Arkansas building code
Arkansas has adopted 2021 AFPC Volume II - Building based on 2021 IBC. The table below lists the governing edition for every discipline a plan check touches, followed by the Arkansas cities and counties that amend it locally.
- Current edition
- 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code (Vol I Fire / Vol II Building / Vol III Residential, based on 2021 I-Codes), effective 2023-01-01; rules amendments issued October 2024 (still 2021 edition)
- Code authority
- Arkansas State Fire Marshal (Arkansas State Police, Department of Public Safety) for the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code (fire/building/residential); Arkansas Department of Health (plumbing, fuel gas); Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing / Board of Electrical Examiners (electrical) and HVACR Licensing Board (mechanical); Arkansas Energy Office (energy)
Adopted code by discipline
| Discipline | Adopted code | Local amendment |
|---|---|---|
| Building | 2021 AFPC Volume II - Building based on 2021 IBC | n/a |
| Residential | 2021 AFPC Volume III - Residential based on 2021 IRC | n/a |
| Fire | 2021 AFPC Volume I - Fire based on 2021 IFC | n/a |
| Electrical | 2020 Arkansas National Electrical Code (NEC) based on 2020 NEC (NFPA 70) | n/a |
| Mechanical | 2021 IMC | n/a |
| Plumbing | 2018 Arkansas Plumbing Code, 9th Edition based on 2018 IPC | n/a |
| Energy | 2014 Arkansas Energy Code for New Building Construction (2014) based on 2009 IECC + ASHRAE 90.1-2007 | n/a |
| Fuel Gas | 2018 Arkansas Fuel Gas Code based on 2018 IFGC | n/a |
Overlays that can apply
Mapped hazard and district overlays stack on top of the adopted code. These are the overlays recorded for Arkansas. They apply by parcel, not jurisdiction-wide, so confirm the parcel before assuming one is in play. Check CAL FIRE's fire hazard severity viewer and FEMA's flood map service.
- FEMA mapped flood hazard area
- Seismic design category overlay
Sources
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/arkansas/015-01-22-Ark-Code-R-SS-005
- https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes/arkansas
- https://dps.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/ASP-Foreword-Fire-Code-Rules-Clean_10-2024.pdf
- https://sas.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/CurrentCodes072023.pdf
- https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Electrical-Rules-April-2024.pdf
- https://healthy.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Plumbing_Code_2018.pdf
- https://healthy.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Fuel_Gas_Code_2018.pdf
- https://adeq.state.ar.us/energy/initiatives/building.aspx
- https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Electric-NEC-Code-Rule-Summ.pdf
Common questions
What building code does Arkansas use?
Arkansas uses 2021 AFPC Volume II - Building based on 2021 IBC. It is administered by the Arkansas State Fire Marshal (Arkansas State Police, Department of Public Safety) for the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code (fire/building/residential); Arkansas Department of Health (plumbing, fuel gas); Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing / Board of Electrical Examiners (electrical) and HVACR Licensing Board (mechanical); Arkansas Energy Office (energy).
Do cities in Arkansas amend the state code?
Local amendments are adopted by ordinance at the city or county level. Confirm with the building department that reviews your permit.
Check a plan set against Arkansas code
Knowing the adopted edition is the easy half. Architechtura reads your drawings, resolves which of these provisions actually apply to the project, and returns the corrections a plan checker would write up, each one cited to the section it came from.
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Compiled from published state and municipal adoption ordinances. Local governments amend their codes on their own schedule, and a pending ordinance can change what applies to your permit. Confirm the governing edition with the building department before you submit. This page is reference information, not a code determination.