Sevier County, Arkansas Building Permit Guide

Sevier County’s ordinances set up no building code or building permit for unincorporated land. What the county does regulate is digging and other work in county road rights-of-way, which needs a $15 permit from the County Judge (870-642-2425), and development in mapped flood hazard areas, which needs a development permit under its flood damage prevention code. Inside De Queen, the Fire Department/Code Enforcement Department handles electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits and the Office of Code Enforcement issues certificates of occupancy.

Who issues building permits in Sevier County?

The County Judge’s office is at 115 North 3rd Street, De Queen, open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. The Judge runs the county road system and administers the ordinances the Quorum Court passes; those ordinances can be searched in the Arkansas County Document Search. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 populations are in brackets.

De Queen: electricians and plumbers must first hold a City of De Queen licence, which costs $75 a year and needs photo ID, a $10,000 surety bond and the state licence. Each electrical, plumbing or HVAC permit is then requested from the Fire Department/Code Enforcement Department, and the price depends on the project. The City’s Land Use & Development Book requires a scale plan, in duplicate, with every building permit application, and new construction may not be occupied until the Office of Code Enforcement inspects it and issues a certificate of occupancy. A variance or zone change costs $500 plus any publication charges above that amount, and usually takes 6 weeks to 2 months.

Lockesburg: under Ordinance 2015-1, plumbing inspections cost $20 per trip (the rough-in, one trip for fixtures and connections, and the final certificate), a return trip caused by the plumber costs another $20, and a homeowner may get a permit to plumb his or her own single-family house. Under Ordinance 2017-2, moving a mobile home into town needs a moving permit approved by the City Council, with a $100 nonrefundable application fee and an inspection by the Mayor or a designee first; the City will not connect water or sewer until the rules are met.

What Sevier County requires outside the towns

Road, flood and address rules in Sevier County

County road rights-of-way: Ordinance 160, dated December 21, 1983, lets the County Judge add conditions such as warning signs and barricades. Roads the Judge designates as primary roads may not be cut open; lines must be bored or drilled under them, and any other cut must run at right angles to the center line. The Judge can waive the permit when a landowner does the work on their own land without cutting or digging into a road surface. Violations carry a fine of up to $250 a day.

Flood hazard areas: Ordinance 237, passed December 30, 1992, adopts the county’s flood damage prevention code, which requires a development permit and says no structure or land may be located, altered or change use in a flood hazard area without full compliance. The code is filed with the County Clerk, and each day of a violation can bring a fine of up to $100. FEMA lists Sevier County, De Queen, Gillham, Horatio and Lockesburg as participating National Flood Insurance Program communities; the county’s current map is dated April 1, 1988.

Addresses: a 1995 ordinance set up the county’s uniform numbering system for houses and buildings. For a new address, call the 911 Coordinator at 870-642-4292.

Septic systems: the Arkansas Department of Health reviews onsite wastewater permit applications for systems under 1,500 gallons per day, working with its local environmental specialists.

Building on rural land in Sevier County, step by step

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

Sevier County permit FAQs

Do I need a county building permit in Sevier County?

No. The county’s ordinances create no building permit for unincorporated land, but you may still need the County Judge’s right-of-way permit, a flood development permit and a Department of Health septic permit.

How much is a county road right-of-way permit?

$15, with a bond of 50% of the value of the work and proof of $100,000 of liability insurance.

Who issues electrical and plumbing permits in De Queen?

The Fire Department/Code Enforcement Department, after the electrician or plumber has a $75 yearly City licence.

How do I get a building permit in Lockesburg?

Apply at City Hall, 110 E. Main St. (870-289-3261); the City Council votes on each permit at its meeting.

Who assigns addresses in Sevier County?

The 911 Coordinator, at 870-642-4292.

Is Sevier County in the flood insurance program?

Yes. The county and De Queen, Gillham, Horatio and Lockesburg all participate.

Official Sevier County permit resources

• Sevier County Judge
• Sevier County: apply for an address
• Arkansas County Document Search (Sevier County ordinances)
• Sevier County Ordinance 160: county road right-of-way permits (1983)
• Sevier County Ordinance 237: flood damage prevention (1992)
• City of De Queen permits
• City of De Queen Land Use & Development Book
• City of Lockesburg council minutes
• Lockesburg Ordinance 2015-1: plumbing inspections
• Lockesburg Ordinance 2017-2: mobile home moving permits
• Arkansas Department of Health: Onsite Wastewater
• FEMA Community Status Book: Arkansas

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