Kansas General Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Kansas does not issue a statewide general-contractor license. Licensing and permit rules are set by the city or county with jurisdiction over the project, so requirements must be checked before bidding or pulling a permit. Johnson County Contractor Licensing (JCCL) is a useful documented local example: it licenses Class A General, Class B Building, and Class C Residential contractor companies. Its license is local, not a statewide credential, and another jurisdiction may impose its own registration, license, or permit requirements.

Who Regulates This Work

Kansas — No Statewide Contractor Licensing (Municipal Authorities) (KS-LOCAL) is the primary authority or official reference used for this guide. The controlling authority cited here is No statewide contractor licensing statute. Authority flows from Kansas home-rule cities under Kan. Const. art. 12 §5 and counties under K.S.A. 19-101a, enforced through municipal building codes adopted from the International Code Council.. Kansas has no state contractor board for general construction, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical trades. Licensing, testing, bonding, and enforcement are handled entirely by individual municipalities and counties. Wichita (Office of Central Inspection), Overland Park (Building Safety Division), the Unified Government of Wyandotte County / Kansas City Kansas, and Topeka (Development Services) operate the dominant programs, with Lawrence, Olathe, Lenexa, Manhattan, and Johnson County operating their own independent programs.

• Official reference: https://www.kansas.gov/
• Address: Varies by municipality (Wichita, Overland Park, Kansas City KS, Topeka, Lawrence, Olathe, and other home-rule cities)
• Phone: Wichita Office of Central Inspection: (316) 268-4481 | Overland Park Building Safety: (913) 895-6225 | KCK Unified Government Neighborhood Resource Center: (913) 573-8600 | Topeka Development Services: (785) 368-3704

State and Local Eligibility Rules

There is no single statewide application for this work, so this guide does not impose a uniform applicant-age, identification, or tax-number rule. Check the business, specialty-trade, and local authorities that govern the actual project. JCCL’s current new-license instructions do not state a Kansas residency requirement. They require a Secretary of State certificate of good standing when applicable.

State-level applicant screening

JCCL requires a company to designate a qualifying individual and submit the required qualification, insurance, and business documents. Check the project jurisdiction for any additional fitness or enforcement rules.

Background-check requirements

JCCL’s published new-license checklist does not list a routine criminal-history or fingerprint submission for Class A, B, or C.

Experience and Scope Requirements

No single statewide year-based experience threshold governs the local or scope-specific path described here. The controlling requirement is There is no statewide experience requirement. For JCCL Class A, B, and C, the qualifying individual demonstrates qualification with an approved standard exam score of at least 75% or an eligible accredited bachelor’s degree; the published checklist does not impose a separate years-of-experience minimum..

Relevant records and local documents

• JCCL new-license application and qualifying-individual government-issued identification
• Approved ICC/Prometric examination result of 75% or higher, or eligible degree transcript
• ACORD general-liability certificate and workers’ compensation certificate or notarized waiver
• Secretary of State certificate of good standing, if applicable

Testing Requirements

Testing provider or authority: No state exam. JCCL recognizes ICC and Prometric (or former ETS subsidiary) standard examinations; ICC Kansas (Johnson County) examinations are administered through Pearson VUE.. The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

• JCCL Class A — ICC Standard General Building Contractor, Exam 550/KGA — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 75%
• JCCL Class B — ICC Standard Building Contractor, Exam 551/KGB — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 75%
• JCCL Class C — ICC Standard Residential Building Contractor, Exam 552/KGC — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score 75%

Examination fee: JCCL does not set the examination fee on its licensing page; obtain the current charge from ICC/Pearson VUE or the approved testing provider.

Retake policy: Use the current ICC/Pearson VUE candidate bulletin for scheduling and retake rules. JCCL requires a 75% or higher approved standard-exam score.

Insurance, Bonds, and Project Requirements

No statewide contractor-license bond applies to the local or scope-specific path described here. A city, county, permit authority, public owner, or project contract may still require a bond, so confirm the actual project requirements before bidding.

General liability

JCCL requires an ACORD general-liability certificate naming its office as certificate holder. Its published new-license page does not state a minimum limit or a contractor license bond for Classes A, B, or C.

Workers' compensation

JCCL requires workers’ compensation coverage only if the company has employees; otherwise it requires a notarized waiver with the application.

State and Local Fees

To budget for the applicable registration, permits, insurance, and project requirements, open the cost calculator preloaded for Kansas general contractor.

Renewal and Ongoing Compliance

The Kansas General Contractor (Local Licensing — Johnson County example) must be renewed every year. The fee to renew is presently $225. JCCL’s current renewal fee is $225 per license type. Confirm the renewal date and rules for every other project jurisdiction separately.

Continuing education: For JCCL, each qualifying individual must complete at least eight hours of continuing education per license classification each calendar year.

Out-of-State Credentials and Local Recognition

Kansas has no single statewide credential for this path to transfer through NASCLA. An authority may consider an outside license, examination, or experience record only under its own current rules.

There is no statewide contractor credential to reciprocate. An approved standard examination can support the JCCL application, but the company must still meet JCCL’s local application, insurance, fee, and annual education requirements. Confirm other jurisdictions separately.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published General Contractor license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

General Contractor Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Kansas's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before bidding or beginning work:

• Colorado General Contractor License Requirements — Colorado General Contractor Requirements — Local Jurisdictions
• Missouri General Contractor License Requirements — Missouri General Contractor (local licensing and permits)
• Nebraska General Contractor License Requirements — Nebraska Contractor Registration
• Oklahoma General Contractor License Requirements — Oklahoma General Contractor (Municipal Registration — No State License)

Step-by-Step Compliance Roadmap

1. Confirm the project jurisdiction. Kansas has no statewide general-contractor license. Ask the city or county issuing the permit what local license or registration is required.
2. Choose the JCCL classification when it applies. JCCL Class A covers any structure, Class B covers structures up to three stories, and Class C covers single-family/duplex work and accessory buildings.
3. Qualify the designated individual. Provide qualifying-individual identification and either a 75%+ approved standard-exam score or the eligible degree documentation.
4. Prepare the company documents. Obtain the required ACORD general-liability certificate, workers’ compensation certificate or notarized waiver, and Secretary of State good-standing certificate if applicable.
5. Submit the JCCL application and fees. New applicants pay a $100 application fee and $225 license fee for each license type.
6. Maintain the local license. Renew annually and ensure the qualifying individual completes eight hours of JCCL-approved CE per classification each calendar year.

Pre-Work Checklist

Before bidding or beginning work, confirm each item below with the authorities that govern the project location and scope:

• Confirmation of the city or county contractor requirement for the project address
• JCCL qualifying-individual identification and approved qualification
• 75%+ approved standard-exam result or eligible degree transcript
• ACORD general-liability certificate
• Workers’ compensation certificate if the company has employees, or notarized waiver
• Secretary of State good-standing certificate, if applicable
• $100 JCCL new-application fee and $225 license fee per type

Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your compliance work is in progress.

Common Compliance Mistakes

The issues below are the most likely to create an unlicensed-work, registration, permit, or scope problem for Kansas General Contractor work, based on the official sources cited on this page.

Assuming a state license exists

Kansas has no statewide general-contractor license. Confirm the city or county rule at the project address before investing in a local application.

Assuming one local license covers Kansas

A local credential is not statewide. Verify the requirement with each authority having jurisdiction.

Missing the Johnson County multi-city program

JCCL is a substantial local program, but the project jurisdiction—not a statewide rule—determines whether it is accepted.

Selecting the wrong JCCL classification

Class A, B, and C have different building scopes, and none permits electrical, plumbing, mechanical, or fire-protection work.

Letting any single city lapse

JCCL requires annual renewal and eight CE hours per classification; other jurisdictions can use different renewal schedules.

Official References and Preparation Materials

The following references are cited by the regulator, used in the application process, or commonly used to prepare for the trade scope. Listed for reader convenience; CLR receives no compensation for these recommendations.

• ICC Kansas (Johnson County) candidate bulletin — International Code Council. Use the current bulletin for the accepted Class A, B, and C examinations.
• Johnson County Contractor Licensing — new license types — Johnson County, Kansas. Current classification, application, fee, and insurance checklist.

Other Kansas Trade Licenses

For a different Kansas credential, see these companion guides published by CLR:

• Kansas Electrician License Requirements
• Kansas Plumber License Requirements
• Kansas HVAC Technician License Requirements
• Kansas Roofing Contractor License Requirements
• Kansas Painting Contractor License Requirements
• Kansas Landscaping Contractor License Requirements
• Kansas Masonry Contractor License Requirements
• Kansas Concrete Contractor License Requirements
• Kansas Carpentry Contractor License Requirements
• Kansas Solar Installer License Requirements
• Kansas Low-Voltage Technician License Requirements
• Kansas Fire Sprinkler Contractor License Requirements
• Kansas Home Inspector License Requirements
• Kansas Pool Contractor License Requirements
• Kansas Handyman License Requirements
• Kansas Pest Control License Requirements
• Kansas Septic Contractor License Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Kansas have a state general contractor license?

No. Kansas does not issue a statewide general-contractor license. The city or county with project jurisdiction determines whether a local license, registration, or other permit condition applies.

Do I need a license in every Kansas city where I work?

Check each project jurisdiction. A local license is not a statewide credential, and a separate city or county may have different permit and contractor-license rules.

Is there an exam for a Kansas general contractor license?

There is no state exam. For JCCL Class A, B, and C, the qualifying individual may use a 75%+ approved standard exam score or an eligible accredited bachelor’s degree.

What are the Johnson County general-contractor classes?

Class A covers any structure; Class B covers structures up to three stories; and Class C covers single-family or duplex residences and related accessory buildings. None authorizes electrical, plumbing, mechanical, or fire-protection work.

Does Kansas reciprocate with other states?

There is no statewide reciprocity because there is no statewide general-contractor credential. JCCL can accept qualifying standard examinations, but that is not automatic reciprocal licensure.

Report a correction to this guide