15 published records
Business licenses and permits in Tulsa County, Oklahoma
Tulsa County, Oklahoma, seat Tulsa; population 693,514 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). Tulsa County Development Services' Inspections division states that it "issues all building and trade permits in the unincorporated areas of Tulsa County", and its fee schedule effective September 8, 2026 (CMF# 20261877) prices building and trade permits, trade contractor registration, certificates of occupancy, Fire Marshal plan reviews and inspections, ABLE Commission letters of compliance, floodplain permits and zoning applications. Zoning in unincorporated Tulsa County is under the Tulsa County Zoning Regulations (CMF# 20241854, effective October 1, 2024); a Joint Resolution approved by the Board of County Commissioners on July 13, 2026 established the Tulsa County Planning Commission with jurisdiction within unincorporated Tulsa County, and zoning variances and special exceptions go to the Tulsa County Board of Adjustment. The Tulsa Health Department (THD), which describes itself as one of two autonomous local health departments in Oklahoma with jurisdiction throughout Tulsa County and the City of Tulsa, takes food plan review and state food license applications for the whole county; the food fees are state-set by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Alcohol licenses are issued by the Oklahoma ABLE Commission. The 2022 Tulsa County Assessor's report to the Excise Board lists these cities and towns with valuation in Tulsa County: Bixby, Broken Arrow, Collinsville, Glenpool, Jenks, Liberty, Lotsee, Mannford, Owasso, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Skiatook, Sperry and Tulsa. Each runs its own business licensing, building permits and zoning, which stack on these records for a business inside its limits; the county zoning regulations state that they "do not apply in areas subject to the zoning powers of any incorporated municipality".
What are you opening in Tulsa County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in Tulsa County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Marshal Plan Review (building, fire suppression, fire alarm, hood systems)only if it applies to you | Tulsa County Development Services — Inspections | Building plan review, fire suppression plan review, fire alarm plan review, and fire hood and other similar systems plan review: $100 each (includes up to one hour). Each additional hour of plan review $50. Consulting fee $50 per hour in person, $25 per hour over the phone. In-field consultation and inspection $100 per hour. | per review | 2026-10-10 |
| Commercial Building Permit (unincorporated Tulsa County)only if it applies to you | Tulsa County Development Services — Inspections | Building permit by valuation: $0 to $10,999 = $55; $11,000 = $74; plus $4 for each $1,000 of value or portion thereof over $11,000 (the schedule's example: $84,000 of value = $366 base permit cost). Fees required on all issued permits: application fee $50, zoning review fee $12, flood review fee $12, Fire Review Administration fee $150 (commercial use only), and the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission fee of $4 per building, electrical, mechanical or plumbing permit. Work started before the permit: an added fee of $200 or three times the regular fee, whichever is greater. | per project | 2026-10-10 |
| Commercial Trade Permits — electrical, plumbing, mechanical gas and HVAC (unincorporated Tulsa County)only if it applies to you | Tulsa County Development Services — Inspections | Commercial trade permit (electrical, plumbing, mechanical gas or mechanical HVAC), by floor area: 0-2,500 sq ft $200; 2,501-5,000 sq ft $250; 5,001-10,000 sq ft $300; 10,001-25,000 sq ft $350; 25,001-50,000 sq ft $400; plus $50 for each 10,000 sq ft or portion over 50,000 sq ft. Miscellaneous commercial work $100. Business and outdoor advertising signs (electrical) $250. Electric upgrades/reconnects: first 100 amps $100; each additional 100 amps or portion, commercial, $75. Annual plumbing, mechanical gas, mechanical HVAC or electrical permit: $500 per 100,000 sq ft, up to a $5,000 maximum. Each permit also carries the fees required on all issued permits. | per project; annual permits run for one year | 2026-10-10 |
| Commercial Certificate of Occupancy (unincorporated Tulsa County)only if it applies to you | Tulsa County Development Services — Inspections | Commercial Certificate of Occupancy $250. Certificate of Occupancy — Seasonal Change of Use $100. | per certificate | 2026-10-10 |
| Floodplain Development Permit (unincorporated Tulsa County)only if it applies to you | Tulsa County Development Services — Inspections | $150 per permit, plus the $12 flood review fee and other fees required on all issued permits | per project | 2026-10-10 |
| Zoning Approvals — Tulsa County Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment (unincorporated Tulsa County)only if it applies to you | Tulsa County Planning Commission and Tulsa County Board of Adjustment | Tulsa County Planning Commission: zoning letter $75 ($150 with a development plan); zoning map amendment base fee AG or AG-R $500, any other district $1,000, PUD $1,500; detail site plan $250; landscape plan $150; sign plan (up to two signs) $200 plus $50 each additional sign; notice fees newspaper publication $900, signs $175 each, mailed notices $75. Tulsa County Board of Adjustment: non-residential variance $500, use variance $700, non-residential use special exception $500; newspaper publication $100, mailed notices $75. | per application | 2026-10-10 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Tulsa County?
Fire Marshal Plan Review (building, fire suppression, fire alarm, hood systems)
Commercial projects in unincorporated Tulsa County that include building plans, a fire suppression system, a fire alarm system or a kitchen hood go through Fire Marshal plan review, priced on the county Development Services fee schedule. The figures are as published under the heading "Fire Marshal Review Fees" in the Tulsa County Development Services Fee Schedule (CMF# 20261877, approved by the Board of County Commissioners 9/8/2026, effective September 8, 2026): building plan review, fire suppression plan review, fire alarm plan review, and fire hood and other similar systems plan review are $100 each, including up to one hour, with $50 for each additional hour. Consulting is $50 per hour in person or $25 per hour by phone, and in-field consultation and inspection is $100 per hour. A restaurant or coffee shop installing a cooking hood is the common case. Ask Tulsa County Development Services at 918-596-5293.
Commercial Building Permit (unincorporated Tulsa County)
A business building, adding on to or remodelling commercial space in unincorporated Tulsa County needs a building permit from Tulsa County Inspections, part of Development Services. The Development Services page states that Inspections "issues all building and trade permits in the unincorporated areas of Tulsa County, including new residential and commercial building and remodeling permits", and applications are filed online or on the paper Commercial Building Permit Application. The fee figures are as published in the Tulsa County Development Services Fee Schedule (CMF# 20261877, approved by the Board of County Commissioners 9/8/2026, effective September 8, 2026): a valuation-based permit fee of $55 up to $10,999, $74 at $11,000 and $4 for each further $1,000 or portion, plus the $50 application fee, $12 zoning review fee, $12 flood review fee and $4 Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission fee required on every permit, and a $150 Fire Review Administration fee that applies only to commercial use. Re-inspections and additional inspections are $50 each. The Development Services page lists the codes the county follows, including the 2018 International Building Code, International Fire Code and other 2018 International codes, and the 2023 National Electrical Code. A site inside a city or town is permitted by that municipality instead.
Commercial Trade Permits — electrical, plumbing, mechanical gas and HVAC (unincorporated Tulsa County)
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical gas and HVAC work on a commercial building in unincorporated Tulsa County needs a trade permit from Tulsa County Inspections. The fee figures are as published in the Tulsa County Development Services Fee Schedule (CMF# 20261877, approved by the Board of County Commissioners 9/8/2026, effective September 8, 2026): commercial permits are priced by floor area from $200 (up to 2,500 sq ft) to $400 (25,001-50,000 sq ft), plus $50 for each further 10,000 sq ft; miscellaneous commercial work is $100, electrical work for business and outdoor advertising signs is $250, and electric upgrades or reconnects are $100 for the first 100 amps and $75 for each additional commercial 100 amps. Annual trade permits are $500 per 100,000 sq ft, capped at $5,000. The county's Trade Contractor Application states: "It is the trade contractor's responsibility to pull their own permits. Permits are to be pulled before work is started." The Development Services page tells trade contractors to call 918-596-5293 to pull a trade permit.
Commercial Certificate of Occupancy (unincorporated Tulsa County)
Before a commercial building in unincorporated Tulsa County is occupied, Tulsa County Inspections issues a certificate of occupancy; the Development Services page states that Inspections "provides certificates of compliance and certificates of occupancy and checks zoning and floodplain requirements". The fee figures are as published in the Tulsa County Development Services Fee Schedule (CMF# 20261877, approved by the Board of County Commissioners 9/8/2026, effective September 8, 2026): a Commercial Certificate of Occupancy is $250, and a Certificate of Occupancy for a Seasonal Change of Use is $100. A business inside a city or town obtains its occupancy approval from that municipality.
Floodplain Development Permit (unincorporated Tulsa County)
Development in a special flood hazard area of unincorporated Tulsa County needs a Floodplain Development Permit. Sec. 4.2 of the Tulsa County Floodplain Management Regulations, adopted by Resolution CMF 20242245 (approved 12/9/2024, effective 1/8/2025), requires that no person initiate floodplain development without first obtaining a Floodplain Development Permit from the Floodplain Administrator, and Sec. 4.1 appoints the County Inspector as Floodplain Administrator. The fee is as published in the Tulsa County Development Services Fee Schedule (CMF# 20261877, approved by the Board of County Commissioners 9/8/2026, effective September 8, 2026): Floodplain Permit $150.00, in addition to the $12 flood review fee and the other fees required on all issued permits. The same schedule lists earth change permits at $200 for less than 1 acre and $400 for 1 acre or more (requires a SWPPP from ODEQ).
Zoning Approvals — Tulsa County Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment (unincorporated Tulsa County)
A business on land in unincorporated Tulsa County uses the property under the Tulsa County Zoning Regulations (CMF# 20241854, adopted 9/30/2024, effective October 1, 2024), adopted under Title 19, Section 863.1 et seq. of the Oklahoma Statutes. Sec. 1.040-A states that the regulations apply to use and development within the unincorporated area and "do not apply in areas subject to the zoning powers of any incorporated municipality". A Joint Resolution approved by the Board of County Commissioners on July 13, 2026 established the Tulsa County Planning Commission "having jurisdiction within unincorporated Tulsa County" after September 2, 2026. The fees are as published in the Tulsa County Development Services Fee Schedule (CMF# 20261877, approved by the Board of County Commissioners 9/8/2026, effective September 8, 2026): a zoning letter is $75 ($150 with a development plan); a zoning map amendment is $500 for AG or AG-R, $1,000 for any other district and $1,500 for a PUD; a detail site plan is $250, a landscape plan $150, and a sign plan $200 for up to two signs plus $50 each. Planning Commission notices add $900 for newspaper publication, $175 per sign and $75 for mailed notices. Before the Tulsa County Board of Adjustment, a non-residential variance is $500, a use variance $700 and a non-residential use special exception $500, with $100 newspaper and $75 mailed notice fees.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- Tulsa County Development Services Fee Schedule, effective September 8, 2026 (CMF# 20261877, approved 9/8/2026)Tulsa County Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Development Services department page (Inspections; building codes)Tulsa County, Oklahoma · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Commercial Building Permit Application (CMF-20231527)Tulsa County Inspections · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Trade Contractor Application (CMF-20231527)Tulsa County Inspections · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Resolution adopting the Tulsa County Floodplain Management Regulations (CMF 20242245, approved 12/9/2024, effective 1/8/2025)Tulsa County Board of County Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Tulsa County Zoning Regulations (CMF# 20241854, adopted 9/30/2024, effective October 1, 2024)Tulsa County Board of County Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Joint Resolution of the City of Tulsa and the Board of County Commissioners of Tulsa County establishing separate planning commissions (approved by the Board of County Commissioners July 13, 2026)City of Tulsa and Tulsa County Board of County Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
Who issues business permits in Tulsa County?
Permitting in Tulsa County is split across 3 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Tulsa County issuing agencies
- Tulsa County Development Services — InspectionsBuilding and trade permits in the unincorporated areas of Tulsa County · Trade contractor registration · Certificates of occupancy and ABLE Commission letters of compliance · Fire Marshal plan reviews and occupancy inspections listed on the Development Services fee schedule · Floodplain development permits; the County Inspector is the Floodplain Administrator (Floodplain Management Regulations, Sec. 4.1)9 permits
- Tulsa Health DepartmentFood establishment plan review intake (state-set fee, payable to THD) · Intake and inspection for state food establishment license applications throughout Tulsa County · Temporary event and seasonal food establishment permitting5 permits
- Tulsa County Planning Commission and Tulsa County Board of AdjustmentZoning map amendments, development plans, zoning letters and comprehensive plan amendments in unincorporated Tulsa County · Variances and special exceptions before the Tulsa County Board of Adjustment1 permit
Other Oklahoma jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.