A roof replacement permit is required in Wichita and in unincorporated Sedgwick County. The Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department (MABCD) issues it, charges $0.05 per square foot of the building footprint, and requires a final inspection. Small repairs of 400 square feet or less in a 12 month period are exempt.
Your roofer normally pulls the permit. Here is how the process works, what it costs on a typical Wichita house, and what the inspector checks.
Who issues a roof replacement permit in Wichita?
MABCD handles permits for the City of Wichita and unincorporated Sedgwick County. The Sedgwick County District Attorney put it plainly in a September 2025 consumer alert: “Roofing work also requires permits and inspections by MABCD.”
- Office: 271 W. 3rd St. N., Suite 101, Wichita, KS 67202, in downtown Wichita
- Phone: 316-660-1840
- Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Online: the MABCD Portal
Cities outside MABCD’s area run their own permit offices. Andover, for example, has a Building and Inspections Department. If you live in Derby, Maize, Haysville, Goddard, Bel Aire, Park City or Valley Center, call your city hall before work starts.
How much does a roof replacement permit cost in Wichita?
The MABCD fee schedule lists roofing at $0.05 per square foot, with a $50 minimum and a $1,500 maximum. The local building code bases the charge on the structure’s footprint, not the roof surface.
| Building footprint | Permit fee |
|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft or less | $50 (minimum) |
| 1,500 sq ft | $75 |
| 2,400 sq ft | $120 |
| 3,500 sq ft | $175 |
| 30,000 sq ft or more | $1,500 (maximum) |
The application counts the main floor, attached garage, covered porch and covered patio. On a 2,400 square foot footprint the roof replacement permit is $120, so a bid that leaves it out is not saving you real money.
Is any roof work exempt from a permit?
Yes. The Wichita/Sedgwick County Unified Building and Trade Code exempts “repair or replacement of roofing and/or siding materials not exceeding 400 square feet within any 12 month period” (Section 2.4.030). That is four roofing squares, or about a 20 by 20 foot area.
Replacing a few wind-lifted shingles or one pipe boot falls under the exemption. A full tear-off does not. Neither does a string of small repairs that adds up to more than 400 square feet in the same year. If you are close to the line, call MABCD and ask.
When is a building permit needed instead?
Changing the roof structure is a different matter. MABCD’s guidance says “new construction including additions and changes require a permit.” Adding a dormer, cutting in a skylight or changing the roofline calls for a building permit with its own review, not the one-page roofing form. Tell your roofer about any structural change before the application goes in.
Who pulls the roof replacement permit?
The roofing contractor, in nearly every case. The local code says a roofing contractor’s license entitles the holder “to contract for and to install, repair and replace roofs.” The company must be licensed by MABCD and registered with the state.
State law ties the two together. Under K.S.A. 50-6,135 a roofer must give the permit office its Kansas registration number, and the official writes that number on the permit. MABCD’s Form 62 has a line for it. See how to check a Kansas roofing contractor registration.
Can a homeowner pull the permit?
The local code exempts “an owner remodeling or repairing a single-family dwelling for his own personal use and occupancy” from contractor licensing, so an owner-occupant may do the work and take out the permit. If you hire roofing subcontractors, state law requires you to give the permit office each one’s registration number before the job is inspected.
What does the MABCD roofing permit application ask for?
MABCD Form 62, the Roofing and Siding Permit Application, is one page. It asks for:
- The property address and homeowner name
- The contractor’s name, license and Kansas roofer registration number
- Layers being removed: one layer, two layers or a re-deck
- Property type, from single family to commercial
- Square footage of each roof-covered area and the total valuation
What does the inspector check on a Wichita roof?
MABCD enforces the 2018 International Residential Code with local amendments. Its October 2025 construction industry newsletter spelled out three points roofers get wrong.
- A final inspection is required. “Contractors must schedule a final inspection (990).” A self-inspection pilot program ended for most companies years ago.
- Board decking is not accepted. “Sedgwick County jurisdiction also requires plywood or OSB for roof decking. Plank decking is not accepted within MABCD jurisdiction.”
- Attic ventilation is enforced. MABCD applies Section R806 of the residential code.
The decking rule matters most on older houses. Homes built before plywood became standard, which includes many in Riverside, College Hill and Delano, often have 1x board decking under the shingles. A roof replacement permit on those houses means new plywood or OSB sheathing, and the bid should say so. Our guide to roof decking during a replacement explains the work.
The national code also requires drip edge at the eaves and rakes of a shingle roof. The local climate table in the code lists no ice barrier requirement for this county.
Why does the permit matter to me?
- It puts a second set of eyes on the job. The final inspection is the only independent check most roofs ever get.
- It creates a public record. The permit date documents the roof’s age for insurers and for buyers when you sell.
- It screens the contractor. An unregistered or unlicensed company cannot lawfully take out the permit.
- It supports an insurance claim. Permit fees and code-required work such as new decking belong in the scope you send the adjuster. If the insurer balks, see what to do when a roof insurance claim is denied.
Roof replacement permit questions from Wichita homeowners
What does pulling a permit do?
It registers the job with MABCD, records the contractor and the state registration number, and triggers the final inspection. The roof is checked by someone who was not paid to install it.
How do I know my roofer pulled the permit?
Ask for the permit number before tear-off starts. You can confirm it with MABCD at 316-660-1840 or through the MABCD Portal.
Does a roof repair need a permit?
Not if the repair, added to any other roofing or siding work in the past 12 months, stays at 400 square feet or less.
Do I need a separate permit for siding or gutters done at the same time?
Form 62 covers roofing, siding or both on one application. The siding fee is based on the job’s valuation. Ask MABCD about other exterior work.
How long does a roof replacement take once the permit is issued?
Most single-family jobs are finished in days, not weeks. See how long a roof replacement takes in Wichita.
Hire a roofer who handles the permit
Ask any roofer, including us, three questions before you sign: who takes out the roof replacement permit, which Kansas registration number goes on it, and who schedules the final inspection. Equity Builders has worked from 442 S. Ellis St. in Wichita since 1985. Call (316) 425-0455, read about roof replacement in Wichita, or request a free estimate.
Sources
- Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department, department page, permit fees and Do I Need a Permit?
- Wichita/Sedgwick County Unified Building and Trade Code, current through January 27, 2025
- MABCD Form 62, Roofing and Siding Permit Application, revised October 30, 2019
- MABCD Construction Industry Newsletter, Issue 53, October 2025
- Kansas Statutes Annotated 50-6,135 and 50-6,127
- Sedgwick County District Attorney, consumer alert, September 4, 2025
Last updated October 7, 2026. Codes and fees change. Confirm current requirements with MABCD before work begins.