ST. JOSEPH PERMIT GUIDE · UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2026
Does My Repair Need a Permit in St. Joseph?
Short answer: finish work doesn't, but St. Joseph requires permits for some jobs that are exempt in other towns. Decks are the big one. The city deleted the model code's list of permit-exempt work, including its general exemption for "ordinary repairs," and wrote a shorter list of its own. What a contractor learned in Kansas City or Olathe may not apply here.
Below is what the city code says for the jobs a handyman usually gets called for. For anything it doesn't settle, call Building Development (816-344-5117) or, for fences, Planning & Zoning (816-271-4648).
The one table most people need
| Job | Permit in St. Joseph? | Where the rule comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Painting, wallpaper, tile, carpet, flooring | No | Sec. 7-406(1)(f): "Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work" |
| Cabinets and countertops | No | Sec. 7-406(1)(f) |
| Drywall or plaster patching | No (treated as finish work: our reading of 7-406(1)(f)) | Not named; 7-406(1)(f) exempts "similar finish work." Replacing whole walls or ceilings, or opening walls for wiring or plumbing, falls under "Remodeling" on the city's permit-required list |
| Replacing a window or door with the same size unit | No | Sec. 7-406(1)(g): "identically sized units as long as they are not fire rated or adversely affect the building's egress systems" |
| Enlarging or moving a window or door opening | Yes | Structural modification; not on the exempt list |
| New deck or porch, patio cover, ramp | Yes | City's permit-required list: "Deck or Porch - Patio Cover, Ramps, etc." No size exemption |
| Repairing an existing deck or porch (boards, treads, rails) | Ask first | Neither city list mentions deck or porch repair, and the model code's "ordinary repairs" exemption is deleted. The city issues over-the-counter permits for "miscellaneous repairs" |
| Fence over 30 inches | Yes ($34.75 residential) | City's permit list; fee in Sec. 7-400(10) |
| Fence under 30 inches, or fence repair | City website says no | City's not-required list. The code (Sec. 31-054(b)) says a permit is needed for "any fence," so call Planning & Zoning if in doubt |
| Shed of 120 sq ft or less | No | Sec. 7-406(1)(a) |
| Retaining wall 4 ft or less | No | Sec. 7-406(1)(c) |
| Roof repair affecting less than 25% of the roof | No | Sec. 7-406(1)(n) |
| Full re-roof | Yes | City's permit-required list: "Roofing" |
| Swapping a light fixture, switch or receptacle like for like | No | Sec. 7-406(2)(f) |
| Adding a GFCI in an existing outlet box | No | Sec. 7-406(2)(g) |
| New circuit, moving outlets, any wiring change | Yes, and a licensed electrician | City permit list; Sec. 7-107 |
| Replacing a faucet, sink or tank toilet in the same spot | No | Sec. 7-406(5)(c) |
| Clearing a clog or fixing a leak in a fixture or valve | No | Sec. 7-406(5)(b) |
| Replacing a defective concealed drain, waste or supply pipe | Yes | Sec. 7-406(5)(a): treated as "new work" requiring a permit |
| Water heater, furnace, AC unit | Yes | City's permit-required list |
| Adding insulation | No | City's not-required list |
Sources: City of St. Joseph Code of Ordinances, Chapter 7 (Supp. 8, codified through Ord. 3140, Feb. 2, 2026) and the city's Building Development page, which notes its lists are "not a complete list of all types of projects." The city's website says plans are reviewed under the 2024 International Residential Code; the local amendments quoted here are from the codified text.
Got a list that mixes permit and no-permit items? We'll separate the tasks for your estimate and identify questions to resolve with Building Development before work starts. Send us your list →
Why decks catch people out
The model residential code exempts small, low, freestanding decks: under 200 sq ft, no more than 30 inches above grade and not attached to the house. St. Joseph doesn't use that exemption. The city deletes the model code's exempt list (Sec. 7-34(3)), and its own list in Sec. 7-406 says nothing about decks. The Building Development page lists "Deck or Porch - Patio Cover, Ramps, etc." as permit-required.
What the city asks for on a deck, from its deck submittal checklist:
- A site plan with property lines and the distance from the deck to each line
- Whether it's attached or freestanding; attached decks show the ledger bolt pattern
- Footings, with depth: "Over 600 sqft or attached to frost protected structure requires frost protection, 36 inches deep"
- Stairs, floor framing, railings, guard dimensions and baluster spacing
Decks and ramps go to Planning & Zoning before any other reviewer, to check setbacks and zoning.
Repairing an existing deck is a gray area here. Neither of the city's lists mentions deck repair. St. Joseph also deleted the model code's exemption for ordinary repairs, and it issues quick over-the-counter permits for "miscellaneous repairs." Before replacing deck boards, call Building Development (816-344-5117). It's usually a quick answer. Rebuilding framing, footings or stairs is new-construction territory. → Deck and fence repair
The 36-inch frost line
St. Joseph's local amendments to the residential code set Frost Line Depth = 36 inches (Sec. 7-34(10)). The same table rates the city Termite: Moderate to Heavy, Decay: slight to moderate and Weathering: Severe. Footings for attached decks and ramps, and for any deck over 600 sq ft, go to 36 inches.
For context, the state's frost map for manufactured-home installers uses 20 to 25 inches around St. Joseph. The city's building code is deeper, and it's the city's number that counts for a deck.
Fences: heights, placement and who issues the permit
Fence permits come from Planning & Zoning (City Hall, 1100 Frederick Ave., Room 107), not Building Development. The residential fee is $34.75. The application needs a site diagram showing the fence location, property lines, setbacks and buildings, plus a sketch of the fence.
The rules in Sec. 31-054:
- Height: 4 ft maximum in a front yard, 6 ft in a side yard, 8 ft in a rear yard, measured from the highest adjoining finished grade.
- No privacy fence in front of the house. A fence over 3 ft tall that's more than 50% obscured counts as "sight-obscuring," and those aren't allowed forward of the front building line.
- Houses close together: between two houses less than 12 ft apart, no fence over 4 ft or more than 50% sight-obscured.
- Corners and driveways: nothing over 3 ft inside an intersection sight triangle.
- Construction: finished side facing out ("the post and support beams shall not be on the outside"); every post set in a concrete base; wood rated for ground contact or naturally rot-resistant; one consistent material.
- Upkeep: "Missing boards, pickets or posts shall be replaced in a timely manner with material of the same type and quality."
- Property-line fences: the city says you need a recorded survey to put a fence on the property line.
- Drainage easements: no fence in a drainage easement or floodway unless the city engineer signs off.
The city also notes it is "NOT responsible for ensuring applications conform to HOA requirements." Check your HOA separately.
Before anyone digs: 811
Missouri law (RSMo 319.026) requires notice to Missouri One Call at least two working days, but not more than ten working days, before digging. The legal definition of excavation includes "augering," which covers fence posts and deck footings.
The catch for homeowners: under RSMo 319.015, water and sewer lines "owned solely by the owner of such property" aren't counted as underground facilities, so locators won't mark them. That covers your sewer lateral and the water line from the meter to the house (Missouri American Water says the owner is responsible from the meter or property line to the house). Privately owned gas and electric lines, like one run to a garage or lamp post, are generally excluded too. Tell us where you know private lines run.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC: licensed trades
St. Joseph licenses electrical (Sec. 7-107), plumbing (Sec. 7-291) and mechanical (Sec. 7-235) contractors. The city FAQ says "A Master Electrician and Plumber, licensed by the City of St. Joseph, must perform all electrical and plumbing work." For electrical, Missouri law requires the city to accept the statewide electrical contractor license too (RSMo 324.925).
The homeowner exception is narrow. An owner-occupant of a single-family home can pull electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits and do the work personally, buying all the materials and doing all the labor. It doesn't carry over to someone you hire. The person hired for trade work must hold the required credentials; a handyman label does not establish those qualifications.
Permit exemption is not a license exemption. The permit list describes which tasks need a permit; it does not establish that an unlicensed hired worker may do electrical or plumbing work. Confirm the required trade license and the exact task's permit treatment with Building Development before booking. The city's licensing FAQ states a separate licensed-trade requirement. We keep work requiring those credentials separate from the handyman repair scope.
Historic districts: a separate approval, not a permit
If the house is in the Hall Street or Museum Hill local historic district, or is one of the city's ten designated landmarks, exterior changes visible from a street or other public place need a Certificate of Appropriateness (Sec. 31-175). No building permit is issued until the certificate is. Ordinary in-kind repair is exempt. See historic district repairs for what falls where.
Downtown has its own review: the Downtown Review Board issues certificates for the Downtown Precise Plan area (Sec. 31-101).
Fees, timing and penalties
- Fees are based on construction value (since July 1, 2022). The residential table in Sec. 7-400 starts at $40 for the first $500, plus $4.75 for each additional $1,000 (Building Development confirms which schedule applies to a deck or alteration).
- Fences: $34.75 residential.
- Re-inspection: $30 per trip if the work wasn't ready, the address was wrong, or it failed (Sec. 7-404).
- Start without a permit and the fee doubles (Sec. 7-405), and citations are possible: fines of at least $100 for a first conviction and $200 for a second, and $500 for a third (Sec. 7-6), with each day counted as a separate offense.
- Permits expire one year after issue (Sec. 7-8), and the application form says a permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within six months or stops for six months.
- Inspections: call 816-344-5117 with 24 hours' notice. The permit holder arranges them.
- Where: Building Division, City Hall, 1100 Frederick Ave., Room 106. Roofs, fences and other small repairs are usually "over-the-counter" permits issued at the time of application.
Outside the city limits
In unincorporated Buchanan County, the county's zoning order requires "a building permit for any structure," and it defines structures to include fences and decks. That's Buchanan County Planning & Zoning, 411 Jules St., Room 201, 816-271-1528. Savannah, in Andrew County, adopted the 2024 International Building Code in December 2024. Kansas towns across the river have their own rules.
Questions
Do I need a permit to replace my back door?
Not if the new door is the same size, isn't fire rated and doesn't reduce your exit path (Sec. 7-406(1)(g)). Changing the opening size is a structural change and needs one.
Do I need a permit to replace rotten deck boards?
Neither city list addresses deck repair, and St. Joseph doesn't use the model code's ordinary-repair exemption. Call Building Development (816-344-5117) before you start. Rebuilding framing, footings or stairs is new-construction territory.
Who pulls the permit, me or the contractor?
Usually the contractor. The city FAQ says a contractor needs a city occupational license and proof of workers' comp to get a building permit. If a contractor asks you to pull a permit in your name for work they're doing, ask why.
Does a wheelchair ramp need a permit?
Yes. Ramps are on the city's permit-required list and go through Planning & Zoning first. See grab bars and aging-in-place.
Not sure if your job needs a permit?
Send us the list. We'll help describe the work so Building Development can resolve the permit questions before you start.
Get a quote →