Pittsburg County does not issue building permits: the state’s Uniform Building Code Commission lists it as a county that issues none. What the county does permit is development in the floodplain, under regulations the Pittsburg County Floodplain Board amended on July 1, 2017, with a $100 permit for a house. McAlester, Hartshorne, Krebs and a few towns run their own building permits.
What needs a permit outside the towns?
Pittsburg County
- Any development in a special flood hazard area: buildings, additions, remodels, elevating, fill, mining, drilling, demolition, manufactured home placement, equipment storage, pipeline or cable burial
- Oil and gas work in the floodplain, on the county’s separate oil and gas permit
- Road crossings, approved by the Board of County Commissioners
State of Oklahoma
- Where no local authority requires a building permit, the State Fire Marshal requires its own permit for all use and occupancy classifications in the International Building Code (OAC 265:25-1-4(a))
- New or modified septic systems: Department of Environmental Quality
Who issues permits in Pittsburg County?
The county issues no building permits; what it does permit is floodplain development (including oil and gas work) and road crossings. The Floodplain Administrator, appointed by the Pittsburg County Floodplain Board, reviews applications for the unincorporated county; the board hears variances and appeals.
| Office | Handles | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Floodplain Administrator | Floodplain development and oil and gas floodplain permits | 115 E. Carl Albert Pkwy., Suite 100, McAlester, OK 74501; 918-423-4726; floodplain@pittsburgcountyok.gov; Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Board of County Commissioners Office | Commission agendas, including road crossing permits | Same courthouse; 918-423-1338; Monday–Friday 8:00–4:30 |
| Emergency Management | Storm spotting, road closings, disaster response | 918-423-5655 (24 hours) |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Fourteen incorporated places lie in Pittsburg County. The two state lists below are the Uniform Building Code Commission’s jurisdiction list and the State Fire Marshal’s July 14, 2026 list of places that do their own plan review, permitting and inspections.
| Town | Who permits construction | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| McAlester | The city’s Building Division (on both state lists) | 918-423-9300 |
| Hartshorne | The city: its code requires a permit from the building official, at $10 for the first 500 sq ft and $20 for each further 500 sq ft; on the Fire Marshal list since November 2023 | 918-297-2544 |
| Carlton Landing | The town: it posts a building permit application and has been on the Fire Marshal list since October 2023 | 918-707-5005 |
| Krebs | The city: its zoning ordinance requires a building permit from the city’s administrative official | 918-423-6519 |
| Kiowa | The town: it posts a building permit application, filed at City Hall, 831 S. Van Buren St. | 918-432-5621 |
| Canadian | The state lists disagree: the code commission marks Canadian as not issuing permits, but the Fire Marshal has listed it as doing its own permits and inspections since December 2024; ask the town | 918-339-2517 |
| Alderson, Ashland, Crowder, Haileyville, Indianola, Pittsburg, Quinton, Savanna | No town building permits, according to the code commission list | – |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Trade work and septic systems in rural Pittsburg County
The county issues no electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits. Where a city or town permits construction, it also issues the trade permits, and the trades themselves are licensed by the Construction Industries Board.
Septic systems are permitted by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. A new or modified system must be inspected and approved by DEQ, or installed, self-inspected and approved by a certified installer, before it is used. The county’s flood rules also require on-site systems in flood areas to be located so they are not impaired or contaminated during flooding.
Pittsburg County floodplain fees
The Floodplain Board’s fee schedule (Article VI of the regulations) caps any one service at $500.
| Permit or service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential | $100 |
| Non-residential, non-commercial | $50 |
| Commercial | $250 |
| Multi-family residential | $500 |
| Oil and gas | $500 |
| Oil and gas pipeline burial | $300 |
| Inspection | $50 each |
| Variance request filing | $25 |
| Permit extension | Half the permit fee |
Permits expire six months after they are issued. Where the State Fire Marshal issues the building permit instead of a town, its fee is $0.20 per square foot with a $100 minimum (OAC 265:60-1-2).
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What a floodplain application needs
- The county floodplain development permit form, with the type and purpose of the work, latitude and longitude, flood zone, map panel and effective date, the base flood elevation and the proposed lowest floor elevation.
- Plans in duplicate, drawn to scale, showing the site, dimensions and elevations of existing and proposed structures and fill, and their relation to the flood hazard area.
- The elevation of the lowest floor (including any basement) of new and substantially improved buildings, or the floodproofing elevation for non-residential buildings.
- Certification from a registered engineer, architect or land surveyor that the floor elevation or floodproofing requirement has been met; the county posts a Compliance Certification Form.
- For pipelines, the Certificate of Burial Depth of Pipeline; oil and gas work uses the separate oil and gas permit and instructions.
How to get a permit in Pittsburg County
Inside McAlester, Hartshorne, Krebs, Kiowa or Carlton Landing, apply to the city or town.
Call the Floodplain Administrator (918-423-4726) to find out whether the land is in a mapped flood hazard area.
Submit the form, duplicate plans and elevation data, and pay the fee for the project type.
Crossings are approved by the Board of County Commissioners; contact the Commissioners Office (918-423-1338).
DEQ for a septic system; the State Fire Marshal where no local authority requires a building permit.
Return the engineer’s, architect’s or surveyor’s certification once the floor is built.
Rather not deal with the Pittsburg County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Pittsburg County
There is no county building inspection. The Floodplain Administrator and the board’s agents may enter the property in daylight hours to inspect floodplain work, at $50 per inspection, and the elevation or floodproofing certification is required; a building without it is presumed to violate the regulations until it is provided. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to one year in jail, or both.
Local details in Pittsburg County
Two feet of freeboard: the regulations require the lowest floor of a new or substantially improved home to be at least 2 feet above the base flood elevation, and the same for non-residential buildings unless they are floodproofed. The 2017 permit form still says “at or above” the base flood elevation; the regulations are the adopted rule. Manufactured homes in Zones A and AE must also sit 2 feet above it, installed and certified by a licensed installer.
Accessory buildings in Zones A and AE must be small (600 sq ft at most), unfinished inside, used only for parking or limited storage, anchored, and have flood openings and elevated or floodproofed utilities.
Flood maps: the regulations adopt the Flood Insurance Study for Pittsburg County dated June 2, 2015, with its rate map panels. The county takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program.
Variances: the Floodplain Board hears variance requests ($25 filing fee) after notice is published in a county newspaper at least 30 days before the hearing.
Commission meetings: the Board of County Commissioners meets at 9:00 a.m. in Room 100B of the courthouse, 115 E. Carl Albert Parkway, and its agendas carry a standing item for road crossing permits.
Tribal trust property: the State Fire Marshal does not have jurisdiction on tribal trust property; the tribal government is the authority there.
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 Pittsburg County and Oklahoma permit resources
- Pittsburg County Floodplain office
- Pittsburg County floodplain forms and permits
- Pittsburg County Floodplain Regulations (amended July 1, 2017)
- Pittsburg County floodplain development permit application
- Pittsburg County Board of County Commissioners Office
- Pittsburg County meeting agendas
- City of McAlester Building Inspection
- Town of Kiowa permits and forms
- Town of Carlton Landing building permit application
- Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission: jurisdictions
- State Fire Marshal local permitting list (July 14, 2026)
- State Fire Marshal: permit questions and fees
- Oklahoma DEQ on-site sewage systems
- Oklahoma Construction Industries Board
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Pittsburg County permit FAQs
Does Pittsburg County issue building permits?
No. The Uniform Building Code Commission lists Pittsburg County as issuing no permits. The county permits development in the floodplain of the unincorporated area.
How much is a floodplain permit in Pittsburg County?
$100 for a residential project, $250 commercial, $500 multi-family, plus $50 for each inspection, under the Floodplain Board’s fee schedule.
How high must a house be built in a 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 McAlester and Hartshorne?
Each city issues its own. McAlester’s Building Division answers on 918-423-9300; Hartshorne City Hall is on 918-297-2544.
How long is a floodplain permit valid?
Six months from the permit date; an extension costs half the original permit fee.
Who approves a septic system on rural land?
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, not the county.
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More Oklahoma permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Pittsburg County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.