What's Required in Kansas City
- Panel replacements and service upgrades need an electrical permit.
- Residential services under 400 amps without a generator or battery need no drawings or plan review.
- Services of 400 to 799 amps and generators or batteries on 1-2 family services need a line drawing and checklist.
- Work must meet the 2017 National Electrical Code as adopted and the serving utility's standards.
- Only licensed electrical contractors may pull the permit, except an owner-occupant of a single-family home doing the work.
- On two-family homes, electrical permits go only to licensed contractors.
- Starting work before the permit is issued triples the permit fee.
Do You Need a Permit to Replace an Electrical Panel in Kansas City?
Yes. The electrical permit exemptions in Section 18-16(b)(5) of the Kansas City Building and Rehabilitation Code cover only minor repairs such as replacing lamps, utility-owned equipment, temporary testing systems, and replacing switches, receptacles and fixtures (other than ceiling fans) on an existing circuit. A panel replacement or service upgrade is not on that list, and Information Bulletin 160 says City Planning and Development issues electrical permits for replacement or upgrade of existing electrical services. This page covers Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO). Kansas City, Kansas, across the state line, is a separate city with its own permit office and rules.
Kansas City Panel and Service Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Replacing a panel or service under 400 amps | Electrical permit, no drawings | IB160 |
| Upgrading from 100 to 200 amps | Electrical permit, no drawings | IB160 |
| Service of 400 to 799 amps | Permit with line drawing and checklist | IB160 |
| Adding a generator or battery to a 1-2 family service | Permit with line drawing and checklist | IB160 |
| Adding one circuit for up to two devices (licensed contractor, $1,000 or less) | LSR permit, contractor self-certifies | IB108 |
| Replacing a switch, outlet or light on an existing circuit | None | KCBRC 18-16(b)(5)e |
| Utility asks for an inspection of an existing service to reconnect | $54 reconnect inspection | KCBRC 18-20(h)(9) |
What Does the City Need for a Panel Permit?
For a residential service under 400 amps with no generator, transformer or battery, IB160 says no drawings are required: you apply in CompassKC with a description of the work, and IB100 lists these services among the jobs that need no plan review. Services of 400 to 799 amps, and generators or battery systems on one- and two-family services up to 799 amps, need a line drawing with the city's checklist. When you add to an existing service, the city counts the total size. The installation must meet the serving utility's standards as well as the National Electrical Code, which Kansas City has adopted in its 2017 edition, so coordinate the disconnect and reconnect with your utility.
How Much Does a Panel Permit Cost in Kansas City?
Electrical permits for one- and two-family homes use the same valuation table as building permits, Section 18-20(b)(2): $52 up to $1,000, $58 from $1,001 to $2,000, then $58 plus $4.33 for each additional $1,000 or fraction. A $2,000 panel replacement pays $58. A $5,000 upgrade to a 200-amp service pays $58 + 3 × $4.33 = $70.99. A job that starts before the permit is issued pays triple, and a failed or not-ready inspection can add a $75 reinspection fee. If no permit work is needed and the utility only wants the city to inspect an existing service before reconnecting it, the fee is $54, credited toward a permit if work turns out to be required.
Who Can Do the Work?
Electrical work in Kansas City must be done by a licensed electrical contractor; a Class I contractor's work is done by or under a master electrician. The one exception is an owner who lives in a single-family home and does the work personally, with family or friends, and buys the materials; that owner may pull the permit with the IB146 affidavit and must pass the same inspections. On a two-family home only licensed contractors may pull electrical permits. Check a contractor's license in the city's online database.
How to Get a Electrical Panel Permit in Kansas City
Size the service
Under 400 amps with no generator or battery needs no drawings; larger services or added generation need a line drawing.
Hire or qualify
Use a city-licensed electrical contractor, or file the IB146 affidavit if you own, live in and will personally wire a single-family home.
Apply in CompassKC
Submit the electrical permit with a description of the work and the job value.
Pay the valuation fee
Expect $58 for a $2,000 job and $70.99 for a $5,000 job under the one- and two-family table.
Coordinate the utility and inspect
Schedule the utility disconnect and reconnect, and request the inspection through CompassKC or 816-513-1500.