Little Rock, AR Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- 1,000+ cubic yards cut/fill
- Hillside trigger
- over 10 vertical feet
- Floodplain land
- permit required, no exceptions
- Review time
- 10 working days
- Max fine
- $1,000, or $500/day continuing
Summary
Little Rock requires a city grading permit before major land disturbance, with drainage and erosion controls mandatory citywide and no exceptions in the floodplain.
All construction work shall include appropriate drainage and erosion control measures to protect neighboring properties. All land alteration on properties within the designated floodplain requires a grading permit without exception.(d)Grading permits...shall be required for any of the following activities:(1)A top of hill or hillside cuts or fills greater than ten (10) feet vertical.(2)Any construction activity where the total volume of cut or fill is equal to or greater than one thousand (1,000) cubic yards.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 83).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 29 of the city code makes the department of planning and development the gatekeeper for land alteration. A grading permit is required whenever a project cuts or fills 1,000+ cubic yards, involves a hillside cut or fill over 10 vertical feet, or touches designated floodplain, and every permitted project must include drainage and erosion control measures to protect neighboring properties. Plans go through sketch and final grading/drainage review before work starts.
Violations & Fines
Violating chapter 29 draws the general code penalty: a fine up to $1,000 (doubled for repeat offenses), plus up to $500 per day for a continuing violation such as unpermitted grading left unremediated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every small residential lot need a grading permit in Little Rock?
What triggers a mandatory grading permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Little Rock
Compare Little Rock to another location·View the Arkansas environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.