Pulaski County · Little Rock Code § 8-31
Little Rock, AR Building Permit Fees
Little Rock calculates building permits by project valuation, not square footage. Work valued at $5,000 or less needs no building fee; above that, a base fee covers the first portion of value and a rate is added for each additional $1,000 or fraction. Valuation comes from the contract or the ICC Building Valuation Data table.
Permit office
Little Rock Planning & Development, Building Codes Division
- 723 W. Markham St., Little Rock, AR 72201
- (501) 371-4832
- Online permit portal · Department website
Confirm hours and submittal format with the city before you go.
Fee Estimate
Fee Estimate
Permit valuation may differ from your construction budget when the city applies its own valuation method.
Estimate · Little Rock, AR
$1,955.75
Estimated fees for the inputs shown. Conditional items are listed but not added.
- Building permit fee$1,170.00
$420.00 for first $100,000.00 + 250 × $3.00 per additional $1,000.00
- Plan review fee$585.00
50% of $1,170.00 building fee
- Data processing fee$25.75
Flat fee $25.75 per application
Little Rock Code § 8-31, as amended by Ord. 22,703 (eff. Jan. 1, 2026)
- Arkansas Act 474 surcharge$175.00
350 × $0.50 per $1,000
A.C.A. § 6-55-106: $0.50 per $1,000 on nonresidential permits, max $1,000 per project.
Not included in this estimate
Trade permits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical); utility tap and impact fees, re-inspection fees, and other agency approvals.
Cost of working without a permit in Little Rock: $3,510.00Permit fees are multiplied by 3× when work starts before the permit is issued.
Need sealed MEP drawings, permit expediting, or 3 bids from ACLB-licensed contractors in Little Rock?
Little Rock permit costs by project type
Benchmark estimates for each project type. Open a project type for the full worksheet, checklist and comparison.
- Commercial Tenant Remodel$350,000 · 6,000 sq ft$1,955.75
- New Commercial Construction$750,000 · 12,000 sq ft$3,830.05
- New Single-Family Home$325,000 · 2,200 sq ft$1,151.65
- Residential Addition or Remodel$90,000 · 600 sq ft$415.75
- Commercial Roofing or Structural Repair$150,000 · 12,000 sq ft$955.75
- HVAC / Mechanical Replacement$50,000 · 4,000 sq ft$373.89
| Project type | Benchmark | Permit fee | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Tenant Remodel | $350,000 · 6,000 sq ft | $1,170.00 | $1,955.75 |
| New Commercial Construction | $750,000 · 12,000 sq ft | $2,245.00 | $3,830.05 |
| New Single-Family Home | $325,000 · 2,200 sq ft | $1,095.00 | $1,151.65 |
| Residential Addition or Remodel | $90,000 · 600 sq ft | $390.00 | $415.75 |
| Commercial Roofing or Structural Repair | $150,000 · 12,000 sq ft | $570.00 | $955.75 |
| HVAC / Mechanical Replacement | $50,000 · 4,000 sq ft | $348.14 | $373.89 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Little Rock, AR calculate building permit fees?
Little Rock calculates building permits by project valuation, not square footage. Work valued at $5,000 or less needs no building fee; above that, a base fee covers the first portion of value and a rate is added for each additional $1,000 or fraction. Valuation comes from the contract or the ICC Building Valuation Data table.
What does plan review cost in Little Rock?
Plan review costs 50% of the building permit fee (minimum $56.65) for commercial projects. The city does not publish a plan review turnaround time; ask the permit desk for the current queue when you submit.
Do I need a licensed contractor to pull a permit in Little Rock?
Yes, for commercial work of $50,000 or more. Under A.C.A. § 17-25-101, any project other than a single-family residence costing $50,000 or more in labor and materials requires an Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board commercial license, and the building official must see proof of license before issuing the permit. Residential builders and remodelers need an ACLB residential license for jobs over $2,000. Splitting a contract to stay under a threshold is not allowed. Licensed electricians, plumbers and HVACR contractors pull their own trade permits in Little Rock.
Sources and Assumptions
- Schedule
- Little Rock Code § 8-31
- Source reviewed on
- October 20, 2026
- Data status
- Some components are confirmed; unconfirmed components are marked Unavailable instead of estimated.
- Little Rock Code § 8-31, as amended by Ord. 22,703 (eff. Jan. 1, 2026)reviewed 2026-10-20
- Little Rock Ord. 22,204 (2022 fee schedule, last published valuation table)reviewed 2026-10-20
- A.C.A. § 6-55-106 (Act 474 of 1999)reviewed 2026-10-20
- Ord. 22,703 (eff. Jan. 1, 2026) rewrote § 8-31(c) without a building valuation table; its other fees rose about 3%. Building fees here use the last published table (Ord. 22,204, 2022) until the city confirms the current one.
- Residential fees in Targeted Neighborhood Enhancement Areas (Central High, Downtown, Philander Smith) are reduced 75%, not below the minimum. Not applied here.
PermitBasis is an independent planning resource. The issuing authority determines final fees and requirements.