Clark County, Arkansas Building Permit Guide

Clark County government issues no building permits and has no building inspector for unincorporated land. What it does regulate is building in mapped flood hazard areas, under its 2011 flood damage prevention ordinance, and it assigns 911 addresses for new construction through the Office of Emergency Management. Inside Arkadelphia, the city’s Building Department permits all construction and repair work; a house there costs $0.08 per square foot plus a $10 application fee.

Who handles building permits in Clark County?

County offices are at 401 Clay Street in Arkadelphia, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. The County Judge’s office on the second floor ((870) 246-5847) runs the county road system and carries out the ordinances of the 11-member Quorum Court, which meets on the second Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the court complex at 412 Crittenden Street. No building permit, building code or zoning item appears in the Quorum Court’s minutes and ordinances posted for 2024 through October 2026.

Arkadelphia building permit fees

Arkadelphia’s Building Department page points to Chapter 11.04 of the city’s General Ordinances for permit fees. Every permit carries a $10 application fee on top of the permit fee.

Example: a 2,000-square-foot house is 2,000 × $0.08 = $160, plus the $10 application fee, for $170. A permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days. The city’s Board of Directors held a workshop on Building Department fees and services on March 3, 2026; no fee ordinance appears on its agendas through October 20, 2026. Clark County itself charges no building permit fee.

Flood rules, addresses and septic systems

Flood damage prevention: the Quorum Court passed Ordinance 2011-05 on October 10, 2011, with an emergency clause. It covers all special flood hazard areas in the county’s jurisdiction and adopts the “Flood Damage Prevention Code for Clark County, Arkansas,” dated October 10, 2011, a copy of which is kept in the County Clerk’s Office. Constructing, locating, substantially altering or changing the use of a structure or land must comply, and the Floodplain Administrator can issue cease-and-desist orders and citations. Violations are misdemeanors, punishable by fines of up to $500 a day for each violation plus court costs. FEMA lists the county as a participating flood insurance community with a current map dated February 2, 2012. Amity, Arkadelphia, Caddo Valley and Gurdon also participate, Gum Springs is in the not-participating section, and Okolona and Whelen Springs are not listed.

911 addresses: the Office of Emergency Management, 406 5th Street, Arkadelphia ((870) 246-0013), assigns addresses for new construction in the county. Email the director, through the address on the OEM page, with the structure type and GPS coordinates.

County roads: the Road and Sanitation Department is at 1501 Highway 67 South ((870) 246-7602), open 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Septic systems: the Arkansas Department of Health’s environmental specialists review permit applications for onsite wastewater systems under 1,500 gallons per day.

Planning a build in Clark County

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

Clark County permit FAQs

Does Clark County issue building permits?

No. The county has no building permit office, though its 2011 flood ordinance governs building in mapped flood hazard areas. Arkadelphia permits construction inside the city.

How much is a building permit in Arkadelphia?

For a house, $0.08 per square foot plus the $10 application fee; a 2,000-square-foot house comes to $170. Commercial work is $2 per $1,000 of valuation plus $10.

Who do I call for an Arkadelphia permit?

The Building Department at 700 Clay Street, 870-246-1818.

How do I get a 911 address for a new house in the county?

Email the Office of Emergency Management with the structure type and GPS coordinates, or call (870) 246-0013.

What is the penalty for starting work in Arkadelphia without a permit?

$100 or 100% of the usual permit fee, whichever is greater, on top of the permit fees.

Is Clark County in the flood insurance program?

Yes. FEMA lists the county as participating; Gum Springs is the one town in the not-participating section.

Official Clark County permit resources

• Clark County Office of Emergency Management (911 addresses)
• Clark County Judge’s Office
• Clark County Road and Sanitation Department
• Clark County: Cities and Incorporated Towns
• Clark County Ordinance 2011-05, flood damage prevention program (PDF)
• City of Arkadelphia Building Department
• Arkadelphia General Ordinances: Building Department permit fees (PDF)
• Arkadelphia permit checklists (PDF)
• Arkadelphia Floodplains page (floodplain development permit)
• Arkansas Department of Health: Onsite Wastewater
• FEMA Community Status Book: Arkansas

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