Administrative overview · FIPS 05031
Craighead County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
Municipal Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked Municipal Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
Craighead County Judge’s Office for county administration and floodplain-development permits; City of Jonesboro Planning & Zoning and Inspections provide the verified building-plan review, permit issuance, inspections, zoning, and code-enforcement workflow within Jonesboro city limits, with other incorporated areas routed to their respective municipalities
For a project in or near Craighead County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
870-933-4500 (Craighead County Judge Marvin Day); 870-932-0406 (Jonesboro Planning & Zoning); 870-933-4602 (Jonesboro Inspections)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Craighead County Annex, 511 Union, Room 119, Jonesboro, AR 72401; City of Jonesboro Inspections and Planning & Zoning, 300 S. Church St., Jonesboro, AR 72401
Operating hours
Craighead County Courthouse and Annex: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Jonesboro municipal office hours were not separately stated on the reviewed permit pages; contact the departments before visiting.
Review expectation
Jonesboro residential plan review: approximately 3-5 days from submission to Planning. Commercial review: approximately 5-15 days from submission to Planning, subject to Engineering, Fire Marshal, and Inspections sign-offs. County floodplain review time was not published.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Craighead County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 870-933-4500 (Craighead County Judge Marvin Day); 870-932-0406 (Jonesboro Planning & Zoning); 870-933-4602 (Jonesboro Inspections).
How long might review take?
Jonesboro residential plan review: approximately 3-5 days from submission to Planning. Commercial review: approximately 5-15 days from submission to Planning, subject to Engineering, Fire Marshal, and Inspections sign-offs. County floodplain review time was not published.
How are inspections scheduled?
For Jonesboro, email inspections2@jonesboroAR.gov with a description of the requested inspection. The development guide says requests called in by 4:00 p.m. are generally inspected the following day, with some footing/rough-in, gas, and residential-reconnect inspections handled as soon as possible. Contact Chief Building Official Tim Renshaw’s department at 870-933-4602. County floodplain work requires the Craighead County Floodplain Administrator’s review, inspection, and compliance certificate before occupancy or use.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Jonesboro lists the 2021 Existing Building Code; 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Volumes I (Fire), II (Building), and III (Residential); 2018 Arkansas Plumbing and Fuel Gas Codes; 2021 International Mechanical Code; 2020 National Electrical Code; 2014 Arkansas Energy Code; and 2003 ICC/ANSI A117.1 accessibility standards. Craighead County’s current materials also require county floodplain-development permitting where applicable. Jonesboro states that permits are required for work that is not maintenance or cosmetic. Its examples requiring permits include new garages, sheds, accessory buildings, roofed decks, houses, remodeling/alterations, and roof, window/door, or siding work; routine maintenance and cosmetic work are the stated exemption category. A new fence requires a permit.