Mayes County does not issue building permits for unincorporated land. The county permit that matters for most rural builders is the floodplain permit, administered by the Emergency Management director at One Court Place in Pryor (918-825-4650) and approved by the Board of County Commissioners, along with a 911 address from Mayes County 911. Pryor Creek, Chouteau and several smaller towns issue their own building permits.
What needs a permit in rural Mayes County?
The county requires a permit for any work in the floodplain. Its Emergency Management page lists building construction, excavating, grading, drilling, road or driveway construction and storing equipment in the floodplain. Flood maps and floodplain information are available on 918-530-6114.
Needed outside town limits
- County floodplain permit for work in the floodplain
- 911 address from Mayes County 911 before utilities are connected
- Septic permit from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
- State Fire Marshal building permit for buildings in the occupancy classes of the International Building Code
- GRDA permit for docks and shoreline work on Grand Lake and Lake Hudson
Not issued by the county
- Building permits
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits
- Permits inside a town that runs its own permit office
Who handles permitting in Mayes County?
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Emergency Management and Floodplain Administrator | One Court Place, Suite 140, Pryor; 918-825-4650; 24-hour line 918-825-1155 |
| Mayes County 911 (addressing) | 1 Court Place, Suite 140, Pryor; 918-824-1875; 911@mayescountyok.gov; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Board of County Commissioners | Approves floodplain permits at its meetings |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Thirteen incorporated towns lie wholly or partly in Mayes County. Two state lists record whether each permits construction: the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission’s jurisdiction list and the State Fire Marshal’s list of local plan review authorities (July 14, 2026). They do not always agree; where a town’s own ordinance or a later state listing exists, it is given here.
| Town | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Pryor Creek (city) | Building Inspection, a division of Community Development, 12 North Rowe Street, 918-825-1679, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It permits and inspects all residential, commercial and industrial projects in the city. |
| Chouteau (town) | Chouteau Town Hall, 111 S Lewis St, 918-476-5902. The town takes an Application for Plan Examination and Building Permit and has its own building inspector. |
| Langley (town, partly in Mayes County) | Town of Langley, 918-782-9850. Ordinance 2023-5 (December 7, 2023) adopted the 2018 International codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code and sends permit applications to a building official appointed by the town council; the town links an online inspection and plan review portal. |
| Locust Grove (town) | Town of Locust Grove, 109 E. Ross. Code section 10-2-2 requires a building permit from the Town Code Enforcement Officer for building, enlarging, altering or moving a structure, placing a mobile home, and any construction including fences, driveways, storm shelters, sheds and garages; the fee is set by the board of trustees. On the State Fire Marshal’s list since April 9, 2024 (918-479-5102). |
| Adair, Disney, Salina, Spavinaw | On the State Fire Marshal’s list of towns doing their own plan review, permitting and inspections: Adair 918-785-2432, Disney 918-435-8242, Salina 918-434-5200, Spavinaw 918-864-7382. |
| Sportsmen Acres | Not marked by the state commission as a town that issues no permits, and not on the State Fire Marshal’s list; ask the town office, 918-824-1000. |
| Ketchum (town, partly in Mayes County) | Marked by the state building code commission as issuing no permits, but the town’s Permits and Fees page posts a Town of Ketchum Building Permit: $30, approved by the board of trustees, with a scale drawing of the lot required and construction to be finished within one year. Town Hall 918-782-2244. |
| Grand Lake Towne, Pensacola, Strang | Listed by the state building code commission as issuing no permits; the published sources do not say otherwise. Ask the town: Grand Lake Towne 918-782-7254, Pensacola 918-855-5527, Strang 918-593-2222. |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Adair, Disney, Langley and Spavinaw are marked “Does not issue permits” on the building code commission’s list (last updated April 17, 2026) but appear on the State Fire Marshal’s July 2026 list, and Langley has its own building code ordinance. Ketchum carries the same mark but posts its own building permit form.
Town permit fees in Mayes County
Chouteau posts its permit fees on its Permits and Forms page, under the heading “Construction Permits & Fees – Electrical, Plumbing & Mechanical”:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| New construction, residential or commercial | $105 |
| Repair or remodel, residential | $30 |
| Repair or remodel, commercial | $55 |
| Each inspection after the third (per permit classification) | $15; $15 per unit for multi-family |
| Electrical, plumbing or mechanical contractor licence, first year | $105 |
| Licence renewal (due each June) | $75 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Trade contractors in Chouteau need both a state licence and a town licence, and the builder, contractor or homeowner buys separate electrical, plumbing or HVAC permits where the work needs them.
How to get permits for a rural Mayes County build
If the land is inside a town that permits construction, apply there; the county issues no building permit.
Call Emergency Management (918-825-4650) or the floodplain line (918-530-6114) before grading, building or cutting a driveway near a creek or lake.
The Board of County Commissioners approves floodplain permits at its regular meetings; it approved one on September 21, 2026.
Send Mayes County 911 the address request form with an aerial view or map showing where the driveway is or will be; allow about 3 to 5 business days.
Get the onsite sewage permit from DEQ; utilities are not connected until the 911 address is assigned.
On GRDA shoreline, apply to GRDA Lake Permitting before building a dock, wall or ramp.
Inspections in Mayes County towns
Pryor Creek: book inspections by phone on 918-825-1679. No inspection happens until the permit has been bought, and requests after 4 p.m. are not guaranteed until noon the next day. Contractors, journeymen and apprentices must hold active Construction Industries Board status before the city issues a licence or permit.
Rather not deal with the Mayes County building department?
Get a free quote →Chouteau: the town’s inspection sequence is footing, plumbing rough-in, framing, plumbing top-out, electrical rough-in, HVAC rough-in, and a final inspection for the certificate of occupancy.
Local Mayes County details
911 addresses: Mayes County 911 assigns addresses for the whole county, including the towns and cities. A new house or structure needs one before utilities are connected, even if mail goes to a post office box, and the number must be posted at the driveway entrance where it can be seen from the road.
Grand Lake and Lake Hudson: the Grand River Dam Authority manages both lakes and the Grand River. Every residential dock on GRDA waters needs a GRDA permit, under dock standards approved November 12, 2025, and GRDA also permits buoys, dredging and excavation, retaining walls, boat ramps, tram systems, rip rap and vegetation work, and publishes construction guidelines for its flowage easement. GRDA Lake Permitting: 918-256-0852, Lakepermits@grda.com.
Trades: electrical, plumbing and mechanical work is licensed by the Construction Industries Board; Pryor Creek posts its own trade permit application, and Chouteau sells electrical, plumbing and HVAC 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 Mayes 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
- Mayes County Emergency Management and floodplain administration
- Mayes County 911 addressing
- Mayes County 911 address request form (2026)
- Mayes County commissioners’ agendas and minutes
- Pryor Creek Building Inspector
- Pryor Creek inspections procedure
- Town of Chouteau permits and forms
- Town of Langley building codes
- GRDA lake permitting and applications
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Mayes County permit FAQs
Does Mayes County issue building permits?
No. The state building code commission lists Mayes County as issuing no permits. The county handles floodplain permits and 911 addresses; towns such as Pryor Creek and Chouteau permit building inside their limits.
Do I need a permit to build near a creek in Mayes County?
If the work is in the floodplain, yes. Building, excavating, grading, drilling, road or driveway construction and equipment storage in the floodplain need a county permit from the Emergency Management director, who is the floodplain administrator.
Who issues building permits in Pryor Creek?
The city’s Building Inspection division at 12 North Rowe Street, 918-825-1679, which also schedules inspections.
How long does a Mayes County 911 address take?
About 3 to 5 business days once Mayes County 911 has the request form and a map or aerial view showing the driveway.
Do I need a permit for a dock on Grand Lake or Lake Hudson?
Yes. Every residential dock on GRDA waters needs a permit from GRDA (918-256-0852).
Who permits septic systems in Mayes County?
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality permits onsite sewage systems.
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More Oklahoma permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Mayes County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.