Choctaw County does not issue building permits; the state Uniform Building Code Commission lists the county as issuing none, and the same list says Boswell, Fort Towson, Sawyer and Soper issue none either. The City of Hugo is the one local government in the county on the State Fire Marshal’s list of authorities that do their own plan review, permitting and inspections. On rural land, the approvals that apply are the county’s floodplain review (580-326-5331) and DEQ’s septic authorization.
What needs a permit in rural Choctaw County?
Approvals that apply
- Development in a FEMA flood hazard area, through the county’s floodplain administrator
- A new or modified septic system: DEQ site report (Form 581), Authorization to Construct and inspection
- Permits inside Hugo city limits, from the City of Hugo
Not issued by the county
- Building permits for houses, barns or shops
- Electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits
- County plan review or construction inspections
Hugo is the only Choctaw County entry on the State Fire Marshal’s July 2026 list of local plan review authorities. Where that office is the authority for a building, its inspection requests go to 405-522-5005.
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Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in Choctaw County?
The county government is at 300 E. Duke Street in Hugo, and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s list of floodplain administrators gives the county’s administrator the same number as the county office, 580-326-5331. The City of Hugo is a separate floodplain community, with its administrator at City Hall.
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Choctaw County (floodplain administrator) | 300 E. Duke Street, Hugo, OK 74743; 580-326-5331 |
| City of Hugo | 201 S. Second, Hugo; 580-326-5616 (code enforcement ext. 236) |
| Septic systems | Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality |
| State Fire Marshal inspections | 405-522-5005 |
The City of Choctaw is a different jurisdiction with its own floodplain administrator; Choctaw County projects do not go there.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Building permits town by town
| Town | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Hugo (pop. 5,082) | The city clerk-treasurer, 201 S. Second (580-326-5616). Section 5-106 of the Hugo code requires a building permit when work changes a building’s outside appearance, costs more than $1,000, moves a building or is required by the building code; minor work needs none, and the City Council sets the fee. Contractors must register with the City. Hugo has been on the State Fire Marshal’s list of local authorities since April 13, 2026 |
| Boswell (pop. 570) | Marked by the state commission list as issuing no permits; no town code or permit form is published online; town office 580-566-2653 |
| Fort Towson (pop. 489) | Its 2021 codified ordinances adopt a building code but set no building permit procedure or fee, and the state commission list marks it as issuing none; town hall 112 E. Valliant Street, 580-873-2628 |
| Sawyer (pop. 332) | Marked by the state commission list as issuing no permits; no town code or permit form is published online; town office 580-326-5226 |
| Soper (pop. 224) | Marked by the state commission list as issuing no permits, with no town code or permit form online; Soper has its own floodplain administrator (580-345-2630) |
Permit fees in Choctaw County
With no county building permit there is no county building permit fee. Hugo’s code leaves the building permit fee to the City Council, by motion or resolution, with the current schedule kept in the clerk-treasurer’s office (580-326-5616). The septic Authorization to Construct is purchased from DEQ.
Septic and trade work
On rural land no local office permits electrical, plumbing or mechanical work. A septic system starts with DEQ’s Report for On-Site Sewage (Form 581), based on a soil profile or percolation test, which sets the allowed system types. DEQ then issues the Authorization to Construct, and the system must be inspected by DEQ, or installed and self-inspected by a DEQ-certified installer, before use.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to have ready
- The parcel’s legal description, to confirm whether it is inside Hugo or another town
- The FEMA flood zone and, for floodplain work, the base flood elevation and site plan
- For septic, the DEQ Report for On-Site Sewage (Form 581)
How to plan a building project in Choctaw County
Inside Hugo, apply to the city clerk-treasurer. Boswell, Fort Towson, Sawyer and Soper publish no permit procedure, so ask the town office there; rural land has no county building permit.
If the site is in a mapped flood hazard area, call the county’s floodplain administrator at 580-326-5331 before any work.
Request the DEQ soil test or Form 581 report, then buy the Authorization to Construct.
Electricians, plumbers and mechanical contractors hold licences from the state Construction Industries Board.
Have the septic system inspected before it goes into use, and request State Fire Marshal inspections for any building under its authority.
Rather not deal with the Choctaw County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections
The county carries out no building inspections. In Hugo, the City inspects under its own permits. On rural land, DEQ or a certified installer inspects the septic system, and the State Fire Marshal inspects the buildings it has authority over.
Local Choctaw County details
Hugo: City Hall is at 201 S. Second, and the City Council meets at 203 South Second. The City’s services page lists the City Clerk at extension 225, code enforcement at extension 236 and the water department at extension 228 on 580-326-5616.
Floodplain communities: the county, Hugo and Soper each appear separately on the state’s list of floodplain administrators, so the right office depends on whether the site is inside a town.
Oklahoma building code
Oklahoma sets statewide minimum codes (the 2024 editions since September 14, 2026) that cities enforce and may strengthen; most counties issue no building permits for unincorporated land, though a few do. Oklahoma rules
Official Choctaw County permit resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- Oklahoma Construction Industries Board: trade licences
- Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission
- Oklahoma Water Resources Board floodplain forms and guidance
- OWRB: find a floodplain administrator
- OUBCC list of cities, towns and counties and whether they issue permits
- State Fire Marshal list of local authorities doing plan review and inspections (July 2026)
- City of Hugo services and phone directory
- Hugo Code of Ordinances (Municipal Code Management)
- DEQ on-site sewage (septic) permits
Choctaw County permit FAQs
Does Choctaw County issue building permits?
No. The state code commission lists Choctaw County as a county that issues no building permits.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Which towns in Choctaw County issue building permits?
Hugo, through its city clerk-treasurer. Boswell, Fort Towson, Sawyer and Soper are listed as issuing none, and none of them publishes a permit procedure online.
Who do I call about building in a floodplain?
On unincorporated land, the county’s floodplain administrator at 580-326-5331; inside Hugo, Hugo City Hall at 580-326-5616; in Soper, the town’s administrator at 580-345-2630.
Who permits a septic system in Choctaw County?
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, through its site report, Authorization to Construct and inspection.
Who inspects a septic system in Choctaw County?
DEQ, or a DEQ-certified installer who installed and self-inspected it, before the system is used.
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More Oklahoma permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Choctaw County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.