Arkansas County, Arkansas Building Permit Guide

Arkansas County publishes no building code or county building permit for its unincorporated land; the courthouse at 101 Court Square in DeWitt is reached at 870-659-2099. Stuttgart is the one town that publishes its permit rules: its City Code requires a building permit from the City Clerk for any new structure or addition, inspected by the Code Enforcement Department (870-673-8296), and a new house is charged $0.12 per square foot of all floor space.

Who issues building permits in Arkansas County?

Arkansas County’s courthouse is at 101 Court Square, DeWitt, and the Assessor and Collector also keep offices on South College Street in Stuttgart. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 populations are shown in brackets.

Stuttgart: the City Code (Title 11) says no one may build a structure or an addition without first filing a written application and obtaining a building permit from the City Clerk, and the permit must be posted where it can be seen on the site. The builder must call the City’s Code Enforcement Officer at least 24 hours before each inspection. A permit is good for one year, and a written request can extend it once, by no more than another year. Plumbing permits come from the Plumbing Inspector, mechanical work follows the Arkansas Mechanical Code, and plumbing and HVAC firms must hold state licences that are on record with the City’s building inspector. The Code Enforcement Department is at City Hall, 304 South Maple Street. Permits can also be requested through the “Apply for a permit” form on the City’s Services page, which covers residential and commercial building, plumbing, electrical, HVAC-R and solar work and asks for the project location and the property owner’s name.

Stuttgart permit fees

These are the fees written into Title 11 of the City Code posted on Stuttgart’s website; the City Clerk collects them when the application is filed.

For example, a 2,000 sq ft house, counting its garage and porches, has a building permit fee of $240. The electrical fee schedule was removed from the code by Ordinance 1519, and the code does not print a replacement.

Flood zones, septic and other local rules

Flood zones: Arkansas County has been a participating National Flood Insurance Program community since December 1, 1989, and its current flood map is dated March 2, 2009. All six towns participate. Stuttgart adopted a Flood Damage Prevention Code dated March 2, 2009 (Ordinance 1822): building, substantially altering or changing the use of a structure or land in the city requires full compliance with it, and the City’s Floodplain Administrator enforces it.

Homeowner plumbing in Stuttgart: the City Code lets an owner install plumbing in a single-family house only if the owner does the work and lives in the house.

Septic systems: outside the sewer systems, onsite wastewater permits come through the Arkansas Department of Health. The county has two health units, in DeWitt (870-659-2056) and Stuttgart (870-659-2086).

Stuttgart zoning: the City posts its Unified Development Code with the City Code on its website.

Arkansas building code

Arkansas’s building code is the 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, adopted by the State Fire Marshal and in force statewide since 1 January 2023; building permits are issued locally where a city or county runs a permit program, and the plumbing, gas, mechanical, energy and electrical codes are adopted by separate state agencies. The Arkansas codes

Arkansas County permit FAQs

Does Arkansas County issue building permits?

No county building permit or building code is published for unincorporated Arkansas County. A rural home without sewer still needs a septic permit through the Department of Health.

How much is a building permit for a new house in Stuttgart?

$0.12 per square foot of all floor space, including garages and porches, so a 2,000 sq ft house pays $240. Plumbing and mechanical permits are extra.

Where do I get a building permit in Stuttgart?

From the City Clerk at City Hall, 304 South Maple Street (870-673-3535). Code Enforcement (870-673-8296) inspects the work and needs 24 hours’ notice.

How long is a Stuttgart building permit valid?

One year from issue, with one extension of up to a year on written request.

Who permits building in DeWitt?

The published sources do not say; ask DeWitt city hall. The county courthouse in DeWitt (870-659-2099) is a separate, county office.

Is Arkansas County in the flood insurance program?

Yes. The county and Almyra, DeWitt, Gillett, Humphrey, St. Charles and Stuttgart all participate.

Official Arkansas County permit resources

• Arkansas.gov: Arkansas County contacts
• City of Stuttgart departments
• City of Stuttgart services: apply for a permit
• Stuttgart City Code and Unified Development Code
• Stuttgart City Code Title 11: Buildings and Construction
• Stuttgart City Code Title 14: Zoning and flood damage prevention
• Town of St. Charles contacts
• Arkansas Department of Health local health unit directory
• Arkansas Department of Health: Onsite Wastewater
• FEMA Community Status Book: Arkansas

Simplify Arkansas County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Arkansas. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Arkansas County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.