Wichita and Sedgwick County Contractor License: MABCD Classes, Exams, Insurance and Renewal Cycle
Wichita and Sedgwick County Contractor License: MABCD Classes, Exams, Insurance and Renewal Cycle
If you plan to do general contracting or a trade such as roofing in Wichita or unincorporated Sedgwick County, you need a license from the Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department (MABCD), not from the State of Kansas. Kansas has no statewide general contractor, electrician, plumber or HVAC license. Cities and counties issue those licenses, and MABCD does it for Wichita, unincorporated Sedgwick County and several small contracted cities.
This guide covers who needs a wichita contractor license, the classes and fees MABCD publishes, the exam and insurance requirements, the entity paperwork that goes with the application, and the renewal calendar. Each section gives you the figures we could verify and tells you where to confirm anything that may have changed.
Who Needs a MABCD License
MABCD licenses contractors working in Wichita, unincorporated Sedgwick County and the small cities that contract with MABCD. If your job site is in one of those places, you need a MABCD license before you pull permits or perform the work.
A license from another city or county does not carry over. MABCD does not reciprocate with other jurisdictions, so a contractor licensed in another Kansas city or county still has to apply separately to work in Wichita.
Two details cause confusion. First, Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri are different cities in different states, so check the job address rather than the nearest big city name. Second, Kansas has 105 counties and 624 cities, and every incorporated place is legally a city, so a small community with a city government still falls under its own rules and may or may not be one of the cities MABCD serves. Confirm the jurisdiction for each job address with MABCD before you apply.
License Classes and Fees
MABCD issues general contractor licenses in Class A, B, C and D, plus roofing and siding licenses, and separate trade licenses. The fee schedule below is MABCD's Table A, revised May 2019. Fees are for a two year term.
| License | Fee (2 years) |
|---|---|
| Class A general | $1,000 |
| Class B general | $600 |
| Class C general | $450 |
| Class D general | $360 |
| Most other licenses | $360 |
Check MABCD for current fees before you pay. The table above is the 2019 revision, and we did not verify a current roofing or siding fee, so confirm that figure with MABCD as well.
Pick your class by the work you intend to take on, then confirm with MABCD which class covers the projects you plan to bid. Ask this before you pay.
Application Requirements
A complete MABCD application includes all of the following:
- Qualified person's exam: the qualified person named on the license passes the Kansas ICC exam with a score of 75 percent or better.
- General liability insurance: a certificate for $300,000 general liability coverage that names MABCD as certificate holder.
- Workers compensation: a certificate, or a signed and notarized waiver if state law does not require coverage for your business.
- Auto: an auto certificate, or a waiver.
- Secretary of State certificate of good standing: required for corporations and LLCs. Sole proprietors do not provide one.
- Roofer registration number: roofing applicants must show their State of Kansas roofer registration number.
- Fee: the amount for your class or license type from the table above.
New applications are reviewed for up to 2 weeks. Assemble every document before you book your appointment.
The Qualified Person and the Kansas ICC Exam
The license is built around a qualified person, the individual who passes the exam and stands behind the business's work. The exam is the Kansas ICC exam, and the passing score is 75 percent or better.
Several details are not in the figures we verified, so confirm them with MABCD: the exam fee, how to schedule the test, and whether a passing result from another jurisdiction is accepted. Because MABCD does not reciprocate with other jurisdictions, do not assume that an exam passed elsewhere counts here.
Insurance and Certificates
Keep these points in mind when you talk to your agent:
- The general liability certificate must show $300,000 in coverage and name MABCD as certificate holder. Ask the agent to issue it to MABCD directly, and check that the holder name matches exactly.
- The insurer must be accepted by Kansas, and the certificate must show the insurer's NAIC number. Confirm your carrier's status before you buy the policy.
- For workers compensation, ask your insurer and MABCD whether Kansas law requires coverage for your business. If coverage is not required, sign a notarized waiver and submit it with the application.
- For auto, submit a certificate or a waiver, whichever applies to your operation.
Our verified figures do not list the premium cost or the specific workers compensation rules by trade, so confirm those with your agent and MABCD.
Entity Paperwork at the Kansas Secretary of State
Kansas has no general statewide business license, so the Secretary of State is where your entity gets formed, not licensed. If your contractor business is an LLC or corporation, you need a certificate of good standing for the MABCD application. The entity filings and fees are as follows:
- LLC: Articles of Organization, Domestic (Kansas) Limited Liability Company (Form DL), $85 filing fee.
- Corporation: Articles of Incorporation, Domestic (Kansas) Corporation (Form AI), $85 filing fee.
- Name reservation: $35, held for 120 days.
- Biennial Information Report: $90, due every two years by April 15. A missed report can put the entity out of good standing, so check your filing status before you apply.
Every Kansas entity must keep a resident agent, the Kansas term for a registered agent. The resident agent must be an individual, a business registered in Kansas, or the entity itself, and the registered office must be a Kansas street address, not a PO box. If either changes, update the Secretary of State record.
Search for your entity and file through the Secretary of State at the business entity search and the online business services portal.
Sole proprietors do not provide a certificate of good standing. Apply under the name 'name dba company' instead. Kansas has no state level DBA filing, so that line on your application identifies your business name for MABCD; it is not a state registration.
Roofing and Siding
Roofing applicants must show their State of Kansas roofer registration number on the MABCD application. The registration is handled through the Kansas Attorney General, not through MABCD, so get the number first. Siding licenses are part of the same general license group in MABCD's schedule, but confirm the siding requirements and fee directly with MABCD.
Homeowners Working on Their Own Home
If you want to do work on your own home rather than hire a licensed contractor, you must pass the trade exams. The test fee is $50. Confirm with MABCD which trades the exam covers and how to schedule it before you buy materials or pull a permit.
Renewal Cycle
MABCD licenses run on a split calendar. Mark both dates on your calendar.
| License type | Expires | Renewal requirement |
|---|---|---|
| General (Class A to D, roofing, siding) | December 31 of even years | Confirm the renewal requirements with MABCD |
| Trade | December 31 of odd years | 12 hours of continuing education |
The next odd-year trade expiration is December 31, 2027. Because 2026 is an even year, a general license issued now runs to an even-year expiration. Ask MABCD how the first term is measured for a license issued in late 2026, since the table alone does not settle that. Confirm with MABCD how many continuing education hours apply to general licenses, since our verified figures attach the 12 hour requirement to trade licenses.
Step by Step: Applying for a Wichita Contractor License
- Confirm that your job site falls under MABCD, and pick the class that matches your work.
- Have the qualified person pass the Kansas ICC exam with 75 percent or better.
- Get your insurance certificates: $300,000 general liability naming MABCD as holder, plus workers compensation and auto certificates or notarized waivers.
- If you are an LLC or corporation, get your Secretary of State certificate of good standing. If you are a sole proprietor, apply as 'name dba company'.
- If you are applying for roofing, get your State of Kansas roofer registration number.
- Book an appointment with MABCD. Walk-ins are not accepted, and the office takes appointments only.
- Pay the fee for your class from the current MABCD schedule.
- Expect a review of up to 2 weeks for new applications.
Common Mistakes
- Looking for a state contractor license. Kansas issues none, so the license comes from MABCD.
- Assuming a license from another city carries over. MABCD does not reciprocate.
- Getting the certificate holder name wrong. The insurance certificate must name MABCD as holder.
- Letting the Secretary of State record lapse. A missed Biennial Information Report or an outdated resident agent can cost you the good standing certificate.
- Using a PO box for the registered office. Entities need a Kansas street address.
- Paying an outdated fee. The schedule in this guide is the May 2019 Table A, so confirm the current amount before you pay.
Where to Confirm the Details
- MABCD: 271 W 3rd, Wichita, 316-660-1840. Appointments only.
- Kansas Secretary of State: sos.ks.gov business page for entity filings and good standing.
- Kansas Department of Revenue: ksrevenue.gov business page. Business tax registration is free. If you collect sales tax, register through the sales tax permit page.
- Kansas Small Business Development Center: kansassbdc.net for free advising on starting and running a business.
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only. It is not legal or tax advice. Licensing, insurance, entity and tax rules change, and the fees and requirements here may not match what applies to your situation today. Confirm current figures with MABCD and the agencies named above. For complex situations, including entity structure, workers compensation questions, or tax treatment of contracting income, consult a qualified attorney and a certified public accountant.