- Issued in October 2026 to date
- 3,365
- Issued in the last 30 days
- 3,499
- Median days, application to issue
- 2
These figures cover every permit in KCMO Open Data: Permits (CPD), not only home projects. The last 30 days run from September 30, 2026 to October 29, 2026. That is 2% below the average of 3,585 permits a month over the previous 12 full months.
Top Permit Types in the Last 30 Days
| Permit type | Permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| PW - Excavation | 436 | 12% |
| CPPU - Electrical (Residential) | 432 | 12% |
| CPPU - Plumbing (Residential) | 246 | 7% |
| CPPU - Building (Residential) | 234 | 7% |
| PW - Traffic Control | 233 | 7% |
| CPPU - Zoning Approval | 229 | 7% |
| CPPU - Mechanical (Residential) | 221 | 6% |
| WS - New Service | 179 | 5% |
Kansas City's permit data covers more than building work. It includes Public Works permits (marked PW), such as 436 excavation and 233 traffic control permits in the 30 days to October 29, 2026, and water service permits (WS). City Planning and Development permits are marked CPPU; residential electrical led them with 432, followed by residential plumbing (246) and residential building permits (234).
The median from application to issue was 2 days, because so many of these are permits issued the same or next day. The open dataset does not name contractors or neighborhoods, so those details are only in CompassKC.
12-Month Permit Trend in Kansas City
| Month | Permits issued |
|---|---|
| October 2025 | 3,693 |
| November 2025 | 3,077 |
| December 2025 | 3,160 |
| January 2026 | 2,960 |
| February 2026 | 3,334 |
| March 2026 | 3,675 |
| April 2026 | 3,855 |
| May 2026 | 4,233 |
| June 2026 | 3,774 |
| July 2026 | 3,755 |
| August 2026 | 3,589 |
| September 2026 | 3,920 |
| October 2026 (to date) | 3,365 |
Over the 12 full months, the busiest was May 2026 with 4,233 permits and the quietest was January 2026 with 2,960.
Recent Permits
The 15 most recent permits in the feed. We show the city rather than the street address, and never owner names.
| Issued | Type |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-29 | PW - Dumpster/Storage Unit/Trailer |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Electrical (Commercial) |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Plumbing (Commercial) |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Temporary Certificate of Occupancy |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Elevator Periodic (Commercial) |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Elevator Periodic (Commercial) |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Elevator Periodic (Commercial) |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Elevator Periodic (Commercial) |
| 2026-10-28 | PW - Parking |
| 2026-10-28 | PW - Dumpster/Storage Unit/Trailer |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Building (Residential) |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Building (Residential) |
| 2026-10-28 | PW - Traffic Control |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Electrical (Commercial) |
| 2026-10-28 | CPPU - Mechanical (Residential) |
How to Look Up a Building Permit in Kansas City
- CompassKC: Open CompassKC. You do not need to log in to search.
- Select Search Public Records, then choose Permit from the Search dropdown. The City warns that "All" returns a very large number of results.
- Type at least part of the address. Do not use periods, write E for East and St for Street, and add th, nd or rd to numbered streets, for example 508 W 23rd Rd.
- Select Advanced to narrow by permit type, status or issue date, or search by at least the last five digits of the permit number.
- Click a permit number to see its public case information. The City says CompassKC holds most permit records back to 1986.
For what a record's fields mean, see How to Read a Building Permit Record. For lookups in other cities, see How to Look Up Building Permits for a House.
Kansas City Project Permit Pages
Rules for specific home projects in Kansas City, each checked against official city sources:
Frequently Asked Questions
How many building permits does Kansas City issue?
Kansas City issued 3,499 permits in the 30 days to October 29, 2026, and an average of 3,585 a month over the 12 full months before October 2026, according to KCMO Open Data: Permits (CPD).
How long does it take to get a building permit in Kansas City?
For permits issued in the 30 days to October 29, 2026, the median time from application to issue was 2 days. Simple permits are often issued much faster than projects that need full plan review.
How do I look up a building permit in Kansas City?
Use the CompassKC. Select Search Public Records, then choose Permit from the Search dropdown. The City warns that "All" returns a very large number of results.
What is the most common permit type in Kansas City?
PW - Excavation, with 436 of the 3,499 permits issued in the 30 days to October 29, 2026.
Back to Kansas City Building Permits for Home Projects.
Sources
Official sources checked on . Rules change; confirm with the department before you start work.
- CompassKC (linked above) (compasskc.kcmo.org)
- City of Kansas City: CompassKC Online Plan and Permitting Services (kcmo.gov)
- KCMO Open Data: Permits (CPD) (data.kcmo.org)
Statistics computed by Home Permit Guide from KCMO Open Data: Permits (CPD), fetched October 30, 2026.