State rules
Arkansas
Arkansas houses asbestos control in the Division of Environmental Quality Office of Air Quality, not in a separate occupational licensing board. The asbestos section administers certification and licensing, reviews notices of intent, inspects removal and demolition projects, and explains the rules to the public. Regulation 21 is the state asbestos abatement rule linked from that page. EPA’s contact list gives a certification and licensing number distinct from the named NESHAP contact. Arkansas is not one of the twelve states EPA says hold an AHERA waiver. A contractor search on the DEQ site is the public roster for licensed contractors and consultants.
Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who runs the asbestos program
- Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality, Office of Air Quality
- Who must be licensed or accredited
- DEQ licenses asbestos abatement contractors, consultants, and training providers, and certifies individuals such as inspectors, workers, and contractor/supervisors.
- Official program page
- Official page →
- License lookup
- Official page →
DEQ’s asbestos page says institutional, commercial, public, industrial, or residential structures, excluding certain residential structures, must be inspected for asbestos before renovation or demolition. That inspection must be performed by an asbestos inspector certified in Arkansas. All demolitions require a notice of intent whether asbestos is present or not, which the page ties to Regulation 21.601. A renovation notice is required when regulated amounts meet the thresholds the page states in meters: at least 80 linear meters on pipes, at least 15 square meters on other facility components, or at least one cubic meter where length could not be measured.
The same page adds a renovation trigger for at least 15 square meters of resilient floor covering and associated mastic that contain asbestos. Timely submission of the required information through the agency’s SEEK system, using the agency form, is treated as written delivery under the federal notice rule and Regulation 21 chapter 6. Fees must be paid before an application is received. Online payment is preferred inside SEEK after the application is signed. Failure to pay can deactivate a certification or license. The page also offers a 36-hour expedited application for an additional $50 fee.
Individual certification on the page is priced at a $115 annual fee, and additional disciplines are $55 each in the same 12-month period after that fee is paid. Licenses on the public search cover contractors and consultants. The search page says Regulation 21 requires contractors and consultants for asbestos abatement work to be trained and licensed, and both current and former licensees can be looked up. Out-of-state firms that work in Arkansas are still subject to the licensing rules. EPA does not list Arkansas as an AHERA waiver state, so school management plans remain a federal school duty alongside these air-program notices.
Official resources in Arkansas
Licensing, notices of intent, inspection requirement, and fee notes.
Public lookup of licensed asbestos contractors and consultants.
EPA-listed Arkansas certification and NESHAP contacts.
Federal demolition and renovation standard referenced by the state program.
Key facts for Arkansas
- Arkansas requires an inspection by a state-certified asbestos inspector before renovation or demolition of covered structures.
- All demolitions require a notice of intent whether or not asbestos is present.
- DEQ describes SEEK submission of a complete notice as written delivery for the federal notice rule and Regulation 21.
- The asbestos page lists a $115 annual individual certification fee and $55 for each added discipline in the same 12-month period.
- An expedited application is offered for an additional $50 fee with a 36-hour turnaround.
- Failure to submit payment can deactivate a certification or license.
- Arkansas is not on EPA’s list of twelve AHERA waiver states.
What to do next
- Look up the contractor or consultant on the DEQ contractor search before you hire.
- Ask the inspector for an Arkansas certification, not only a card from another state.
- File the notice of intent for every demolition, including one the inspection found to have no asbestos.
- Pay the fee before you expect the application to be treated as received.
Looking for your city or county in Arkansas?
We haven't found official program-level pages for Arkansas we can verify yet, so we don't show local numbers here rather than guess. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Arkansas, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality
Website →Phone: (501) 682-0718 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Arkansas page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- What an asbestos inspection is
- NESHAP notification before demolition
- Asbestos rules for schools
- OSHA rules that protect asbestos workers