Shawnee County, KS Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

The Shawnee County Planning Department treats a bed and breakfast inn as a conditional use, so an operator must first win approval under Sec. 01 of the Zoning Regulations: the application follows the district-map amendment procedure, requires a written statement addressing density, site design and operating characteristics, and, unless the planning director waives it, a site plan submitted in ten copies. Sec. 00(r) then layers on B&B-specific standards: the business must be run inside an existing single-family dwelling with the primary guestroom entrance from inside the house, the exterior must keep its residential appearance, and no individual guestroom may have cooking facilities.

Lot size depends on the district: in the "RA-1" and "RR-1" districts a B&B needs at least a three-acre parcel, while other districts require 500 square feet per guestroom on top of the district's normal minimum lot size for a single-family home. Incidental retail sales are capped at five percent of the dwelling's gross floor area, limited to on-site or souvenir merchandise, with no outdoor advertising or commercial phone listings. , and the operator must submit a plan of operation covering guest counts, screening, and added parking.

Once granted, the conditional use permit expires in 24 months under Sec. 04 unless a building permit is obtained or the use has commenced, though a 12-month extension can be requested in writing before that deadline runs out.