Garfield County does not issue building permits: the state’s code commission lists it as a non-issuing county, and it is not on the State Fire Marshal’s list of counties that review and inspect buildings. The Board of County Commissioners (114 W. Broadway, Room 101, Enid; 580-237-0227) issues the county’s own permits for floodplain development, driveway entrances and road crossings. Inside Enid, the city’s Community Development Department (580-616-7213) permits and inspects construction.
Who issues permits in Garfield County?
For unincorporated land there is no county building permit or building inspection. The Commissioners’ Permits page carries the permits the county does issue:
| Permit | Where to file |
|---|---|
| Floodplain Development Permit ($25) | Garfield County Commissioners, Attn: Floodplain Administrator, 114 W. Broadway, Room 101, Enid, OK 73701; 580-242-6013 (the OWRB lists the county administrator at 580-541-1941); permits@garfieldok.com |
| Driveway entrance on a county road | Board of County Commissioners; notify the district commissioner or the Highway Superintendent at least 5 days before work |
| Road crossing or line installation | County Clerk, by noon on the Wednesday before a commissioners’ meeting, with the fee check |
| Courthouse lawn and gazebo use | Commissioners’ office, 580-237-0227 |
The fourteen incorporated places split as follows, according to the State Fire Marshal’s July 2026 list of jurisdictions that do their own plan review, permits and inspections and the Uniform Building Code Commission’s jurisdiction list:
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Town | Building permits |
|---|---|
| Enid | Community Development Department; applications by email to EnidCD@enid.org or at the office; 580-616-7213, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Drummond | Town of Drummond, added to the State Fire Marshal list in March 2026; 580-493-2900 |
| Covington | The state lists disagree: on the State Fire Marshal list since January 2026, but marked as not issuing permits by the code commission; ask the town, 580-864-7428 |
| Breckenridge, Carrier, Douglas, Hillsdale, Hunter, Kremlin | Listed by the state as not issuing permits |
| North Enid | Town office issues building and roofing permits; processing can take up to 10 working days, and roofing without a permit carries a $275 fine; 220 Redwood, 580-234-5941 ext. 3 |
| Fairmont, Garber, Lahoma, Waukomis | Not on the State Fire Marshal list and not marked as non-issuing by the state; ask the town: Fairmont 580-358-2282, Garber 580-863-2254, Lahoma 580-796-2600, Waukomis 580-758-3242 |
Trades, septic and commercial buildings
Outside the permitting towns there are no county electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits; contractors carry Oklahoma Construction Industries Board licences, and Enid issues trade permits inside the city.
Septic: the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality permits on-site sewage systems through its 581 soil report and an Authorization to Construct, and DEQ or a certified installer inspects the installation.
Commercial buildings: with no county building authority, commercial plans for unincorporated Garfield County go to the State Fire Marshal through its Accela Citizen Portal.
Garfield County permit costs
There is no county building permit fee. The county’s permit documents set these costs and responsibilities:
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →- Driveway entrances: for an agricultural or residential entrance, the commissioners provide up to one 30 ft culvert per property, with the type and size chosen by the district commissioner; any further culverts or driveways are the owner’s cost. A commercial entrance is built with materials and labor supplied by the business.
- Floodplain permits: $25, set in Section 5.7 of the county’s 2019 Floodplain Regulations.
- Road crossings and line installations: paid by check to the Garfield County Commissioners with the application, under the schedule below; facility owners must also restore the road and right-of-way at their own expense when a site is decommissioned.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Road bored | $500 per line |
| Cut or trenched | $2,500 per line |
| Over-the-road crossing | $2,500 |
| Overhead line | $500 |
| Parallel overhead line | $500 per mile |
| Parallel water line | $250 per mile per line |
| Crossing through an existing culvert or under a bridge | $250 |
| 30-day renewal | Same as the original permit |
Inside Enid and the other permitting towns, building permit fees follow the town’s own schedule.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What the floodplain application asks for
Floodplain Development Permit
- General description and legal description of the work, with directions to the site
- A FEMA FIRMette or other map with the site circled; FIRM map number and effective date; flood zone
- Latitude and longitude and the name of the creek, lake or water body
- Type of work: new construction, addition, remodel, demolition, manufactured home, fill, excavation, storage, mining, drilling or pipeline
- Lowest finished floor, lowest adjacent grade and base flood elevation, with the engineer and surveyor named
- Whether the site is in the floodway, and whether locations outside the floodplain were considered
Road crossing or line
- Completed crossing permit (February 2024 revision)
- A notification letter listing the route, legal descriptions and abutting landowners
- For a culvert in county right-of-way, a storm-water mitigation plan
- The fee check, payable to the Garfield County Commissioners
How to plan a project in unincorporated Garfield County
Inside Enid, file with Community Development; check the town table above for the smaller towns.
If the site is in a special flood hazard area, file the Floodplain Development Permit before any building, fill or excavation.
Apply for a driveway entrance and give the district commissioner or Highway Superintendent 5 days’ notice before work.
Lines under or over county roads need the crossing permit, filed with the County Clerk by Wednesday noon before a board meeting.
Order DEQ’s soil report and Authorization to Construct.
Use the Accela Citizen Portal.
Rather not deal with the Garfield County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections
No county inspector checks buildings in unincorporated Garfield County. The floodplain permit authorizes county staff to enter the site to inspect, and a registered engineer, architect or land surveyor must certify the finished floor elevation or floodproofing. After a road crossing, the contractor calls the Highway Superintendent’s office for an on-site inspection. DEQ or a certified installer inspects septic systems, and the State Fire Marshal inspects commercial buildings it permits.
Local Garfield County rules
Floodplain: a home’s lowest floor, including any basement, must be at least 1 ft above the base flood elevation; a non-residential building must be elevated 1 ft or floodproofed. Utility equipment must be elevated, and water and sewer lines need automatic backflow devices. Work in a floodway is permitted only on an engineer’s study showing no rise in the base flood elevation. The Board of County Commissioners signs off each floodplain permit.
County roads: crossings must be bored, never blasted, and trenching needs the commissioner’s approval. Buried lines go at least 5 ft below the road center and 4 ft below the ditch bottom, overhead lines need 20 ft of clearance, and no boring or ditching is allowed within 50 ft of a quarter-section corner or 200 ft of a bridge.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Garfield County permit resources
- Garfield County Commissioners: permits
- Garfield County Floodplain Development Permit Application
- Garfield County 2019 Floodplain Regulations
- Garfield County Driveway Entrance Permit
- Garfield County road crossing and line installation requirements
- City of Enid Community Development
- Oklahoma State Fire Marshal: jurisdictions that do their own permitting
- Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission: jurisdiction list
- Oklahoma DEQ: on-site sewage treatment
- Oklahoma Construction Industries Board
Garfield County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Does Garfield County issue building permits?
No. The state lists Garfield County as issuing no building permits. The county issues floodplain, driveway entrance and road crossing permits.
Who issues building permits in Enid?
The City of Enid Community Development Department, which takes applications at its office or by email to EnidCD@enid.org (580-616-7213, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
How high must a house sit in a Garfield County floodplain?
At least 1 ft above the base flood elevation, certified by a registered engineer, architect or land surveyor.
Will the county supply a culvert for my driveway?
For an agricultural or residential entrance, the commissioners provide up to one 30 ft culvert per property; extra culverts and commercial entrances are the owner’s cost.
Who approves a septic system in Garfield County?
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, which issues the Authorization to Construct.
Where do I file a county floodplain permit, and what does it cost?
The fee is $25. File with the Garfield County Commissioners, Attn: Floodplain Administrator, 114 W. Broadway, Room 101, Enid (580-242-6013, permits@garfieldok.com).
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More Oklahoma permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Garfield County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.