Building permits, zoning and land rules in Lonoke County, Arkansas
69Index Score / 100 #58 of 75 in Arkansas
Unincorporated Lonoke County, Arkansas does not require a residential building permit, but statewide minimum building codes still apply12. Countywide zoning could not be confirmed; the incorporated City of Lonoke separately administers zoning and building permits345. Septic systems go through the Arkansas Department of Health's Onsite Wastewater Program and a local Environmental Health Specialist6.
At a glance
Building permit
Not required in unincorporated Lonoke County; Arkansas's statewide minimum building code still applies even without a local permit program12
Zoning
No county planning or zoning department is listed for Lonoke County; the incorporated City of Lonoke has its own permit and planning process35
Septic permits
Arkansas Department of Health Onsite Wastewater Program, administered through an Environmental Health Specialist in the county health department6
Owner-builder
State contractor licensing exemption for an owner building their own residence, limited to one residence per calendar year; permits, codes and inspections are not waived78
RV / tiny home
Private-parcel occupancy is unconfirmed; state health rules apply to a qualifying park with 3 or more paid spaces910
Agricultural exemption
Nonresidential farm buildings and structures are exempt from state contractor-licensing and electrical-code requirements while used for that purpose1112
State highway driveway
ARDOT permit required before work; one noncommercial driveway normally needs no bond, while commercial and temporary driveways require at least $1,000 per driveway1314151617
Septic soil difficulty
Only 3.6% of county soils are free of severe limits for a conventional septic drain field18
General Lonoke County government contact; the state's official county portal lists no separate county building, permits, planning, or zoning department
Statewide septic (onsite wastewater) policy, working with an Environmental Health Specialist based in the Lonoke County health department to review permit applications for systems under 5,000 gallons per day
Building permits, signs, storage buildings, fences, additions, remodels, and new construction within the City of Lonoke (not unincorporated Lonoke County)
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 29, 2026.
Do you need a building permit in Lonoke County, Arkansas?
A residential building permit is not required in unincorporated Lonoke County1. Arkansas Building Codes remain mandatory statewide minimums even where no local permit or inspection is required2. Work subject to the Arkansas Energy Code may be inspected by the Arkansas Energy Office, its agent or a code official; a local final inspection applies where the county or municipality has adopted that code and conducts final inspections in its normal operations19. Inside the incorporated City of Lonoke, permits are required for pools, fences, storage buildings, portable carports, signs, additions, remodels and new residential or commercial construction, with applications through the Administration Office520.
Who do you contact about permits in Lonoke County?
For general county government questions, unincorporated Lonoke County's contact point is the Lonoke County Judge's Office at the courthouse, 3rd & Center Street, Lonoke, AR 72086, 501-676-236821. The state's official county listing shows no separate building, permits, planning, or zoning department to call instead3. For septic permits, the office to reach is the Arkansas Department of Health's Onsite Wastewater Program, which works through an Environmental Health Specialist in the Lonoke County health department; the program's Little Rock office is at 4815 West Markham Street, Slot 46, Little Rock, AR 72205, phone 501-661-217122. If your project is inside the incorporated City of Lonoke, contact the city's Community Development Department at 107 West Second Street, Lonoke, AR 72086, phone 501-676-4300 ext. 220. If your driveway connects to a state highway, the Arkansas Department of Transportation's district office handles that permit instead23.
Does Lonoke County have zoning?
No county planning or zoning department is listed for unincorporated Lonoke County, but the available county information does not conclusively establish whether a countywide zoning ordinance applies3. Ask the County Judge's Office about zoning, subdivision rules, setbacks, minimum home size and flood requirements for the specific parcel before relying on the absence of a listed department21. The incorporated City of Lonoke is different: its Community Development page links to the city's zoning chapter, conditional-use, rezoning and variance applications, and a Unified Development Code4. The City of Lonoke also requires building permits for listed improvements and new construction5. City flood rules require a local floodplain permit before development in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area24.
How do septic permits work in Lonoke County?
Installing a septic system in Lonoke County requires construction and operation permits through the Arkansas Department of Health's statewide Onsite Wastewater Program, which works through an Environmental Health Specialist assigned to the county health department622. That program reviews permit applications for onsite systems under 5,000 gallons per day for subsurface treatment and under 2,000 gallons per day for surface-discharging design22. Soils matter here: only 3.6% of Lonoke County's land is free of severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so budget for a site evaluation and the possibility of an alternative system18. Statewide, if a sanitary sewer is within 300 feet of where the sewer would exit your building and can be reached without crossing another person's property, Arkansas requires you to connect to it rather than install an onsite system25. A private domestic well generally doesn't need the same construction-permit process required for a public or semi-public well, though no official source located for this guide spells out a separate owner-facing permit step for an ordinary household well26.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Lonoke County?
We could not confirm whether Lonoke County allows long-term RV or tiny-home occupancy on an individual private parcel; ask the County Judge's Office before buying or moving a unit onto the land21. Arkansas's clearest rules apply when a site becomes a park: a parcel with three or more spaces where placement or maintenance services are provided for a fee must comply with state mobile-home or recreational-vehicle park rules and obtain Department of Health approval for construction9. A tiny house on wheels is treated as a mobile home when plumbed and inspected under the state plumbing code, or as a recreational vehicle when it is not10. Park units generally require at least 15 feet of separation, with a 10-foot provision for staggered end-to-end mobile homes27. These park rules do not answer the private-parcel occupancy question.
Building a home in Lonoke County: the steps, in order
Ask the County Judge's Office whether zoning, subdivision or flood rules apply to the parcel21.
Order a septic site evaluation early because only 3.6% of county soils lack severe limits for a conventional drain field18.
Apply for septic construction and operation permits through the Arkansas Department of Health and local Environmental Health Specialist622.
If acting as your own contractor, confirm the licensing exemption: it covers an owner building their own residence, up to one residence per calendar year, but does not waive permits, codes or inspections8.
For state-highway access, send the district engineer the work description, location, contact details, drawings and any required bond; do not begin right-of-way work before permit issuance1413. A single noncommercial driveway normally has no bond, though multiple driveways may require one15.
Build to Arkansas's statewide minimum code even where no local inspection occurs2. Inside the City of Lonoke, apply through the city Administration Office20.
What to check before you buy land in Lonoke County
Water and soils go together here: Lonoke County gets about 51.6 inches of rain a year with only 7.6% of years in severe drought, but just 3.6% of soils are free of severe septic limitations, so a well-planned septic design deserves real budget even in a relatively wet county282918. The land is flat and largely open — 99.5% sits at 15% slope or less, with 28.5% wooded — good for building sites with some natural cover3031. Confirm whether your parcel is inside or outside an incorporated city limit, since building permits, floodplain rules, and zoning only clearly apply inside cities like Lonoke5. Check FEMA flood maps and ask the County Judge's Office whether any flood-damage-prevention ordinance reaches your specific unincorporated parcel21. Typical property tax runs low here, about 0.6% effectively, with a median bill near $1,178 a year, against a typical home value around $231,818323334.
Watch-outs
No official source confirms whether unincorporated Lonoke County has any zoning, subdivision, or building-permit ordinance in place; the state's own county portal simply lists no such department, which is different from an official 'no rule' statement — confirm directly with the County Judge's Office3.
Arkansas's statewide minimum building code applies to your construction even where no local permit or inspection is required, so 'no permit needed' does not mean 'no code applies'2.
Short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units, and temporary camping on private land in Lonoke County aren't addressed by any official source found for this guide; confirm directly with the county before assuming a use is allowed3.
Written September 29, 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.
Lonoke County highlighted among the Arkansas counties · colored by Index score
How Lonoke County scores
Seclusion46100% ev.
Self-Sufficiency57100% ev.
Admin Boringness85100% ev.
Durability58100% ev.
Property Autonomy47100% ev.
Carry Cost81100% ev.
Evidence strength: 100%. This reports direct-source completeness and fallback use; it is separate from the score and is not a confidence interval. How it works →
Who permits septicArkansas Department of Health, Onsite Wastewater Program (via local Environmental Health Specialist)
Installing a septic system requires construction and operation permits from the Arkansas Department of Health, whose statewide program works through the local county Environmental Health Specialist.
Construction subject to the Arkansas Building Code statewide minimums, including rural and unincorporated areas.
Arkansas Building Code requirements apply statewide even where no permit is required.
The source does not establish a universal statewide building-permit requirement; applicable permit requirements may depend on the responsible local or other code authority.
“They apply statewide even in areas when no permit or inspections are required.”
Arkansas residential contractor licensing requirements for an owner constructing the owner's residence or acting as the owner's own home-improvement contractor on the owner's single-family residence
A person constructing his or her own residence is exempt unless the person builds more than one residence during a calendar year.
The owner of a single-family residence must be acting as his or her own home-improvement contractor.
The work must be on the owner's own property.
This exemption concerns state residential contractor licensing and does not establish exemption from any applicable local building permit, inspection, code, or occupancy requirement.
maximum residences constructed by the person per calendar year: <= 1 residence (The exemption does not apply if the person builds more than one residence during any calendar year.)
“The following shall be exempted from the licensing requirements of this subchapter: (1) A person who acts as a residential building contractor in the construction of his or her residence unless he or she builds more than one (1) residence during any calendar year; (2) The owner of a single family residence acting as his or her own home improvement contractor on his or her own property;”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Available (with conditions) — Arkansas residential contractor licensing for an individual constructing the individual’s own residence or an owner of a single-family residence acting as the owner’s own home-improvement contractor on the owner’s property.
“construction of his or her residence unless he or she builds more than one (1) residence during any calendar year;”
Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)
Residential and other building construction in Lonoke County, including rural and unincorporated areas.
The source states that Arkansas Building Codes are mandatory statewide minimums.
The codes apply even where no permit or inspections are required.
The source states that the Arkansas Building Code is adopted by the State Fire Marshal’s office and is part of the Fire Prevention Code.
The source states that Arkansas was under the 2012 Edition of the Code at the time of publication.
Failure to comply may subject a licensed contractor to disciplinary action by the Arkansas Contractors Board or Residential Contractors Committee.
code edition stated by source: 2012 Edition
“Arkansas Building Codes are mandatory statewide minimums. They apply statewide even in areas when no permit or inspections are required.”
3 more reviewed findings on this topic
Adopted (with conditions) — New structures and applicable alterations, additions, changes in use, and changes in structures throughout Arkansas, under the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, including Volume II for building-code requirements and Volume III for residential-code requirements.
“Each district, county, municipality, or other political subdivision of this state shall only adopt and enforce the provisions of the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, 2021 Edition. [...] The design and construction of new structures shall comply with the International Building Code Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, Volume II, and any alterations, additions, changes in use or changes in structures required by this code, which are within the scope of the International Building Code, Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, Volume II, shall be made in accordance therewith.”
Partial — State projects in Arkansas.
“The adopted building code for state projects is the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, 12 CAR pt. 15, as adopted by the Division of Arkansas State Police, State Fire Marshal’s office.”
Adopted (with conditions) — State projects in Arkansas subject to the Building Authority Division design-review rules.
“The adopted building code for state projects is the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, 12 CAR pt. 15, as adopted by the Division of Arkansas State Police, State Fire Marshal’s office. Arkansas laws and this subchapter shall have precedence over the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code where they exceed the requirements of the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. All project designs shall comply with all Arkansas laws and the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. Other codes, rules, or standards may be applicable to a specific project. It is the department’s and design professional’s responsibility to determine all applicable codes for each specific project.”
InspectionsLimited
Construction or work subject to the Arkansas Energy Code, including residential construction, where the applicable county or municipality has adopted the Code and conducts final inspections as part of normal operations
Construction or work must be subject to the Arkansas Energy Code.
Inspection may be by the Arkansas Energy Office, its agent, or the code official.
A county or municipality must have adopted the Code.
The local code official must conduct final inspections as part of normal operations for the final-inspection requirement.
Final inspection and approval occur when buildings are completed and ready for occupancy.
All counties, cities, or municipalities that issue building permits for new building construction are required to adopt the Code for new construction, additions, and renovation of existing structures.
The source states the Code effective date as January 1, 2015.
“104.1 General. Construction or work that must comply with this Code shall be subject to inspection by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission - Energy Office or its agent, or by the code official. 104.2 Final inspection. Code officials within a county or municipality who have adopted this Code and conduct final inspections as a part of their normal operations shall perform a final inspection and approval for buildings when completed and ready for occupancy.”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Limited — Construction subject to Arkansas Building Code compliance and any applicable inspection regime.
“areas when no permit or inspections are required.”
Certificate of occupancyLimited
Open-enrollment public charter schools commencing student operations in a new or renovated facility anywhere in Arkansas.
Before commencing operations with students, the school must obtain one of three alternative approvals for the new construction or renovation.
The alternatives are: a certificate of occupancy issued by a local code official and approved by the state fire marshal; a certificate of occupancy or other approval of the state fire marshal; or a certificate of substantial completion issued by a licensed architect.
A certificate of occupancy is therefore not independently mandatory when one of the two listed alternative approvals is obtained.
“An open-enrollment public charter school shall not commence operations with students in any new or renovated facility unless the school has obtained for the new construction or renovation: (1) A certificate of occupancy issued by a local code official, approved by the state fire marshal; (2) A certificate of occupancy or other approval of the state fire marshal; or (3) A certificate of substantial completion issued by a licensed architect.”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Limited — State of Arkansas construction projects administered by a state owner or agency.
“Certificates of Occupancy are not issued by any one State Agency for State projects. The responsibility therefore rests with the Owner/Agency of the project.”
Living in an RVLimited
Recreational-vehicle occupancy in a qualifying mobile-home or recreational-vehicle park in Lonoke County; this does not establish general permission for long-term RV occupancy on an individual private parcel.
The rule applies when three or more spaces are occupied or intended for occupancy and placement or maintenance services, or both, are provided for a fee.
The park must comply with Part 138.
Waivers or exceptions are considered case-by-case at the discretion of the Department of Health.
Construction, alteration, repair, or extension of a park requires prior Department approval.
Plans and specifications must include the park layout, sewage system, water source and distribution system, buildings, parking areas, dump stations, and topographical features.
Recreational vehicles may not be permanently connected to RV spaces and must be quickly and easily moved when a flood event is imminent.
Recreational vehicles must be separated from each other and other structures by at least 15 feet.
minimum spaces for qualifying park: >= 3 spaces (Applies where placement or maintenance services, or both, are provided for a fee.) · minimum separation between recreational vehicles and other structures: >= 15 feet
““Recreational vehicle park” means a parcel of land, for which plans have been approved by the Department of Health”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Limited — Occupancy of recreational vehicles in Arkansas recreational-vehicle parks regulated by the Arkansas Department of Health under 20 CAR Part 138.
“Any parcel of land in which three (3) or more spaces are occupied or intended for occupancy by recreational vehicles, tiny houses on wheels, or mobile homes, where placement or maintenance services, or both, are provided for a fee, whether new or existing, shall be: (1) Considered a mobile home or recreational vehicle park; and (2) In compliance with this part.”
Tiny homesLimited
Occupancy of tiny houses on wheels in Arkansas parcels operating as mobile-home or recreational-vehicle parks with three or more paid spaces.
The rule expressly includes tiny houses on wheels among spaces triggering mobile-home or recreational-vehicle-park regulation.
Placement or maintenance services, or both, must be provided for a fee.
The parcel is considered a mobile home or recreational vehicle park and must comply with 20 CAR Part 138.
The owner or operator is responsible for compliance.
Waivers or exceptions are considered case by case at the discretion of the Arkansas Department of Health.
Construction, alteration, repair, or extension of the park requires prior submission and Department approval.
Detailed plans and specifications must include the park layout, sewage system, water source and distribution system, buildings, parking areas, dump stations, and topographical features.
The rule does not establish a general statewide authorization or prohibition for a single tiny house on wheels outside a qualifying park.
minimum qualifying spaces: >= 3 spaces (the spaces must be occupied or intended for occupancy by recreational vehicles, tiny houses on wheels, or mobile homes)
“three (3) or more spaces are occupied or intended for occupancy by recreational vehicles, tiny houses on wheels, or mobile homes”
2 more reviewed findings on this topic
Limited — Tiny-house-on-wheels occupancy in a qualifying mobile-home or recreational-vehicle park in Lonoke County.
““Tiny house on wheels” means a structure intended as a habitable dwelling for one (1) or more individuals”
Limited — Occupancy of tiny houses on wheels in Arkansas mobile-home or recreational-vehicle parks regulated by the Arkansas Department of Health under 20 CAR Part 138.
““Tiny house on wheels” means a structure intended as a habitable dwelling for one (1) or more individuals which, for the purposes of this part, shall be considered a: (A) Mobile home, if plumbed and inspected in accordance with the 2018 Arkansas Plumbing Code, 17 CAR pt. 65; or (B) Recreational vehicle, if not plumbed and inspected in accordance with the 2018 Arkansas Plumbing Code;”
Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)
Use of composting or incinerating toilets as components of an Arkansas onsite wastewater system.
Only pre-manufactured composting or incinerating toilets authorized by the Department may be used.
The devices must be evaluated by an ANSI-approved laboratory under NSF Standard 41.
Wastewater other than urine and feces must be renovated or disposed of under Sections 8 or 9 of the rule.
Stabilized compost must be buried onsite or deposited in an approved sanitary landfill.
The system remains subject to applicable onsite wastewater permitting and approval requirements.
“Only pre-manufactured composting or incinerating toilets authorized by the Department”
Well permitLimited
Wells serving public and semi-public water systems in Arkansas.
Written approval from the Arkansas Department of Health is required before construction begins.
If the well's public or semi-public status is uncertain, the well contractor must obtain a written determination from the Department of Health before construction.
This claim does not establish a general construction-permit requirement for private domestic wells.
“Wells for public and semi-public water systems shall be located, designed, and constructed in accordance with the respective rules of the Department of Health and shall have written approval from the department prior to the start of construction. If uncertain that a well is public or semi-public, the well contractor shall obtain a written determination from the department prior to construction.”
Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)
Homes and premises where a sanitary sewer is within 300 feet from the point where the sewer exits the building and available without crossing another person's property.
When the stated distance and availability conditions are met, connection to the sanitary sewer is required.
Privies, onsite wastewater systems, and other receptacles for human excreta may not be constructed, maintained, or used on the premises under that condition.
sewer distance from building sewer-exit point: <= 300 feet (sewer must be available without crossing another person's property)
“All premises shall be connected to a sanitary sewer when within three hundred feet (300’) from the point where the sewer exits a building on the property owner’s property and available to said premises when connection can be made without crossing another person's property.”
Agricultural exemptionConditional
State and local sales-tax exemption for electricity, natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas used by qualifying agricultural structures and qualifying aquaculture or horticulture equipment in Arkansas.
The utility must be separately metered and used only for the exempt purpose.
Multiple-use meters serving eligible and noneligible structures, facilities, or equipment do not qualify.
The farmer must obtain a certificate from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration before the exemption is allowed and provide it to the utility supplier.
Qualifying agricultural structures include commercial poultry or livestock facilities, cattle or dairy facilities, and greenhouses used for commercial production.
Qualifying aquaculture or horticulture equipment includes specified cooling, collection, irrigation, pond-pumping, pond-aeration, and holding or sorting-tank equipment used in commercial operations.
exemption start date: 2014-01-01 · eligible utilities: electricity, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (Must be separately metered and used only for the exempt purpose) · DFA certificate: true (Required before the exemption is allowed) · water exemption for commercial poultry farming start date: 2021-10-01 (Water must be used exclusively for poultry farming and separately metered)
“Act 1441 of 2013 provides an exemption from state and local sales taxes for electricity, natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas used by qualifying agricultural structures and qualifying aquaculture and horticulture equipment beginning January 1, 2014. The eligible utility must be separately metered and used only for the purpose of the exemption.”
2 more reviewed findings on this topic
Available — Construction, installation, maintenance, repair, or renovation of a nonresidential farm building or structure in Arkansas, including Lonoke County.
“The construction, installation, maintenance, repair, or renovation of any nonresidential farm building or structure;”
Conditional — Construction, installation, maintenance, repair, or renovation of a nonresidential farm building or structure in Arkansas, as an exemption from the Arkansas Electrical Code Authority Act requirements.
“(b) The requirements of the Arkansas Electrical Code Authority Act, Arkansas Code § 20-31-101 et seq., shall not apply to the following: [...] (2) Any construction, installation, maintenance, repair, or renovation of any nonresidential farm building or structure;”
Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)
Subdivision plats that are boundary surveys creating parcels in Arkansas.
The plat must be filed with the State Surveyor's office after any recording requirements imposed by city or county government.
Filing is not required, but may be submitted, for survey plats of subdivided property located in a municipality where the property has previously been surveyed and a plat filed.
plat distribution deadline: 30 days after completion
“Subdivision plats [...] are to be filed with the State Surveyor’s office [...] Filing is not required [...] for survey plats [...] located in a municipality [...]”
Driveway accessRequired
Construction, reconstruction, modification, or relocation of access driveways on Arkansas State Highway right-of-way, including residential, commercial, and temporary access driveways.
No work may begin on State Highway right-of-way until the engineer issues the permit.
Applications are made to the District Engineer and include a work description, location, applicant contact information, and required drawings or deposit/bond.
An Access Management Agreement may require approval or a permit from the relevant jurisdiction; failure to provide it may be grounds for denial.
Commercial driveway permits generally require a minimum $1,000 deposit or bond per driveway, with governmental-entity waiver possible.
Temporary driveway access is limited to 120 days initially, extendable at 60-day intervals up to 240 days.
commercial driveway deposit or bond: >= 1000 USD per driveway minimum (May be waived for governmental entities.) · temporary driveway initial duration: <= 120 days maximum (May be extended at 60-day intervals up to 240 total days.) · frontage limit: 50 feet or less (Limited to one driveway.) · rural setback inside adjoining property frontage: >= 10 feet minimum (Urban minimum is 5 feet; Section 6.9 exceptions may apply.)
“A permit shall be obtained from the Department for all access driveways on State Highways.”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Required — Commercial, noncommercial, and temporary access driveways adjoining state highways in Lonoke County.
“A permit shall be obtained from the Arkansas Department of Transportation for all access driveways on state highways.”
Building in a floodplainRequired
Development by an Arkansas state department on property within the boundaries of the hundred-year floodplain or a Building Authority Division designated flood hazard area.
The rule applies to a state department proposing the development, not generally to all private or local development statewide.
The department must submit an application on a form approved by the Design Review Section.
The application must include the application number, date, department or property owner, site address or legal description, development type, brief description, base flood elevation, lowest-floor elevation, attachment acknowledgment, and applicant contact/signature information.
Supporting attachments should include the FEMA map, copies of other regulatory permits such as Clean Water Act sections 401 and 404 permits, elevation certificates, a certification of no increase in base flood elevation or no-rise certificate, a flood-proofing certificate, certifications for water supply, sanitary sewer, and on-site waste disposal systems, and notification of watercourse alteration or relocation.
The Design Review Section reviews and approves or disapproves the application; if approved, the floodplain administrator issues a development permit for the design phase.
The permit must be posted during construction; the site is reviewed before final acceptance; and noncompliant work requires correction or may be designated a nonconforming use site.
For riverine watercourse alteration or relocation, the department must notify the division, adjacent communities, and the state NFIP Coordinator at the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission before the alteration or relocation, submit copies to the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, maintain flood-carrying capacity, and provide an engineering study of before-and-after conditions prepared by a registered professional engineer.
For structures and equipment pads under the state rule, elevation requirements vary by FEMA-map and base-flood-elevation availability: two feet above adjacent grade where no FEMA map exists; two feet above the Building Authority Division base flood elevation where no nearby FEMA base flood elevation data exists; and one foot above the accepted or mapped base flood elevation in the circumstances specified by 22 CAR § 111-708.
minimum elevation where no FEMA map exists and site is flood-prone: 2 feet above adjacent grade · minimum elevation where FEMA map exists but no base flood elevation data is provided within 500 feet: 2 feet above the Building Authority Division-established base flood elevation · minimum elevation where FEMA map exists, no site base flood elevation is provided, and a base flood elevation is available within 500 feet or from another authoritative source: 1 foot above the base flood elevation accepted by the division · minimum elevation where FEMA map provides a base flood elevation at the site: 1 foot above the elevation shown on the map in the flood insurance study, if available, or as interpolated between map elevations
“When a department proposes to develop property within the boundaries of the hundred-year floodplain or a Building Authority Division designated flood hazard area, the department shall submit an application for a development permit on a form approved by the Design Review Section.”
Permit feesPublished (with conditions)
Basic design-service fees for Arkansas state department projects governed by the Building Authority Division.
The schedule is based on total final construction cost, including adjustments by change order or negotiations.
For projects less than $50,000 or more than $50,000,000, fees may be negotiated subject to Building Authority Division approval.
Specified modifiers apply, including deductions for simple projects and additions for complex projects or projects requiring intensified observation.
basic fee for construction cost $50,001 to $75,000: 9.25 percent of total final construction cost · basic fee for construction cost $75,001 to $100,000: 9 percent of total final construction cost · basic fee for construction cost $100,001 to $200,000: 8.75 percent of total final construction cost · basic fee for construction cost $1,000,001 to $20,000,000: 6.5 percent of total final construction cost · basic fee for construction cost $42,500,001 to $50,000,000: 4 percent of total final construction cost · fee modifier for simple projects: 1 percentage points minimum deduction · fee modifier for complex projects: 1.5 percentage points maximum addition
“$50,001 to $75,000 | 9.25%”
3 more reviewed findings on this topic
Published (with conditions) — Initial construction or modification of commercial access driveways on state highways, including such driveways in Lonoke County.
“shall have a deposit or bond in the amount of a minimum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per driveway.”
Published (with conditions) — Noncommercial access driveways on state highways in Lonoke County.
“Permits for noncommercial driveways will not require a bond. When requests are made for more than one (1) noncommercial driveway, a bond may be required.”
Published (with conditions) — Temporary access driveways adjoining state highways for access lasting 120 days or less, including in Lonoke County.
“Permits for temporary driveways shall have a deposit or bond in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per driveway.”
Permit processPublished (with conditions)
Arkansas state department development projects located within a hundred-year floodplain or a Building Authority Division-designated flood hazard area.
The application is submitted on a Design Review Section-approved form.
The application must identify the site, development type, base flood elevation, lowest-floor elevation, attachments, and applicant contact and signature information.
Supporting materials may include FEMA maps, other regulatory permits, elevation certificates, no-rise certification, flood-proofing certification, utility or onsite-waste-disposal certification, and watercourse-alteration notification.
The Design Review Section reviews and approves or disapproves the application; additional information may be requested.
If approved, the floodplain administrator issues a design-phase development permit; the permit must be posted during construction, followed by compliance review before final acceptance.
permit application timing: before development of covered property · appeal or review completion point: prior to final acceptance
“the department shall submit an application for a development permit”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Published (with conditions) — Access driveway permits for state highways in Lonoke County.
“The access driveway permit form along with any necessary drawings and deposit or bond, if required, shall be submitted to the district engineer for approval.”
Campground & park staysLimited
Camping at Arkansas state-park campsites.
Campsites are limited to eight persons, excluding day-use guests, and one camping unit consisting of no more than two structures.
Registration at the park office and payment of the camping fee are required before campers are considered registered.
At least one adult age eighteen or older must register for and occupy the campsite during the entire registration period, with exceptions for scout troops, camping groups, or multiple family groups when sufficient adult supervision is provided.
Registration must occur at the park office on the day of arrival, and campers must occupy the site by the time the visitor information center closes.
Campsite occupancy is limited to fourteen days within a thirty-day period in the same park.
A seven-day extension may be granted by the Park Superintendent from April through October when campgrounds are not at capacity.
Additional extensions require approval by the Director of the State Parks Division for health problems, relocation, or job reassignment; longer extensions may be granted by Park Superintendents from November through March.
Campers may not move between campsites in the same park to evade the limits, because permanent or semi-permanent residence is not permitted in a state park.
All vehicles and trailers must be parked on hard surfaces or designated sites.
State park camping areas are fee areas for registered campers only.
The rule addresses state-park campsites and does not establish a statewide rule for camping on private land or land outside state parks.
maximum persons per campsite: 8 persons (excluding day-use guests) · maximum camping units per campsite: 1 unit (the unit may consist of no more than two structures) · maximum occupancy: <= 14 days per 30-day period (seven-day extensions and other stated extensions may apply)
“Campers may not occupy campsites within the same park in excess of fourteen (14) days within a thirty-day period.”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Limited — Occupancy of manufactured/mobile homes in a qualifying mobile-home park in Lonoke County.
““Mobile home” means a transportable, single-family dwelling unit suitable for year-round occupancy”
Inside cities and towns in Lonoke County
Municipal rules found while researching the county. They apply inside that city or town, not to unincorporated land.
Zoning districtsPartial
Zoning administration within the City of Lonoke, an incorporated municipality in Lonoke County.
The city page links to Municipal Code Chapter 14, Zoning, and lists zoning permits including conditional-use, rezoning, and variance applications.
The city page links to a Unified Development Code updated 6/15/2026.
The page does not itself enumerate the zoning district names or dimensional standards.
“Municipal Code [...] 14 Zoning [...] Zoning Permits [...] Conditional Use Permit Application [...] Rezoning Guide and Application [...] Variance Guide and Application [...] Building Codes Unified Development Code (updated 6/15/2026)”
Building in a floodplainRequired
Development in a Special Flood Hazard Area designated on the City of Lonoke’s FIRM.
The permit is issued by the local Floodplain Administrator.
The requirement applies before beginning any development in the designated Special Flood Hazard Area.
The cited code defines development broadly, including construction, placement of buildings, manufactured homes, travel trailers over 180 consecutive days, utilities, roads, bridges, culverts, filling, grading, excavating, paving, and other ground alterations.
Maintenance of existing buildings and facilities, maintenance of existing drainage ditches, resurfacing of roads, gardening, plowing, and similar practices not involving filling, grading, or construction of levees are excluded from the code’s definition of development.
travel trailer duration threshold: > 180 consecutive days (The code’s development definition includes installing a travel trailer on a site for more than 180 consecutive days.)
“is required before beginning any development in an area designated as a Special Flood Hazard Area on the community’s FIRM.”
Permit processPublished (with conditions)
Building permits for construction or placement of structures and improvements within the City of Lonoke, located in Lonoke County, Arkansas.
Applications are made through the Administration Office.
The city page states permits are required for signs, storage buildings, fences, additions, remodels, and all new residential or commercial construction.
“To obtain a building permit to construct or place anything on your property [...] apply within the Administration Office.”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission — ask the county directly.
Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Lonoke County.
Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units in Lonoke County.
Short-term rentals — Short-term-rental regulation in Lonoke County, including unincorporated areas and incorporated municipalities.
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.
Water rights & wells in Lonoke County
Whether a new home can legally get its own water here — the sub-state groundwater regime, from Arkansas’s water agency.
Over-appropriated / declining
The aquifer here is over-appropriated and declining. A domestic well is usually still permit-exempt, but long-term supply is a genuine risk.
Household wellExempt — no permit or water right
Critical Groundwater Area designation in Arkansas is explicitly NON-regulatory — no water right or permit is required to drill or use a well, even inside a critical area. A new landowner can drill a household well anywhere.
Grand Prairie Critical Ground Water Areapartial of county
CGWA (1998) over the Mississippi River Valley alluvial + Sparta aquifers in the rice belt; large alluvial cone of depression (20-50% saturated thickness). Non-regulatory; domestic wells not barred.
Regulated-riparian state (large uses permitted). Groundwater rules change and basin boundaries follow the aquifer, not the county line — confirm current well and appropriation rules with the Arkansas state water agency before you buy or drill.Groundwater governance as of Jul 2026, cited to each administering agency.
Living off-grid in Lonoke County, Arkansas
Is Lonoke County a good place to live off-grid or homestead?
Lonoke County scores 69/100 on the Bolthole Index, a strong county profile. Its strengths: low administrative friction for a quiet rural property and manageable long-term carry cost.
Do you need a building permit in Lonoke County, Arkansas?
Lonoke County does not require a county building permit for a home in unincorporated areas, and it has no county-wide zoning. Onsite septic is permitted by Arkansas Department of Health, Onsite Wastewater Program (via local Environmental Health Specialist). Owner-builders may act as their own contractor to build their home. These answers are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked. Rules change and cities within the county differ — always confirm with the county before you buy or build.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Lonoke County?
Living in an RV on your own land in Lonoke County is limited to specific cases: Statewide rule. Recreational-vehicle occupancy in a qualifying mobile-home or recreational-vehicle park in Lonoke County; this does not establish general permission for long-term RV occupancy on an individual private parcel. The rule applies when three or more spaces are occupied or intended for occupancy and placement or maintenance services, or both, are provided for a fee. The park must comply with Part 138. A tiny home is limited to specific cases. Confirm with the county before relying on it.
How much does land cost in Lonoke County, Arkansas?
Land in Lonoke County runs about $3,865 per acre, based on the latest county data.
What is the water situation in Lonoke County?
Lonoke County gets about 51.6" of rain a year, with severe drought in roughly 7.6% of years. On water rights, Lonoke County lies in the Grand Prairie Critical Ground Water Area — CGWA (1998) over the Mississippi River Valley alluvial + Sparta aquifers in the rice belt; large alluvial cone of depression (20-50% saturated thickness). Non-regulatory; domestic wells not barred..
How remote is Lonoke County?
A representative private-land location has about 17,216 people within a 30-minute drive and 2,185,380 within two hours. The road-network catchments count population across county lines and clusters of smaller cities; straight-line radius values remain available as a comparison.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Lonoke County means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
