Centerton, Arkansas Building Permit Guide

In Centerton, the City’s Department of Building Safety reviews plans and issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, pool, solar and demolition permits for property inside city limits (479-795-2750). A house valued at $200,000 pays a $760 building permit under Title 11, plus a trade fee set by square footage and a $4,023 impact fee that must be paid before the permit is released.

What needs a permit in Centerton?

Title 11 of the Centerton Municipal Code requires a City permit before anyone builds, places, remodels or repairs a house and its outbuildings, a multifamily building or any business, commercial, manufacturing or storage building inside the city, and for any other work the adopted codes put under permit.

No building permit issues for a lot until the City has approved a final plat, it is recorded with Benton County and the Fire Chief has assigned a 911 address.

Who issues building permits in Centerton?

The Department of Building Safety handles permitting, plan review and inspections for construction inside the corporate limits and issues certificates of occupancy. Robert Coffelt is the Building Official. Fire inspections are separate: the Fire Marshal, Fire Chief or a designee carries them out.

According to the Mayor’s State of the City report to the council in March 2026, the City issued 2,970 permits and completed 11,822 inspections in 2025.

Centerton permit applications

Title 11 requires applications in digital form, emailed or delivered on a USB thumb drive (discs are not accepted), with building plans and a site plan. The department posts separate 2026 forms for each permit type:

• Residential Building Permit packet (revised January 6, 2026), with the builder checklist and the electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractor page.
• Commercial Building Permit application, plus commercial electrical, mechanical-HVAC and plumbing permits.
• Residential electrical, mechanical, plumbing and solar permit applications.
• Swimming pool, storm shelter and demolition permits.

The residential packet asks for the builder’s licence number, general liability and workers’ compensation, and the master licensee for each trade. It also states the department’s own rules: OSB is the only sheathing allowed without engineered plans, and retaining walls and crawl spaces need an engineer’s design.

Centerton permit fees

Section 11.20.03 of the Municipal Code sets the fees. Building Safety values a structure with the ICC Building Valuation Data table, which is updated every six months, and applies the “Building Permit Fee Schedule 2019” restated by Ordinance 2023-47:

The bands do not join up at $50,000 (the first band would reach $295 there, the second starts at $260), so work out a fee inside one band. A house valued at $200,000, for example, pays $460 plus 100 × $3, or $760.

New homes also pay electrical, mechanical and plumbing fees with the building permit, collected from the general contractor before the permit is released:

Impact fees. Title 16, Chapter 16.16 charges impact fees for police, fire, parks and roads. They are worked out at application and paid before the building permit is issued: $4,023 per single-family home ($232 police, $751 fire, $2,110 parks, $930 roads) and $2,135 per multifamily unit. Per 1,000 sq ft, retail pays $4,881, institutional $4,072, office $1,954 and industrial $865.

So a 2,000 sq ft house valued at $200,000 would owe $760 for the building permit, $345 in trade fees and $4,023 in impact fees, or $5,128, before grading and utility charges. Permit fees are not refunded once collected.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Centerton

Building Safety issues the trade permits too. On a new house the general contractor pays all three trade fees with the building permit, but each trade must name its master licensee and licence number on the application. A backflow preventer or RPZ needs its own plumbing permit, pulled by a licensed plumber, and replacing a trade contractor means a new permit for the new firm and a $50 fee.

Title 11 adds local rules for the trades. Electrical work follows the National Electrical Code; the City’s code book now names the 2026 edition (Ordinance 2026-36, on the October 13, 2026 council agenda), while the Building Safety web page and the January 2026 packet still list the 2020 NEC. Centerton bans 10-ampere branch circuits in all homes and requires at least 14 AWG copper (12 AWG aluminum) for fixed branch-circuit wiring. Potable water piping, PEX included, may not run in attics or other spaces exposed to freezing unless it is part of an approved sprinkler system. Dryer vents must exit above the slab, never through PVC or under the slab. Carbon monoxide detectors must be hard-wired on every floor.

What to submit

The application asks for heated, unheated and basement square footage, the subdivision minimum, setbacks and the minimum finished floor elevation from the plat. If the lot is in a floodplain, the Flood Manager must approve it before the permit is reviewed. Footings may not reach into the setbacks.

How to get a Centerton building permit: 6 steps

Centerton inspections

All inspection requests go through the BSA Online portal, using the access details Building Safety provides; the permit clerk can resend them. Violations found in the field are noted in BSA and emailed to the people listed on the permit. Title 11 asks for 24 hours’ notice, or 48 hours when construction is heavy, and lists these inspections:

• Foundation, once trenches are dug, forms are up and steel is placed. Rebar is required in every foundation, even where an engineer’s design omits it.
• Slab, after under-slab plumbing passes, with wire mesh and vapor barrier in place and lapped at least 6 inches.
• Framing, when framing, electrical rough-in, plumbing top-out and the heating and air system are complete, before insulation.
• Yard lines for water, sewer, gas and electric before trenches are backfilled.
• Final, before occupancy. The building may not be used until the occupancy permit is issued.

A 911 address sign must be posted before permanent electric service is approved. The department warns that its plan review may not catch every code issue, and passing plan review does not excuse work that fails in the field.

Local rules that matter in Centerton

Floodplain: Title 16 names the Mayor or a designee as Floodplain Administrator. A floodplain development permit is needed for any development in a Special Flood Hazard Area, for new development that drains stormwater straight into one, and for new development within 100 feet of one. In AE zones a new home’s lowest floor must be at least 3 feet above the base flood elevation, documented on an elevation certificate. Nonresidential buildings are elevated 3 feet or floodproofed up to 4 feet above it. Centerton takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program and in FEMA’s Community Rating System at class 7.

Accessory structures: the department’s FAQ says permanent accessory buildings may not stand in front of the house or in side yards and must stay at least 7 feet from the rear property line and off easements and Master Street Plan right-of-way.

Where City permits apply: Title 11 building permits cover land inside the Centerton city limits; land outside them is not under City permitting.

Other City rules: outdoor lighting must meet Chapter 15.12, and Centerton Utilities publishes its own backflow, RPZ and yard hydrant installation requirements.

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

Centerton permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Centerton?

The City’s Department of Building Safety, reachable at 479-795-2750 and buildingsafety@centertonar.gov. It issues building and trade permits and certificates of occupancy inside city limits.

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

The building permit for a house valued at $200,000 is $760. A 2,000 sq ft house adds $345 in trade fees and the $4,023 impact fee, for $5,128 in total.

Do I need a permit for a covered patio or a shed?

Yes. The department’s FAQ lists covered patios, pavilions, garages and storage or shop buildings as projects that need a permit application.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Through the BSA Online portal, at least 24 hours ahead, or 48 hours when construction is heavy.

How long is a Centerton permit good for?

180 days from issue. A renewal or extension costs $50.

What if my lot is in a floodplain?

Contact the Flood Manager first; the permit will not be reviewed until the floodplain approval is in place, and in an AE zone a new house’s lowest floor must be at least 3 feet above the base flood elevation.

Official Centerton permit resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Centerton Department of Building Safety
• Centerton residential building permit packet (January 2026)
• Centerton commercial building permit application (2026)
• Building Safety frequently asked questions (2025)
• Centerton Municipal Code Title 11, Buildings and Construction
• Centerton Municipal Code Title 16, Drainage, Flood and Impact Fees
• Centerton flood information and floodplain permit forms
• Centerton Municipal Code Book

Simplify Centerton 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 Centerton permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.