Lenexa, KS Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

The City of Lenexa, Kansas, adopts the 2018 International Building Code in Section 4-8-A-1 and rewrites its permit article in Section 4-8-A-4. Under IBC 105.1 as amended, any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to install, alter, remove or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing, fire alarm, fire detection, automatic fire suppression or LP gas system, must first apply to the Building Official. The Building Services Division in the Community Development Department administers the permits (Section 4-8-A-3).

Exemptions are listed in 105.2. They include one-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds or playhouses with a floor area of 120 square feet or less, retaining walls not over 4 feet in height (unless supporting a surcharge), sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, prefabricated above-ground pools with a sidewall of 30 inches or less and no more than 5,000 gallons, and window awnings projecting no more than 54 inches. A sidewalk or driveway in the public right-of-way still needs a right-of-way work permit.

Applicants need a valid occupational license under Title 2 and a contractor license issued by Johnson County, with an exception for an owner who certifies that they will occupy their one- or two-family dwelling for at least one calendar year (105.1.1 and 105.1.2). The application states the work, the land, the use and occupancy, construction documents and the valuation (105.3). The Building Official can reject an application when a Notice of Violation or Notice to Appear is pending on the property. An application is abandoned 180 days after filing, with extensions of up to 90 days each. A permit expires if the holder fails to pass a required inspection in any 180-day period, and permits for single family dwellings, duplexes and townhouses expire 2 years after issuance (105.5). An expired permit cannot be renewed; a new fee based on the remaining work is due (105.5.1). The permit must be posted on the site until the project is complete (105.7).