Bolthole Index

Washington County, Arkansas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Johnson, Arkansas

Inside Johnson city limits, the city administers its own zoning ordinance1 and requires building permits for residential construction2. Septic permits for Johnson addresses come from the Arkansas Department of Health or its authorized agent, not the city3. Washington County's no-permit rule covers only unincorporated land4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside Johnson city limits2
Zoning
Johnson has its own zoning ordinance1
Septic
Permit from the Arkansas Department of Health or its authorized agent3
Certificate of occupancy
Required before a building is occupied5
Mobile homes
Only in mobile home parks in R-4 zones6
Accessory dwellings
Allowed by overlay petition in listed zones7
Smallest RSF-1 lot
9,000 square feet8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Johnson Building and Safety

Building permits, plan review and inspections inside Johnson city limits

479-521-7291

2904 Main Dr., Johnson, AR 72741

Septic permits

Washington County Health Department

Local health-department contact for septic questions and referrals to Designated Representatives who do soil work

479-521-8181 ext. 2115

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 Johnson means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Johnson, Arkansas have zoning?

Yes. The City of Johnson, in Washington County, has and administers its own zoning ordinance for land inside city limits1. The code's district list includes Agricultural, Residential Estates, RSF1, RSF2, RSF4, Heritage, R6, R10, UN1, UN2, Towncenter, Highway Corridor and Light Industrial9. Rules change by district, so look up the district for your parcel before you plan anything.

In the RSF-1 single-family district, lots must be at least 9,000 square feet8. Johnson's rules for residential setbacks, lot coverage and building height were not confirmed in the sources we reviewed, so ask the city for the schedule for your district10.

Zoning also decides where manufactured housing can go. Johnson's code allows mobile homes in mobile home parks in R-4 zones and nowhere else in the city, and a manufactured home on a lot outside a park must meet every local, state and federal requirement for a stick-built home6.

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

Yes. Johnson adopted the 2021 International Building Code and International Residential Code, among others, for all new construction, remodeling and additions inside city limits11. The city's Building and Safety office issues building permits and sub-permits and reviews residential plans before approval10.

The city's residential application asks for a completed application, contractor license, insurance, a city business license and three complete sets of construction documents at submittal, and a permit lapses if work does not start within six months2. Starting work before the permit is issued doubles the fees2.

Inspections need at least 24 hours' notice, run Monday through Friday, and can be set for morning or afternoon12. No building or part of a building may be occupied until a certificate of occupancy is issued5. The city publishes separate applications for residential building, lot splits, plats, rezoning, conditional uses, variances and flood-hazard development13. We could not confirm the city's permit fee schedule or an owner-builder exemption, so ask Building and Safety before you hire or plan to build yourself.

How do septic permits work inside Johnson?

Septic permits inside Johnson come from the state, not the city. The Arkansas Department of Health, through the Department or its authorized agent, reviews proposals and inspects onsite systems14. A valid permit is required to construct, alter, repair, extend or operate an individual system, and emergency repairs need a permit within ten working days3.

A system cannot be used until it is inspected and approved and an operating permit is issued15. A septic permit can also be refused where public sewer is reasonably available or economically feasible, which matters for lots inside a city16. Washington County's health department is the local contact, and it can refer you to Designated Representatives who do soil work17. Washington County's soil survey rates only 8.6% of soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system if you are off the sewer18.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Johnson?

We could not confirm a rule for living in an RV or tiny home on private land inside Johnson. The city's camping ordinance bans overnight camping and temporary shelter on public property, including leaving a house trailer or camp trailer there19. That ordinance does not answer the private-property question, so call Building and Safety before you park anything to live in10.

A small second dwelling is one confirmed route. Johnson's code allows accessory dwelling units through an overlay-district petition in listed zones, including A, RE, RSF1, RSF2 and RSF4, as long as a single-family dwelling exists or is built with it7. Each unit must meet the building code and get water and sewer department approval7.

Building a home in Johnson: the steps, in order

  1. Find the zoning district for your parcel and confirm the use is allowed1.
  2. Ask the city whether the lot sits in a flood hazard area, since Johnson publishes a flood-hazard development application13.
  3. Contact the Washington County Health Department about a septic permit and soil work, unless the lot can connect to sewer17.
  4. Submit the residential building permit application with a licensed contractor, insurance, a city business license and three sets of plans2.
  5. Schedule inspections at least 24 hours ahead through City Hall10.
  6. Get a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in5.

What stays with Washington County, and what to check before you buy

Septic and wells do not move to the city. Septic permits follow the state program described above3. We could not confirm a rule for private well permits inside Johnson, so ask the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the city10.

Land outside Johnson city limits follows Washington County's rules instead. The county does not require traditional building permits for single-family homes in unincorporated areas, but it has zoning, subdivision and floodplain rules4. See the Washington County page for that side. Washington County's effective property tax rate is 0.6%20.

Watch-outs

  • Washington County's no-building-permit rule applies only to unincorporated land; inside Johnson the city requires permits42.
  • Doing work before the permit is issued doubles the permit fees2.
  • We could not confirm Johnson's rules for RV living, tiny homes, setbacks, minimum home size or permit fees; call City Hall at 479-521-729110.

Sources

  1. Johnson Zoning Code § 14.04.05 District regulations (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Johnson Residential Building Permit Application (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  3. Arkansas Department of Health Act 402 and Onsite Wastewater Rules (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  4. Building a residence in the county?, quoted and re-checked
  5. City of Johnson Residential Building Permit Application, inspections and occupancy provisions (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  6. Johnson Code § 15.04.05 Mobile home parks (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  7. Johnson Zoning Code § 14.04.07 Accessory buildings and uses (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  8. Johnson Zoning Code § 14.04.05 District regulations (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  9. Johnson Zoning Code § 14.04.05 District regulations (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Johnson Building and Safety (cityofjohnson.com)
  11. Johnson Code § 11.20.01 Adopted (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Johnson Residential Building Permit Application, inspections and occupancy provisions (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  13. City of Johnson Permits (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  14. Arkansas Department of Health Act 402 and Onsite Wastewater Rules (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  15. Arkansas Department of Health Act 402 and Onsite Wastewater Rules (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  16. Arkansas Department of Health Act 402 and Onsite Wastewater Rules (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  17. Washington County Health Department (washingtoncountyar.gov)
  18. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Johnson Code § 12.08.01 Camping on public property prohibited (Johnson), quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 Johnson

Johnson’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Residential construction permit process inside Johnson city limits.

    • The official city application requires a completed application, contractor license, insurance, city business license, and three complete sets of construction documents at submittal.
    • Permit becomes null and void if work is not commenced within six months or is suspended or abandoned for six months.
    • Work started before obtaining a required permit is subject to doubled fees, without relieving compliance obligations or other penalties.
    “Where work for which a permit is required by the code is started or proceeded prior to obtaining said permit, the fees herein specified shall be doubled, but the payment of such doubled fees shall not relieve any persons from fully complying with the requirements of the code in the execution of the work; nor from any other penalties prescribed herein.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    All new building construction and remodeling, additions, or modifications to existing buildings and structures within Johnson city limits.

    • The adopted exhibit includes the 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code volumes, 2021 International Building Code, 2021 International Residential Code, 2021 International Private Sewage Code, and other listed codes.
    “There is hereby adopted by the City Council of Johnson, Arkansas, for the purpose of establishing rules and regulations for all new building construction and all remodeling, additions or modifications to existing buildings/structures, the codes listed on Exhibit A hereto”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted building work inside Johnson city limits.

    • Inspections require at least 24 hours' notice.
    • Inspections are Monday through Friday and may be scheduled for morning or afternoon.
    • The city application states the listed inspections are not all-inclusive and additional inspections may be required.
    “ALL INSPECTIONS REQUIRE A MINIMUM 24 HOUR NOTICE. ALL INSPECTION ARE DONE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND CAN BE SET FOR AM OR PM ONLY.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings and portions of buildings inside Johnson city limits.

    • No building or part of a building may be occupied before issuance.
    • All required building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and special inspections must be approved before issuance.
    • Utilities may be disconnected if occupancy occurs before issuance.
    “No building or part of a building shall be occupied until after a certificate of occupancy has been issued. Said certificate shall not be issued until all required building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and special inspections have been approved, in addition to compliance with all technical codes, ordinances and other applicable laws.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Johnson city limits; Johnson has and administers its own zoning ordinance.

    • District-specific standards and use regulations apply.
    “There are eight (8) residential-only districts designed to meet present and future housing needs, to protect the character of, and property values in, residential areas;”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Johnson city zoning districts.

    • The official zoning code identifies Agricultural, Residential Estates, RSF1, RSF2, RSF4, Heritage, R6, R10, UN1, UN2, Towncenter, Highway Corridor, Light Industrial, and other districts or subcategories in the district-regulation section.
    “Agricultural (A) [...] Residential estates district (RE) [...] Residential single-family 2 district (RSF2) [...] Residential single-family 4 district (RSF4) [...] Heritage district (H) [...] Residential 6 (R6) [...] Residential 10 (R10) [...] RSF-1, single-family residential.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    RSF-1 single-family residential district inside Johnson city limits.

    • The district description states the minimum lot size; additional dimensional standards may apply elsewhere in the zoning code.

    minimum lot area: >= 9000 square feet

    “RSF-1, single-family residential. The purpose of this district is to accommodate single-family residential uses on generously-sized residential lots of at least nine thousand (9,000) square feet.”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Overnight camping and temporary shelters on public property within Johnson city limits.

    • The City Council may grant an exception by resolution specifying the person or organization, property, and effective dates and times.
    “No person shall set up or use tents, shacks, or any other temporary shelter for the purpose of overnight camping on public property within the City of Johnson, nor shall any person bring in or leave on public property after closing hours, any vehicle or structure to be used or which could be used for such purpose such as a house trailer, camp trailer, camp wagon, or the like.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured and mobile homes inside Johnson city limits.

    • Mobile homes are permitted in mobile-home parks located in R-4 zones and not elsewhere.
    • A manufactured home outside a mobile-home park must meet all local, state, and federal requirements for a stick-built home.
    • Existing nonconforming mobile homes may remain until discontinued or abandoned for six consecutive months.
    “Mobile homes are permitted in mobile home parks located in districts zones R-4 and shall not be placed in any other location in the City. [...] It shall be unlawful to allow any manufactured home to be placed on a lot outside of a mobile home park unless all local, State and Federal requirements for stick built home are met.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units inside Johnson city limits in qualifying overlay districts.

    • An overlay-district petition is required.
    • Allowed overlay districts include A, ORC, RE, RSF1, RSF2, RSF4, heritage, R6, R10, UN1, UN2, and TC.
    • A single-family dwelling must already exist or be constructed with the ADU.
    • ADUs must comply with underlying zoning requirements, including setbacks and lot coverage, except density limits.
    • One-bedroom ADUs require one additional off-street parking space; two-bedroom ADUs require two.
    • ADUs must meet the applicable Building Code and municipal utility requirements.
    • Water and sewer department approval of adequacy is required.

    maximum ADU footprint: 10% of lot area or 50% of main building footprint, whichever is least (A larger accessory building requires a special permit.)

    “Accessory dwelling units may be allowed as overlay districts in zones: A, ORC, RE, RSF1, RSF2, RSF4, heritage, R6, R10, UN1, UN2, and TC zoning districts.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Each mobile-home lot in a mobile-home park inside Johnson city limits.

    • Sewer lines and connections must be constructed under written approval of the Arkansas State Health Department and appropriate water and sewer departments.
    • Each mobile-home lot must have at least a four-inch connection to public sewer.

    minimum public sewer connection: >= 4 inch

    “Sewer lines and connections shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved in writing by the Arkansas State Health Department and the appropriate water and sewer departments. Each mobile home lot shall be provided with at least a four (4) inch connection to a public sewer which shall be adequately vented and laid with sufficient earth cover to prevent breakage from traffic.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and development of land within Johnson city corporate limits.

    • The chapter governs division into two or more parcels and extension or provision of streets or utilities.
    • Subdivisions must conform to the comprehensive growth plan and associated officially adopted plans.
    • Flood-prone land may not be subdivided until corrective steps are taken or a professional engineer certifies it is no longer subject to flooding.
    “The territorial jurisdiction of this chapter includes the land within the corporate limits of the City. [...] The purpose of this chapter is to set forth the procedures, requirements, and minimum standards governing the subdivision of land under the jurisdiction of the City.”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building, development, subdivision, flood-hazard, and zoning permit processes inside Johnson city limits.

    • The city publishes building and safety, development, and zoning applications, including residential/commercial building, preliminary/final plat, lot split, flood-hazard, conditional-use, rezoning, and variance applications.
    “Commercial Building Permit Application [...] Residential Building Permit Application [...] Develop in Flood Hazard Area Permit Application [...] Final Plat Permit Application [...] Lot Split Permit Application [...] Preliminary Plat Permit Application [...] Conditional Use Permit Application [...] Rezoning Permit Application [...] Variance Permit Application”

Rules another office applies inside Johnson

Johnson 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 Johnson city limits; Arkansas Department of Health administers the statewide program through the Department or its authorized agent.

    • The Department or authorized agent reviews proposals and performs necessary inspections.
    • If no authorized agent is designated for a city, county, or locality, applications are made to the Department.
    “The Division of Environmental Health Protection of the Department of Health or its authorized agent is authorized and directed to review proposals for individual sewage disposal systems and to make inspections of individual sewage disposal systems as may be necessary to determine substantial compliance with this chapter and rules adopted hereunder.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, repair, extension, or operation of individual onsite wastewater systems serving property inside Johnson city limits.

    • Emergency repairs may proceed without prior issuance only if a permit is obtained within ten working days.
    • A permit may be refused where public sewer systems are reasonably available or economically feasible.
    • The permit is issued by the Department of Health or its authorized agent.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, association, municipality, or governmental agency to construct, alter, repair, extend, or operate an individual sewage disposal system or alternate and experimental system installed after July 1, 1977, unless a valid permit has been issued by the Division of Sanitarian Services of the Department of Health or its authorized agent for the specific construction, alteration, repair, extension, or operation proposed, except that emergency repairs may be undertaken without prior issuance of a permit, provided a permit is subsequently obtained within ten (10) working days after the repairs are made.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Onsite wastewater systems inside Johnson city limits.

    • The system may not be used until inspected and approved and a permit for operation is obtained.
    • The owner or occupant must provide reasonable access.
    • Installer must certify installation within five working days.
    “The systems shall not be used unless a permit for operation has been approved by the division or its authorized agent. [...] it shall be the duty of the owner or occupant of the property to give the division, its authorized agent, or his or her designated representative free access to the property at reasonable times for the purpose of making such inspections as are necessary.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Individual onsite sanitation systems inside Johnson city limits.

    • A permit may be refused where public sewer systems are reasonably available or economically feasible.
    • Emergency repairs may proceed without prior permit only if a permit is obtained within ten working days.
    “a permit for the construction, alteration, repair, extension, or operation of an individual sewage disposal system or alternate and experimental system shall be refused where community sewerage systems are reasonably available or economically feasible”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Johnson or Washington County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from contractor or building-permit requirements inside Johnson city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Johnson city limits.
  • Setbacks — General residential setbacks inside Johnson city limits.
  • Lot coverage — General lot coverage limits inside Johnson city limits.
  • Building height — General building-height limits inside Johnson city limits.
7 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Tiny homes
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Johnson publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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