How to get licensed as a contractor in Kansas
Kansas has no statewide general contractor license and no state handyman license. The one statewide requirement is unusual: every roofing contractor must hold a registration certificate from the Kansas Attorney General under the Kansas Roofing Registration Act. Everything else is governed by cities and counties, and the rules genuinely change when you cross a county line, especially around Wichita and the Kansas City metro.
Licensing authority
Kansas Attorney General, Roofing Registration Unit: https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/roofing-registration
When a license is required
There is no state dollar threshold for general contracting. Roofing for a fee, commercial or residential, requires Attorney General registration at any amount. Local jurisdictions set their own lines; Sedgwick County, for example, lets unlicensed handymen do finish work up to $2,500 before its contractor licensing kicks in.
License classes in Kansas
Roofing contractor registration
The statewide certificate from the Attorney General, required to sell or perform roofing for a fee anywhere in Kansas. Certificates expire June 30 each year and renew annually.
Local general contractor licenses
Johnson County, Sedgwick County, Wyandotte County, and many cities license GCs with their own classes, exams, and insurance requirements. Metro-area counties commonly use ICC exams.
Local trade licenses
Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical licensing is handled by counties and cities, frequently with journeyman and master cards tied to local exams or ICC testing.
What you need before you apply
- For roofing: a completed registration application to the Attorney General with proof of insurance
- Workers compensation coverage or the affidavit of exemption the AG accepts
- For local licenses: each jurisdiction's application, commonly with ICC exam results and insurance certificates
- General liability insurance at the limits your jurisdictions require
- A registered business entity in Kansas
- Annual renewal of the roofing certificate on or before July 1
How to get licensed in Kansas
- Register for roofing first if you touch roofs. The Roofing Registration Act covers anyone providing roofing services for a fee, statewide. Register with the Attorney General before advertising or bidding roof work.
- List your working jurisdictions. Kansas licensing is local, so write down every county and city where you will pull permits. The Kansas City metro alone can mean three or four separate credentials.
- Meet each local board's requirements. Johnson and Sedgwick counties run structured programs, often keyed to ICC exams. Smaller towns may only want insurance and a fee. Apply before the first permit.
- Calendar the renewals. The roofing certificate expires every June 30, and each local license has its own cycle. Missing the roofing renewal means you are unregistered on July 1.
Reciprocity with other states
There is no state GC license to reciprocate. The roofing registration is Kansas-specific but is a registration rather than an exam, so out-of-state roofers simply register. Local jurisdictions decide their own recognition policies, and those using ICC exams effectively honor scores earned elsewhere.
Working without a license
Roofing without registration violates the Kansas Roofing Registration Act, which the Attorney General enforces with civil penalties under consumer protection authority, including action against out-of-state storm chasers. For other work, penalties are local: stop-work orders, fines, and permit refusal. Verify current local rules with each building department before bidding.
Frequently asked questions
Does Kansas license general contractors?
Not at the state level. Licensing is handled by counties and cities, with the metro counties running the most formal programs. The one statewide requirement is the roofing contractor registration through the Kansas Attorney General.
Why does the Attorney General handle roofing in Kansas?
The Roofing Registration Act was written as a consumer protection law aimed at storm-chasing roofers after hail events, so enforcement went to the AG rather than a contractor board. Every roofing contractor, resident or not, must register annually. It is the only statewide contractor credential Kansas has.
Do handymen need a license in Kansas?
Not from the state. Local rules control, and they vary: Sedgwick County allows unlicensed finish work up to $2,500, while other counties draw different lines and some cities want an occupational license from everyone. Check the county and city where the job sits before starting.
How long does Kansas roofing registration last?
Certificates expire June 30 every year and must be renewed on or before July 1. The AG publishes a public directory of registered roofers, which insurance adjusters and homeowners actually check after storms. Working on an expired certificate counts as unregistered roofing.
What do Kansas contractors use to keep estimates and invoices moving?
Storm season creates estimate backlogs overnight, and slow quotes lose roofs. Staxen's AI estimator drafts priced, line-item estimates from a voice description and texts them for e-signature, while its invoicer collects payment and sends reminders, at $59 per month per employee or $149 for all three. First job free, no card needed.
Start free with Staxen: your first job is on us, no card required.