Washington County does not issue building permits for land outside city and town limits. Its Community Development office (918-331-2710), whose officer is also the deputy emergency management director, runs the county floodplain program and assigns 911 addresses, and new buildings in a mapped flood zone need a county floodplain development permit with the lowest floor at or above the base flood elevation. Bartlesville and Dewey issue their own building permits.
What needs a permit in rural Washington County?
Outside the towns there is no county building permit or county building inspection. The county’s code enforcement in unincorporated areas is limited to violations of state statute. What the county does require comes from its floodplain regulations and its 911 addressing.
Needed outside town limits
- County floodplain development permit for any development in a special flood hazard area
- 911 address from Community Development
- Septic permit from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
- State Fire Marshal permit where the rule below applies
Not issued by the county
- Building permits and building inspections
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits
- Permits inside Bartlesville or Dewey
The State Fire Marshal’s rule (OAC 265:25-1-4(a)) reads: “In all geographical areas wherein no building permit is required by local authorities such permit shall be obtained from the State Fire Marshal’s Office for all Use and Occupancy Classifications identified in the International Building Code.”
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Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in Washington County?
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Community Development (floodplain, 911 addressing, GIS) | 918-331-2710; Washington County Emergency Management, 1205 SE Bison Rd, Bartlesville |
| Board of County Commissioners (county roads and bridges) | Administration Building, 400 S. Johnstone, Room 201, Bartlesville; 918-337-2820 |
Six incorporated places lie in the county. The Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission marks places that issue no permits on its jurisdiction list (updated April 17, 2026), and the State Fire Marshal keeps a separate list of places doing their own plan review, permits and inspections (July 14, 2026). Neither list marks Ramona either way.
| Town | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Bartlesville (city, nearly all in Washington County) | City of Bartlesville Building and Construction Services, City Hall, 401 S. Johnstone Ave., 918-338-4244. On the State Fire Marshal’s list since April 24, 2026. |
| Dewey (city) | City of Dewey, City Hall, 411 E. Don Tyler Ave., 918-534-2272. The city code requires a building permit from the city clerk, and Dewey is on the State Fire Marshal’s list (added February 5, 2026). |
| Ramona (town) | Not marked as non-issuing by the state building code commission and not on the State Fire Marshal’s list; the published sources do not say, so ask the town office, 918-536-2245. |
| Copan, Ochelata, Vera (towns) | Listed by the state building code commission as issuing no permits. Copan 918-532-4114, Ochelata 918-535-2213, Vera 918-371-5974. |
Community Development assigns 911 addresses in the unincorporated county and in Copan, Ochelata, Ramona and Vera.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Permit rules and fees in Dewey
Dewey’s building regulations (Part 5 of the city code) require a permit from the city clerk whenever work changes a building’s outside appearance, costs more than $2,500, or moves a building into or within the city. The fee is set by City Council motion or resolution, and the city clerk keeps the current schedule. The permit also covers the first plumbing and electrical installations for the building.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Residential building permit | Valid for 9 months; one 3-month extension on request |
| Commercial, industrial or institutional permit | Valid for 18 months after work starts; work must start within 6 months of issue; one 6-month extension |
| Permit extension fee | $50 |
| Further extensions | Up to 3 months at a time, granted by the city manager |
If a permit lapses and no extension is requested within 30 days of notice, the city can order construction utilities cut off until an extension is obtained. Bartlesville’s fees are in the Bartlesville guide.
Floodplain development permit in the unincorporated county
The Washington County Floodplain Board adopted its floodplain regulations on November 7, 2019, effective December 31, 2019. They apply to every special flood hazard area in the unincorporated county, mapped in the Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps dated September 26, 2008.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →- When: no work of any kind may begin in a floodplain until the permit is issued, including new buildings, additions, clearing, fill, grading, mining, dredging and drilling.
- Application: the applicant completes Section I of the county’s application packet; plans in duplicate, drawn to scale, show the site, existing and proposed structures and their elevations.
- Elevation: a new or substantially improved home must have its lowest floor, including any basement, at or above the base flood elevation, certified by a registered engineer, architect or land surveyor. Manufactured homes must have the bottom of the I-beam at or above that elevation.
- Floodways: fill and new construction in a regulatory floodway are prohibited unless an engineering analysis shows no rise in flood levels.
- Other permits first: the floodplain permit is not issued until every other required local, state or federal permit is in hand.
- Time limits: the permit expires if work does not start within 6 months, and the building cannot be used until the county issues a Certificate of Compliance.
A variance petition to the Floodplain Board costs $25. Breaking the regulations is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to one year in jail, or both, for each violation.
How to get permits for a rural Washington County build
If the land is inside Bartlesville or Dewey, apply to that city; the county issues no building permit.
Call Community Development (918-331-2710) to find out whether the site is in a special flood hazard area.
Submit the county application packet with scaled plans; hire a surveyor or engineer for the elevation certificate.
Call Community Development, which assigns new E911 addresses outside the cities.
Apply to DEQ for an onsite sewage system and to the State Fire Marshal where its permit rule applies.
For floodplain projects, the county records the as-built lowest floor elevation and issues a Certificate of Compliance before the building is used.
Rather not deal with the Washington County building department?
Get a free quote →Local Washington County details
County roads: the Board of County Commissioners builds and maintains county roads and bridges, and utility easement permits appear on its weekly meeting agendas.
Storm shelters: Washington County Emergency Management keeps a register of storm shelters; owners can register an existing shelter with the office.
Floodplain administrators: the Oklahoma Water Resources Board lists separate floodplain administrators for Bartlesville (City Engineering, 918-338-4251), Copan, Dewey, Ochelata and Ramona; the county regulations cover only the unincorporated county.
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 Washington County permit resources
- Washington County Community Development
- Washington County Emergency Management GIS and floodplain page
- Washington County Floodplain Board regulations (2019)
- Washington County floodplain development permit application
- Washington County commissioners’ agendas and minutes
- City of Dewey building regulations (city code Part 5)
- Bartlesville Building and Construction Services
- 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
- OWRB floodplain administrator directory
- Oklahoma Construction Industries Board
Washington County permit FAQs
Does Washington County issue building permits?
No. The state building code commission lists the county as issuing no permits. The county handles floodplain development permits and 911 addresses for unincorporated land.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Bartlesville and Dewey?
Bartlesville’s Building and Construction Services (918-338-4244) and Dewey’s city clerk at City Hall (918-534-2272).
Do I need a permit to build in the floodplain in rural Washington County?
Yes. Any development in a special flood hazard area needs a county floodplain development permit before work starts, and a new home’s lowest floor must be at or above the base flood elevation.
How long is a county floodplain permit good for?
It expires if work has not started within 6 months of the date it was issued.
How do I get a 911 address in Washington County?
Call Community Development on 918-331-2710; it assigns addresses in the unincorporated county and in Copan, Ochelata, Ramona and Vera.
Who permits septic systems?
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 Washington County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.