Storm shelter questions from Jonesboro homeowners

Nobody publishes Jonesboro-only prices, so the closest guide is national data. Angi puts the average tornado shelter at $7,643, and most homeowners pay between $2,892 and $13,281. Underground shelters cost more than above-ground ones because of the digging. The price guide breaks it down by type.

Underground shelters hold up well against wind and debris and don't take up room in the garage, but they cost more and can take on water. Above-ground shelters bolt to a concrete slab, cost less, and are easier to get into for anyone who can't manage stairs. HomeAdvisor suggests above-ground units for properties with a high water table. See shelter types for more.

Not right now. The state's homeowner shelter rebate ended in 2016, and ADEM says it doesn't offer state or federal money for individual shelters (Arkansas Division of Emergency Management). A 2025 bill for a storm shelter income tax credit, HB1366, died in a House committee when the 2025 session adjourned (Arkansas Legislature, HB1366). More on the grants and rebates page.

Inside Jonesboro city limits, yes. The city's fee schedule lists a storm shelter permit at $50 (City of Jonesboro, Inspections and Planning fee schedule). The city says residential plan review takes about 3 to 5 days, and Engineering checks floodplain and stormwater issues before Inspections issues the permit (City of Jonesboro, Plan Review). FEMA points out that the 2021 International Residential Code doesn't exempt storm shelters from permits, and that anchors drilled into an existing slab need a special inspection (FEMA Building Science FAQ). Outside city limits, check with Craighead County. Ask the installer whether pulling the permit is in their price.

It's a good idea. Jonesboro E-911 keeps a Storm Shelter Registry for residents of the city and the county (Jonesboro E-911 Storm Shelter Registry). Dispatch flags where your shelter is on the property and how many people might be in it, so responders know where to look after a tornado. That matters most for shelters that are easy to miss, like one under the garage floor or behind a closet door. It's a free online form.

Ask whether the shelter is built to ICC 500 or to FEMA P-320. FEMA's residential safe room designs are based on 250 mph winds and a 15-pound 2x4 hitting at 100 mph (FEMA P-320, Taking Shelter from the Storm). Get the test or certification paperwork in writing.

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Yes. There's no charge to you for the request, and you don't have to hire anyone.

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