Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-10
75 of Arkansas's 75 counties — 100% — let an owner build their own home without a licensed contractor. That is the 16th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Cleveland County (85/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 2952 counties nationwide → Arkansas: no building codes → Arkansas: no zoning → Arkansas: no codes, no zoning → Arkansas: rv living → Arkansas: tiny homes → Arkansas: no minimum home size → Full Arkansas profile →
75 of 75 Arkansas counties · sorted by Index score
Statewide rule. An owner acting as the residential building contractor for construction of the owner's residence, or as the owner's own home improvement contractor on the owner'…
Home Improvement New Application and Test Information ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential contractor licensing for an individual constructing the individual’s own residence or an owner of a single-family residence acting as the ow…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Statutes ↗Statewide rule. Residential building-contractor and home-improvement-contractor licensing for owner-builders in Dallas County and elsewhere in Arkansas. An owner acting as a res…
Home Improvement Application and Test Information ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders constructing their own residence or owners acting as their own home-improvement contractor on their own property in Arkansas, including Grant Coun…
Rules of the Residential Contractors Committee ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential-contractor licensing requirements for an owner constructing the owner's residence or a single-family residence on the owner's property; this…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Licensing Law and Rules of the Residential Contractors Committee ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential builder and home-improvement contractor licensing, including work in Ouachita County. An owner acting as the contractor in construction of t…
Arkansas Home Improvement New Application, Building Code and Licensing Information ↗Statewide rule. Residential-builder and home-improvement contractor licensing for owner-builders in Madison County and elsewhere in Arkansas; this claim does not establish exemp…
State of Arkansas Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders and owners acting as their own home-improvement contractors for residential work in Arkansas, including Hempstead County. A person acting as a res…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Arkansas Code ↗Statewide rule. State residential-contractor licensing exemptions relevant to an owner building or improving the owner’s residence or property in Sharp County. A person construc…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules ↗Statewide rule. An owner acting as the residential building contractor for the owner’s residence, or as the owner’s own home-improvement contractor on the owner’s property, in P…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders and owner home-improvement contractors performing residential work in Arkansas, including Ashley County. A person constructing his or her residenc…
Residential Contractors Licensing Law ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders performing residential construction or home-improvement work in Van Buren County, subject to Arkansas residential contractor licensing law. The ex…
Home Improvement Specialty New Application ↗Statewide rule. Residential contractor licensing in Lincoln County, including an owner constructing the owner's residence or a single-family residence owner acting as the owner'…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Licensing Law ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders acting as residential building contractors or home-improvement contractors on their own residential property in Independence County, under Arkansa…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Licensing Law ↗Statewide rule. A person acting as residential building contractor for construction of that person's own residence, including in Union County. The exemption is from the resident…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Licensing Law ↗Statewide rule. Residential-builder and home-improvement contractor licensing in Arkansas, including work in rural and unincorporated areas. The exemption concerns contractor li…
Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders and owners acting as their own home-improvement contractors for single-family residential work in Arkansas, including Calhoun County. A person act…
Residential Contractor Law revised July 2025 ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential contractor licensing for an owner constructing the owner's residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contractor. The residenti…
Arkansas Residential Contractor Rules ↗Statewide rule. State residential-contractor licensing exemptions for owners constructing or improving their own residences or property in Howard County and elsewhere in Arkansa…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules ↗Statewide rule. Residential building-contractor licensing exemptions applicable in Arkansas, including Desha County. A person constructing his or her own residence is exempt unl…
Arkansas Residential Rules ↗Statewide rule. Owner acting as the residential building contractor for the owner's residence, or owner acting as the owner's own home improvement contractor on the owner's own …
Home Improvement Specialty New Application ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builder exemptions from Arkansas residential builder and home-improvement contractor licensing requirements, including work performed in White County. An o…
Home Improvement Specialty New Application ↗Statewide rule. An owner constructing the owner's own residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contractor on the owner's own single-family property in Perry Count…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Licensing Law and Rules of the Residential Contractors Committee ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders performing residential building-contractor or home-improvement-contractor work in Searcy County, under Arkansas residential contractor licensing l…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Licensing Law ↗Statewide rule. Residential building contractor and home-improvement-contractor licensing exemptions applicable statewide, including in Nevada County, Arkansas. A person constru…
Act 1208 of the Regular Session — Arkansas Code § 17-25-513 ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders and owners acting as their own home-improvement contractors under Arkansas residential-contractor licensing law; this source addresses contractor …
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules ↗Statewide rule. Residential builder and home-improvement contractor licensing for an owner constructing the owner's residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contr…
Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. Owner acting as the contractor for construction of the owner’s residence, or acting as the owner’s own home-improvement contractor on the owner’s property, in Ho…
Home Improvement Specialty New Application ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential contractor licensing for an individual constructing the individual’s own residence or an owner of a single-family residence acting as the ow…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Statutes ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential-contractor licensing for an owner constructing the owner's own residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contractor on the own…
Arkansas Residential Rules ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential-contractor licensing for an owner constructing the owner's residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contractor. The exemption…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Rules, § 17-25-513 Exemptions ↗Statewide rule. State residential-builder and home-improvement contractor licensing requirements for an owner acting as contractor on the owner’s residence or as the owner’s own…
Arkansas Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. Residential builder and home-improvement contractor licensing when an owner constructs the owner's residence or acts as the owner's own home-improvement contract…
Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders under Arkansas residential builder and home-improvement contractor licensing requirements; this is a contractor-licensing exemption and is not evi…
State of Arkansas Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. Licensing exemption for an owner constructing or improving the owner's residence in Carroll County and elsewhere in Arkansas. The residence must be the owner's o…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Licensing Law ↗With no county building permit required in unincorporated areas, an owner may build their own residence; septic must still be permitted through ADH.
Arkansas.gov - Sevier County directory ↗Arkansas provides a homeowner permitting exemption for septic work performed by the owner on a single residence on 10+ acres with all system parts 200+ feet from property lines,…
Arkansas Department of Health, Onsite Wastewater FAQs ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential contractor licensing for an individual constructing the individual’s own residence or an owner of a single-family residence acting as the ow…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Statutes ↗Statewide rule. Builders who build or contract to build single-family buildings for their own occupancy under the Arkansas Energy Code. The exemption is limited to compliance wi…
Arkansas Energy Code for New Building Construction Supplements and Amendments ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders and owners acting as their own home-improvement contractors under Arkansas residential-contractor licensing law. A person constructing his or her …
Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Arkansas Code ↗Statewide rule. State residential-contractor licensing exemptions for an owner constructing the owner's residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contractor on the…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Law and Rules ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential-contractor licensing requirements, including work undertaken in Lafayette County. A person constructing his or her own residence is exempt u…
Act 1208 of the Regular Session ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential contractor licensing for an individual constructing the individual’s own residence or an owner of a single-family residence acting as the ow…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Statutes ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential-contractor licensing for an owner building the owner's residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contractor on the owner's sin…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Rules ↗Statewide rule. State residential-builder and home-improvement contractor licensing exemptions applicable in Prairie County. Owners are exempt when acting as contractor in const…
Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders and owners of single-family residences acting as their own home-improvement contractors on their own property in Miller County. The residential-bu…
Residential Contractors Committee Rules ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential contractor licensing for an individual constructing the individual’s own residence or an owner of a single-family residence acting as the ow…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Statutes ↗Statewide rule. Residential builder and home-improvement contractor licensing for owner-builders in Cleburne County. The owner exemption applies when acting as contractor in con…
Home Improvement New Application / Test Information ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential builder and home-improvement contractor licensing for owner-builders, including Franklin County The exemption concerns residential builder a…
State of Arkansas Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. State residential contractor licensing requirements for an owner building or improving a residence in Arkansas; this source does not establish an exemption from …
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Statutes ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential contractor licensing for an individual constructing the individual’s own residence or an owner of a single-family residence acting as the ow…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Statutes ↗Statewide rule. An owner acting as the residential building contractor for construction of the owner's own residence, and an owner acting as the owner's own home-improvement con…
Home Improvement New Application / Test Information ↗Statewide rule. Residential contractor licensing requirements for an owner building or improving the owner's residence or property in Arkansas, including Sebastian County The ex…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules ↗Statewide rule. Owners acting as residential building contractors constructing their own residence, and owners acting as their own home improvement contractors on their own prop…
Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. Residential building and home-improvement licensing in Jackson County, Arkansas, including unincorporated areas, because the cited licensing rule is statewide. A…
Home Improvement Specialty New Application ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential builder and home-improvement contractor licensing for owner-builders, including owners constructing their own residence in Lawrence County T…
Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders constructing their own residence or acting as their own home-improvement contractor in Faulkner County and elsewhere in Arkansas, for purposes of …
Residential Contractors Committee Rules ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential contractor licensing requirements for an owner constructing the owner's residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contractor o…
Residential Contractor Law revised July 2025 ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential-contractor licensing for an owner acting as the contractor in construction of the owner’s residence or as the owner’s own home-improvement c…
Home Improvement New Application ↗Statewide rule. Owner acting as contractor for construction of the owner's residence, and owner acting as the owner's home-improvement contractor on the owner's property, in Jef…
State of Arkansas Home Improvement Application and Test Information ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential contractor licensing requirements for an owner constructing the owner's residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contractor o…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Licensing Law ↗Statewide rule. Residential-builder and home-improvement-contractor licensing requirements for owner-builders in Montgomery County and elsewhere in Arkansas. A person constructi…
Arkansas Residential Contractor Law revised August 2025 ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential contractor licensing for an individual constructing the individual’s own residence or an owner of a single-family residence acting as the ow…
Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Statutes ↗Statewide rule. Residential-contractor licensing for an owner constructing the owner's own residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contractor on the owner's own …
Arkansas Residential Contractors Licensing Law ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders constructing their own residence or acting as their own home-improvement contractor on their own property in Johnson County, under Arkansas reside…
Arkansas Residential Contractor Law revised July 2025 ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential builder and home-improvement contractor licensing, including work in Saline County. An owner acting as the contractor in construction of his…
Home Improvement Specialty New Application ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders and owners acting as their own home-improvement contractors on property in Poinsett County, under Arkansas residential-contractor licensing law. T…
State of Arkansas Residential and Home Improvement Contractor Information ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential-contractor licensing, including owner-builders in Craighead County; this is a contractor-licensing exemption and does not establish exemptio…
Arkansas Residential Contractor Law revised August 2025 ↗Statewide rule. Owners acting as residential building contractors or home-improvement contractors for their own residences or property in Crawford County. A person constructing …
Arkansas Residential Contractors Licensing Law ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential-contractor licensing for an owner constructing the owner's residence. The exemption concerns residential contractor licensing, not exemption…
Arkansas Residential Contractor Rules ↗Property owners applying for covered building work in unincorporated Benton County and acting as their own contractor. The owner must sign under the property-owner information a…
Benton County Building Safety Guide ↗Unincorporated Washington County: no county building permit is required, so there is no permit to be exempt from and you may build your own home. State licensing for electrical,…
Building a residence in the county? ↗Statewide rule. Arkansas residential-contractor licensing requirements applicable in Crittenden County. The exemption concerns licensing requirements and does not establish whet…
Arkansas Residential Rules ↗Statewide rule. Owner-builders constructing their own residence or acting as their own home-improvement contractor on their own property in Arkansas, including unincorporated Pu…
State of Arkansas Home Improvement New Application ↗Unincorporated Mississippi County: no county building permit is required, so there is no permit to be exempt from and you may build your own home. State licensing for electrical…
Mississippi County Government Transparency Information ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Arkansas state page for all 75 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these Arkansas counties? The kit we'd start with:
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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
