Batesville’s Code Enforcement department (870-698-2456) issues building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits inside the city limits. A new house costs $15 plus $0.15 per square foot under roof, its electrical and plumbing permits are $50 each, and permits must be in hand before work begins or the fees double.
Who issues building permits in Batesville?
Code Enforcement handles building permits, permit applications, zoning and subdivision applications and code enforcement for the City. Chad McClure is the department head. The City does not require a business or occupation licence, but it suggests calling Code Enforcement about permits and zoning before opening a new business, and the office will send a letter confirming that no licence is needed.
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Code Enforcement | Batesville Municipal Building, 500 E. Main Street, Batesville, AR 72501 |
| Phone | 870-698-2456, or City Hall 870-698-2400 ext. 131 or 132 |
| Monthly permit reports | City Documents, Monthly Permits, sorted by year and month |
Batesville permit types
The City’s fee schedule and forms cover these permits:
Residential
- New construction
- Remodels, additions and garages
- Storage buildings
- Electrical, plumbing and HVAC, including HVAC replacements
- Swimming pools and demolition
Commercial and other
- New commercial, institutional and other non-residential buildings
- Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and kitchen vent hood work
- Signs
- Zoning applications: conditional use, rezoning, variance, temporary use
- Lot splits and subdivision plats
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Sign permits are applied for online through the City’s sign application form; the other applications are PDF forms on the Code Enforcement page.
Batesville permit fees
The City’s Building and Inspection Fees schedule, adopted by City Council Resolution 2006-01-01 in January 2006, sets these amounts; sign fees come from the Municipal Code:
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| New house: building permit | $15 plus $0.15 per sq ft under roof |
| Residential electrical or plumbing | $15 plus a $35 inspection fee |
| Residential HVAC | $15 per unit plus a $35 inspection fee |
| Residential add-on or remodel | $15 plus $2 per $1,000 of construction cost, $50 minimum |
| Certificate of completion (house) | $25 |
| Commercial building | $15 plus $2.50 per $1,000 of job cost, including $0.50 for the State |
| Commercial electrical, plumbing, HVAC or vent hood | $15 plus $1 per $1,000 of job cost plus a $35 inspection fee |
| Commercial plan review | $50 for $100,000–$499,999.99; $100 for $500,000–$999,999.99; $150 for $1 million or more |
| Commercial certificate of occupancy | $50 |
| Demolition | $35 residential; $50 non-residential |
| Swimming pool | $35 plus $2.50 per $1,000 ($40 minimum) residential; $50 plus $2.50 per $1,000 ($100 minimum) other |
| Sign (Municipal Code 14.14.22) | The greater of $25 or $5 per $1,000 of the first $5,000 of sign cost plus $1 per $1,000 above that; plus $25 per inspection |
| Extra inspection trips | $35 each |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →For example, a new 2,000 sq ft house (under roof) with one HVAC unit pays $315 for the building permit, $50 each for the electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits and $25 for the certificate of completion, a total of $490. On a house the minimum total for any trade permit is $50, and all fees double if work starts before the permit is issued.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Batesville
Each trade has its own permit, and the residential application lists the general, electrical, HVAC and plumbing contractors with their licence numbers. On commercial jobs the trade permits are charged by job cost as part of the larger permitted project. Replacing an HVAC system on its own costs $15 plus the $35 inspection fee.
Utility connections depend on the inspections: the residential application notes that inspection green tags are needed before Entergy will turn on electric service and before CenterPoint will turn on gas.
What to submit in Batesville
Residential application
- Job type: new construction, remodel, garage, addition or storage
- For new construction, a site plan showing the floor plan, square footage, utilities and building setback lines
- Subdivision, block and lot, if any
- Total square feet and total estimated value
- Contractors and licence numbers
Commercial application
- Owner, architect or engineer and contractor, with licence number and expiration
- Zoning district, flood plain status and number of parking spaces
- Construction type and whether there is a sprinkler system
- Site plan and construction drawings
- Estimated project value
The residential form is emailed to the Code Enforcement addresses printed on it. A commercial application is reviewed by Code Enforcement, the Water & Sewer Department, the Fire Department, Engineering and, where it applies, the Historic District Commission.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a Batesville building permit
Use the City zoning map, the use-by-zone matrix and the FEMA floodplain map posted on the Code Enforcement page.
Use the residential or commercial building permit application and attach the site plan or drawings.
Email the residential form to the addresses printed on it, or take the application to Code Enforcement in the Municipal Building.
Pay the building and trade permit fees; starting early doubles them.
Phone 698-2400 or 698-2456 to request each inspection; commercial jobs give at least 24 hours’ notice and keep the permit posted.
Request the certificate of completion or occupancy before anyone uses the building.
Batesville inspections
Inspections are requested by phone at 870-698-2400 or 870-698-2456; the commercial permit form asks for the call at least 24 hours in advance and for the permit to be displayed on the job site at all times. Inspection fees are built into each trade permit, and any additional trip an inspector has to make is billed at $35.
A Certificate of Occupancy must be requested and issued before a commercial building is occupied, and a house gets a $25 certificate of completion. A commercial permit becomes void if work does not begin within 180 days of issue, or if work stops for 180 days before the final inspection.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Local details that matter in Batesville
Floodplain: Title 17 of the Batesville Municipal Code makes the Mayor, or the Mayor’s designee, the floodplain administrator and requires a Floodplain Development Permit for any development in a Special Flood Hazard Area. New homes in AE zones need the top of the lowest floor at least 2 ft above the base flood elevation, recorded on an elevation certificate by an Arkansas-licensed engineer, surveyor or architect. Non-residential buildings are elevated 2 ft or floodproofed, and basements are prohibited in flood hazard areas. Batesville participates in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.
Codes and exit signs: Ordinance 2023-07-03, passed on July 25, 2023, adopts the 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, the 2023 National Electrical Code, the 2018 Arkansas Plumbing and Fuel Gas Codes and the 2021 Arkansas Mechanical Code, with any later editions. It also requires floor-level exit signs in every occupancy except single-family homes, mounted 10 to 12 inches above the floor and, on a wall, within 4 inches of the door frame on the latch side. The “City Building and Construction Codes” PDF on the Code Enforcement page is still the older 2015 ordinance that it replaced.
Subdivisions and planning: the subdivision regulations (Title 15, revised July 2025) apply to land within the city limits. The comprehensive plan map was updated on December 16, 2025, alongside a 2025 master street plan.
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
Frequently asked questions about Batesville permits
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Batesville?
The City’s Code Enforcement department in the Municipal Building, 500 E. Main Street; call 870-698-2456.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Batesville?
$15 plus $0.15 per square foot under roof. A 2,000 sq ft house pays $315 for the building permit, plus $50 each for the electrical and plumbing permits, $15 per HVAC unit plus a $35 inspection fee, and $25 for the certificate of completion.
How much is a remodel permit?
$15 plus $2 per $1,000 of construction cost, with a $50 minimum.
How do I book an inspection?
Call 870-698-2400 or 870-698-2456. The commercial permit form asks for at least 24 hours’ notice.
Does Batesville require a business licence?
No. The City does not require a business or occupation licence, but it advises checking permit and zoning rules with Code Enforcement before opening.
What happens if I build without a permit?
All of the permit fees are doubled.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Official Batesville permit resources
- Batesville Code Enforcement
- Batesville Building and Inspection Fees
- Batesville residential building permit application
- Batesville commercial building permit application
- Batesville Municipal Code Title 17, flood hazard prevention
- Ordinance 2023-07-03, codes adopted by reference
- Batesville Municipal Code Title 14, zoning and sign fees
- Batesville floodplain map
- Batesville Municipal Codes
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More Arkansas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Batesville permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.