Bolthole Index

Pulaski County, Arkansas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Little Rock, Arkansas

The City of Little Rock, Arkansas administers its own zoning through its Development Division1 and requires building permits for new construction inside city limits2. Septic permits for a single-family home come from the Arkansas Department of Health, not the city3. For land outside city limits, Pulaski County's rules apply instead; see the Pulaski County page.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, set and enforced by the City of Little Rock1
Building permit
Required for new buildings; the application goes through the city's permit portal24
Septic
Arkansas Department of Health permit for single-family systems3
Typical AF lot
At least 7,000 sq ft, 70 ft wide, 100 ft deep5
AF setbacks (single-family)
25 ft front and rear, 8 ft sides6
Flood areas
Floodplain application to the City Floodplain Manager before any grading or building permit7
Owner-builder
State law exempts owner-builders from contractor licensing, not from permits8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Little Rock Building Codes Division

Building permits, plan review and building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing inspections inside Little Rock city limits

(501) 371-4832

permits@littlerock.gov

Online permits →

Planning & zoning

City of Little Rock Planning and Development, Development Division

Zoning questions, rezoning, subdivision plats, site plans, variances and zoning enforcement inside Little Rock

(501) 371-4844

Septic permits

Arkansas Department of Health, Environmental Health (Onsite Wastewater Program)

Statewide septic (onsite wastewater) permits, reviewed with the local Environmental Specialist, for addresses inside and outside Little Rock

501-6612171

4815 W. Markham Street, Slot 46, Little Rock, AR 72205

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Little Rock means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Little Rock, Arkansas have zoning?

Yes. Inside Little Rock city limits, the city's Development Division handles rezoning, zoning interpretations, site plans, use permits, variances and zoning enforcement1. Call the Development Division at (501) 371-4844 to learn the zoning classification of a specific parcel and what that district allows9. The city also publishes a short description of each zoning district to help buyers see what each classification permits10.

Dimensional rules depend on the district. In the AF agriculture and forestry district, a single-family lot needs at least 7,000 square feet, 70 feet of width and 100 feet of depth5. Single-family homes in AF need 25-foot front and rear yards and 8-foot side yards6. Buildings and accessory structures in AF may cover no more than 25 percent of the tract11, and no building may exceed 45 feet12. Other districts have different numbers, so check the parcel's own classification.

Do you need a building permit in Little Rock, and who issues it?

Yes. The City of Little Rock requires a building permit for new buildings inside city limits, and every new building permit application must include a Civil Review Comments form2. The city's Building Codes Division issues construction permits and provides plan review and inspection for building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work4. Call the permit desk at (501) 371-4832 or email permits@littlerock.gov for portal help4.

Work that needs a permit is inspected under the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code13. A certificate of occupancy is required before a new building is occupied14. We could not confirm an owner-builder or agricultural exemption from city permits; ask the Building Codes Division before assuming one applies. Arkansas law lets a person build their own residence without a contractor's license, but that exemption concerns licensing and does not remove permit or inspection requirements8.

How do septic permits work inside Little Rock?

The city does not issue septic permits. Inside Little Rock, a single-family septic system or any system serving fewer than 20 people a day needs a permit from the Arkansas Department of Health3. Larger systems serving 20 or more people a day also need a permit from the Department of Environmental Quality15.

The Department of Health's onsite wastewater program works with the local Environmental Specialist to review applications16. State rules also require connection to a sanitary sewer when one is within 300 feet of where the sewer exits the building and can be reached without crossing another person's property17. On a city lot with sewer service, a septic system may therefore not be allowed at all. We could not confirm whether a new home in Little Rock must connect to public sewer in other cases; ask the Little Rock Wastewater Utility.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Little Rock?

We could not confirm a city rule on living in an RV or tiny home on private land inside Little Rock; ask the Development Division at (501) 371-4844 before buying9. Two rules we did confirm point toward caution. In special flood hazard areas, an RV must be fully licensed, on wheels or a jacking system, attached only by quick-disconnect utilities, and immobile for no more than 180 consecutive days, or else meet the rules for manufactured homes18. Camping or sleeping in a public park is prohibited without written permission from the parks and recreation department19.

Building a home in Little Rock: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning classification and its dimensional rules with the Development Division9.
  2. Check whether any part of the lot is in the regulatory floodplain. If so, submit the development application to the City Floodplain Manager before a grading or building permit is issued7.
  3. If the lot is being divided, plan for the city's subdivision plat review20.
  4. Ask the Arkansas Department of Health about septic only if public sewer is not available16.
  5. Apply for the building permit through the city's permit portal, with the Civil Review Comments form attached2.
  6. Schedule inspections as work proceeds and obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in14.

What stays with Pulaski County and the state, and what to check before you buy

Pulaski County's own planning rules cover unincorporated land, not parcels inside Little Rock; the Pulaski County page has that answer. Septic permits are a state function for every address in Pulaski County, city or not21. A driveway onto a state highway needs a permit from the Arkansas Department of Transportation22. We could not confirm a general city driveway permit rule or a private well permit rule inside Little Rock; ask the Building Codes Division.

Pulaski County's effective property tax rate is about 0.8 percent23.

Watch-outs

  • Search results for Little Rock zoning often show Pulaski County's Lake Maumelle Watershed code, which applies only to unincorporated land and not to parcels inside city limits24.
  • We could not confirm a tiny-home rule, a minimum dwelling size, or a private well permit rule inside Little Rock; call the Development Division at (501) 371-4844 before you buy9.
  • Land in a flood hazard area needs floodplain review before any building permit, and a regulatory floodway adds a no-rise certification from a licensed Arkansas engineer7.

Sources

  1. Divisions - City of Little Rock (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  2. permitpayment.littlerock.gov (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  3. adeq.state.ar.us (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  4. City of Little Rock Building Codes Division (littlerock.gov)
  5. Sec. 36-338. AF agriculture and forestry district (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sec. 36-338. AF agriculture and forestry district (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  7. Forms - City of Little Rock (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  8. Arkansas Residential Contractors Committee Rules and Statutes (Arkansas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. City of Little Rock Planning and Development, Development Division (littlerock.gov)
  10. Divisions - City of Little Rock (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  11. Sec. 36-338. AF agriculture and forestry district (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  12. Sec. 36-338. AF agriculture and forestry district (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  13. Commercial Construction Information (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  14. Commercial Construction Information (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  15. Onsite Wastewater - Arkansas Department of Health (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  16. Arkansas Department of Health, Environmental Health (Onsite Wastewater Program) (healthy.arkansas.gov)
  17. codeofarrules.arkansas.gov (Arkansas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Sec. 13-59. General standards (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  19. Sec. 22-30. Camping (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  20. Divisions - City of Little Rock (Little Rock), quoted and re-checked
  21. Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (2024), quoted and re-checked
  22. Regulations: Rules for Access Driveways to State Highways (Arkansas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Pulaski County | Lake Maumelle Watershed Zoning Code, quoted and re-checked

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Little Rock

Little Rock’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New building permits inside Little Rock city limits.

    • All new building permits must include the Civil Review Comments form and attach it at application.
    “ALL New Building Permits must complete a Civil Review Comments form.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction work requiring a permit inside Little Rock city limits, particularly commercial construction.

    • Inspection is under the 2007 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Volume II.
    “All construction work requiring a permit shall be inspected per the 2007 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Volume II.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    A new building or a building, or part thereof, inside Little Rock city limits that has undergone a change of occupancy classification, use, or nature; each individual tenant in a multi-tenant building.

    • The certificate is issued following an approved final building inspection.
    “As per Code Section 110 of the 2007 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Volume II, a Certificate of Occupancy is required prior to occupying a new building or any building (or part thereof) that has undergone a change of occupancy classification, use, or nature.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside the City of Little Rock city limits.

    • The city's Development Division administers rezoning, subdivision, zoning interpretations, site plans, use permits, variances, and enforcement.
    “Zoning and Subdivision regulations are the principal tools employed by the City of Little Rock in guiding the city objectives and plans to specified goals.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and zoning classifications inside Little Rock city limits.

    • The city provides zoning information and district descriptions; the adopted code contains district-specific regulations.
    “Staff has developed a short definition for each zoning district within the Zoning Code to help give an idea of what use each of the Zone Classifications allows.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family residences in the AF agriculture and forestry district.

    • The district also requires minimum lot width and depth.

    minimum lot area: >= 7000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 70 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 100 feet

    “there shall be a minimum lot area of seven thousand (7,000) square feet. in addition, there shall be a minimum lot width of not less than seventy (70) feet and a minimum lot depth of not less than one hundred (100) feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family residences in the AF agriculture and forestry district.

    • For single-family residences, front and rear yards are 25 feet and side yards are 8 feet; different setbacks apply to non-single-family buildings.

    front yard: 25 feet (single-family residence) · side yard: 8 feet (single-family residence) · rear yard: 25 feet (single-family residence)

    “single-family residences shall have a rear yard of twenty-five (25) feet.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Main building and accessory structures in the AF agriculture and forestry district.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent

    “the main building and all accessory structures in the af district shall not occupy more than twenty-five (25) percent of the total area of the tract.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in the AF agriculture and forestry district.

    maximum building height: <= 45 feet

    “No building hereinafter erected or structurally altered shall exceed a height of forty-five (45) feet.”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Placement of recreational vehicles in special flood hazard areas inside Little Rock city limits.

    • The RV must be fully licensed, on wheels or a jacking system, attached only by quick-disconnect utilities and security devices, have no permanently attached additions, and be immobile for no more than 180 consecutive days; otherwise it must meet the code provisions applicable to manufactured homes.

    maximum immobility: <= 180 consecutive days (otherwise manufactured-home provisions apply)

    “the placement of recreational vehicles (rv) in special flood hazard areas must either: a. be temporary, as demonstrated by the rv being fully licensed, being on wheels or a jacking system, attached to the site only by quick disconnect type utilities and security devices, having no permanently attached additions, and being immobile for no more than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days; or else b. meet all provisions of this code applicable to manufactured home structures.”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Camping, sleeping, lodging, or remaining after hours in a public park inside Little Rock city limits.

    • Special written permission from the parks and recreation department is an exception.
    “No person shall stay after hours, camp, sleep, or lodge within a public park except by special written permission granted by the parks and recreation department.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision plats and subdivision applications inside Little Rock city limits.

    • Subdivision applications are handled through the city's Planning Commission application process.
    “The Development Division reviews rezoning applications, subdivision plats, zoning interpretations, landscaping review, site plan reviews, sign and zoning enforcement.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Any development on land affected by the regulatory floodplain inside Little Rock city limits.

    • An SFHA development application must be submitted to the City Floodplain Manager for review and approval before issuance of a grading or building permit.
    • Additional documentation may be required.
    • For development in a regulatory floodway, a no-rise certification signed by a licensed Arkansas professional engineer and supported by technical data is required before permits.
    “Applicants desiring any type of development on land that is affected by the regulatory floodplain must fill out the attached SFHA development application form, save it to their computer and email it to the City’s Floodplain Manager for review and approval prior to the issuance of a grading or building permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Little Rock

Little Rock does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Onsite wastewater systems serving property inside Little Rock city limits.

    • ADH handles single-family systems and systems serving fewer than 20 persons per day; DEQ jurisdiction applies to systems serving 20 or more persons per day or other listed categories.
    • The rule is statewide and applies inside Little Rock city limits.

    domestic wastewater flow threshold: < 20 persons/day (ADH permit required; DEQ permit not required for this category)

    “Subsurface dispersal of domestic wastewater only serving fewer than 20 persons a day requires approval from ADH (no permit required from DEQ). Subsurface dispersal of domestic wastewater only serving 20 persons a day or more requires a permit from DEQ and approval from ADH.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Single-family residential septic systems and systems serving fewer than 20 persons per day inside Little Rock city limits.

    • ADH approval or permit is required; DEQ does not require a permit for this low-flow category.

    flow threshold: < 20 persons/day (DEQ permit not required; ADH permit still required)

    “However a single family or system serving fewer than 20 persons must obtain a permit for the Arkansas Department of Health.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Little Rock or Pulaski County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from Little Rock construction permits or inspections.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Little Rock city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy on private land inside Little Rock city limits.
  • Septic inspection — Inspection of onsite wastewater systems inside Little Rock city limits.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation on private land inside Little Rock city limits.
4 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Little Rock publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Pulaski County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Pulaski County: county rules, score and offices