Marshall County does not issue building permits: the state building code commission lists the county as a jurisdiction that issues none. What the county does control is floodplain development, through its Emergency Management office in Madill (580-672-5115), and utility work in county road right-of-way, through the Board of County Commissioners. Inside Madill and Kingston, the town issues the building permit.
What needs a county permit in Marshall County?
County permits
- Development in an identified flood hazard area: buildings, additions, manufactured homes, fill, excavation, drilling, pipelines and storage (floodplain development permit)
- Every lot in a new subdivision plat, in or out of the floodplain (Resolution 11-07-2022)
- Pipelines, cables and other utility lines that cross or run along a county road (right-of-way utility permit, one per crossing)
- A new rural address, from the Assessor’s Office
Not issued by the county
- Building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits for unincorporated land
- Septic permits, which come from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
- Permits inside Madill or Kingston, which the town handles
Where no local authority issues building permits, the State Fire Marshal requires its own permit for buildings in the occupancy classes of the International Building Code (OAC 265:25-1-4). On unincorporated Marshall County land, those plans are filed with the State Fire Marshal through its online plan review portal; its fee is $0.20 per square foot of building, with a $100 minimum (OAC 265:60-1-2).
Who handles permitting in Marshall County?
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Emergency Management (Floodplains Administrator) | 102 N 4th St, Madill; 580-672-5115; emergencymanagement@marshallcountyok.com; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Office of the Commissioners (right-of-way permits, plats) | 100 Plaza, Room 106, Madill; 580-795-3165; 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed 12:00 to 1:00 |
| Assessor’s Office (addressing) | 100 Plaza, Room 105, Madill; 580-795-2398; Addressing@marshallcountyok.com |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Marshall County has three incorporated places. Who issues building permits in each:
| Town | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Madill (city) | The City of Madill, 201 E Overton St, 580-795-5586. The city posts a building permit application and a contractor registration form, and it is on the State Fire Marshal’s list of local plan review authorities (added January 7, 2026). |
| Kingston (town) | The Town of Kingston, 580-564-3750. Its building permits page posts new-construction and existing-building applications and plan review checklists; the new-construction application goes to the Town of Kingston Fire Marshal (580-564-2407). The town also issues residential and commercial zoning compliance permits. Kingston has been on the State Fire Marshal’s list since August 28, 2023. |
| Oakland (town) | The state commission’s list does not mark Oakland as a town that issues no permits; ask the town clerk, 580-795-3467. |
Marshall County permit fees
The county charges for floodplain review of subdivision lots and for right-of-way utility permits. It cannot take credit or debit cards or payment over the phone.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Floodplain permit, subdivision lot outside the floodplain | $100 per lot |
| Floodplain permit, subdivision lot in the floodplain | $150 per lot |
| Right-of-way permit: utilities, cable, water (normal operations) | $25; $100 if boring is required |
| Right-of-way permit: volatile or combustible lines | $2,000 per bore |
| Temporary above-ground lines (90 days at most) | $300 per mile |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Floodplain fees are paid to “Marshall County Floodplains.” The commissioners’ October 5, 2026 agenda listed an increase in floodplain permit fees as part of revised plat requirements, and the packet the county now posts carries that date.
Inside the towns: the Madill code (section 5-103) sets building permit fees at $0.10 per square foot for residential work ($35 minimum, $300 maximum) and $0.15 per square foot for commercial work ($50 minimum, $500 maximum), with inspections included and a single inspection at $25. Kingston’s residential zoning compliance permit is $100, plus $35 for a 911 address marker (Resolution 7-18).
Floodplain and subdivision documents
The county’s floodplain development permit application asks for a description and legal description of the work, a map marking the site, the FIRM panel and flood zone, and, in a Special Flood Hazard Area, the lowest finished floor, lowest adjacent grade and base flood elevation. Under its special provisions:
- The lowest floor of a home, including any basement, must be at or above the base flood elevation; other buildings must be elevated or flood-proofed to that level.
- Utility lines, switches and equipment must be elevated to limit flood damage, and water and sewer connections need automatic backflow devices.
- A registered engineer, architect or land surveyor must certify the floor elevation or flood-proofing.
- Work in a floodway is permitted only on an engineering study showing no adverse impact and no rise in the base flood elevation.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →For a subdivision, the county also wants at least three plat copies on 24 x 36 inch paper and two on mylar, a legal description by a licensed surveyor or engineer, lot dimensions, utilities, easements and existing features such as oil wells, ponds and creeks, and the note “Marshall County will not maintain subdivision roads.” Roads offered to the county need a 50-foot easement (never under 40 feet), a surface at least 20 feet wide and plans certified by a registered professional engineer.
How to get a permit in Marshall County
Inside Madill or Kingston, apply to the town; on unincorporated land, there is no county building permit.
If the site is in an identified flood hazard area, file the county floodplain development permit with Emergency Management before any work.
Request it from the Assessor’s Office; requests can take 5 to 10 business days.
On a site without sewer, the onsite system is permitted and inspected by DEQ.
Send the right-of-way permit form and payment to the commissioners by noon on the Thursday before the Monday meeting, one permit per road crossing.
On unincorporated land, file plans for buildings in the International Building Code’s use and occupancy classes with the State Fire Marshal.
Inspections and right-of-way rules
The floodplain application authorizes the county to enter the property to inspect the work, and failing to provide the elevation certification is a violation of the permit. A right-of-way permit is valid for 30 days unless the board agrees otherwise. The commissioners need 48 hours’ notice before installation starts and notice when it is complete so it can make the final inspection. Underground crossings must sit at least 4 feet below the road centerline or 2 feet below the ditch, whichever is deeper, and lines under asphalt, chip-seal or concrete roads must be jacked rather than cut.
Rather not deal with the Marshall County building department?
Get a free quote →Local Marshall County details
Plat approval order: floodplain approval comes first; the Floodplains Administrator then sends the file to addressing, and the plat goes to the Board of County Commissioners only once both approvals are in. Final plats are signed at the County Clerk’s office and filed there.
Kingston and tribal land: Kingston’s new-construction application asks whether the project is on tribal trust land and tells applicants to contact the town’s fire marshal’s office before filing if it is.
Madill work hours: Ordinance 981, adopted April 14, 2026, bars construction and repair work in Madill between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and outside 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, unless the city grants a special permit; emergency work is exempt.
Trades: electrical, plumbing and mechanical work is done by Construction Industries Board licensees; the county issues no trade permits.
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 Marshall 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
- Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission
- OUBCC list of cities, towns and counties that issue permits
- State Fire Marshal list of local plan review authorities (July 14, 2026)
- State Fire Marshal permit questions
- Marshall County Emergency Management and Floodplains
- Marshall County subdivision and plat packet with floodplain permit (rev. October 5, 2026)
- Marshall County right-of-way utility (bore) permit
- Marshall County forms
- Marshall County addressing
- Marshall County commissioners’ agendas
- Madill building code and permit fees (code chapter 5-1)
- Madill building permit application
- Kingston building permits
- Kingston residential zoning compliance permit
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Marshall County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Marshall County?
Not from the county, which issues none. A floodplain permit is needed for work in a flood hazard area, septic systems are permitted by DEQ, and buildings in the International Building Code’s use and occupancy classes need a State Fire Marshal permit.
Who issues building permits in Madill and Kingston?
Each town. Madill’s city hall is at 201 E Overton St (580-795-5586); Kingston’s town office is at 580-564-3750, and its building applications go to the town fire marshal (580-564-2407).
How much is a Marshall County floodplain permit for a subdivision lot?
$100 per lot outside the floodplain and $150 per lot inside it, under the plat packet revised October 5, 2026.
How high must a new home be built in the floodplain?
The lowest floor, including any basement, must be at or above the base flood elevation, certified by a registered engineer, architect or land surveyor.
What does a county road crossing permit cost?
$25 for ordinary utility, cable or water lines ($100 if boring is required), and $2,000 per bore for volatile or combustible lines. The board’s October 19, 2026 agenda includes a possible revision of these permits.
How do I get a new address?
From the Marshall County Assessor’s Office (580-795-2398); allow 5 to 10 business days.
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More Oklahoma permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Marshall County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.