Kansas City, KS Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

Section 27-609 of the Code of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, in Chapter 27 Article VIII Division 7 (Accessory Uses), governs carports and other detached accessory buildings in residential zones R-1, R-1(B), R-2, and R-2(B). The section requires a minimum 3-foot setback from any side or rear lot line, a 2-foot minimum from any alley, and a 20-foot minimum from the side street on a corner lot. For accessory structures taller than 10 feet, the setback distance must equal at least one-third of the structure's height. The combined floor area of all detached accessory buildings on a residential lot is capped at 1,000 square feet or 30 percent of the required rear yard, whichever is more restrictive. Detached accessory buildings, including carports, are not allowed in front of the principal dwelling; an attached carport is regulated as part of the principal structure and must meet that district's primary-building setbacks. Accessory structures larger than 120 square feet must use residential exterior finishes (clapboard, wood or plywood siding, stone, brick, stucco, or factory-painted metal matching the primary structure); corrugated metal, fiberglass, and standard concrete masonry units are prohibited. Building, electrical, and structural permits are administered by the Building Inspection Division under Chapter 8 Article II (Building Code), which adopts the International Residential Code; carports open on at least two sides are still subject to the IRC permit threshold and to zoning clearance from Planning and Urban Design at 913-573-5750.