Permit Requirements for Construction in Springfield, Missouri

Wait! Stop! Don’t shovel out one ounce of dirt for the home your having built, the addition on the back of the house, or the bathroom renovation!

While some are surprised to hear this, you actually can’t start construction on any project within Springfield city limits without first obtaining the necessary permits. If you’ve hired a contractor like HA Construction, Andy will assist you in obtaining the permits necessary before any work begins. However, if you’re tackling the project yourself, or have hired someone that insists you take care of the approval aspect of the work, then it’s a good idea to be familiar with the requirements.

When you visit the City of Springfield website, you’ll find a lot of information on what sort of permits there are and when you need them.  Here’s a little help deciphering it all.

Building Permits

Taken directly from the City of Springfield website, a building permit is required to:

“…construct, enlarge, alter, move or demolish a structure; or change the occupancy of a building or structure requiring greater strength, exit or sanitary provisions; or to change to another use; or to install or alter any equipment for which provision is made or the installation of which is regulated by the Building Code.”

The term “alter” there may seem a little bit vague. After reading those requirements, you might find yourself thinking that you need a permit for anything you do to your home. However, that’s not the case. Take it straight from Andy, “alter” here means altering the layout of a structure. Repairs to an existing structure, even if you change the materials used, doesn’t require a permit.

For example, if you were to knock out a wall to enlarge the size of a room, then you would need a permit from the city because you are changing the layout of the home and, thus, the occupancy of the room. But, if you were to, say, replace the siding on your house, then it’s considered simply a repair. You’re not altering the foundational structure of the home and, therefore, do not need a permit. Another example would be your porch: if you making it larger, you need a permit, but if you change the material from wood to concrete and don’t change the size of the porch, you do not need a permit.

When a permit is necessary, you or the contractor must submit an application and provide plans for the project. For small projects, such as expanding your front porch, the city only requires a basic drawing of the changes. However, larger projects (such as building a new house or adding a room) require engineered blueprints from an architect for approval.

Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing Permits

While the permits are different for each of these categories, determining whether you need one is relatively simple across the board.

Anyone who does electrical, mechanical or plumbing work on your property MUST be licensed with the city. This is without question. In general, you need a permit for these things if it’s changing the current service. Under that standard, none of the following examples require a permit:

• Replacing a broken outlet
• Replacing a worn out ceiling fan
• Getting a new faucet
• Replacing or repairing a garage door
• Obtaining new flooring
• Painting
• Getting new roof shingles
• Building a portable out-building that’s less than 100 square feet in size

However, putting in an outlet where there wasn’t one before, running new HVAC lines, and changing the layout of a bathroom require permits, because they are changing the existing service. Additionally, replacing a HVAC system, sewer lines, gas lines or water lines in your home requires a permit because of the nature of the repair/replacement. Of note, only a licensed contractor can obtain a permit for these services. While homeowners may be able to get permits for other household repairs, they cannot for the replacement of these crucial systems.

Sprinkler Systems

What may surprise you is that installing a sprinkler system, whether underground or within a building, requires a separate “FIS” permit in addition to plumbing or electrical permits. According to the City of Springfield:

“Permits will no longer be issued based on the building permit submittals unless the entire system (underground and building), including the calculations, are included as part of the building permit submittals.”

The process is a bit complicated, so it’s better to read the Administrative Ruling 2007-01 on Sprinkler permits and/or call the city for more information.

Count on the City for Help

Springfield city officials are there to help you. They’re not out to fine everyone for doing things wrong and they don’t go around patrolling for problems. If you’re having a hard time obtaining a permit for a project, you can count on city officials to guide you in what you and the contractor need to do in order to get the project approved.

Get information on the permits required for a project directly from the city. Don’t trust your neighbor or even your contractor to know what the latest rules and requirements are – it’s better to simply ask the experts.

Andy and HA Construction believe that it’s important for you, the homeowner, to be informed. It makes working together to complete your project in an adequate and timely manner that much easier. Knowing the regulations regarding permits in the city of Springfield is the first step in giving you more than satisfactory results from Andy and his team.