Washington County building department

Washington County Planning, at 2615 S. Brink Drive in Fayetteville, handles land development outside city limits. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The most important thing for rural builders to know: Washington County does not enforce building codes for single-family homes, agricultural buildings, or residential accessory structures such as swimming pools and personal-use storage sheds in unincorporated areas. No building permit or inspection is required, and the county issues a certificate of occupancy only if you ask for one.

Inside Fayetteville, Springdale, Farmington, Prairie Grove, or any other city, the city’s building department issues permits instead.

What still applies outside city limits

No building permit doesn’t mean no rules. Before you build a house in the unincorporated county, expect to deal with the following.

Zoning. Every unincorporated parcel is zoned Agricultural/Single-Family Residential, one unit per acre. Any other use needs a Conditional Use Permit, including:

• commercial uses
• additional dwelling units
• most businesses

You can check zoning on the county’s planning webmap.

911 address. The Emergency Management / 911 office assigns most addresses. To get an address, county Planning requires an approved soil analysis (perc test) showing the lot is buildable.

Septic. County ordinances 1999-26, 2003-37, and 2008-33 require a Health Department permit before you install an individual sewage system, on a tract of any size where domestic sewage will be produced.

• Perc tests. You get one from an Arkansas Department of Health designated representative. The county posts the list.
• No holding tanks. If an RV, mobile home, or camper has a 911 address and public utilities, ADH treats it as a permanent residence and does not allow holding tanks. It has to connect to an approved septic system.
• Home sales. Sellers must give buyers the septic Permit for Operation (PFO). If the system has no PFO, the seller pays for an inspection to get a Health Department certificate.

Floodplain. You need a county floodplain development permit to build in a mapped floodplain.

Driveway culverts. Culvert permits for driveway access come from the County Road Department, (479) 444-1610.

Lot splits and setbacks

Some land divisions are exempt from subdivision review and can be approved by staff in the office:

Exemption	Rule
Family split	One division per family member; every parcel at least 1 acre
40-acre split	Any number of tracts, each about 40 acres or more
Tract split	Up to four parcels: three of at least 5 acres and one of at least 1 acre
Others	Lotline adjustments, court-ordered divisions, mortgage splits, cemetery dedications, corrections to earlier deeds

Conditions on family, 40-acre, and tract splits:

• Road access. No more than two parcels may lack public road frontage. Those parcels need a 30-foot ingress, egress, and utility easement.
• Road frontage. Lots under 5 acres need at least 100 feet of road frontage. Lots of 5 acres or more need at least 165 feet.

If a plat creates several tracts under 5 acres, it needs Minor Subdivision review.

Setbacks apply to all parcels under 20 acres:

Setback	Distance
Side	10 ft
Rear	20 ft
Front, from the street right-of-way	25 ft (also dedicated as a utility easement)

Survey requirements. A survey is required for exempt splits where every tract created is under 20 acres. That includes the remaining tract if it is under 5 acres. The survey must be prepared by an Arkansas-licensed land surveyor and show:

• boundaries and improvements
• septic system and lateral lines
• setbacks and easements
• FIRM panel and floodplain information
• parcel numbers, acreage, zoning, and legal descriptions

Approval steps.

1. Email the application and survey to [email protected].
2. Pay by check or exact cash.
3. Revise the survey based on staff comments.
4. Bring the approved copies in to be stamped.
5. Record the survey with the Circuit Clerk.

Planning fees (effective January 1, 2026)

Application	Fee
Lot split or any exemption	$100
Minor subdivision or replat (4 lots or less)	$300
Concept plat	$100
Preliminary or final plat (50 lots or less)	$500 each
Preliminary or final plat (more than 50 lots)	$750 each
Conditional Use Permit	$300
Variance	$200
Large Scale Development, preliminary or final plan	$500 each ($750 for high-intensity or industrial)
Cell tower administrative review	$100
Road Department construction inspection	$50 per hour (minimum $50)

Pay fees by cash or check, in person or by mail, when you submit the application. The county warns that Planning never asks for payment by email, wire transfer, or any other electronic method.

Working with Planning staff

For a tract split, lotline adjustment, subdivision, CUP, or Large Scale Development, read the application packet first, then email Planning. Include the property address or parcel number and three dates and times that work for you. The county also recommends talking to a licensed land surveyor before your meeting. A concept plat fee may apply.

The Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment meet on a published 2026 schedule, with submittal deadlines.