Bolthole Index

Labette County, Kansas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Howard Township, Kansas

Howard Township in Labette County, Kansas has no township office of its own in our review: unincorporated land follows Labette County zoning, where a zoning permit and occupancy certificate apply to uses that need a permit1. Septic permits come from the Labette County Health Department under the county Sanitation Code2. A separate building permit and adopted building code were not confirmed; ask the Zoning Administrator.

At a glance

Zoning
Labette County zoning applies to unincorporated land3
Zoning permit
Required for uses that need one; permitted A-1 uses need none ($250 fee)14
Building permit / code
Not confirmed; ask the county Zoning Administrator5
Septic
Labette County Health Department; $100 permit6
Wells
County Environmental Health permits water wells ($50 water supply fee)7
Manufactured homes
Allowed as dwellings in A-1 parcels8
Maximum building height (A-1)
60 feet9
Property tax (county-level)
1.6% effective rate10

Who to call

Zoning

Labette County Planning & Zoning

Zoning permits, occupancy certificates, variances, appeals and conditional uses for unincorporated land, including Howard Township

620-795-2548 ext. 336

mhass@labettecounty.com

501 Merchant St Oswego, KS 67356

Septic permits

Labette County Environmental Health Department

Wastewater-system permits, site review and construction inspections

620-820-3267

Floodplain permits

Labette County Flood Plain Administrator

Parcel-specific floodplain questions and local floodplain administration

620-820-3267

cmorse@labettecounty.com

1712 Corning Ave Parsons, KS 67357

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Howard Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does Howard Township, Kansas have zoning?

Yes, through Labette County. Zoning regulations take in the unincorporated areas of Labette County, which is the land in Howard Township3. The county's Parsons-area exception covers land in Labette, Liberty, North and Walton townships, and Howard Township is not among them11.

On a parcel in the A-1 Agricultural District, a manufactured home counts as a dwelling and appears to be allowed, because A-1 permits all existing and new uses except the listed conditional uses8. Buildings in A-1 can be up to 60 feet tall9. Minimum lot area and setbacks are not fixed numbers in A-1; the county sets them with the applicant, with septic rules in mind1213.

We could not confirm which district a given parcel sits in, or the rules for RVs, camping or accessory dwellings. Ask the Zoning Administrator14, who can point to the county's published zoning district map15.

Do you need a building permit in Howard Township, and who issues it?

The county pages we reviewed describe zoning permits and occupancy certificates, not a separate building permit5. We could not confirm whether Labette County or Howard Township adopts a residential building code or requires building inspections, so ask before you pour a foundation.

The zoning rules work like this. Every zoning permit application is treated as an application for an occupancy certificate1. Permitted uses in the A-1 district are stated to need no zoning permit, so no occupancy certificate is stated for them1. The zoning permit fee is $2504. Once a permit is issued, the county issues the certificate within 10 days after the premises are ready, and a temporary certificate can run up to 6 months16.

Agricultural uses are exempt as provided by state statutes17. Contact14 to learn whether your project needs a permit.

How do septic permits work in Howard Township?

Septic permits for land in Howard Township come from the Labette County Health Department, under the Labette County Sanitation Code2. The septic system permit fee is $1006. The county's checklist says to notify the Sanitation Officer before construction starts and again before lines are covered18.

A sewage system inspection at resale costs $25019. Water wells are permitted by the same Environmental Health department, with a $50 water supply permit fee7.

Expect a site evaluation. USDA rates none of the soils in Labette County as "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so plan for an engineered system and budget accordingly20. Kansas does not allow seepage pits, cesspools or dry wells, and no private system may discharge to the surface21. Whether composting or other non-septic systems are accepted was not confirmed; ask the Sanitation Officer18.

Building a home in Howard Township: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Labette County Zoning Administrator to confirm your parcel's zoning district and whether your project needs a zoning permit14.
  2. Ask the same office whether any building code or building permit applies; we could not confirm one5.
  3. Apply for a septic permit at the Labette County Health Department, with the $100 fee6. Ask about a well permit at the same time7.
  4. Confirm road frontage: direct access to an opened public road is part of occupancy-certificate review22. Driveway permit rules were not confirmed.
  5. If a zoning permit applies, pay the $250 fee4.
  6. Notify the Sanitation Officer before construction and before lines are covered18.
  7. Request the occupancy certificate once the work is complete16.

What stays with Labette County, and what to check before you buy

Howard Township has no office of its own in our review. The county handles zoning, septic and well permits, and floodplain questions141823. For parcel-specific floodplain questions, call the Flood Plain Administrator23. Our review did not establish the floodplain permit rule24.

County-level figures: farmland averages about $2,412 per acre25, the effective property tax rate is 1.6%10, and the median property tax bill is $1,499 per year26. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 79 miles away27.

For Labette County land outside Howard Township, see the Labette County page.

Watch-outs

  • Searches for "Howard" often return another place's code; land in Howard Township is governed by Labette County zoning, so confirm anything you read with the county's Zoning Administrator14.
  • We could not confirm a residential building code, building permit or building inspection requirement for Howard Township; ask the Labette County Zoning Administrator before you build14.
  • Setbacks and minimum lot size in A-1 are set with the applicant rather than fixed numbers, so get the county's answer for your parcel in writing13.
  • Rules for RVs, camping, accessory dwellings and short-term rentals were not confirmed; ask the Zoning Administrator14.

Sources

  1. Labette County zoning fee schedule (Resolution 2025-43-L) (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Environmental Health - Labette County, Kansas (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  4. Labette County zoning fee schedule (Resolution 2025-43-L) (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Planning & Zoning - Labette County, Kansas (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Labette County Environmental Department schedule of fees, waste water system/water supply (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Environmental Health - Labette County, Kansas (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Zoning Regulations of Labette County, Kansas (final, 7-12-24) (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Zoning Regulations of Labette County, Kansas (final, 7-12-24) (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  11. Planning & Zoning (2026 county census)
  12. Zoning Regulations of Labette County, Kansas (final, 7-12-24) (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Zoning Regulations of Labette County, Kansas (final, 7-12-24) (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Labette County Planning & Zoning (labettecounty.com)
  15. Planning & Zoning - Labette County, Kansas (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Labette County Zoning Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  17. Planning & Zoning - Labette County, Kansas (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Labette County Environmental Health Department (labettecounty.com)
  19. Environmental Health - Labette County, Kansas (Howard Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  21. MF2214 Minimum Standards for Design and Construction of Onsite Wastewater Systems (Kansas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Labette County Zoning Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  23. Labette County Flood Plain Administrator (labettecounty.com)
  24. Labette County Zoning Regulations Final 7-12-24, quoted and re-checked
  25. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
  26. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Howard Township

Rules another office applies inside Howard Township

Howard Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Uses in unincorporated Howard township that require a zoning permit under the Labette County zoning regulations

    • Every zoning permit application is deemed an application for an occupancy certificate.
    • Permitted uses in the A-1 district are stated to need no zoning permit, so no occupancy certificate is stated for them.
    • This is a county zoning certificate, not a building-code certificate of occupancy.
    “zoning permit: every application for a zoning permit shall be deemed to be an application for an occupancy certificate.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning district map for unincorporated Labette County, including Howard township

    • The county page links the official zoning district map as a PDF.
    • The map itself was not opened, so Howard township parcels' district assignment is not confirmed.
    “related documents zoning district map (pdf / 3,100 kb) zoning fee schedule (pdf / 184 kb)”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Lots in the A-1 Agricultural District in unincorporated Howard township

    • No numeric minimum lot area is stated for the A-1 district; lot area, width and depth are set on review with the applicant to meet the county sanitation code and the regulations' purposes.
    • The A-2 Agricultural Transition District and other districts were not verified for Howard township parcels.
    “1. minimum lot area: a. lot area, width and depth shall be reviewed with the applicant to determine adequate area and dimensions to facilitate the proposed development, meet minimum requirements of the county sanitation code and purposes of these regulations.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Front, side and rear setbacks in the A-1 Agricultural District in unincorporated Howard township

    • No numeric setback distance is stated for the A-1 district; setback areas are set on review with the applicant.
    • The A-2 district and the Parsons-area village rules were not applied to Howard township.
    “2. setback area requirements: a. front, side and rear setback areas shall be reviewed with the applicant to determine dimensions to facilitate the proposed development and meet purposes of these regulations.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in the A-1 Agricultural District in unincorporated Howard township

    • The 150-foot limit applies to other structures, not buildings.
    • Conditional uses in the A-1 district may have separate limits.

    maximum structure height, buildings: <= 60 feet (150 feet for other structures)

    “d. bulk regulations 1. maximum structure height: 60 feet for buildings; 150 feet for other structures.”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

    Manufactured home used as a dwelling on private land in unincorporated Howard township, if the parcel is in the A-1 Agricultural District

    • The regulations define dwelling to include a residential-design manufactured home or a manufactured/mobile home.
    • Relies on the A-1 provision that all existing and new uses are not regulated and are permitted, except listed conditional uses.
    • The parcel's zoning district was not checked against the official zoning district map.
    • Septic and sanitation rules still apply.
    “dwelling a building, or portion thereof, which is designed or used for residential occupancy including a modular home, an earth-sheltered dwelling, a residential-design manufactured home or a manufactured/mobile home.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Onsite wastewater (septic) systems on land inside Howard township, Labette County, KS

    • Administered under the Labette County Sanitation Code, adopted October 13, 1994 and revised June 30, 2010.
    • The state rules that may also apply were not checked.
    “the labette county sanitation code was adopted on october 13, 1994 by the board of county commissioners and revised by the board on june 30, 2010.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installing a septic system on land inside Howard township, Labette County, KS

    • Fees are payable to the Labette County Health Dept, P.O. Box 786, Parsons, KS 67357.
    • Permit conditions and the process were not extracted from the Sanitation Code.

    septic system permit fee: 100 USD

    “the following fees are currently in effect for licenses, inspections, and permits: type of license/permit fee permit, septic system $100.00”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    Septic and wastewater systems on land inside Howard township, Labette County, KS

    • The sanitation officer oversees inspections of wastewater systems; the fee schedule lists a sewage system inspection fee for resale.
    • When new-installation inspections are required was not verified in the Sanitation Code.

    sewage system inspection (resale) fee: 250 USD

    “sewage system inspection (resale) $250.00”
  • Well permitRequired

    Water wells on land inside Howard township, Labette County, KS

    • The Environmental Health department provides permits for water wells; the well permit conditions were not extracted.

    water supply permit fee: 50 USD

    “provide consultation and permits for water wells and sewage disposal”
  • Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Agricultural uses on land in unincorporated Howard township

    • The exemption is applied as provided by Kansas statutes; the statutes were not opened.
    • Other land-use rules still apply to non-agricultural uses.
    “agricultural uses are exempt as provided by state statutes.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Wastewater, water supply and sanitation permits and fees in Labette County, including Howard township

    • Fees are payable to the Labette County Health Dept, P.O. Box 786, Parsons, KS 67357.
    • Unpaid fees after ninety (90) days are reported to the county property tax department for collection.
    • The schedule states no effective date.

    septic system permit fee: 100 USD · water supply permit fee: 50 USD · subdivision plan review fee: 500 USD · sewage system inspection (resale) fee: 250 USD

    “all fees are to be paid to: labette county health dept po box 786 parsons ks 67357 unpaid fees after ninety (90) days will be reported to the labette county property tax department for collection.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Permit processPartial

    Zoning permit and occupancy certificate process for unincorporated Howard township; building and septic processes only partly documented

    • Zoning permits and occupancy certificates are required under county zoning, per the Planning & Zoning page.
    • Permitted A-1 uses are stated to need no zoning permit.
    • Septic and water permits are handled by Environmental Health; the step-by-step process was not extracted.
    “labette county zoning regulations require zoning permits and occupancy certificates.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Howard Township or Labette County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits for residential construction inside Howard township, Labette County, KS
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Howard township, Labette County, KS
  • Building code adopted — Residential construction inside Howard township, Labette County, KS
  • Inspections — Building inspections for residential construction inside Howard township, Labette County, KS
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the A-1 district in unincorporated Howard township
8 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Camping on your land
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Howard Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Labette County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Labette County: county rules, score and offices