Maumelle, AR Zoning, Building Permits & Septic Rules

The City of Maumelle, Arkansas (Pulaski County) adopts its own zoning¹ and requires a building permit for new residential construction inside city limits². The city's Planning & Permits office enforces state building codes³. Septic permits come from the Arkansas Department of Health, not the city⁴. Land outside city limits follows Pulaski County's rules instead.

At a glance

Building permit: Required for new homes, additions, decks, fences, pools and more inside Maumelle²
Zoning: City zoning with published districts and a zoning map¹⁵
Building code: State building codes enforced by the city³
Septic: Arkansas Department of Health or its Authorized Agent; city-limits details unconfirmed⁴
Owner-builder: Homeowners who live in the house may do most repairs themselves, but permits still apply⁶
Minimum home size: 1,000 sq ft of heated/cooled space in the standard R-1 district⁷
Minimum lot size: 7,500 sq ft in R-1; 2 acres in A-1 Agricultural⁸⁹

Who to call

Building permits

City of Maumelle Planning & Permits

Building permits, code enforcement, planning and zoning applications inside Maumelle city limits

501-851-2784

550 Edgewood Dr

Septic permits

Arkansas Department of Health, Onsite Wastewater Program

State septic (onsite wastewater) program that works with the local Environmental Specialist on construction and operation permits

4815 W. Markham Street, Slot 46, Little Rock, AR 72205

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Maumelle means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Maumelle, Arkansas?

Yes. The City of Maumelle lists construction of residential, commercial and industrial structures among the most common work that needs a building permit². The city says its list is only the most common items, so other work may need a permit too². Additions, decks, fences, pools, roofs, storage buildings and retaining walls are on the same list¹⁰.

Homeowners who live in the house may make most repairs themselves, but a permit and code-compliant work are still required for the listed items⁶. Permitted work needs one or more inspections, depending on the job¹¹. Arkansas's owner-builder licensing exemption covers contractor licensing only; it does not waive permits, zoning or septic rules¹².

Who issues building permits in Maumelle, and how do you reach them?

The city's own Planning & Permits office issues building permits inside Maumelle, not Pulaski County¹³. It enforces all State of Arkansas Building Codes and the Arkansas Energy Conservation Code³. Applications go through the city's online applications portal, which also carries checklists for conditional use, plats, site plans and development plans¹³.

The office is at 550 Edgewood Dr in Maumelle; see the contact block on this page¹⁰. Pulaski County Planning & Development handles unincorporated land, so a Maumelle address is sent to the city, not the county counter. We could not confirm a published building-permit fee schedule on the city's page¹³; ask the Planning & Permits office for current fees.

Does Maumelle have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Maumelle adopts its own zoning regulations and publishes a zoning map⁵. Rules depend on the district, so check the parcel's district before you buy.

R-1 Single-Family Detached: a detached house needs at least 1,000 square feet of heated/cooled space⁷. The minimum lot is 7,500 square feet⁸, with a front setback of at least 25 feet¹⁴. Buildings may cover no more than 33⅓ percent of the lot¹⁵.
A-1 Agricultural: the minimum site area is two acres⁹. Buildings may cover no more than 30 percent of the lot, and a primary structure may be 35 feet tall¹⁶¹⁷.

Subdividing land inside the city goes through preliminary and final plat review¹⁸.

How do septic permits work in Maumelle?

Septic permits in Arkansas come from the Arkansas Department of Health or its Authorized Agent, and the city does not issue them¹⁹. Statewide, an onsite wastewater system needs a Permit for Construction before work starts and a Permit for Operation before use²⁰.

Inside a city, sewer usually matters first. Arkansas rules refuse a septic permit where public sewer is reasonably available or economically feasible²¹. Whether a given Maumelle lot must connect to city sewer, and who acts as the Authorized Agent inside city limits, we could not confirm; ask the Arkansas Department of Health²² and the city's Planning & Permits office before you plan a septic system.

Land in Pulaski County often rates poorly for conventional drain fields, so expect a site evaluation²³.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Maumelle?

We could not confirm a Maumelle rule on living in an RV or tiny home. The city's residential zoning provision we reviewed covers RV storage, not occupancy, and nothing we found addresses tiny homes, accessory dwellings or temporary camping. Ask Maumelle Planning & Permits before you buy or park anything, and do not assume it is allowed.

If an RV sits in a special flood hazard area, the city allows it there only temporarily unless it meets manufactured-home requirements²⁴.

Building a home in Maumelle: the steps, in order

Look up the parcel's zoning district on the city's zoning map and confirm the lot size, setbacks and minimum home size for that district⁵.
Ask the city whether the lot has public sewer, and call the Arkansas Department of Health if you may need a septic system²².
Check flood status. In special flood hazard areas, new residential floors must sit at least one foot above the published base flood elevation, and basements are prohibited²⁴.
If you are dividing land, file plat review applications with the city¹⁸.
Apply for the building permit through Maumelle's online portal¹³.
Schedule the inspections the permit requires¹¹.
If the driveway meets a state highway, get a state driveway permit first²⁵.

What stays with Pulaski County, and what to check before you buy

Land outside Maumelle city limits follows Pulaski County and the state instead. Pulaski County's zoning applies only in the Lake Maumelle Watershed portion of unincorporated land²⁶, so a lot with a Maumelle mailing address may be inside the city or outside it. Confirm the jurisdiction with the city before you rely on this page. The county's rules are on the Pulaski County page.

Pulaski County's median property tax bill is $1,562 a year, an effective rate of 0.8%²⁷²⁸. Pulaski County's typical home insurance premium is $2,029 a year²⁹.

Watch-outs

The city's list of permit-triggering work is only the most common items, so ask Planning & Permits about anything not listed².
We could not confirm septic rules, sewer connection requirements or well rules inside Maumelle city limits; ask the Arkansas Department of Health²² and the city¹⁰ before you buy.
We could not confirm rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or certificates of occupancy in Maumelle; call the city's Planning & Permits office¹⁰.
Flood-zone lots carry extra rules: basements are prohibited and lowest floors must sit above the base flood elevation²⁴.

Sources

Written October 16, 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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Maumelle publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Pulaski County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Maumelle, Arkansas