency. Renewal is due by 30 June each year, and the statute caps the late fee for a delinquent renewal at $300 without fixing the on-time fee itself in the statute's own text. A general contractor meeting the criteria set out in a 2015 exemption is not required to register separately for roofing work performed as part of a broader project.

The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Johnson County Ks, KS; what each one involves is set out on the Johnson County Ks permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across KS and are covered on the KS state page.

How does a contractor or trade compare with other businesses in Johnson County Ks?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Johnson County Contractor License (11 classes; participating cities and unincorporated county), Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC Contractor Licensing — Local Option under K.S.A. 12-1526 and 12-1542 (Kansas) and Roofing Contractor Registration. A auto repair shop needs Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Kansas Business Portal Position, which a contractor or trade does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Johnson County Ks, KS, compared with a contractor or trade
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a contractor or tradeOnly a contractor or trade needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops1031
Childcare centres1031
Coffee shops4034
Fitness studios1031
Food trucks3033
Restaurants4034
Retail stores2032
Salons and barbers1031
Veterinary clinics1031

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Johnson County Ks permits page and the KS state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. New License & License Types — the 11 license classes (A, B, C, DE, DF, DFA, DM, DP, DR, DS, DW) each priced at $225/year, the $100 new-application fee, and the $325 total cost of a first new licenseJohnson County Department of Planning, Housing and Community Development · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-10
  2. New License Application Instructions (Rev. 01/08/26), including Participating JurisdictionsJohnson County, Kansas, Contractor Licensing · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  3. New License Application (Rev. 01/08/26)Johnson County, Kansas, Contractor Licensing · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  4. License Renewal Application (Rev. 01/08/26)Johnson County, Kansas, Contractor Licensing · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-12
  5. Kansas Statutes section 12-1526 — local electrician licensure with statewide reciprocity of the certificateOffice of Revisor of Statutes · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
  6. Kansas Statutes section 12-1542 — local HVAC contractor licensure with statewide reciprocity of the certificateOffice of Revisor of Statutes · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
  7. Kansas Statutes section 50-6,132 — roofing contractor registration renewal and late fee capOffice of Revisor of Statutes · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.