Little Rock Zoning & Land Use Guide
Notable local initiatives in Little Rock
Named ordinances, statutes, and reforms specific to Little Rock — each linked to an official source you can verify directly.
Urban Use Zoning District Update (Ord. 22,695)(2025)
Adopted December 16, 2025. Updates Little Rock's Urban Use Zoning District. The text governs until Municode integration is complete; the city explicitly notes that the changes are not yet reflected in the online code.
Source · littlerock.govEnd of Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ)(2025)
Effective August 5, 2025, the City of Little Rock no longer holds planning or regulatory authority in areas outside city limits (previously the ETJ) due to changes in Arkansas state law. Land-use decisions in those areas now fall to Pulaski County.
Source · littlerock.govLittle Rock Code of Ordinances Chapter 36 — Zoning
Little Rock's full zoning ordinance is codified in Chapter 36, hosted on Municode. The Department of Planning and Development operates five divisions handling zoning verification, building permits, historic preservation, land-use controls, and enforcement.
Source · library.municode.com
Key Zoning Facts
Regulatory Layers That Apply in Little Rock
Your property is subject to ALL of these regulatory layers. Each one can impose additional requirements beyond the others.
Federal
- FEMA Flood Zones: Applicable
- View FEMA Flood Map
State — Arkansas
- Building Code: No mandatory statewide residential building code
County — Pulaski County
- Role: Property records, tax assessment, unincorporated area planning. As of August 5, 2025, the City of Little Rock no longer holds planning or regulatory authority in areas outside city limits (previously the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction or ETJ) due to changes in state law.
City / Municipal
The city's zoning ordinance, building codes, and local permits form the primary layer of land-use regulation for your property.
Overlay Districts
- Urban Use Zoning District — Form-based urban district adopted/updated by Ord. 22,695 on December 16, 2025. Updates are not yet fully reflected in Municode.
Private Restrictions
- HOA / CC&Rs common: Yes
- Check HOA CC&Rs for additional restrictions.
Primary Zoning Districts
- Min Lot
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Max Height
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Front Setback
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Side Setback
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Rear Setback
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Min Lot
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Max Height
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Front Setback
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Side Setback
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Rear Setback
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Min Lot
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Max Height
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Front Setback
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Side Setback
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Rear Setback
- Verify with Department of Planning and Development
- Min Lot
- See Ord. 22,695
- Max Height
- See Ord. 22,695
- Front Setback
- See Ord. 22,695
- Side Setback
- See Ord. 22,695
- Rear Setback
- See Ord. 22,695
Permit Costs & Timelines
Permit Costs & Timelines
Specific permit fee schedules for Little Rock are available from the local planning department. Fees vary based on project type, scope, and valuation.
Check Little Rock permit fees →Official Sources
City-specific