Contact Us
Industrial Safety and Health Division
401 SW Topeka Blvd,
Topeka, KS 66603-3182
Phone: 785-296-4386
Email: KDOL.Amusements@ks.gov
FAQs
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Are there specific insurance requirements?
Yes. The State of Kansas has minimum coverage requirements. See What if my business can be classified as more than one business entity type? above.
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Do I need an email address to register a business entity and amusement rides with KDOL?
A valid email address is required. You cannot create an account, register an entity, or permit rides without an email address. Your email address will serve as your User Name when creating your online account with the Kansas Department of Labor, Division of Industrial Safety and Health.
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Register Entity: Step 2-Responsible Individual: What address should I use?
Use a mailing address that can receive correspondence from the Kansas Department of Labor, Division of Industrial Safety and Health. While a vast majority of the correspondence will be sent via email, it is occasionally necessary for KDOL to send correspondence through the mail.
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What are Class A and Class B rides?
Class A = designed for use primarily for individuals age 12 or less
Class B = any ride that is not Class A
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What are the Business/Entity types?
Antique: Businesses that own and operate only antique amusement rides. Amusement rides manufactured prior to January 1, 1930 are considered antique.
Limited Use: Allows only for nonprofit, community-based organizations that operate an amusement ride less than 20 days, or 160 hours, in a year and are in one location per year.
Registered Agritourism: Business operates only Registered Agritourism activity rides. Business/Entity must be registered with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.
Governmental Agency: Classification allows only governmental agencies or municipalities.
Not For Profit: Only for businesses or organizations legally structured as a not for profit entity (NFP) and taxed accordingly.
For Profit: Business is operated for the purpose of making a profit.
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What if my business can be classified as more than one business entity type?
Pick the business entity type that best fits your business. The following cost and insurance requirement schedule may help you determine which option to choose.
Supporting documentation may be required. For example, your business entity may qualify as both a Limited Use and Governmental. The business entity registration fee is the same. However, limited use will pay a higher per ride fee, but requires lower insurance coverage.
Antique:
- $50 Entity registration fee;
- $50 Permit fee per ride for permanent or temporary ride locations;
AND - Proof of insurance with minimum coverage of $750,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 annual aggregate.
Limited Use:
- $50 Entity registration fee;
- $50 Permit fee per ride for permanent or temporary ride locations;
AND - Proof of insurance with minimum coverages of $750,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 annual aggregate.
Registered Agritourism:
- $50 Entity registration fee;
- $50 Permit fee per ride for permanent or temporary ride locations;
AND - Proof of insurance with minimum coverages of $750,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 annual aggregate.
Governmental Agency:
- $50 Entity registration fee;
- $10 Permit fee per ride for permanent or temporary ride locations;
AND - Proof of insurance with minimum coverages of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate.
- (Per K.S.A. 40-4802, “this requirement shall be satisfied if the owner of such amusement ride is the state or any subdivision of the state and such owner selfinsures, or participates in a public self-insurance pool in accordance with K.S.A. 75-6111.” (Documentation of self-insurance must be provided at the time of registration.)
Not For Profit:
- $50 Entity registration fee;
- $10 Permit fee per ride for permanent or temporary ride locations;
AND - Proof of insurance with minimum coverages of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate.
For Profit:
- $500 Entity registration fee for operation at a permanent location; and
- $100 Permit fee for each permanent Class B ride;
- $75 Permit fee for each permanent Class A ride.
OR - $250 Entity registration fee for operation in temporary locations; if you operate at temporary locations; and
- $30 Permit fee per ride, for either Class A or Class B rides;
AND - Proof of insurance with minimum coverages of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate.
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What if there is not a serial number on my amusement ride?
If the amusement ride does not have manufacturer’s serial number, you are required to create a serial number that is unique and not duplicated with other amusement rides within your organization. The serial number must be permanently affixed or attached to the ride.
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What is a Qualified Inspector?
This is the individual who inspected your ride(s). A qualified inspector must meet the requirements of KSA 44-1601(n). See the KDOL website for more information regarding qualified inspectors.
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What is an Amusement Ride?
Per Kansas Statute, an amusement ride is defined as:
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- "Amusement ride" means any mechanical or electrical device that carries or conveys passengers along, around or over a fixed or restricted route or course or within a defined area for the purpose of giving its passengers amusement, pleasure, thrills or excitement, including, but not be limited to:
- Rides commonly known as Ferris wheels, carousels, parachute towers, bungee jumping, reverse bungee jumping, tunnels of love, roller coasters, boat rides, water slides, inflatable devices, commercial zip lines, trampoline courts and go-karts;
- Equipment generally associated with winter activities, such as ski lifts, ski tows, J-bars, T-bars, chair lifts and aerial tramways; and
- Equipment not originally designed to be used as an amusement ride, such as cranes or other lifting devices, when used as part of an amusement ride.
- "Amusement ride" does not include:
- Games, concessions and associated structures;
- Any single passenger coin-operated ride that: (i) Is manually, mechanically or electrically operated; (ii) is customarily placed in a public location; and (iii) does not normally require the supervision or services of an operator;
- Nonmechanized playground equipment, including, but not limited to, swings, seesaws, stationary spring-mounted animal features, rider-propelled merry-gorounds, climbers, slides and physical fitness devices;
- Antique amusement rides;
- Limited-use amusement rides;
- Registered agritourism activities;
- Any ride commonly known as a hayrack ride in which patrons sit in a wagon or cart that is then pulled by horses or a tractor or other motor vehicle;
- Any ride commonly known as a barrel train, which has a series of handmade cars fashioned from barrels that are connected and pulled by a tractor or other motor vehicle; or
- Any amusement ride owned by an individual and operated solely within a single county for strictly private use.
- "Amusement ride" means any mechanical or electrical device that carries or conveys passengers along, around or over a fixed or restricted route or course or within a defined area for the purpose of giving its passengers amusement, pleasure, thrills or excitement, including, but not be limited to:
If you have further questions, submit your question with a photo, if possible, and a detailed description to KDOL.Amusements@ks.gov
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What is an ASTM report/certification?
An ASTM report /certification typically provided by your inspector that certifies that the ride meets ASTM standards.
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What is an ASTM signer?
This is the person who signed the certification that states that the amusement ride meets ASTM standards. Most of the time this is the same person who inspected the ride.
Amusement Ride Services
To legally operate an amusement ride, an Amusement Ride Permit is required and must be renewed every year.
- Amusement Ride Daily Inspection Checklist
- Amusement Ride Injury Report
- ASTM International F24 Committee Standards - Model Certification
- Report of Alleged Violation of the Kansas Amusement Ride Act
- ASTM International
- Kansas Fairs and Festivals Association
- Safe Inflatable Operators Training Organization (SIOTO)
As defined in K.S.A. 44-1601 et seq., an amusement ride is any mechanical or electrical device that carries or conveys passengers along, around or over a fixed or restricted route or course or within a defined area for the purpose of giving its passengers amusement, pleasure, thrills or excitement including:
- Ferris Wheels;
- Water slides that are at least 35 feet in height and that use water to propel the patron through the ride;
- Carousels;
- Inflatable Devices;
- Parachute Towers;
- Trampoline Courts;
- Bungee Jumping;
- Go-Karts;
- Reverse Bungee Jumping;
- Equipment generally associated with winter activities, such as ski lifts, ski tows, j-bars, t-bars, chair lifts and aerial tramways; and
- Commercial Zip Line;
- Equipment not originally designed to be used as an amusement ride, such as cranes or other lifting devices, when used as part of an amusement ride.
- Tunnels of Love;
- Roller Coasters;
- Boat Rides;
The term amusement ride does not mean:
- Games, concessions and associated structures;
- Any single passenger coin-operated ride that: (i) Is manually, mechanically or electrically operated; (ii) is customarily placed in a public location; and (iii) does not normally require the supervision or services of an operator;
- Non-mechanized playground equipment, including, but not limited to, swings, seesaws, stationary spring-mounted animal features, rider-propelled merry-go-rounds, climbers, slides and physical fitness devices;
- Antique amusement rides;
- Limited-use amusement rides;
- Registered agri-tourism activities;
- Any ride commonly known as a hay-rack ride in which patrons sit in a wagon or cart that is then pulled by horses or a tractor or other motor vehicle;
- Any ride commonly known as a barrel train, which has a series of handmade cars fashioned from barrels that are connected and pulled by a tractor or other motor vehicle; or
- A home-owned amusement ride, owned by an individual and operated solely within a single county for strictly private use.
Note: Please be advised that even though antique amusement rides, limited-use amusement rides, and registered agri-tourism activities do not fall under the definition of an amusement ride, all antique amusement rides, limited-use amusement rides, and registered agri-tourism activities that otherwise meet the definition of an amusement ride must permitted by the Kansas Department of Labor before they can be operated in Kansas. Hayrack rides and barrel trains are not required to be permitted by the Kansas Department of Labor.
Current Administrative Regulations for Amusement Rides
Statutes
A qualified amusement ride inspector is a person who:
- Is a licensed professional engineer, as defined in K.S.A. 74-7003, and amendments thereto, and has completed at least two years of experience in the amusement ride field, consisting of at least one year of actual inspection of amusement rides under a qualified inspector for a manufacturer, governmental agency, amusement park, carnival or insurance underwriter, and an additional year of practicing any combination of amusement ride inspection, design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, testing, repair or operation;
- Provides satisfactory evidence of completing a minimum of five years of experience in the amusement ride field, at least two years of which consisted of actual inspection of amusement rides under a qualified inspector for a manufacturer, governmental agency, amusement park, carnival or insurance underwriter, and the remaining experience consisting of any combination of amusement ride inspection, design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, testing, repair or operation;
- Has received qualified training from a third party, such as attainment of level I certification from the National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials (NAARSO), Attainment of Level I Certification from the Amusement Industry Manufacturers and Suppliers International (AIMS), Attainment of a Qualified Inspector Certification from the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), when applicable, or other similar qualification from another nationally recognized organization; or
- For purposes of inspecting inflatable devices that are rented on a regular basis and erected at temporary locations, provides satisfactory evidence of completing a minimum of five years of experience working with inflatable devices and has received qualified training from a third party, such as attainment of an advanced inflatable safety operations certification from the safe inflatable operators training organization or other nationally recognized organization.
Resources
An on-site audit may be conducted throughout the year to verify compliance with the Kansas Amusement Ride Act. The following is required for each ride at the time of the on-site audit:
- The current certification of an inspector’s qualifications to inspect amusement rides;
- The current certificate of inspection for each ride signed by a qualified inspector;
- Daily maintenance and inspection records;
- The amusement ride manufacturer’s operational manual;
- The amusement ride manufacturer’s nondestructive testing recommendations;
- The amusement ride manufacturer’s inspection guidelines;
- Operator training records for each operator trained;
- Report of Itinerary;
- Written certification that the ride meets the applicable ASTM international F24 committee standards;
- Insurance policy in effect at the time of operation of the amusement ride with certain coverage in place required by K.S.A. 40-4802;
- Results of nondestructive testing for each ride
Additionally, the following must be posted at the time of the on-site audit:
- Valid permit and inspection decal affixed to each ride;
- Signage must be posted at the point of admission or ticket sale and at least two other locations in close proximity to the amusement ride explaining a patron’s duty to report injuries;
- All safety instructions for the ride must be posted in plain view on or near the ride in a location where they can be easily read
Note: All amusement ride records shall be grouped according to the ride. Records shall be maintained by the owner for three years and kept at the location of the ride’s operation.