How to Start a Roofing Business in Kansas: Attorney General Registration, Local Licenses and Insurance

Searches for a kansas roofing license or kansas roofing contractor license usually lead to one place: the Kansas Attorney General's roofing registration. Kansas issues no general statewide business license, and registering a business entity with the Secretary of State is a filing, not a license. Roofing is the exception. Under the Kansas Roofing Registration Act (K.S.A. 50-6,121 to 50-6,138), anyone who offers or performs commercial or residential roofing for a fee must register, including nonresident roofers working in Kansas. The state calls it a registration, not a license, but without it you cannot bring a court claim for payment, and you face civil penalties.

This guide follows the order we would use to start a roofing company in Kansas: deciding whether you must register, forming your business, buying insurance, registering with the Department of Revenue, checking city and county rules, and setting renewal reminders. It is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees and deadlines come from the agencies named below, but agencies change fees, so confirm every number before you budget or file.

What you need before you start

Gather these items before you file anything. Missing one usually means a second trip to the same office.

• A business name that meets Kansas rules, checked against the Secretary of State business entity search
• A Kansas street address for the registered office and a Kansas resident agent. Kansas uses the term resident agent, and the agent must be an individual, a business registered in Kansas, or the entity itself. A PO box is not allowed.
• A general liability certificate of insurance showing coverage of at least $500,000
• Proof of workers' compensation coverage, or an exemption affidavit if you qualify
• Proof that you are 18 or older
• A list of the cities and counties where you plan to work
• A budget for the state fees in the table below, plus any city license you find you need

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Confirm whether you must register with the Attorney General

Start here, because the answer shapes every step that follows. Anyone who offers or performs commercial or residential roofing for a fee must register under the Roofing Registration Act. The law has exemptions, and they are narrower than many contractors assume:

• Employees who work under a roofer's direct supervision
• Demolition and debris cleanup work
• An exempt general contractor, meaning a contractor whose roofing is under 50 percent of the project cost and who does not sell door to door, or a contractor who subcontracts the roofing to a registered roofer

If you run a general contracting business that also roofs, read the exemption carefully. A contractor whose roofing makes up more than half of a project, or who sells roofing door to door, does not qualify. If you are unsure, call the Roofing Registration Unit at 785-368-6644 or email [email protected], and describe your work mix before you bid anything.

Step 2: Form your business with the Secretary of State

If you will operate as an LLC or a corporation, file with the Kansas Secretary of State. Use the form that matches your entity:

• LLC: Articles of Organization, Domestic (Kansas) Limited Liability Company (Form DL), $85
• Corporation: Articles of Incorporation, Domestic (Kansas) Corporation (Form AI), $85

An LLC name must include L.L.C., L.C., LLC, LC, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY or LIMITED COMPANY, under K.S.A. 17-7920. The Secretary of State checks your name against registered entities. If a similar name is already in use, you must include a Consent to Use of Similar Business Name (Form CN) under K.S.A. 17-7918 with your formation document. To hold a name while you prepare paperwork, file a name reservation for $35. The reservation lasts 120 days.

Online filings process within minutes, and the certified copy can be printed right away. Paper filings are processed by mail from the Topeka office. Online filing uses the Secretary of State's Customer Login.

Kansas has no state-level DBA filing. If you plan to market under a trade name that differs from your legal name, nothing is filed with the Secretary of State for that name. Check city and county requirements for assumed names, and consider a trademark or service mark registration through the Secretary of State if the name matters to your brand.

After formation, both LLCs and corporations file a biennial Information Report for $90. It is due every two years by April 15, not annually. An LLC formed in an even year reports in each succeeding even year, and one formed in an odd year reports in each succeeding odd year. A corporation reports in the odd or even year that matches its formation year.

Step 3: Buy insurance before you apply

The Attorney General requires a general liability certificate of at least $500,000, plus proof of workers' compensation coverage or an exemption affidavit. Ask your insurance agent for a certificate that shows the coverage limit and your business name exactly as it appears on your filings. A mismatched name creates avoidable questions later.

Your carrier may ask for your filed articles before it issues a certificate, so consider completing Step 2 first. Keep coverage continuous. You will need current certificates for registration renewal and for some city permit applications. Talk to your agent about limits above the $500,000 minimum if your contracts call for more.

Step 4: Apply for the Attorney General roofing registration

Submit your application to the Roofing Registration Unit with your certificate of insurance, your workers' compensation proof or exemption affidavit, and proof that you are 18 or older. Ask the unit for the current application form and its current processing time. This article does not state a processing time because we could not verify one.

The Attorney General sets the registration fee, and the statute caps it at $500 a year. The Attorney General's renewal form (revised December 2023) shows $250. Confirm the current fee with the unit before you pay.

Plan the renewal from day one. Registration renews by June 30, and the renewal has a 30 day grace period. A certificate that is not renewed before July 31 is revoked, which means you lose your registration and the protections it gives you.

Step 5: Register your business taxes with the Kansas Department of Revenue

Because Kansas issues no general business license, tax registration is how your business connects with the state for its taxes. Registration with the Kansas Department of Revenue is free. Start at the Department of Revenue business registration page or call the Customer Service Center.

Several taxes may apply to your business:

• Sales tax: The state rate is 6.5 percent. Whether and how it applies to your roofing invoices, including materials, depends on your jobs. Confirm that with the Department of Revenue or a CPA before you quote.
• LLC income tax: An LLC is a pass-through entity for state income tax, so members report Kansas income on their individual returns. The rate is 5.2 percent on Kansas taxable income up to $23,000 for single filers or $46,000 for married filing jointly, and 5.58 percent above those thresholds.
• Corporate income tax: A corporation pays a 3.5 percent normal tax plus a 3 percent surtax on Kansas taxable income over $50,000. An LLC taxed as a corporation pays the same rates.
• Franchise tax: Kansas has no LLC franchise tax.

Step 6: Check city and county licensing

Kansas has 105 counties and 624 cities. Every incorporated place is legally a city, so there are no towns or villages to check separately. There is no statewide general contractor, electrician, plumber or HVAC license. Cities and counties license those trades, and their rules vary. Roofers should check the same way.

Two examples show how different the local rules can be:

• Wichita requires a roofing license from its MABCD office for $360 for 2 years, and you must provide your state registration number.
• Leawood requires your Attorney General certificate.

Check every city where you plan to work, and the county for jobs outside city limits. Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri are different cities in different states. Only Kansas City, Missouri has a city earnings tax, so do not assume Missouri rules apply to a Kansas job, or the reverse.

Step 7: Calendar your recurring deadlines

Set reminders for these before you finish setup:

• June 30 each year: Attorney General roofing registration renewal due. A 30 day grace period follows, and the certificate is revoked if it is not renewed before July 31.
• April 15 every two years: Secretary of State Information Report, $90
• Insurance renewal: the date your carrier sets
• Department of Revenue filings: the frequency assigned to your tax registration

Tips and common mistakes to avoid

• Searching for a roofing license. The state term is registration. Use the Attorney General's wording on your forms so you are not looking for a license that does not exist.
• Assuming the fee is $250 because that is the figure on the renewal form. The statute caps the fee at $500, and the Attorney General sets the actual amount.
• Skipping registration for nonresident workers or an out-of-state company. Nonresidents who roof in Kansas must register too.
• Stretching the general contractor exemption. Roofing that makes up more than half of a project, or door to door sales, takes you out of it.
• Using a PO box for the registered office. Kansas requires a street address where the resident agent can be regularly present.
• Looking for a state DBA filing. Kansas does not register assumed names at the state level.
• Treating state registration as city approval. Wichita and Leawood both have local requirements that the state registration alone does not satisfy.
• Letting insurance lapse. Keep coverage continuous, because you will need current certificates for renewal and city permits.
• Missing the renewal. The grace period is a safety net, not a date to plan around.
• Treating the Information Report as annual. It is biennial, so mark it on a two year cycle.

What to expect when you finish

Once the Secretary of State filing, Attorney General registration, tax registration, insurance and city paperwork are in place, you may be able to bid roofing work across Kansas, sign contracts as a registered roofer, and pull the permits your cities require. Results depend on the cities you work in and on the mix of residential and commercial jobs you take.

The state forms are usually the quickest part of setup. Insurance and city paperwork may take longer and may decide when you can start your first job. Plan your launch date around the slowest item, not the first one you file.

Costs and deadlines at a glance

Item	Amount	Agency	Notes
LLC Articles of Organization (Form DL)	$85	Secretary of State	Online filing processes within minutes
Corporation Articles of Incorporation (Form AI)	$85	Secretary of State	Paper filings are processed by mail from Topeka
Name reservation	$35	Secretary of State	Holds the name for 120 days
Information Report (LLC or corporation)	$90	Secretary of State	Every two years by April 15
Roofing registration	Set by the Attorney General, capped at $500 a year; renewal form shows $250	Attorney General	Renews by June 30 with a 30 day grace period; confirm the current fee
Business tax registration	Free	Kansas Department of Revenue	Confirm which taxes apply to your roofing jobs
City roofing license (Wichita example)	$360 for 2 years	City of Wichita	Requires your state registration number
General liability insurance	Set by your carrier	Private insurer	Certificate of at least $500,000 required

Official resources

• Kansas Secretary of State business services: sos.ks.gov/business/business.html
• Business entity search: Secretary of State business search
• Online filing (Customer Login): Secretary of State online filing
• Name reservation form: Form NR
• Kansas Department of Revenue business page: ksrevenue.gov/business.html
• Kansas Small Business Development Center: kansassbdc.net
• Attorney General Roofing Registration Unit: [email protected] or 785-368-6644

Next steps and professional help

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Before you sign contracts or choose an entity, talk with a Kansas attorney about entity choice, contract terms and liability. Ask a CPA how sales and income tax apply to your roofing jobs, including materials. Confirm all fees and deadlines with the agency named before you file, because they can change.