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Arkansas REScheck Requirements (2026)

Key facts:

  • 2009 IECC (2014 Arkansas Energy Code) — Effective Jan. 1, 2015

  • Climate Zones 3 & 4

  • 7 ACH50 Blower Door

  • REScheck Explicitly Endorsed by the State

 

Arkansas's statewide residential energy code is still the 2009 IECC, adopted as the 2014 Arkansas Energy Code and effective January 1, 2015 — one of the oldest energy codes still enforced anywhere in the country. A 2018 IECC update was drafted back in 2019–2021 with a target effective date of January 1, 2024, but it was never formally adopted; the 2009-based code remains current statewide. REScheck is explicitly endorsed by the Arkansas Energy Office itself as a "deem to comply" tool built specifically for Arkansas — this is about as direct a state-level endorsement as REScheck gets anywhere in the country.

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Arkansas jurisdictions require REScheck and energy compliance documentation under the 2014 Arkansas Energy Code for New Building Construction, administered by the Arkansas Energy Office (a division of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality) under Act 1981. The code applies statewide, though a handful of cities — Fayetteville, Little Rock, and North Little Rock among them — have adopted local amendments stricter than the state baseline, so always confirm current local requirements before assuming the statewide minimum applies.

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Current Energy Code in Arkansas

The 2014 Arkansas Energy Code for New Building Construction is based on the 2009 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2007, effective January 1, 2015. Arkansas amended the base code in a few specific ways: duct leakage testing was made optional (ducts still must be sealed per IRC M1601.4.1 regardless of whether they're tested), and the state added its own labeling requirements documenting installed R-values and U-factors.

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⚠ Arkansas's energy code is genuinely dated — the 2018 IECC update process started with the Arkansas Energy Office in December 2019, a public draft circulated in 2021 targeting a January 1, 2024 effective date, and it was never formally adopted. As of 2026, the 2009-based code remains the enforced statewide standard. There's no announced timeline for the next update, so don't assume a newer edition applies without checking directly with the Arkansas Energy Office or the local building department.

  • 2014 Arkansas Energy Code (2009 IECC + ASHRAE 90.1-2007) — effective January 1, 2015

  • Administered by the Arkansas Energy Office (ADEQ) under Act 1981

  • Applies statewide to new residential construction

  • Local jurisdictions may adopt stricter amendments — several have

  • 2018 IECC update drafted 2019–2021, never formally adopted

 

Common Permit Requirements

  • REScheck compliance report — explicitly endorsed by the Arkansas Energy Office as a "deem to comply" tool

  • Manual J HVAC load calculations

  • Window and door schedule (U-factor and SHGC)

  • Insulation R-value specifications and labeling

  • Blower door test results (7 ACH50) — or the applicable prescriptive path documentation

  • Duct sealing per IRC M1601.4.1 — testing itself is optional under Arkansas's amendment

 

Arkansas Climate Zones

Arkansas spans two IECC climate zones. Zone 4 covers the northern highlands — the Ozarks and Northwest Arkansas — and carries slightly stricter insulation requirements. Zone 3 covers the rest of the state, including the Delta, central Arkansas, and the south.

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  • 4:  Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Izard, Madison, Marion, Newton, Searcy, Stone, Washington   —   Northwest Arkansas / Ozarks — includes Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers, Harrison, Mountain Home

  • 3:  The remaining 61 counties, including Pulaski, Sebastian, Craighead, Faulkner, Jefferson, Garland   —   Most of the state, including Little Rock, Fort Smith, Jonesboro, Conway, Pine Bluff, Hot Springs

 

Prescriptive Requirements (2009 IECC, Zones 3 & 4)

The prescriptive envelope numbers are close between the two zones — Arkansas's version of the 2009 IECC doesn't spread them as far apart as some newer-code states do. The main difference is basement wall insulation.

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  • Wood Frame Walls:  R-13   —   R-13

  • Ceilings:  R-30   —   R-30

  • Fenestration (Windows):  U-0.50 max   —   U-0.50 max

  • Basement Walls:  R-13, or R-5 continuous   —   R-13, or R-10 continuous

 

Air Leakage and Duct Requirements

The Arkansas Energy Code's air leakage requirement is 7 ACH50 — confirmed by a DOE field study of Arkansas homes, which found a statewide average of 5.4 ACH50 against that 7.0 threshold, with an 81% compliance rate across the homes tested. Duct leakage testing itself is optional under Arkansas's amendment to the base code, but every duct system must still be sealed and meet IRC M1601.4.1 joint and seam requirements regardless of whether it's tested. Where duct testing is performed, allowable leakage runs 4–12 CFM25 per 100 sq ft depending on construction stage and test method.

 

Is REScheck Accepted in Arkansas?

Yes — and Arkansas is about as clear about it as any state gets. The Arkansas Energy Office's own residential resources page states directly: "REScheck™ for Arkansas is a 'deem to comply' residential compliance software developed for Arkansas." It's available as both downloadable desktop software and a web-based tool, and covers insulation and window trade-offs for residential permits statewide.

 

Common REScheck Failure Reasons in Arkansas

Most Common Errors

  • Wrong climate zone selected — the Zone 3/4 line runs through Northwest Arkansas and is easy to miss if a project is near the boundary

  • Window U-factor entered above the 0.50 maximum

  • Basement wall insulation using the wrong zone's continuous-insulation value (R-5 vs. R-10)

  • Assuming a newer IECC edition applies — Arkansas is still on the 2009 IECC baseline

 

Mechanical and Envelope Issues

  • Duct sealing skipped because testing is optional — sealing itself is still mandatory under IRC M1601.4.1

  • Blower door result submitted without confirming whether the local jurisdiction requires testing or accepts the prescriptive path instead

  • Local amendment requirements missed in Fayetteville, Little Rock, or North Little Rock, where the city code is stricter than the state minimum

 

Major Cities and Jurisdictions in Arkansas

Little Rock and North Little Rock

Zone 3 (Pulaski County). Both cities have adopted local amendments beyond the state baseline — confirm current requirements with the local building department rather than assuming the 2014 statewide code applies unmodified.

 

Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas

Zone 4 (Washington and Benton counties) — covers Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville. Fayetteville has its own current-codes page confirming it still enforces the 2014 Arkansas Energy Code (2009 IECC) as of this research, with local amendments layered on top.

 

Fort Smith

Zone 3 (Sebastian County). Standard statewide code applies.

 

Jonesboro

Zone 3 (Craighead County). Standard statewide code applies.

 

Conway and Central Arkansas

Zone 3 (Faulkner County). Standard statewide code applies.

 

Hot Springs and Pine Bluff

Zone 3 (Garland and Jefferson counties respectively). Standard statewide code applies.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About REScheck in Arkansas

What energy code does Arkansas currently use?

The 2014 Arkansas Energy Code, based on the 2009 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2007, effective January 1, 2015. A 2018 IECC update was drafted between 2019 and 2021 but was never formally adopted, so the 2009-based code remains the statewide standard as of 2026.

 

Is REScheck accepted in Arkansas?

Yes. The Arkansas Energy Office's own website describes REScheck as a "deem to comply" tool developed specifically for Arkansas — one of the more direct state-level endorsements of REScheck found anywhere.

 

What climate zones does Arkansas have?

Two: Zone 4 covers 12 counties in the northern highlands and Northwest Arkansas (including Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers, and Harrison), and Zone 3 covers the remaining 61 counties, including Little Rock, Fort Smith, and Jonesboro.

 

What is Arkansas's blower door requirement?

7 ACH50 under the current code. A DOE field study of Arkansas homes found a statewide average of 5.4 ACH50 with an 81% compliance rate against that threshold.

 

Is duct leakage testing required in Arkansas?

No — Arkansas amended the base code to make duct leakage testing optional. Duct sealing itself is still mandatory under IRC M1601.4.1 regardless of whether the system is tested. Where testing is done, allowable leakage runs 4–12 CFM25 per 100 sq ft depending on construction stage.

 

Do Little Rock or Fayetteville have stricter energy code requirements than the state?

Yes — Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Fayetteville have each adopted local amendments beyond the state's 2014 baseline. Confirm current requirements directly with the local building department rather than assuming the statewide minimum applies.

 

Are barndominiums and ADUs required to comply?

Yes — conditioned accessory dwelling units and barndominiums are treated as residential construction subject to the Arkansas Energy Code, plus any stricter local amendments that apply in that jurisdiction.

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