Grant County has no building permit office, but it does run a floodplain permit program: building, additions, repairs, fences, digging, fill or tree removal in a mapped flood hazard area needs a permit from the county’s Floodplain Administrator at Grant County Emergency Management (870-942-3333), and new homes there must sit at least 3 feet above the base flood elevation. Inside Sheridan, every building project needs a city permit from City Hall before work starts.
Who handles building permits in Grant County?
The courthouse is at 101 W. Center in Sheridan ((870) 942-2551), open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. The County Judge, in Room 101, runs the county roads and is named Floodplain Administrator, with power to designate someone else, by the county’s 2017 flood code; the floodplain office itself works out of Grant County Emergency Management, 130 Grant 74, Sheridan. The nine-member Quorum Court meets on the third Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the courthouse. Its ordinances and minutes posted for 2024 through August 2026 contain no building permit, building code or zoning measure.
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Get a free quote →| Place (2025 population) | Who permits building work |
|---|---|
| Sheridan (5,406) | City Hall, 106 W. Bell St.; 870-942-3921. Permit required for all building projects; the code enforcer inspects building, electrical and HVACR work |
| Tull (499), Leola (471), Prattsville (299), Poyen (275) | The published sources do not say whether these towns issue building permits; ask the town hall. Leola, Poyen and Prattsville flood ordinances from 2017 are posted on the county’s floodplain page |
| Unincorporated Grant County | No county building permit; floodplain development permit from the county Floodplain Administrator for work in a mapped flood hazard area |
Sheridan asks for a survey or recorded plat and a site plan with the building’s dimensions, distances to each property line, the driveway, any parking and known easements, plus building plans and, when applicable, contractor licence details. A Mayor’s letter of August 10, 2026 explains that the city checks zoning before it issues the permit and then notifies Code Enforcement for inspections. In the R-1 zone, lots must be at least 7,200 square feet with 25-foot front and 10-foot side and rear setbacks, buildings may cover no more than 33% of the lot, and a house needs two parking spaces, one of them covered.
Floodplain permits in Grant County
FEMA’s flood maps for Grant County and all its cities took effect on July 18, 2017, and FEMA lists the county and all five towns as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program. The county’s Flood Damage Prevention Code of the same date sets these rules in mapped flood hazard areas:
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →- No work of any kind may start until the floodplain development permit is issued, and it is issued only after any other required local, state or federal permits.
- A new home’s lowest floor must be 3 feet or more above the base flood elevation, shown on an elevation certificate by an Arkansas-licensed engineer, surveyor or architect. A commercial building must be elevated or floodproofed to the same height.
- Where the map shows no base flood elevation (Zone A), the applicant must establish one by a method the Floodplain Administrator approves.
- Development in a regulatory floodway is prohibited unless an engineer’s no-rise certificate shows it will not raise flood levels (or the federal map-revision requirements are met first), and manufactured homes may not be placed in a floodway at all.
- A permit expires if work has not started within 6 months, and the building may not be used until the Floodplain Administrator issues a Certificate of Compliance.
Appeals go to the Grant County Intergovernmental Cooperation Council of the County Judge, County Clerk and city mayors. If a property is clearly outside the flood zone, the Floodplain Administrator can issue a determination letter for a lender, and the office keeps copies of elevation certificates filed with past permits.
Roads and culverts: the Road Department, 410 S. Oklahoma St. (870-942-3788, Monday to Thursday, 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), maintains about 455 miles of county road; culverts are bought through the County Judge’s office.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →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 Grant County
Inside Sheridan, apply at City Hall; in Tull, Leola, Prattsville or Poyen, ask the town; elsewhere the lot is county land.
Call 870-942-3333 to find out whether the site is in a mapped flood hazard area, or to get a determination letter if it is not.
In a flood area, file the application signed by every owner, with the elevation certificate, before any digging or fill.
Apply to the Department of Health for a septic permit, and buy any driveway culvert through the Judge’s office.
Ask for the Certificate of Compliance before you move in.
Rather not deal with the Grant County building department?
Get a free quote →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
Grant County permit FAQs
Does Grant County issue building permits?
No building permits, but the county issues floodplain development permits for any building, fill, digging, fences or tree removal in a mapped flood hazard area.
How high must a new house be built in a Grant County flood zone?
The lowest floor must be at least 3 feet above the base flood elevation, documented on an elevation certificate.
Do I need a permit to build in Sheridan?
Yes. Every building project in the city needs a permit from City Hall, 106 W. Bell St. (870-942-3921), before it starts.
What does Sheridan need for a new house permit?
A survey or recorded plat, a site plan showing setbacks, the driveway and easements, building plans and contractor licence details.
How long is a Grant County floodplain permit good for?
It expires if no work starts within 6 months of issue.
Who sells driveway culverts in Grant County?
Culverts are bought through the County Judge’s office at 870-942-2551.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Grant County permit resources
- Grant County Floodplain page (permits, maps, ordinances)
- Grant County Floodplain Development Permit Application (PDF)
- Flood Damage Prevention Code for Grant County, July 18, 2017 (download page)
- Grant County Road Department
- Grant County Judge’s Office
- City of Sheridan (building permits)
- City of Sheridan: information required for new construction permits (PDF)
- Arkansas Department of Health: Onsite Wastewater
- FEMA Community Status Book: Arkansas
Inspections are where schedules slip.
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More Arkansas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Grant County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.