Polk County government has no published building permit office, permit form or fee schedule. The main permit authority in the county is the City of Mena, whose council hears a monthly report from the City’s Building Official and whose Planning Commission posts its meeting agendas on the City website. The town of Grannis also requires a building permit, issued through its Mayor. In rural Polk County, septic systems go through the Arkansas Department of Health, and the county takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program.
Who issues building permits in Polk County?
Polk County is run by the County Judge and a nine-member Quorum Court from the courthouse at 507 Church Avenue in Mena. The Association of Arkansas Counties lists the County Judge’s office at (479) 394-8132 and the County Clerk at (479) 394-8123. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 populations are in brackets below.
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Get a free quote →| Place | Who permits building work |
|---|---|
| Mena (5,607) | City of Mena, which has a Building Official; City Hall, 520 Mena Street, (479) 394-4585 |
| Grannis (498) | Town permit required inside the limits (Ordinance 69): apply to the Mayor at City Hall, 132 Frachiseur Road, (870) 385-7216 |
| Wickes (655) | The published sources do not say; ask City Hall, 132 Highway 278 E, 870-385-2575 (weekdays 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., closed 12–1) |
| Hatfield (348), Cove (329), Vandervoort (117) | The published sources do not say; ask the town hall |
| Unincorporated Polk County | No county building permit program is published |
Mena: the City’s Building Official is one of the department heads who report to the City Council each month. Lot splits, minor subdivisions and resurveys inside the city are accepted by council ordinance, and rezoning ordinances also go to the council.
Grannis: under Town Ordinance 69, anyone who wants to build, enlarge, move or demolish a building, change its occupancy, or install or replace a public water or sewer system must first apply to the Mayor’s office for a permit. The Town’s posted application charges $10 for a mobile home or garage, $15 for a new home, a home remodel or moving a building, and $35 for a commercial building or a residential or commercial development. The site must have a 911 address, buildings must stand at least 25 ft from other structures and 10 ft from the property line and water and sewer lines, and mobile homes must be skirted within 30 days.
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Get a free quote →Flood zones and septic systems in Polk County
Flood insurance: FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Polk County as a participating community since July 1, 2009, with its current flood map dated July 1, 2009. Cove, Hatfield and Mena participate too. Wickes appears in the list of communities not in the program, and Grannis and Vandervoort are not listed at all. A participating community must regulate building in its mapped flood hazard areas.
Septic systems: on lots without sewer, permit applications for onsite systems under 1,500 gallons per day are reviewed by the Arkansas Department of Health with its local environmental specialists.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Planning a build in Polk County
Find out whether the lot is inside Mena, inside one of the five small towns, or on unincorporated county land.
The Building Official handles building work in the city; lot splits and rezonings are adopted by City Council ordinance.
Use the Town’s building permit application and have a 911 address first; in Cove, Hatfield, Vandervoort or Wickes, ask the town hall.
Mapped flood hazard areas in the county and in Cove, Hatfield and Mena fall under National Flood Insurance Program rules.
Rural lots without sewer need Department of Health approval for the onsite system.
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
Rather not deal with the Polk County building department?
Get a free quote →Polk County permit FAQs
Does Polk County issue building permits?
No county building permit, application or fee is published. Mena has its own Building Official, and Grannis issues town permits through its Mayor.
Who do I call about building in Mena?
Mena City Hall, 520 Mena Street, (479) 394-4585.
Is Mena adopting the 2026 electrical code?
An ordinance adopting the 2026 National Electrical Code and creating a City Electrical Inspector was on the October 13, 2026 council agenda. The outcome has not yet been posted in minutes.
Is Polk County in the flood insurance program?
Yes, since July 1, 2009. Mena, Cove and Hatfield also take part; Wickes does not.
Who approves a septic system in rural Polk County?
The Arkansas Department of Health, through its local environmental specialists.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Polk County permit resources
- Polk County officials (Association of Arkansas Counties)
- City of Mena
- Town of Grannis building permits
- Town of Grannis building permit application
- Town of Wickes City Hall
- Mena City Council agenda, October 13, 2026
- 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 Polk County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.