Perry County, Arkansas Building Permit Guide

The Perry County Code of Ordinances leaves its building, planning and zoning articles empty, and the county issues no building permit. Its rules for a new home are about access and addresses: a Culvert Permit from the County Judge’s office (no application fee) for any driveway onto a county road, a permit for road or drainage work along a dedicated street, and a 911 address before electric service reaches the site. The Office of Emergency Management’s flood plain coordinator (501-889-3228) checks whether a building site is in a flood zone.

Who issues permits in Perry County?

The County Judge’s office is at 310 West Main Street, Suite 101, Perryville (PO Box 358), open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays (501-889-5128). The Judge runs the county roads and issues the culvert and road permits. The Quorum Court meets on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Perry County Courts Building. Populations are Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates.

For addresses inside Perryville, Adona, Bigelow, Casa, Perry, Fourche and Houston, the county code sends owners to the town, which may hand the job to the county’s 911 Coordinator.

Perry County road, address and flood rules

• Driveway culverts (code section 1200.03): anyone building, changing or replacing a culvert next to a county road applies first for a Culvert Permit from the County Judge’s office; the application costs nothing. Every private driveway or private road meeting a county road needs a culvert at the ditch line at least 18 in across and 30 ft long, strong enough for emergency vehicles. After the work, the Judge or a designee inspects it and issues the permit; the Judge may grant a variance after consulting the Road Department, and violations carry fines of $50 to $250.
• Road and drainage work (section 1200.01): building or changing a road, curb, gutter, drainage structure or driveway along a dedicated street needs the County Judge’s permit; a road construction permit costs $50. Roads offered to the county must be chip-sealed twice or asphalted, and new county roads need a 60 ft right-of-way with 26 ft from shoulder to shoulder.
• Small-lot subdivisions: dividing land into lots of 5 acres or less means filing a plat with the County Judge showing the right-of-way, waterline and fire hydrants every 2,000 ft, and having road names approved by the 911 Coordinator before the permit.
• Addresses (section 1200.02): owners in the unincorporated county apply to the Perry County 911 Office for an address, which must be known before electric service is extended to the site; under section 1120.00 electric, gas, phone and water companies may not serve a new address without the 911 notice. Numbers at least 3 in high go up within 30 days of notice; on conviction, fines are $25 to $50 plus costs for each offense, and each day counts as a separate offense.

Flood zones: FEMA lists Perry County as a National Flood Insurance Program participant with a current map dated June 20, 2000, along with Bigelow, Casa, Houston, Perry and Perryville; Adona (withdrawn) and Fourche are listed as not participating. The county code’s flood control article is empty, and the Office of Emergency Management at 1039 Fourche Avenue, Perryville asks anyone choosing a building site to call its flood plain coordinator first.

Roads and septic: the Road and Bridge Department is at 1711 Aplin Avenue, Perryville (501-889-2471), open 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and closed Fridays. Septic systems are permitted by the Arkansas Department of Health through its local Environmental Specialist.

Steps for building in Perry 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

Perry County permit FAQs

Does Perry County issue building permits?

No. The county code has no building, planning or zoning provisions; the county’s permits cover culverts and road work.

Do I need a permit for a driveway culvert in Perry County?

Yes. Apply to the County Judge’s office before the work; there is no application fee. The culvert must be at least 18 in across and 30 ft long, and the county inspects it before issuing the permit.

How do I get an address for a new house?

Apply to the Perry County 911 Office. The address must be known before electric service is extended, and utilities will not connect without the 911 notice.

Who checks flood zones in Perry County?

The flood plain coordinator at the Office of Emergency Management, 1039 Fourche Avenue, Perryville (501-889-3228).

Who permits septic systems in Perry County?

The Arkansas Department of Health.

Official Perry County permit resources

• Perry County Code of Ordinances (Municode)
• Perry County Code Chapter 12: roads, addresses and culverts
• Perry County Code Chapter 13: building, planning and flood articles
• City of Casa permits
• Perry County Judge
• Perry County Office of Emergency Management and flood plain coordinator
• Perry County Road and Bridge
• Arkansas Department of Health: Onsite Wastewater
• FEMA Community Status Book: Arkansas

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