How Fort Smith Handles Building Safety: A Practical Guide

Fort Smith maintains 83 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with building safety. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Fort Smith falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Plumbing Permits

Fort Smith adopts the 2018 state plumbing and fuel gas codes and requires plumbing work to be done by a state-licensed, city-registered master plumber under an automatic permit, or by the homeowner with a permit.

Key details: Governing sections: Fort Smith City Code §§ 6-238, 6-240. Adopted code: 2018 Arkansas State Plumbing Code. Master plumber bond: $2,000 filed with city clerk. Homeowner exception: May permit own-home plumbing work.

Unlicensed or unregistered plumbing work is a misdemeanor under § 6-244, and additional inspections triggered by a plumber's failure to comply carry a $20 penalty per reinspection.

Electrical Permits

Fort Smith bans installing or altering electrical wiring in any building without a permit issued to a registered electrical contractor, though an owner-occupant may wire their own single-family home with a permit.

Key details: Governing section: Fort Smith City Code § 6-71. Who may pull permit: Registered electrical contractor, or owner-occupant. Homeowner exception: Single-family home, owned and occupied. Exempt work: Unaltered repairs, maintenance electrician work.

Working as an electrician or wiring without the required license, registration, or permit is a misdemeanor under § 6-52, punished per § 1-9, with each day of violation a separate offense.

Building Permits

Fort Smith requires a building permit before you enlarge, alter, repair, or change the occupancy of any building, per the city's own amendment to the adopted building code's application section.

Key details: Permit required for: alter, repair, remodel any structure. Apply to: the city building official first. Unpermitted-work penalty: 100% of permit fee, extra. Min. residential fee: $15.00 for $50-$500 valuation.

Starting renovation work before the permit issues costs a penalty equal to 100 percent of the usual permit fee, in addition to the permit fee itself, under City Code § 6-27(4) (amending Building Code § 109.4).

The Bottom Line

Fort Smith's building safety rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Fort Smith is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Fort Smith can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.