Oklahoma City building department

Oklahoma City Development Services issues building, trade, sign, storm shelter, and related permits inside Oklahoma City limits. Its Development Center handles plan review, inspections, and enforcement of the city’s land-use and building codes. The city spans parts of several counties, but within city limits Oklahoma County (or any other county) is not the permitting authority. The city’s rule is that permits are required to construct, alter, repair, enlarge, move, or demolish any primary or accessory structure.

What needs a permit in Oklahoma City

The city’s Building & Trade Permits page lists these permit categories:

• Residential: new homes, additions, remodels, EV charging stations, fences, storm shelters, swimming pools, mobile home relocation, solar panels, and re-roofing
• Commercial: new construction, remodels, additions, EV charging, solar, fire restoration, signs, demolition, storm shelters, right-of-way work, fencing, and pools
• Trade: plumbing, mechanical, electrical, elevator, and boiler work
• Oil and gas: well drilling permits

The city publishes a submittal checklist for each type, plus a “How to Format Your Permit Documents” guide. Files should be uploaded as PDFs, combined into one file where possible.

Re-roofing rules

The city’s re-roof checklist (July 2025) answers the most common roofing questions:

• Which buildings need a permit: Only single-family homes and duplexes. The submittal fee is $94.50.
• Repairs: Patching needs a permit only when the repaired or replaced area exceeds 500 sq ft. A roof built as part of a new home needs no separate permit.
• Licensing: The city does not register or license roofers. The state requires roofing contractors to register with the Construction Industries Board.
• Code rules: Under the 2018 IRC as used by the city, only one layer of asphalt shingles is permitted, and ice barriers are not required.
• Photos: You must upload photos of the existing roof before tear-off, of the decked roof after flashing and any ice and water shield are installed, and of the finished roof before you request the inspection.
• Structural work: Replacing rafters, ridge beams, or any structural element below the decking requires a separate residential building permit.
• Design districts: Re-roofs in a design district or historic preservation area need a certificate of appropriateness from Planning, (405) 297-1624.

See also do I need a permit to replace a roof.

Fences and retaining walls

A licensed fence contractor must submit residential fence permits unless the homeowner builds the fence. A fence application needs:

• Estimated cost, linear footage, overall height, and construction type
• A scaled site plan showing property lines, easements, and right-of-way
• In design districts, elevations showing materials, color, and style
• Self-closing, self-latching gates wherever the fence encloses a pool

Sight-triangle and setback rules apply and vary by location. Retaining walls taller than 36 inches, measured from the lowest grade to the top of the wall, need a design stamped by an Oklahoma-licensed engineer.

Storm shelters

A building permit is required for any above- or below-ground storm shelter. The fee is $99.50 for in-ground or slope-top shelters and $104.50 for above-ground safe rooms. After the shelter passes inspection, you can register it with the city online or through the Action Center at (405) 297-2535, or ask for automatic registration when you apply.

Applying online through Accela

Applications, planning cases, licenses, and inspections run through the city’s Accela Citizen Access portal (okc.gov/access). It covers building, storm shelter, fence, and solar permits, along with work-zone permits, licenses, rental housing, planning, fire, engineering, and subdivision and zoning records. You can search records without an account, but you need one to apply for most permits and to schedule inspections. You can also apply in person at the Business Center or by phone:

Permit type	Phone
Residential	(405) 297-2525, option 1
Commercial	(405) 297-2525, option 2
Trade	(405) 297-2948, option 3
Oil and gas	(405) 297-1212

Plan reviewers check plans against the city’s building and zoning codes. Normal review hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Fees

Permit fees are set in Chapter 60 of the Oklahoma City Municipal Code:

• Building: Title 12
• Electrical: Title 18
• Mechanical: Title 29
• Plumbing: Title 42

New construction may also owe parks and streets development impact fees. The city provides an online calculator to estimate them.

Adopted codes

The Development Center lists these adopted editions, each with an Oklahoma City supplement:

• 2018 IBC, IRC, IEBC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, and IFC
• 2017 National Electrical Code
• 2009 International Energy Conservation Code
• 2009 ANSI accessibility standard
• The city’s elevator standards, updated January 2026

Contractor registration

The state licenses electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, and elevator contractors through the Construction Industries Board or the Department of Labor. Oklahoma City also requires these contractors to register with the city:

Contractor	Initial city registration	Bond
Building (residential only)	$100	none listed; $50,000 general liability and $100,000 workers’ comp required
Electrical	$100	none
Plumbing	$100	none
Mechanical	$95	none
Fence	$100	$1,000
Sidewalk/driveway	$75	$2,000
Sign	$75	$5,000

Fence and sidewalk contractors must also pass written and field tests given by the Chief Building Inspector. Contractor licensing questions go to Business Licensing at (405) 297-2606.

Inspections and certificate of occupancy

You can schedule building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing inspections three ways:

• Online through the Accela portal: select the permit, then choose “Schedule an Inspection”
• By phone through the automated system at (405) 316-5656, using the inspection code
• By text message through the city’s SelecTXT service

Normal inspection hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Temporary certificates of occupancy are available only for non-residential projects, never for residential property. To qualify, every related permit must be issued, every final or temporary final inspection must be passed, and all permit holds must be released. A TCO review takes 3 to 4 business days. A project that needs more than one TCO also needs a phasing plan.

Floodplain

The Public Works Drainage Division, (405) 297-2581, provides site-specific flood data. It also keeps FEMA elevation certificates on file for floodplain structures built after April 2013. The city takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program and its Community Rating System.

Office location and hours

The Development Services In-Person Business Center is at 420 W. Main St., 1st Floor, Oklahoma City, OK 73102. It is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The main line is (405) 297-2525 and the email is [email protected].