Searcy, Arkansas Building Permit Guide

Inside Searcy, building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits come from the City’s Planning & Development Department ((501) 279-1085), which takes applications and inspection requests by email at permits@cityofsearcy.gov. A new house is charged $15 plus $0.30 per square foot under roof, and no work may begin until the permit is paid for and approved.

Who issues building permits in Searcy?

Planning & Development runs both long-range planning and permits for property inside the city limits. Richard Stafford, ASLA, PLA, is the Planning & Development Director, and the department’s inspection staff cover plan review and building, plumbing and HVAC, and electrical and HVAC inspections. All of the City’s inspectors are state-certified plumbing and HVAC inspectors.

Before a building permit is issued, it must be approved by the appropriate City representatives, the Searcy Fire Department and the Searcy Board of Public Utilities. A lot in a residential subdivision already approved by the Planning Commission needs only the building permit officer’s approval.

Searcy permit types

A permit is required to erect, alter or enlarge any structure, and to install, alter, repair or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system covered by the technical codes. The Permits & Inspections page posts these applications:

The accessory building form requires separate plumbing, electrical, HVAC/R and sign permits and a setback of at least 5 ft from the rear and side property lines.

Searcy permit fees

Chapter 31 of the Searcy Code of Ordinances sets the inspection and permit fees, last revised for homes by Ordinance 2021-18 (June 8, 2021) and for commercial work by Ordinance 2021-14 (May 11, 2021).

For example, a new house with 2,000 sq ft under roof pays $615 for the building permit and $25 for its certificate of occupancy, $640 before the trade permits, each of which has a $50 minimum. Large-scale development review adds $100 to $250 by building area.

The “Current Fee Schedule 2020” spreadsheet on the permits page predates those ordinances and differs in places; for example, it charges residential remodels $2.50 per $1,000 with a $50 minimum. Chapter 31, as amended in 2021, is the adopted schedule in the Code. The sheet is where the City posts its plumbing rates: $50 for a plumbing permit, $35 for gas and $18 for a water heater change-out; it lists residential HVAC at $35 plus $15 per unit.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Searcy

Every contractor must show proof of licensing to get a permit. A homeowner may work on their own primary residence without a licence, but the permits and inspections still apply. The plumbing and HVAC forms ask for the state trade licence and the state contractor’s licence numbers, and if a trade job’s cost is not covered by a building permit, the trade permit is adjusted by $2.50 per $1,000 of job cost.

Plumbing chapter rewritten in 2026: on September 8, 2026 the City Council adopted Ordinance 2026-32, restating Chapter 22 (plumbing). Under it:

• A homeowner may get a plumbing or gas permit only in person, with proof of ownership and ID, for one single-family home they own and live in (or will), and must do the work personally; rental and commercial property are excluded.
• A homeowner whose work is turned down on two inspections must hire a licensed contractor to finish.
• Every master plumber doing business in the city must file a $1,000 surety bond before receiving a permit.
• Starting work before the permit doubles the fee, with a $100 fine for a second offense in 12 months and $250 for a third.
• Local rules ban push-to-connect fittings in concealed spaces without access and flexible or corrugated slip-joint fittings, and require accessible shut-off valves on gas appliances.

Other trade fees in the Code: a water heater replacement is $10 plus an $8 inspection, and replacing an HVAC component is $15 plus $8.

What Searcy asks for

• Building application: property address, zoning classification, setbacks, whether the lot is in the flood plain, type of improvement and construction, heated and under-roof square footage, cost of improvement, general contractor and Arkansas licence number, and the plumbing, electrical and HVAC/R subcontractors with licence numbers.
• Fire Department plans: every architectural plan set must include a life safety plan for each floor (occupant loads, exit access, exits, travel distances, fire ratings, exit lights, extinguishers, pull stations) and a fire department pre-fire plan showing utility shut-offs, sprinkler riser, fire alarm panel, roof access and similar locations.
• Development review: large and small scale development, rezoning, conditional use, PUD and subdivision plat packets come from the Planning & Zoning page.

How to get a permit in Searcy

Searcy inspections

Inspection requests go to permits@cityofsearcy.gov. Every inspection must be requested and passed before the work is covered by insulation or finish materials, and the final inspections come before occupancy. When an inspection fails, the City allows time to make corrections, and the contractor then requests a re-inspection; extra and recall visits cost $35 each.

The Code expects projects to be finished within 12 months of the permit unless a longer time is shown on it or an extension is approved. Anyone doing permitted work must post a sign of at least 3 sq ft facing the street with the company’s legal name, licence number, phone and address and the site address; homeowner maintenance and jobs of one working day or less are exempt. Covering work so that it cannot be inspected brings a $100 fee plus whatever removal is needed, and working without a permit is fined $100 a day.

Local details that matter in Searcy

Floodplain: Chapter 36 adopts Searcy’s Flood Damage Prevention Code by reference. Since Ordinance 2022-35, no building may be built, remodeled or substantially improved in a Special Flood Hazard Area without a preliminary floodplain development permit, and no certificate of occupancy is issued until the final floodplain development permit is approved by the floodplain administrator. Searcy participates in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.

No extraterritorial jurisdiction: Ordinance 2025-27, adopted on December 9, 2025, removed all regulation of land outside the city from the Searcy subdivision regulations, citing Act 314 of 2025; the regulations now apply to subdivisions within the city.

Planning Commission: meets on the first Wednesday of each month at noon in the City Hall council chamber and also sits as the Board of Zoning Adjustment. The City posts a 2026 calendar of submittal deadlines.

Local codes: besides the state codes, Searcy enforces NFPA 101 (2003 edition), its own electrical, mechanical and swimming pool codes, a drainage ordinance, facade design standards and landscaping requirements.

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 Searcy permits

Who issues building permits in Searcy?

The Planning & Development Department at 300 West Arch Avenue, (501) 279-1085; applications go to permits@cityofsearcy.gov.

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

$15 plus $0.30 per square foot under roof under Chapter 31 of the City Code, plus a $25 certificate of occupancy. A house with 2,000 sq ft under roof pays $615 plus $25.

Is there a fee for a small remodel?

The Code charges no permit or inspection fee for a residential remodel or add-on estimated under $5,000; above that the fee is $15 plus $2 per $1,000.

Can a homeowner pull plumbing permits in Searcy?

Yes, in person, for the single-family home they own and live in, if they do the work themselves; not for rental or commercial property.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Email permits@cityofsearcy.gov before the work is covered; re-inspections cost $35.

What is required for building in a flood zone?

A preliminary floodplain development permit before construction and a final one before the certificate of occupancy.

Official Searcy permit resources

• Searcy Permits & Inspections and application forms
• Searcy Planning & Development
• Searcy building codes enforced
• Code Chapter 31, inspection and building permit fees
• Ordinance 2022-35, building permit approvals and floodplain permits
• Searcy Fire Department plan submittal requirements
• Searcy floodplain development permit application
• Searcy Planning & Zoning packets and calendar
• Searcy City Council meeting documents

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