There is no county building permit in Washita County: the state building code commission lists the county as issuing none. Inside the towns, New Cordell’s Building Permits and Inspections department (City Hall, 101 East Main Street, 580-832-3825) charges $50 for a residential building permit application after a free zoning clearance, and Burns Flat, Bessie and Sentinel also require permits. Six smaller towns are listed by the state as issuing no permits.
Who issues building permits in Washita County?
The county does not run a building permit program. The state commission’s list gives the county’s number as 580-832-2284 (PO Box 380, Cordell). The Oklahoma Water Resources Board lists a county floodplain administrator at 580-832-4114, and separate floodplain administrators for Bessie, Canute, Clinton, Colony, Corn, New Cordell and Sentinel.
Eleven incorporated places lie wholly or partly in the county. The State Fire Marshal’s July 14, 2026 list names local plan review authorities, and the building code commission’s list (updated April 17, 2026) flags places that issue no permits; the table uses both, plus each town’s own pages.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Town | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| New Cordell (city, county seat) | City of New Cordell Building Permits and Inspections, City Hall, 101 East Main Street, 580-832-3825. The city reviews plans, issues building permits and certificates of occupancy, and inspects construction. |
| Burns Flat (town) | Town of Burns Flat, Town Hall, 222 Highway 44, 580-562-3144. Town ordinances require a building permit from the Town Clerk-Treasurer’s office, with fees set by the Board of Trustees, and the town is on the State Fire Marshal’s list (added October 20, 2025). |
| Bessie (town) | On the State Fire Marshal’s list of jurisdictions doing their own plan review, permits and inspections (added August 29, 2023); 714 Main St., 580-337-6602. |
| Clinton (city, mostly in Custer County) | The Census Bureau counts no residents in Clinton’s Washita County part. The City of Clinton is on the State Fire Marshal’s list (580-323-0217). |
| Sentinel (town) | Flagged “Does not issue permits” on the state commission’s list, but the town’s own code of ordinances (section 151.31) requires a separate building permit for each building from the Town Clerk/Treasurer, with fees set by the Board of Trustees, and $5 plumbing and electrical permits for each job (sections 151.08 and 151.10). Town phone on the state list: 580-393-2171. |
| Canute, Colony, Corn, Dill City, Foss, Rocky (towns) | Each is flagged “Does not issue permits” by the state building code commission, and none publishes a code of ordinances online. Town phones on that list: Canute 580-472-3111, Colony 405-929-7280, Corn 580-343-2255, Dill City 580-674-3376, Foss 580-592-4513, Rocky 580-751-5000. |
On rural land, where no local building permit exists, the State Fire Marshal applies OAC 265:25-1-4(a): “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.” Septic systems are permitted by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
New Cordell and Burns Flat permit fees
New Cordell publishes its permit steps and fees on its Building Permits and Inspections page. Application fees are paid at City Hall when the application is handed in.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Zoning clearance permit (needed for every project that needs a building permit) | No fee |
| Building permit application, residential | $50 |
| Building permit application, commercial | $100 |
| Electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit | $25 each |
| Repeat inspection of the same work | $20 each |
Burns Flat’s Application for Building Permit, filed with the town’s Zoning Commission at Town Hall (222 Highway 44, 580-562-3144), prints a fee table based on the estimated cost of the work. All fees are paid to the clerk, and the town asks for 3 working days to approve or deny an application. The form is undated and the town code leaves fees to the Board of Trustees, so ask Town Hall whether the printed amounts are current.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →| Estimated cost | Fee |
|---|---|
| Over $100 up to $500 | $2 |
| Over $500 up to $1,000 | $2.50 |
| Over $1,000 up to $2,000 | $4.50 |
| Over $2,000 up to $3,000 | $5.50 |
| Over $3,000 up to $4,000 | $6.50 |
| Over $4,000 up to $5,000 | $7 |
| Over $5,000 up to $6,000 | $7.50 |
| Over $6,000 up to $7,000 | $8 |
| Over $7,000 up to $8,000 | $8.50 |
| Over $8,000 up to $9,000 | $9 |
| Over $9,000 up to $10,000 | $10 |
| Above $10,000 | $1 more for each further $1,000 or major fraction |
How to get a building permit in New Cordell
File the free zoning clearance application with a site plan drawn to scale showing lot size, existing and proposed structures, utilities, driveways, streets and setbacks, plus photos from several angles. No building permit is issued without a valid zoning clearance.
If the zoning does not allow the project, a variance or exemption needs a public hearing and final approval by the City Council.
Submit the application with a drawing of the project and pay $50 (residential) or $100 (commercial) at City Hall.
The building inspector visits the site; if it meets the requirements, the permit is issued at that visit.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors take out their own $25 permits, and each contractor schedules its inspections with the building inspector.
Once the project is fully approved, the inspector issues the certificate of occupancy.
Rather not deal with the Washita County building department?
Get a free quote →New Cordell’s building, roofing and trade applications say that electrical, plumbing, heating and air, fence, sign and driveway work must be done by contractors licensed by the State of Oklahoma where a licence applies, and registered and bonded with the city.
The city code (sections 150.016, 150.031, 150.046, 150.061 and 150.076) also lets the owner of a single-family home they live in take out building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical and gas permits for work they do themselves, buying the materials and doing all the labor, with the same inspections and regular fees.
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 Washita County permit resources
- New Cordell Building Permits and Inspections
- New Cordell zoning clearance application
- New Cordell building permit application
- New Cordell code, Chapter 150 Building Regulations
- Town of Burns Flat town services
- Burns Flat application for building permit (fee table)
- Town of Burns Flat ordinances
- Sentinel code, Chapter 151 Building and Construction Standards
- 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
Washita County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Does Washita County issue building permits?
No. The state building code commission lists Washita County as issuing no permits; New Cordell, Burns Flat, Bessie and Sentinel have their own permit rules in town.
How much is a building permit in New Cordell?
The building permit application is $50 for residential work and $100 for commercial work, after a zoning clearance that has no fee. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are $25 each.
Who inspects construction in New Cordell?
The city’s building inspector, who makes the first on-site visit, inspects the work and issues the certificate of occupancy. Contractors schedule their own inspections; a repeat inspection costs $20.
Do towns like Sentinel or Dill City issue permits?
Dill City, Canute, Colony, Corn, Foss and Rocky are marked as issuing no permits on the state commission’s list. Sentinel carries the same mark, but its own code requires building permits from the Town Clerk/Treasurer.
Who handles floodplain questions in rural Washita County?
The county floodplain administrator listed by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, at 580-832-4114.
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More Oklahoma permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Washita County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.