Union County, Arkansas Building Permit Guide

Union County has no building department, and the City of El Dorado states that building outside its city limits needs no building permit, adding that the State Fire Marshal’s office should be contacted about Arkansas Fire Prevention Code compliance in unincorporated areas. Two cities in the county run their own permit programs: El Dorado, where the Fire Department approves permits and issues certificates of occupancy, and Smackover, where City Hall takes applications. On rural land the county’s roles include 911 addressing and the county road system.

Who handles building permits in Union County?

The County Judge’s office, Suite 101 of the courthouse at 101 North Washington in El Dorado, is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays at (870) 864-1900. The Judge runs the county road system and carries out Quorum Court ordinances. The Quorum Court meets on the third Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. in the courthouse’s third-floor conference room, and the County Clerk keeps its ordinances and minutes. The county directory lists no planning, zoning or building office.

Smackover’s 2026 minimum requirements sheet for its R-1 zone shows what the city checks: lots of at least 6,250 square feet, 25-foot front, 10-foot side and 20-foot rear setbacks, and a building permit for open carports and rear storage buildings set 5 feet from the lot line. Every R-1 dwelling must be at least 630 square feet and 14 by 45 feet, and the applicant shows a dealer purchase order or title for an approved structure no more than 10 years old (Ordinance 510). A manufactured home must be anchored to Arkansas Manufactured Home Commission rules with a solid perimeter enclosure, and each manufactured home space needs two paved off-street parking spaces of 9 by 20 feet.

Floodplain permits, addresses and septic systems

Floodplain permits: FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Union County as a participating flood insurance community, with flood maps dated September 28, 2007. Calion, El Dorado, Felsenthal, Huttig, Norphlet, Smackover and Strong also participate; Junction City is in the not-participating section. The county’s 2026 hazard mitigation plan update, posted as a final draft for public comment from September 18 to October 18, 2026, names the OEM Coordinator as the county’s floodplain administrator, who issues floodplain development permits and decides substantial damage and improvement cases. The Office of Emergency Management answers at (870) 864-1901. The same draft lists the mayor of Felsenthal, Norphlet and Strong, the water superintendent of Calion and Huttig, and Smackover’s Public Works Director as those towns’ floodplain managers.

Addresses and roads: the county directory lists a 911 Coordinator at (870) 864-1908 and the Highway Department at (870) 864-1906.

Septic systems: the Union County Health Unit ((870) 863-5101) is the local Arkansas Department of Health office; its environmental specialists review permit applications for onsite wastewater systems under 1,500 gallons per day.

Planning a build in Union 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

Union County permit FAQs

Do I need a county building permit in rural Union County?

No. The county has no building permit office, and El Dorado’s own page says no building permit is needed outside its city limits and refers builders in unincorporated areas to the State Fire Marshal’s office for fire code compliance. Before building in a mapped flood hazard area, ask the Office of Emergency Management at (870) 864-1901 about floodplain rules.

Who issues building permits in El Dorado?

Permits are required for most work inside the city. Ask City Hall at (870) 863-4244; the El Dorado Fire Department approves permits and issues the certificate of occupancy.

Does Smackover require a building permit?

Yes. City Hall at 807 Broadway issues building permits and certificates of occupancy, including permits for carports and rear storage buildings.

Who issues floodplain permits for county land?

The county’s 2026 hazard mitigation plan draft names the OEM Coordinator as floodplain administrator. Call the Office of Emergency Management at (870) 864-1901.

Which Union County town is not in the flood insurance program?

Junction City. FEMA lists the county and the other seven incorporated places as participating.

Who approves a septic system in Union County?

The Arkansas Department of Health, through the Union County Health Unit at (870) 863-5101.

Official Union County permit resources

• Union County department directory
• Union County Judge’s Office
• Union County Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2026 update (public review draft)
• City of Smackover: Building Permits and Inspections
• Smackover 2026 Building Permit Minimum Requirements (PDF)
• City of El Dorado
• Arkansas Department of Health: Onsite Wastewater
• FEMA Community Status Book: Arkansas

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