Moore, Oklahoma Building Permit Guide

Building permits in Moore are issued by the Community Development Department’s Inspections division at Moore City Hall, 301 North Broadway Avenue (405-793-5051, inspections@cityofmoore.com, Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm). You apply and pay for every permit and inspection in the GovBuilt portal; a new house pays a $50 plan review fee at submittal, and an addition or alteration is $0.10 per square foot under the March 2026 fee schedule.

Moore’s residential code carries a local wind code for one- and two-family houses: structural OSB or plywood sheathing with ring-shank nails at close spacing, hurricane clips or framing anchors at every rafter-to-wall connection, continuous wall sheathing with no intermittent bracing on outside walls, and garage doors rated for 135 mph wind. The state commission now publishes similar rules as Appendix BR, Residential Tornado Provisions, which applies only where a city’s ordinance adopts it.

Moore permits inside its city limits. Norman, Oklahoma City’s Cleveland County area, Del City and Midwest City are separate jurisdictions, and the city does not permit unincorporated Cleveland County.

What requires a building permit in Moore?

The Inspections division says building permits are required for commercial and residential remodels, additions and improvements in general and for all new construction, and asks you to call 405-793-5051 when unsure. The fee schedule shows the separate permits it issues.

Moore’s residential wind code in detail

Section 5-204 lists the wind rules: roof sheathing of OSB or plywood at least 7/16 inch with a 24/16 span rating, nailed with 8d ring-shank or 10d nails at 4 inches on the edges and 6 inches in the field, with no dimensional lumber decking; roof framing at no more than 16 inches on center, with connections designed for compression and tension; gable end walls sheathed and tied at top and bottom; wall sheathing lapped over the sill plate and nailed to the rim board; garage openings framed with the sheathed portal frame method; and exterior wall studs at 16 inches on center.

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

Moore building department: who handles permitting

The Community Development Department has three divisions: Building Permits and Inspections, Planning and Zoning, and Code Enforcement. Inspections reviews plans, issues building and trade permits, registers contractors and inspects; the GovBuilt portal also handles right-of-way, stormwater quality and fire safety requests.

In 2025, building permits issued in Moore authorized 119 new privately owned housing units, 115 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.

Permit types

Residential permits

A new house is filed in GovBuilt with plans drawn to the section 5-204 wind code, showing the sheathing, nailing, clips and bracing. The $50 plan review fee is paid when you submit, and residential permits carry a $5 scanning fee. In a tornado damage area the section 5-212 brick, size and garage rules apply on top of the code.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit expediting, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Commercial work pays a $100 plan review fee at submittal and $0.14 per square foot for the permit. The city’s Commercial Development Guidebook and landscaping worksheet (both revised April 21, 2026) cover site requirements. Fire alarm and sprinkler plans carry their own review fee of $0.01 per square foot, $25 minimum, and a commercial vent hood review is $35.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit applications through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

Which code edition Moore applies

Moore’s code adopts the 2018 International Building Code and 2018 International Residential Code as modified by the state commission (Ordinance 1039.23, December 18, 2023) and the 2018 Existing Building Code; the city’s adopted-codes list, revised April 13, 2026, also names the 2020 National Electrical Code. The state minimum moved to the 2024 editions on September 14, 2026, and the council agendas from July to October 2026 carried no new code adoption.

Oklahoma has no general contractor licence: the Construction Industries Board licenses the trades and registers roofers, and cities may require contractors to register locally. Oklahoma rules

Moore permit costs and fees

Fees are in the city’s Schedule of Fees and Charges, updated March 2026 and adopted in full by Resolution No. 130(26).

Trade permits and who may pull them

Moore’s code requires every contractor, journeyman and apprentice in the regulated trades to hold a city licence or registration before working, and licensed plumbers, electricians and mechanical contractors must prepay inspection fees or keep a deposit with the city. Registration is done in GovBuilt.

The trades are permitted separately and done by Construction Industries Board licensees. Oklahoma rules

How to apply for a Moore building permit

What slows a Moore permit

Work begun without a permit triggers a special investigation and an investigation fee equal to the permit fee, whether or not the permit is then issued. Covering work before its inspection adds the unauthorized covering fee. A permit can be extended for six months for $25 on a house or $35 on commercial work.

Inspections in Moore

Inspections are requested in GovBuilt or by calling 405-793-5051; requests in before 9 am can be done the same day, and results are posted in the portal. The clips, sheathing nailing and continuous bracing the wind code requires can be seen only before the walls are closed, so call the framing inspection before insulation and wallboard go up.

Re-inspections are $30, and inspections requested while City Hall is closed are $200 for the first hour. Storm shelters must meet FEMA 320, FEMA 361 or ICC 500, keep exposed parts no more than 18 inches above grade in an unfenced front or street-side yard, lock when unfenced, and use concrete of at least 3,500 psi.

Moore permit search and official resources

• Moore Building Permits & Inspections: portal, inspections and adopted codes
• Moore GovBuilt portal: permits, contractor registration and inspections
• City Code, Land Development Code and Fee Schedule (March 2026)
• Moore Municipal Code, Part 5: building regulations, wind code and storm shelters
• Planning & Development: Community Development contacts
• OUBCC 2024 IRC rule, including Appendix BR, Residential Tornado Provisions
• Oklahoma Construction Industries Board: trade licences and roofer registration

Frequently asked questions

How much is a building permit in Moore?

An addition or alteration to a house is $0.10 per square foot with a $25 minimum; commercial work is $0.14 per square foot with a $35 minimum. A new house also pays a $50 plan review fee at submittal, plus the $4.50 state fee; the March 2026 schedule prints the new-house rate as “10 sq. ft.” without a decimal, so ask Inspections (405-793-5051) for the figure.

What makes Moore’s residential code different?

Section 5-204 adds a wind code: OSB or plywood sheathing with ring-shank nails, hurricane clips at every rafter-to-wall connection, continuous wall sheathing, 16-inch framing and garage doors rated for 135 mph wind.

Is Moore’s wind code part of the state code?

The state commission publishes similar rules as Appendix BR, Residential Tornado Provisions, in its 2024 residential code rule effective September 14, 2026; the appendix applies only where a city’s ordinance adopts it.

Do I need a permit for a storm shelter or fence in Moore?

Yes. A storm shelter permit is $30 and a fence permit $25.

Can I get a same-day inspection in Moore?

Yes, if you call 405-793-5051 or message through GovBuilt before 9 am.

Which code edition does Moore use?

The city code adopts the 2018 building and residential codes and the city lists the 2020 electrical code; the state minimum changed to the 2024 editions on September 14, 2026.

Simplify Moore permitting with Alliance Permitting

Moore adds its own wind code to the residential code and takes every permit through GovBuilt. We check that the plan set you give us shows the details the city lists, file it in GovBuilt and track the review and inspections.

Ready to break ground in Moore sooner?

Send us the scope and the parcel. We confirm the review path with the City of Moore building permits office, assemble the submittal, file it, and track it through issuance — corrections included.

More Oklahoma permitting guides

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Moore permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.