Stillwater building department

The City of Stillwater Development Services Department handles building permits, planning and zoning, floodplain development, and construction inspections inside Stillwater city limits. Plan review and inspections are run by its Building and Fire Code Services group, led by a Registered Building Official. Payne County is a separate government and does not issue permits for incorporated Stillwater addresses. One exception: the city’s permit list includes an electrical permit for work outside city limits, which matters for some rural customers on city utilities.

Office, hours and contacts

• Location: 723 S. Lewis St. (Municipal Building), Stillwater, OK 74074
• Mailing address: P.O. Box 1449, Stillwater, OK 74076-1449
• Development Services main line: (405) 742-8220
• Building and Fire Code Services line: (405) 372-0025
• Email for submittals: [email protected]
• Hours: Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The short Friday hours catch out-of-town contractors, so plan counter visits for earlier in the week.

Permits the city issues

The city’s Building Applications & Forms page has separate PDF applications for:

• Residential new construction (1 and 2 family) packet
• Residential accessory, addition, fence, modular and remodel
• Residential storm shelter
• Residential renewable energy resources (solar and similar)
• Commercial/industrial, plus a Commercial Use-By-Right submittal packet
• Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire alarm and fire sprinkler
• Earth change, grading and floodplain development
• Public way permits (standard and emergency), sign permits, structure moves, and residential demolition
• Water meter requests

You can submit applications in person at the Lewis Street office or email them to [email protected]. The city’s eTRAKiT portal lets you set up a public or contractor account. The portal itself says online services are limited to scheduling inspections, uploading and downloading PDF documents, and paying fees. You can also look up permits, licenses and registered contractors there.

What the residential application asks for

The residential accessory/addition/fence/modular/remodel form (dated 04.2025) may require these items, depending on the job:

• Site/lot plan showing the structure’s footprint
• Foundation and floor plans
• A typical FHA-HUD lot grading selection
• An attic ventilation or attic spray-foam worksheet
• A temporary utility agreement
• An acknowledgement of stormwater requirements
• The contractor’s general liability and workers’ compensation insurance, or an affidavit of exemption

The form also asks who provides electric service (Stillwater Electric Utility or Central Rural Electric Cooperative) and whether the lot is on public sewer or septic. If it is on septic, attach a copy of the perc test or the ODEQ permit to install.

A permit becomes void if work doesn’t start, or if no inspection is obtained within 6 months. Every permit ends with a final inspection and a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion.

Common residential thresholds

These come from the city’s Residential FAQs for Development Services and the fee schedule:

Project	Stillwater rule
Fence	Permit required only if more than 7 feet tall; check setbacks with Planning
Deck	No permit if under 200 sq ft, no more than 30 inches above grade at any point, and uncovered (no pergola or roof)
Storage shed	The fee schedule lists sheds over 200 sq ft as permitted accessory structures
Carport or accessory building	Must meet zoning-district setbacks; residential application plus site plan
Swimming pool	Permit if 24 inches or deeper, or if it has a filter, heater or lighting; the permit covers the fence enclosure
Storm shelter	Permit required, using the installer’s engineer-stamped drawings plus a site plan; inspection required

See also our guide on whether a deck needs a permit.

Fees (2026 schedule)

The city’s 2026 Building Permit Fee Schedule took effect July 1, 2026. The plan review fee (PRF) is based on total valuation:

Valuation	Plan review fee
$1 to $500	$48.25
$501 to $2,000	$67.69
$2,001 to $5,000	$91.17
$5,001 to $10,000	$182.37
$10,001 to $50,000	$273.62
$50,001 and up	$379.92

Other figures from the same schedule:

Residential building permits

• New single-family or duplex homes and residential additions: $37.31 per dwelling unit plus $0.038 per sq ft ($37.82 minimum)
• Residential remodels: $59.01 per dwelling unit
• Accessory structures, fences, storm shelters and swimming pools: $37.31
• Demolition and structure moves: $56.63
• Mobile homes: $76.03
• Residential transportation fee: $0.075 per sq ft of lot area ($750 maximum)
• Water closets: $100 each

Trade permits

• Plumbing for a new single-family home: $56.63 plus $18.63 per bathroom over one
• Plumbing or mechanical replacements, such as a water heater: $18.63
• New mechanical systems: $56.63 plus $18.63 for each air handler over one
• New electrical service: $56.63 per 100 amps

Other fees

• Temporary certificate of occupancy: $103, or $206 after 90 days
• Re-inspections: $37.31 for the first, $53.20 for the second and $106.38 for later ones for the same violation
• Starting work without a permit: 3 times the permit cost

The fee schedule notes that electrical, plumbing and mechanical work each need their own permit, separate from the building permit. Water meter charges are on a separate Water Meter Fee Information Sheet.

Adopted codes

The city’s Adopted Construction Standards sheet (revised September 17, 2024) lists the 2018 IBC, IFC, IRC, IPC, IMC and IFGC, and the 2020 National Electrical Code. All were adopted with local amendments on January 8, 2024, by Ordinance No. 3529. The design criteria include:

• Ground snow load: 10 psf
• Wind speed: 115 mph (3-second gust), Exposure B
• Seismic design category: B
• Frost line depth: 18 inches
• Termite risk: moderate to heavy
• Winter design temperature: 13
• Ice-shield underlayment: not required
• Flood hazards: FIRM #405380 (revised 05/16/07, as amended)

Copies of the international codes are available to read at the Stillwater Public Library.

Inspections

To schedule an inspection, call the automated line at (405) 742-8399. Leave your name, contact number, address and the inspection type you need. Calls made before 6 a.m. are scheduled for that same day. You can also schedule through eTRAKiT. For storm shelters, the city asks you to agree with your installer on who will call for the inspection.

Contractor registration

Electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors must register with the city before pulling permits. The Registration for Trade License form must include a copy of the contractor’s current Oklahoma license, which the city confirms with the Construction Industries Board, and a copy of the applicant’s driver’s license. The fee is $200 for a new registration and $55 to renew. Registrations expire on the last day of the contractor’s birth month. If you renew more than 30 days late, you pay the first-year fee again.

The residential application also requires electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fence, sign and driveway work to be done by contractors who are state-licensed (where applicable) and registered and bonded with the city. Sign contractors, street works contractors and structure movers have separate license forms.

Floodplain and grading

Development Services issues one combined Earth Change, Grading and Floodplain Development permit. The earth change permit fee is $75, and drainage studies cost $75 to $375 depending on acreage. For structures in a FEMA regulatory floodplain, the city requires:

• A statement that nothing will encroach into the floodway
• A completed FEMA Elevation Certificate before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued
• Compensatory storage calculations

Substantially improved or substantially damaged buildings (50% of market value) must be built at least 1 foot above the Base Flood Elevation. Sites that disturb 1 acre or more also need ODEQ OKR10 stormwater coverage and a SWPPP.

To check a property’s flood zone, use the city’s free Floodplain Inquiry, answered by email or phone. A mailed Floodplain Determination Letter costs $25.

Planning and zoning

The Planning division administers the Land Development Code, which is currently being updated. It handles rezoning, specific use permits, variances, subdivisions, zoning verification letters and short-term rental rules. Check setbacks with Planning before you apply for a fence, carport or accessory building permit.