Looking for a list rather than a link?
These short lists point you at the right office. The full searchable directories are where the depth is, and they are all free and filter in your browser.
Resources by job
Every link goes to an official source. Where a program's own page is slower to update than the program, the note says to call first, because an out-of-date rebate amount costs you a real trip.
Verify a contractor's license
Free state lookups. A license does not vouch for the work, but the absence of one tells you plenty. Check the number yourself rather than trusting a business card.
- Arkansas Contractors Licensing BoardCommercial and residential contractor licenses
- Arkansas Department of Health, Plumbing and HVACRPlumbers and HVACR licenses are held here, not at Labor
- Arkansas Department of Labor, ElectricalElectrician licenses
Rebates and energy programs
Utility rebates change without notice and several of these pages are slower to update than the programs themselves. Call the number on the page before you buy equipment.
- SWEPCO residential programs
- Ozarks Electric rebate forms
- Carroll Electric
- Black Hills Energy
- Free weatherization, income qualifiedCommunity Services Clearinghouse, (479) 785-2303
Dump runs, paint and hazardous waste
Where the leftover paint, the old thinner and the demo debris are actually allowed to go. Hours are short and seasonal at most of these, so check before you load the truck.
Free classes and workshops
Open to the public at no cost. The library maker space in particular is badly underused by tradespeople who could be prototyping there.
- Fayetteville Public Library Innovation CenterMaker space, tools and classes
- Home Depot Kids WorkshopMonthly, free, aimed at children
- Lowe's Kids Club and workshops
- University of Arkansas Cooperative ExtensionSoil testing, horticulture, pesticide and food safety training
Permits and planning offices
Who to call first. Each city below has a full guide with the department, phone, counter hours, portal, fee schedule and adopted code edition. The unincorporated areas are where people most often assume no permit is needed and are most often wrong.
- All 22 permit guidesOne page per city plus both counties' unincorporated areas
- Fayetteville permit guide
- Springdale permit guide
- Rogers permit guide
- Bentonville permit guide
Training, associations and bids
Continuing education, association calendars and the public bid feed that most small contractors never think to watch.
- AGC Arkansas events and classes
- Arkansas HVACR Association
- Arkansas HVACr Academy
- NorthWest Arkansas Community College trades
- Arkansas Office of Skills Development grant resourcesState training money employers can apply for
- Habitat for Humanity of NWA ReStoresDiscount materials, and a donation destination for usable surplus
- XNA procurement and bids
Recurring local events
The fairs and shows that come back every year. Dates below are the ones published for 2026; the full filterable calendar has everything else.
- Washington County FairAug. 25 to 29, 2537 N. McConnell Ave., Fayetteville
- Benton County FairSept. 25 to Oct. 3, 7640 SW Regional Airport Blvd., Bentonville
- Arkansas Home ShowSept. 26 to 27, Rogers Convention Center
What a listing here does and does not mean
Appearing on this page means the office, program or class exists on the public record and the link worked when we checked it. It is not a recommendation, a vetting, or a promise that a program is still funded. Verify a license number and proof of insurance yourself before hiring anyone, and call ahead before driving to a counter or a class.