McClain County does not issue building permits; the state building code commission lists it as a county that issues none. For land outside the towns, the county’s Floodplain Administrator takes an Application for Permit to Develop in an Unincorporated Area, emailed to permits@mcclaincountyok.gov and processed in about 10 business days. Newcastle, Blanchard, Purcell, Goldsby, Washington, Maysville, Wayne and Byars require building permits under their own codes.
What needs a permit in unincorporated McClain County?
The county’s permit to develop is its floodplain permit. The application asks for the latitude and longitude of the home or main structure, the legal description and parcel number, the roads around the site and the estimated cost, and the reviewer records the flood zone and FIRM panel and whether a floodplain application is needed. Under the county’s floodplain regulations, no structure or land may be located, altered or changed in use without complying with them.
County approvals
- Floodplain permit (permit to develop in an unincorporated area)
- District road connection approval for a new driveway or road entrance, on file before the floodplain permit is issued
- Road crossing permit for pipelines and utility lines: $1,000 per permit, with a notarized application, a detailed map and a certificate of insurance, approved by the Board of County Commissioners
- Floodplain variance, by petition to the floodplain board ($25 filing fee)
Issued by someone else
- Building and trade permits inside the towns listed below
- Septic permits: Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
- Building permits for buildings in International Building Code occupancy classes where no local authority permits: State Fire Marshal
The floodplain application has a line for State Fire Marshal documents, and the State Fire Marshal requires its own building permit wherever no local authority issues one (OAC 265:25-1-4), at $0.20 per square foot of building with a $100 minimum (OAC 265:60-1-2).
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in McClain County?
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Floodplain Administrator | 1930 South Green Avenue, Purcell; 405-955-4600; permits@mcclaincountyok.gov |
| Road foremen (road connections) | District 1, Wayne: 405-449-3355; District 2, Purcell: 405-527-2040; District 3, Blanchard: 405-485-3388 |
| County administrative offices | 121 N 2nd Ave, Purcell; 405-527-3117 |
McClain County has eleven incorporated places, some only partly inside the county:
| Town | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Newcastle (city) | Planning and Community Development, 120 NE 2nd St, 405-387-4508; applications through MyGovernmentOnline. |
| Blanchard (city, partly in Grady County) | City of Blanchard, City Hall, 2008 N Council Ave, 405-485-9392. |
| Purcell (city, partly in McClain County) | The Codes Department at City Hall, 230 W Main Street, 405-527-6561. |
| Goldsby (town) | Planning and Permits, 100 E Center Rd, 405-288-6675; applications through MGO Connect. |
| Washington (town) | Town Clerk, 405-288-2578; the town has its own building permits and inspections page and joined the State Fire Marshal’s list on June 25, 2026. Its code (section 4-10, September 2025 edition) charges $175 for a new home or a remodel with plumbing and electric, and $35 each for footing, frame and final inspections. |
| Maysville (partly in McClain County) | Town of Maysville. Code section 9-1-5 requires a building permit to build, enlarge, alter or move any building; apply to the town clerk-treasurer. The fee is $50 (changeable by the board of trustees), the permit covers one project and it expires after one year if the project is not substantially complete. Town office 405-867-5850. |
| Wayne (town) | Town of Wayne. Code section 10-1-2 (2026 code) requires a permit from the town clerk-treasurer to construct, alter or move a building, at a fee set by the board of trustees. Town office 405-449-3451. |
| Byars (town) | Town of Byars. The state building code commission marks Byars as issuing no permits, but its code (section 4-10, September 2025 edition) requires a building permit from the Town Clerk for any building, manufactured home or flood-hazard-area work, at fees set by the board of trustees; minor repairs up to $500 and accessory buildings under 150 square feet without utility hook-ups are exempt. Town office 405-783-4255. |
| Dibble, Rosedale | Not marked by the state building code commission as towns that issue no permits; the published sources do not say how they permit. Ask the town: Dibble 405-344-6659. |
| Cole | Listed by the state building code commission as issuing no permits; the published sources do not say otherwise. Town office 405-344-6289. |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Newcastle, Blanchard, Purcell, Goldsby and Washington are all on the State Fire Marshal’s July 2026 list of local plan review authorities. Goldsby lets minor repairs costing no more than $2,000, and accessory buildings under 100 square feet with no water, sewer or electrical hook-ups, go ahead without a building permit; plumbing, electrical and mechanical work still needs a permit.
What the floodplain application needs
- Applicant and landowner details; the permit is issued only in the current landowner’s name, so a buyer or lessee needs the landowner’s signature
- Photocopies of the applicant’s and landowner’s driver’s licence or photo ID
- Description and purpose of the development, with driving directions from the nearest state highway
- Section, township, range and parcel number (the Assessor’s Office, 405-527-3520, can supply them)
- Latitude and longitude of where the home or structure will stand
- The road the driveway will meet, and whether three or more addresses will share one driveway
- A signed District Road Application for each new road connection
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →In a flood zone, a registered professional engineer, architect or land surveyor must certify the floor elevation. The county posts a list of engineers and surveyors who have calculated base flood elevations in the county, without recommending any of them.
McClain County floodplain rules
The McClain County Floodplain Board’s regulations (adopted 2007, updated 2020) go beyond building at the base flood elevation:
- New and substantially improved homes: lowest floor, including any basement, at least 2 feet above the base flood elevation.
- Commercial, industrial and other non-residential buildings: lowest floor at least 2 feet above the base flood level.
- Roads, driveways and approaches linking a home to the public road: at or above the base flood elevation.
- Manufactured homes: bottom of the I-beam at least 2 feet above the base flood elevation, and securely anchored.
- Enclosed areas below the lowest floor used only for parking, access or storage must let floodwater in and out: either a design certified by an engineer or architect, or at least two openings giving 1 square inch per square foot of enclosed area, their bottoms no higher than 1 foot above grade.
Any road or driveway an owner builds is private: the county maintains only its own road and that road’s drainage, and a road is accepted for public dedication only by the Board of County Commissioners.
Rather not deal with the McClain County building department?
Get a free quote →How to get a McClain County floodplain permit
Inside a town that requires its own permit (see the table above), apply to the town instead.
Send the District Road Application with maps by email to permits@mcclaincountyok.gov, as the Permits page says, or by mail to your district road foreman, as the form says; the foreman completes page two and returns it for your signature.
Take the latitude and longitude of the planned home or structure from a phone app or Google Maps.
Send the completed form, IDs and road application to permits@mcclaincountyok.gov.
The Floodplain Administrator reviews the flood map and mails the response.
Get the onsite sewage permit from DEQ, and file plans for buildings in the International Building Code’s use and occupancy classes with the State Fire Marshal.
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 McClain County and Oklahoma 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
- McClain County permits and applications
- McClain County floodplain administration
- McClain County application for permit to develop (floodplain permit)
- McClain County floodplain regulations (updated 2020)
- McClain County district road connection application
- McClain County road crossing application
- Purcell building permits
- Goldsby permitting and planning
- Goldsby: when a building permit is required
- Town of Washington building permits and inspections
McClain County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Does McClain County issue building permits?
No. The county issues a floodplain permit to develop for unincorporated land; building permits come from the towns that run permit offices, and from the State Fire Marshal for buildings it covers.
How do I apply for a McClain County floodplain permit?
Download the application from the county’s Permits page, fill it in with the latitude and longitude of the structure, attach photo IDs and the signed road connection form, and email it to permits@mcclaincountyok.gov.
How long does the county take?
The application form asks you to allow 10 business days for processing.
How high must a house be built in a McClain County flood zone?
The lowest floor, including any basement, must be at least 2 feet above the base flood elevation, certified by a registered engineer, architect or land surveyor.
Who issues building permits in Newcastle, Blanchard and Purcell?
Each city: Newcastle’s Planning and Community Development (405-387-4508), Blanchard City Hall (405-485-9392) and Purcell’s Codes Department at City Hall (405-527-6561).
Who permits septic systems?
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality permits onsite sewage systems in McClain County.
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More Oklahoma permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about McClain County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.