Marion, Arkansas Building Permit Guide

In Marion, the Community Development & Planning Department inside City Hall (870-739-5410) issues permits for homes, commercial buildings and every trade, from driveways and fences to plumbing and HVAC. A new house is charged $0.15 per square foot under Ordinance 628 of October 2024, and no work may start until the permit is paid for and approved.

Who issues building permits in Marion?

Permitting sits with the Community Development & Planning Department, which also runs city planning and issues privilege licences for storefront and home businesses. Freddie Thorne III is the City Planning & Community Development Director. City Hall can also confirm whether a contractor holds a valid Marion privilege licence.

Marion permit types

A permit is needed to erect, alter or enlarge any structure, and to install, alter, repair or replace electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems. The City publishes a separate form for each permit:

Subcontractors pull their own electrical, mechanical, plumbing and gas permits; the building permit does not cover them.

Marion permit fees

The adopted schedule is Ordinance 628, passed on October 22, 2024, which replaced the City’s earlier fee ordinances. Payment goes in with the application.

The permit forms, updated December 1, 2024, print several figures that differ from the ordinance: the building form sets a $45 minimum for new construction (the ordinance has none for houses) and a $45 remodeling minimum (the ordinance says $75); the in-city gas permit is $40 on the form and $45 in the ordinance; the residential electrical form charges $5 for the first circuit (ordinance $3.50); the commercial electrical form charges $3, $1.50 and $1 per circuit (ordinance $5, $2.50 and $1.50); the commercial plumbing rate for 5–9 openings is $30 on the form and $80 in the ordinance; and the roofing form charges by the 100-sq-ft square where the ordinance text says square feet. The building form also adds $90 for trash cans for a new home. Ordinance 628 is the adopted schedule.

Electrical, plumbing, gas and HVAC permits in Marion

Every contractor must show proof of licensing to get a permit. A homeowner may do the work on their own primary residence without a licence, but still needs the permits and inspections.

Electrical permit fees include the rough and final electrical inspections. HVAC applications must include a Manual J load calculation and duct layout. Sewer and water connection fees are separate from the plumbing permit.

What Marion’s forms ask for

• Building permit: stories, class of work (new, addition, remodel), total square feet under roof, heated square feet, estimated cost, lot, block, subdivision, street address, setbacks and the contractor’s licence number.
• Commercial building permit: the contractor, owner, architect and engineers with their Arkansas licence numbers, zone, use group, construction type, floor areas, parking spaces and setbacks; the form is signed off by the utilities director, fire chief and building inspector.
• Roofing: the contractor’s roofing licence number plus proof of insurance and bond before the permit is issued.
• Fence: one copy of the plot plan with the fence drawn on it; a licensed surveyor must stake the property lines before work starts.
• Directional bore: a map (at least a Google Earth map, not a sketch), the contractors’ Arkansas licence numbers, and a bore profile after completion.

A permit becomes void if work does not start within 6 months or stops for 6 months after it starts.

How to get a permit in Marion

Marion inspections

All inspections must be requested and performed before the work is covered by insulation or finish materials, and the final inspections must be done before occupancy. The building permit form lists the stages: site, footings, slab, rough plumbing, interior plumbing, temporary electrical, electrical, electrical connection, gas, mechanical, framing and final. Roofers must call for a felt inspection before installing shingles.

If an inspection fails, the City allows time to correct the work and one re-inspection is included; each further re-inspection costs $100 and must be paid before the inspector returns.

Local details that matter in Marion

Floodplain: under the Flood Damage Prevention Code adopted by Ordinance 526 in 2011, the City’s code enforcement officer is the floodplain administrator and a Floodplain Development Permit is required for any development in a Special Flood Hazard Area. In AE zones the top of a new home’s lowest floor must be at least 2 ft above the base flood elevation, shown on an elevation certificate from an Arkansas-licensed engineer, surveyor or architect; commercial buildings are elevated 2 ft or floodproofed to 3 ft above it. Basements are prohibited in flood hazard areas, and the Planning Commission hears appeals. Marion participates in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.

Site rules printed on the forms: pools need a permanent wall or fence at least 6 ft high and must sit at least 10 ft from side and rear lot lines; storage buildings must stand 5 ft from rear and side lines and cover no more than 30% of the required rear yard; fences need a 3-ft clear opening where they cross a utility or drainage easement; boring under a road without a permit carries a $400 penalty per bore site.

Planning Commission: meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at 14 East Military Road; contact the Planning Department to be placed on the agenda.

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 Marion permits

Who issues building permits in Marion?

The Community Development & Planning Department at City Hall, 31 East Military Road (870-739-5410).

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

$0.15 per square foot under Ordinance 628, with separate electrical, plumbing, gas and HVAC permits pulled by each trade.

Do I need a permit for a fence, shed or new roof?

Yes. Marion has separate fence, storage building and roofing permits; a fence starts at $55, a storage building at $45 and a re-roof at $50.

Can a homeowner pull permits in Marion?

Yes, for work on their own primary residence; the owner may do the work without a licence but must still get the permits and inspections.

Is Marion issuing permits for new houses?

Resolution 2026-07, adopted on March 24, 2026, paused permits for new houses on lots of record in certain areas for six months, which runs to around September 24, 2026. No extension appears in the minutes posted through August 25 or on the September 22 agenda; ask the Planning Department whether it still applies to your lot.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

The permit fees are doubled.

Official Marion permit resources

• Marion Permit & Inspections page and permit forms
• Marion building permit application (fees on form)
• Marion electrical permit application
• Marion plumbing and gas permit application
• Marion roofing permit application
• Marion ordinance library (Ordinances 526 and 628)
• Marion building codes in use
• Marion Planning Commission
• Marion City Council agendas and minutes

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