Bolthole Index

Washington County, Arkansas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Springdale, Arkansas

Inside Springdale city limits (Washington County, Arkansas), the city's Building Department issues building permits1 and the city's own zoning ordinance sets lot sizes and uses2. Septic systems are permitted by the Arkansas Department of Health or its authorized agents, not by the city3. Washington County's no-building-permit rule covers unincorporated land only4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for any construction work; city Building Department1
Zoning
City zoning ordinance (Chapter 130) applies inside city limits2
Septic
Arkansas Department of Health or its authorized agent3
RV living
Occupying an RV as a dwelling on a residential lot is limited to 7 days in any 12 months5
Minimum home size
At least 24 feet by 24 feet for single-family dwellings (townhouses excepted)6
Minimum lot
10,000 sq ft in SF-1; 2 acres in A-1 Agricultural78
Certificate of occupancy
Required for new construction and additions before the structure can be occupied9

Who to call

Building permits

City of Springdale Building Department

Building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside Springdale city limits

479-750-8154

201 Spring Street, Springdale, AR 72764

Zoning

City of Springdale Planning Department

Zoning questions, zoning map and zoning verification inside Springdale city limits

(479) 750-8550

201 Spring Street, Springdale, AR 72764

Septic permits

Washington County Health Department

Local health-department contact for septic questions and Designated Representative referrals

479-521-8181 ext. 2115

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Springdale have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot size?

Springdale adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 130 of the city code, for land inside city limits2. Washington County's zoning map and ordinance apply to unincorporated land, not to a lot in Springdale10. Parcel-level zoning comes from the city's official zoning map, so confirm the district with the Planning Department before you buy1112.

Lot sizes depend on the district. In the SF-1 Low Density Single Family district, a lot needs at least 10,000 square feet and 80 feet of width on a public street; buildings may cover no more than 40 percent of the lot and stand no taller than 35 feet71314. In the A-1 Agricultural district, a lot needs at least 2 acres and 200 feet of width8. Single-family dwellings in residential districts must measure at least 24 feet by 24 feet, except townhouses6.

Living in an RV on a residential lot is limited: temporary on-premises dwelling use is capped at seven total days in any continuous 12-month period5. Overnight camping in city parks is also restricted15. We could not confirm a tiny-home rule; ask the Planning Department.

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

The City of Springdale Building Department issues building permits, and a permit is required when any construction work is conducted1. Building more than 120 square feet or moving walls or doors requires a building permit1.

Washington County itself does not require building permits for single-family homes in unincorporated areas, but that rule does not follow you inside Springdale city limits4. For the same reason, the county's owner-builder answer does not carry into the city; we could not confirm a Springdale owner-builder exemption, so ask the Building Department16. Arkansas has a statewide building code, and cities may adopt and enforce only the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, 2021 Edition17. We could not confirm which edition Springdale applies to residential work; ask the Building Department.

Call the Building Department at 479-750-8154 before you buy or draw plans1. Zoning verification comes from the Planning Department at (479) 750-855012.

Can you get a driveway and certificate of occupancy in Springdale?

A new or moved building in Springdale must sit on a lot adjacent to an improved public street or an approved private street, with a location that allows safe access for servicing and fire protection18. We could not confirm a separate city permit fee or deposit for a driveway; ask the Building Department.

New construction and additions also need a certificate of occupancy, because unless a certificate is issued a structure cannot be occupied9. The premises must conform to the zoning ordinance and building code first9.

How do septic permits work inside Springdale?

Septic permits inside Springdale come from the Arkansas Department of Health or its authorized agents, not from the city3. A permit must be obtained before an onsite wastewater system is constructed, installed or modified19. The permit rule has exceptions, including where public sewer is reasonably available or economically feasible19. A system also may not be operated until it has been inspected and the owner holds a permit for operation20.

For questions, the Washington County Health Department is reached at 479-521-8181 ext. 211521. Arkansas requires connection to a sanitary sewer when one is within 300 feet and available without crossing another person's property22. We could not confirm the city's own sewer-connection rule, so ask the Building Department whether sewer reaches your lot before planning a septic system.

Building a home in Springdale: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district with the Planning Department and check Chapter 130122.
  2. Find out whether public sewer is within 300 feet; if not, get an onsite wastewater permit from the Arkansas Department of Health2219.
  3. Apply for a building permit from the Building Department1.
  4. Confirm the lot fronts an improved public street or approved private street18.
  5. Request inspections with the Building Department as work proceeds1.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in9.

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

Inside Springdale, building permits and zoning belong to the city, not the county21. The Washington County Health Department remains the local contact for septic questions21. For land outside city limits, see the Washington County page, where the county's own planning rules apply10.

Washington County's effective property tax rate is 0.6%23. Only about 8.6% of soils in Washington County lack severe limits for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a soils evaluation and possibly an engineered system if sewer is not available24.

Watch-outs

  • Search results often show Washington County's rule that unincorporated areas need no building permit; that rule does not apply inside Springdale4.
  • The septic permit rule has exceptions tied to public sewer availability, so confirm sewer service before ordering soil tests19.
  • Washington County's setbacks, 1-acre subdivision lots and floodplain permits apply to unincorporated land; inside Springdale, ask the Planning Department instead252627.

Sources

  1. City of Springdale Building Department (springdalear.gov)
  2. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 130, Article 4, Section 2—Residential districts (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  3. Arkansas onsite wastewater statute and rules (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  4. Building a residence in the county?, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 114, Section 114-57: Parking and storage of certain vehicles (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  6. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 130, Article 6, Section 2—Residential districts in general (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  7. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 130, Article 4, Section 2—Residential districts (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  8. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 130, Article 4, Section 1—A-1 Agricultural district (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  9. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 130, Article 11—Definitions (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  10. Washington County Planning and Zoning Ordinance No. 2025-044, quoted and re-checked
  11. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 130, Article 4, Section 2—Residential districts (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Springdale Planning Department (springdalear.gov)
  13. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 130, Article 4, Section 2—Residential districts (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  14. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 130, Article 4, Section 2—Residential districts (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  15. Chapter 78, Section 78-45: Camping (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  16. Arkansas law on county zoning and building authority
  17. 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code (Arkansas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 130, Article 6, Section 2—Residential districts in general (Springdale), quoted and re-checked
  19. Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (2024), quoted and re-checked
  20. Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (2024), quoted and re-checked
  21. Washington County Health Department (washingtoncountyar.gov)
  22. healthy.arkansas.gov, quoted and re-checked
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. 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
  25. Washington County Planning and Zoning Ordinance No. 2025-044, quoted and re-checked
  26. Washington County Planning and Zoning Ordinance No. 2025-044, quoted and re-checked
  27. Building a residence in the county?, quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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 Springdale

Springdale’s own rules

  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New construction and alterations or additions to existing structures inside Springdale city limits.

    • The certificate is granted for new construction or for alteration or additions to existing structures.
    • The premise must conform to the zoning ordinance and building code before it may be used or occupied.
    “Unless a certificate is issued, a structure cannot be occupied.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Springdale city limits.

    • District and use regulations in Chapter 130 apply by district.
    “The residential districts, established by this chapter”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Springdale city limits.

    • The retrieved code publishes at least residential districts and the A-1 Agricultural district; parcel-level zoning must be determined from the official zoning map.
    “R-E—Residential estate district. PURPOSE. The R-E district is established to accommodate single-family residential and complementary land uses on large lots.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family residential dwellings inside Springdale city limits.

    • Townhouses are excepted.

    minimum width: >= 24 feet (Except for townhouses.) · minimum length: >= 24 feet (Except for townhouses.)

    “minimum width and length dimensions of twenty-four (24) feet”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in the R-E Residential Estate District.

    • Applies to buildings hereafter erected or structurally altered.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet

    “No building hereafter erected or structurally altered shall exceed a height of thirty-five (35) feet.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational-vehicle or trailer occupancy on residential lots inside Springdale city limits.

    • Residentially zoned areas are subject to parking-location, distance, traffic-hazard, public-street, and quantity restrictions; temporary on-premises dwelling use is limited to seven total days in any continuous twelve-month period.

    temporary on-premises dwelling period: <= 7 days per continuous 12-month period (The section otherwise permits compliant parking subject to its listed conditions.)

    “for more than seven days total in any continuous 12-month period.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Overnight camping in Springdale city parks.

    • The prohibition does not apply to Boy Scout or Girl Scout troops given permission by the parks and recreation director to camp in conjunction with an authorized cleanup of Springdale Lake or J.B. Hunt Park property.
    “It shall be unlawful to set up or use tents, shacks or any other temporary shelter for the purpose of overnight camping”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    New or moved buildings inside Springdale city limits.

    • The lot must be adjacent to an improved public street or an approved private street.
    • Location must provide safe and convenient access for servicing, fire protection, and required off-street parking.
    “adjacent to an improved public street or an approved private street”

Rules another office applies inside Springdale

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

  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential and non-residential development in Springdale A-1 Agricultural district.

    • Lot must have at least 200 feet of width on a public street at the front setback line.

    minimum lot area: >= 2 acres · minimum lot width: >= 200 feet (On a public street at the front setback line.)

    “Lot area. There shall be a lot area of not less than two acres for both residential and non-residential use. In addition, there shall be a minimum lot width of not less than two hundred (200) feet on a public street at the front setback line.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — One-family development in Springdale SF-1 low-density single-family residential district.
      “Lot area. There shall be a lot area of not less than ten thousand (10,000) square feet. In addition, there shall be a minimum lot width of not less than eighty (80) feet on a public street at the front setback line.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Lots in Springdale SF-1 district.

    maximum building lot coverage: <= 40 percent (All buildings on the lot.)

    “On any lot, the area occupied by all buildings shall not exceed forty (40) percent of the total area of the lot.”
  • Who permits septicState

    Individual sewage disposal systems inside Springdale city limits.

    • The Arkansas Department of Health or its authorized agents administer the system; this claim does not assign septic administration to Springdale city.
    “shall have general supervision and authority”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Residential construction inside Springdale city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Springdale city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Technical building-code edition for construction inside Springdale city limits.
  • Inspections — Residential building inspections inside Springdale city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Springdale city limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Springdale publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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