Building, electrical, plumbing, gas, HVAC and site permits in West Memphis come from the City’s Planning & Development Department at 205 South Redding Street (870-732-7520). Permits are applied for through the City’s iWorQ portal, which also takes payment; a new building or addition costs $0.12 per square foot, $45 minimum. For commercial and industrial projects the City’s development guide puts building permit review at about 10 to 14 days, not counting the state Health Department’s plumbing review.
Who issues building permits in West Memphis?
Building Inspections, part of Planning & Development, issues permits, reviews plans, conducts building inspections, inspects substandard buildings and checks contractor licences and insurance. Mardis Jones, AIBD, is the Planning & Development Director. The same department supports the Planning Commission, the Board of Adjustment and the Design Review Commission.
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Planning & Development / Building Inspections | 205 South Redding Street; P.O. Box 1728, West Memphis, AR 72301; 870-732-7520; fax 870-732-7650 |
| Director | Mardis Jones, AIBD, 870-732-7521 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Fire inspector (certificates of occupancy) | 870-732-7570, by appointment |
| Water and backflow (utility office) | 870-702-5102 |
West Memphis permit types and online filing
The City’s iWorQ permit portal lets residents and businesses apply for, upload documents for and pay for the department’s permits. It offers 16 application types:
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- Building
- Demolition
- Storage building
- Swimming pool
- Sign and fence
- Driveway and slab
Trades and utilities
- Electrical
- Plumbing and gas
- HVAC
- Water and sewer
- Backflow and sprinkler
After filing, the portal is used to search a permit by number with the contractor access code, upload more files, request an inspection and message the department. A Residential Building Permit Application and a Plumbing Application are also posted in the City’s online form center.
West Memphis permit fees
The City Code leaves permit fees to amounts “established by the city,” and the City prints its fees on each application in the iWorQ portal:
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| New building or addition (residential or commercial) | $0.12 per sq ft, $45 minimum |
| Remodel of an existing building | $1.25 per $1,000 of value, $45 minimum |
| Demolition | $0.06 per sq ft, $45 minimum |
| Storage building | $0.12 per sq ft or $45 minimum |
| Swimming pool | $0.20 per sq ft, $75 minimum |
| Fence | $45 for the first 250 linear feet, $1.75 per additional 100 feet |
| Sign | $0.75 per sq ft per sign, $45 minimum |
| Driveway / slab | $45 / $40 |
| Plumbing, house | $45 for 1–4 openings, rising by band to $100 for 26–30, then $1 per extra opening |
| Plumbing, commercial | $60 for 1–4 openings, rising by band to $124 for 26–30, then $1 per extra opening |
| Gas (up to 4 outlets) | $30 residential; $40 commercial; $1.50 per extra outlet |
| Electrical | $30 application (residential) or $40 (commercial); service $3 for the first 100 A, $2 per 100 A to 1,200 A, $1.50 per 100 A above; circuits $3 for the first, $1.50 each up to 10, $1 each above 10; $40 per apartment or industrial meter base |
| HVAC | $40 for 5 tons or less; $70 for 6–10 tons; $5 per ton over 10 |
| Water or sewer | $30 each residential; $40 each commercial |
| Backflow preventer or sprinkler system | $50 |
| State fee (commercial permits only) | $0.50 per $1,000 of project cost |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →For example, a new 2,000 sq ft house has a building permit fee of $240, before the separate electrical, plumbing, gas and HVAC permits. If work starts before a permit is obtained, the fee is doubled for the first 24 hours, and $100 a day is added after that until the permit is obtained. Extra water or sewer inspection trips cost $30 (residential) or $40 (commercial), and “negligence” trips $75. For commercial certificates of occupancy, a third inspection after two failures costs $75, and the application for a certificate of occupancy on an existing building costs $10. The older Plumbing Application in the City’s form center still prints much lower fixture-based rates ($8 for a house, $13 commercial, for the first four fixtures); the iWorQ applications carry the current fees.
Electrical, plumbing, gas and HVAC in West Memphis
Each trade applies for its own permit in iWorQ. The plumbing form asks for the master plumber’s licence number, the state contractor’s licence number, the city licence number and the bond expiration date, and the residential building form asks the same of the general contractor.
- Electrical: a permit is needed for any new or altered wiring or equipment, but not for minor repairs such as replacing motors of 100 HP or less, compressors, lamps, fuses, switches or receptacles. The electrical inspector may ask for plans with a one-line diagram and must decide on them within two working days. The City Code voids an electrical permit if work does not start within 9 months, while the iWorQ applications say every permit becomes void if work does not start within 6 months or stops for 6 months.
- Plumbing: all commercial plumbing plans are reviewed by the Arkansas Department of Health and must also be submitted for local review; building permits are not issued before the state approves the plumbing and sewer plans.
- Codes: the 2023 National Electrical Code, the 2021 Arkansas Mechanical Code and the 2018 Arkansas Plumbing and Gas Codes.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to submit in West Memphis
House or duplex
- Residential Building Permit Application (single-family, two-family or footing-only)
- Site plan, erosion control plan and grading plan
- Floor plan and framing plan, drawn to an engineer’s or architect’s scale with a scale bar
- Valuation split into building, gas, electrical, mechanical and plumbing
- Contractor’s state and city licence and bond numbers
Commercial or industrial
- Three sets of final plans: cover sheet with design criteria, site, foundation, floor, framing, elevations and sections
- Mechanical, plumbing and electrical plans
- Structural calculations stamped by an Arkansas registered engineer
- A project manual of specifications
- State Health Department approval of the plumbing and sewer plans
A copy of the approved plans must stay on site. A lot in a floodplain also needs a Flood Plain Development Application and a footing/foundation permit, and a sloped lot or one in the HHOD overlay gets a separate review. For commercial and industrial work, the City’s development guide estimates 10 to 14 days for building permit review, excluding the state’s plumbing review.
Steps to a West Memphis building permit
The property must be platted or a legal lot of record; rezonings take about 3 to 4 months through the Planning Commission and City Council.
Any development other than single-family homes goes through the Design Review Commission, which charges no fee.
For commercial work, submit plumbing and sewer plans to the Arkansas Department of Health as well as to the City.
Choose the permit type, upload the plans and pay the assessed fee online.
Keep the approved plans on the job and request each inspection through the portal.
Pass the final inspections, then buy the privilege licence from the City Clerk before a business opens.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →West Memphis inspections and certificates of occupancy
Inspections are requested in the iWorQ portal. Electrical rough-in work may not be covered until the inspector has approved it or two working days have passed since notice was given, and the final electrical inspection is made within two working days; the inspector then sends a copy of the certificate to the power company.
For a commercial certificate of occupancy, the City’s checklist asks for 24 hours’ notice, power on, a clean building, hardwired exit signs with battery back-up, hardwired interconnected smoke detectors, accessible parking spaces at least 9 by 20 ft, and paved public parking (gravel is not permitted). Fire inspections are booked with the fire inspector at 870-732-7570.
Local details that matter in West Memphis
Seismic design: the Building Inspections page notes that West Memphis lies in Seismic Zone 3 and links a map of the zone from West Memphis Utilities.
Contractor bonds: the City Code requires a $1,000 bond before anyone builds in the city, which expires on December 31 and is renewed each year, and a $10,000 bond for licensed general contractors, filed with the City Clerk and renewed each year by January 31. Only general contractors holding a current business licence can obtain permits. An owner building or remodeling their own home does not need a contractor licence unless they build more than one house a year.
Zoning and planning: the zoning code was fully revised to carry out the Grow West Memphis 2040 plan adopted in 2019. The Planning Commission meets at 3:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of each month, and applications are due 21 days before the meeting.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Flood insurance: Chapter 107 of the City Code adopts the flood damage prevention code, and FEMA lists West Memphis as a participating community in the Community Rating System at Class 9, which gives policyholders a 5% discount.
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 West Memphis permits
Who issues building permits in West Memphis?
The Planning & Development Department’s Building Inspections division, 205 South Redding Street, 870-732-7520.
Can I apply for a permit online in West Memphis?
Yes. The iWorQ portal takes applications, documents and payment for building, trade and site permits, and is also used to request inspections.
How much does a plumbing permit cost?
For a house, $45 for up to four openings, rising to $100 for 26–30; commercial permits start at $60 and add a state fee of $0.50 per $1,000 of project cost. A separate gas permit is $30 for a house.
How long does plan review take?
The City’s commercial and industrial development guide estimates about 10 to 14 days for a building permit, plus the time the Arkansas Department of Health needs for plumbing plans.
Does a homeowner need a contractor licence to build their own house?
No, under the City Code, unless they build or remodel more than one residence a year.
What is needed for a business certificate of occupancy?
Passing final and fire inspections against the City’s checklist, then buying a privilege licence from the City Clerk before opening.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Official West Memphis permit resources
- West Memphis Building Inspections and current codes
- West Memphis Planning & Development
- West Memphis iWorQ permit portal
- West Memphis residential building permit application
- West Memphis iWorQ permit applications and fees
- Commercial and industrial development process
- Certificate of occupancy checklist
- City Code Chapter 103, buildings and building regulations
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More Arkansas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about West Memphis permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.