Little Rock, AR Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Sec. 8-31(c)(1)n groups retaining walls into the miscellaneous permit-fee category alongside satellite dishes, solar panels, cell towers, fences, and storm shelters, and then singles them out for a stricter design requirement: any retaining wall four feet or more in height that is specifically used to retain dirt or fill must be designed, approved, and stamped by a licensed design professional at the time the permit application is filed, in accordance with the city's currently adopted building codes. The fee for that permit is assessed the same way as a general building permit fee, under subsection 8-31(c)(1)a.

That general fee provision requires a permit for any work exceeding $5,000.00 in labor and materials, or any work that requires an inspection; it exempts a short list of minor projects such as residential fences under seven feet, residential roofs, painting, floor coverings, and small detached accessory sheds and playhouses under 200 square feet, none of which cover a load-bearing retaining wall. Applicants must present a contract or affidavit of the project's cost; absent that documentation, the city falls back on the International Code Council's building valuation data chart to set the fee. Subsection 8-31(c)(1)c sets a $51.50 minimum fee for any building permit unless a different minimum is specified, and subsection (d) adds a separate commercial plan-checking fee, equal to half the building permit fee with a $56.65 minimum, whenever the proposed construction exceeds $5,000.00 and plans must be submitted under the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code.

Violating the building code carries the Code's general penalty under Sec. 8-27, which points to Sec. 1-9. A property owner who disagrees with the building official's decision on a retaining wall, including a fee or stamping determination, can appeal to the construction board of adjustments and appeals within 30 calendar days under Sec. 8-30.1.