In Pine Bluff, the Inspection & Zoning Department (Room 101, 200 E. 8th Avenue, 870-730-2020) enforces the building, electrical, energy, mechanical, plumbing and gas codes. New construction needs a zoning permit first and then a building permit, priced by project valuation, with a plan review fee of half the building permit fee added on top.
Who issues building permits in Pine Bluff?
The Inspection & Zoning Department enforces Pine Bluff’s construction codes, reviews plans and issues zoning, building and trade permits, while its zoning staff handle zoning compliance. Mitzi Ruth is the Inspection & Zoning Director. The City Code makes the inspection department the enforcement agency for the building code and its head the building official.
The City’s permit-process chart routes permits for repairs and demolitions of houses through the Code Enforcement Office ((870) 730-2021) instead; commercial work, all new construction and additions, and electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits go to Inspection & Zoning. On every route the fee is paid at the City Collector’s Office ((870) 730-2025), and the permit is then collected from the office that took the application. All three offices are at City Hall.
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Inspection & Zoning Department | 200 E. 8th Ave., Room 101, Pine Bluff, AR 71601; 870-730-2020; fax 870-730-2170; inspectionandzoning@cityofpinebluff-ar.gov |
| Inspection & Zoning Director | 870-730-2035 |
| Code Enforcement Office (house repairs and demolitions) | City Hall, 200 E. 8th Ave.; (870) 730-2021 |
| City Collector’s Office (all permit fees) | City Hall, 200 E. 8th Ave.; (870) 730-2025 |
| Historic District Commission | Through Inspection & Zoning; the building permit form also points to the Economic & Community Development Office, 716 Georgia St. |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Pine Bluff permit applications
The department’s FAQ says a permit is needed for any work on a house or property that is not maintenance or cosmetic, including garages, sheds, decks with roofs, remodels, roofs, windows, doors and siding, for anything costing $500 or more in labor and materials, and for adding or altering fences, signs and parking lots. Commercial applicants are encouraged to call 870-730-2020 to set up a pre-construction meeting with all departments. The City’s Permit Applications page posts separate forms for each type of work, and the electrical, plumbing and mechanical forms note that electrical, gas, plumbing and building work each need their own permit.
Building and site
- Building permit (commercial or residential, new or alteration, historic district)
- Residential plan review
- Commercial plan review
- Existing building inspection
- Sign permit
- Stormwater permit and construction site notice
- Floodplain development permit
- Mobile home inspection and moving permits
- Solar and cell tower plan review
- Zoning appeal
Trades
- Electrical (Rev. 7/2022)
- Mechanical and HVACR (Rev. 7/2024)
- Plumbing and gas (Rev. 4/2026)
Rezoning, variance, street or alley closing and use permit on review applications are filed for Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Adjustment matters.
Pine Bluff permit fees
Building permit fees are set in Section 7-47 of the City Code (last amended by Ordinance 6798, April 17, 2023) and are based on project valuation, which must include all plumbing, electrical and HVAC/R work and every material, supply and labor cost.
| Valuation or item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to $500 | No fee; $15 if an inspection is needed |
| $501 to $50,000 | $15 for the first $1,000 plus $6 per additional $1,000 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $204 for the first $50,000 plus $4 per additional $1,000 |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $504 for the first $100,000 plus $2 per additional $1,000 |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $1,304 for the first $500,000 plus $1 per additional $1,000 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $1,804 for the first $1,000,000 plus $0.50 per additional $1,000 |
| Plan review (plans required and valuation over $1,000; every new house) | Half the building permit fee, non-refundable |
| Certificate of occupancy | $75 |
| Existing building inspection for a new business | $75 |
| Permit extension or renewal | $30 |
| Moving a building | $40 |
| Solar or cell tower plan review | $100 |
| Second or later inspection to obtain a permit | $35 |
| Nonresidential craft-training surcharge (state program) | $0.50 per $1,000 of construction |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →For example, a new house valued at $200,000 pays $504 plus 100 × $2, a $704 building permit, plus a $352 plan review fee and $75 for the certificate of occupancy; a nonresidential project of the same value would add the $100 surcharge. The printed bands do not run on from one another (the first band reaches $309 at $50,000, the next starts at $204), so work each fee inside its own band. Demolition is listed at $25 per building in Section 7-47, while Section 7-12 lists $25 for a house and $50 for other structures. Work found done without a permit is charged three times the permit fee.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit fee | $20 |
| Electrical circuits: 1–7 / 8–15 / 16–99 / 100 and over | $6 / $5 / $4 / $3 per circuit |
| Meter loop | $10 |
| Generators | $5 to $12 by size |
| HVAC, residential | $30 for the system, $15 for each additional system |
| HVAC, commercial (including apartments of more than 3 units) | 1% of the job estimate or $50, whichever is greater |
| Plumbing fixture / water heater | $5 / $15 |
| Sewage inspection / water service | $20 / $30 |
| Gas house piping / gas pressure test / RPZ | $20 / $20 / $14 |
| Re-inspection | $35 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →The plumbing form (Rev. 4/2026) charges $30 for a gas service line, while Section 7-244 of the City Code lists $20. Working without a trade permit costs triple fees.
Who may pull trade permits: electrical permits go to electricians licensed by the state board, except that an owner may wire a home they own and live in, or will live in once it is finished, doing all the work personally. Only master plumbers receive plumbing permits, apart from an owner doing the work in the single-family home they own and occupy. Owners may otherwise do any work on their own residential property except electrical or plumbing work, unless state law requires a licensed contractor. The City’s doing-business page asks plumbing, air conditioning and electrical contractors for a copy of their state licence and a $5,000 surety bond, and construction contractors also post a $5,000 bond; the City Code sets the electrical contractor bond at $5,000 and the master plumber’s bond at $1,000, along with a plumber’s occupation licence.
What Pine Bluff asks for
New house
- Residential plan review application with contractor and sub-contractor licence numbers
- Survey and plot plan (zoning)
- Complete construction plans (inspection)
- Drainage and site plan (street department)
- Sewer tap location (wastewater)
- Plan review fee of half the building permit fee
Commercial
- Commercial plan review application
- Two copies of a scaled site plan with building, property lines, parking and driveways
- Two complete sets of construction plans, with engineer and architect certification
- Drainage, plumbing and grading plans for the street, wastewater and stormwater reviews
- Fire department review
- Plumbing plans approved by the Arkansas Department of Health
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to get a permit in Pine Bluff
The City recommends that architects and engineers contact the department early in planning to avoid delays.
Submit the site plan or plot plan for the zoning permit, the first step for any new building or addition.
File the residential or commercial plan review application with the plans and pay the review fee before review starts.
Get a certificate of appropriateness for downtown historic property, and a floodplain development permit in a special flood hazard area.
Pay the fees at the City Collector’s Office, then collect the building permit; the licensed electrician, plumber and HVAC contractor take out their own permits the same way.
Pass the inspections, then receive the certificate of occupancy and the certificate of zoning compliance.
Pine Bluff inspections
Inspections are scheduled by calling Inspection & Zoning at 870-730-2020 with the permit number and address. No interior wiring may be concealed until the electrical rough inspection, which is made within 24 hours of written notice, not counting weekends and holidays. The final electrical inspection is scheduled for the following workday or as soon as conditions allow. Plumbing is inspected three times: the sewer when laid and jointed, the soil, waste and vent pipes, and the fixtures after they are set, with the work left uncovered and tested in the inspector’s presence. Re-inspections cost $35. When construction is complete and the building passes its final inspection, the City issues the certificate of occupancy ($75) and a certificate of zoning compliance.
For a business moving into an existing building, Inspection & Zoning confirms the zoning, arranges any inspection and issues the certificate of zoning compliance before the City Collector issues the certificate of occupancy and the occupation licence.
Local details that matter in Pine Bluff
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Downtown Historic District: no permit to restore, rehabilitate or demolish a building in the downtown historic district is issued until the Historic District Commission grants a certificate of appropriateness, and a copy of the certificate must be attached to the permit application. The commission meets monthly in the Mayor’s conference room on the second floor of City Hall. A written notice of intent to file must reach it at least 20 days before a meeting, the completed application with photos, site plan, elevations and material samples goes to Inspection & Zoning 7 days before, and the applicant must attend. Appeals go to the Jefferson County Circuit Court within 30 days.
Floodplain: Pine Bluff enforces its Flood Damage Prevention Code (adopted by reference in 2009), and Section 11-1 sets a $75 fee under it. Any development in a special flood hazard area, including grading and fill, needs a floodplain development permit before work starts, new buildings there need an elevation certificate, and a compliance certificate from the floodplain administrator is required before occupancy. The City takes part in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program; its current flood map is dated March 16, 2009.
Codes in force: the department enforces the 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code (Volumes I to III), the 2021 International Existing Building Code, the 2018 Arkansas Plumbing and Fuel Gas Codes, the 2021 International Mechanical Code, the 2020 National Electrical Code and the 2014 Arkansas Energy Code.
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 Pine Bluff permits
Who issues building permits in Pine Bluff?
The Inspection & Zoning Department, Room 101, 200 E. 8th Avenue, 870-730-2020; permits for repairs and demolitions of houses go through the Code Enforcement Office, (870) 730-2021.
How much is a building permit in Pine Bluff?
It depends on valuation. A new house valued at $200,000 pays $704, plus a $352 plan review fee and $75 for the certificate of occupancy.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How do I schedule an inspection?
Call Inspection & Zoning at 870-730-2020 with the permit number and address.
Is the plan review fee credited toward the permit?
No. The plan review fee is half the building permit fee, paid in addition to it and non-refundable.
Can a homeowner pull permits in Pine Bluff?
An owner may do their own electrical work and plumbing in the home they own and live in, and other work on their own residential property, with the required permits.
What do contractors need before getting a permit?
A City occupation licence, their state licence and the surety bond the City requires.
Do I need approval for work downtown?
Yes, in the downtown historic district a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic District Commission comes before the permit.
Official Pine Bluff permit resources
- Pine Bluff Inspection & Zoning Department
- Pine Bluff permit applications
- Pine Bluff doing business: zoning, building and licence steps
- Pine Bluff Code Chapter 7, buildings and permit fees
- Pine Bluff Historic District Commission and forms
- Pine Bluff floodplain development permit application
- Pine Bluff City Council agendas and packets
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More Arkansas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Pine Bluff permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.