Benton County, AR Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Fee under $1,000
- No fee unless inspection required
- Fee $1,001-$50,000
- $25 + $4 per additional thousand
- Fee over $500,000
- $1,245 + $1 per additional thousand
- Re-inspection fee
- $50.00
- Ag buildings
- Fully exempt from permits/fees
- Max misdemeanor fine
- $500, doubled for repeats
Summary
Benton County charges building permit fees on a sliding scale tied to total construction cost, from no fee under $1,000 up to $1,245 plus $1 per additional thousand above $500,000. Agricultural buildings are exempt, and the county judge can waive fees for public agencies or storm-damaged rebuilds.
The fees for building permits required by the building code shall be determined by the total cost of construction in accordance with the following schedule... $1,000.00 or less: No fee unless an inspection is required... Agricultural buildings are exempt from the building permit process, inspections, and fees... A violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor and punishable by a fine not exceeding $500.00 or double such sum for each repetition thereof. If the violation is, in its nature, continuous in respect to time, the penalty for allowing the continuance thereof is a fine not to exceed $250.00 for each day that the same is unlawfully continued.
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 54-4 of the Benton County Code, building permit fees required by the building code are set using the ICC Building Valuation table dated August 2007. Projects costing $1,000 or less pay no fee unless an inspection is required, in which case the single-phase or miscellaneous inspection fee applies. Between $1,001 and $50,000, the fee is $25 for the first $1,000 plus $4 for each additional thousand or fraction. From $50,001 to $100,000, it is $245 for the first $50,000 plus $3 per additional thousand.
From $100,001 to $500,000, it is $445 for the first $100,000 plus $2 per additional thousand, and above $500,001 it is $1,245 for the first $500,000 plus $1 per additional thousand. Separate flat fees apply outside the main schedule: a $50 re-inspection fee, a $50 commercial or industrial plan review fee, a $100 house-moving or manufactured-home moving/set-up fee, a $50 single-phase or miscellaneous inspection fee, and a $15 lost-permit fee. Agricultural buildings, defined as structures built to house farm implements, hay, grain, poultry, livestock or other horticultural products that are not used for human habitation, employment, product processing or public access, are exempt from the entire permit, inspection and fee process under subsection (c).
Subsection (d) lets the county planning and development department and the county judge waive fees for public or quasi-public agencies, and lets the county judge separately waive fees for reconstruction after a natural disaster such as a tornado, ice storm or snow storm.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Sec. 54-4 is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $500.00, doubled for each repeat offense. If the violation continues over time, such as ongoing unpermitted construction, the county may impose a separate fine of up to $250.00 for each day the violation continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Benton County charge a permit fee for small projects?
Are farm buildings exempt from Benton County building permits?
Can Benton County waive building permit fees?
What is the penalty for building without a permit in Benton County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Benton County
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