Lamar County Government lists eight departments on its website: Commission, Probate, Tag, EMA, Solid Waste, Revenue, Engineer and Landfill, and the 911 district. None of them is a building, zoning or permitting office, and the site carries no building permit form or fee. A regional hazard mitigation plan in force from 2021 lists the county and the City of Vernon as practising building code enforcement, so the County Administrator (205-695-7333) is the first call for a rural site, and Vernon City Hall ((205) 695-7718) for one in town.
What needs approval before building in Lamar County?
Published by an official office
- An onsite sewage (septic) permit from the Lamar County Health Department where there is no public sewer
- A small or large flow development permit from the same office for bigger sewage systems
- A new address from the Lamar County Emergency Communication District
Not published by the County
- A county building permit application
- A county permit fee schedule
- A county inspection schedule
The county and all six of its towns take part in the National Flood Insurance Program, so building in a mapped flood zone is regulated locally even where nothing else is.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who to ask in each part of Lamar County
| Place | What the official sources show | Office and phone |
|---|---|---|
| Unincorporated county | No building office on the County’s website. The 2021 regional plan lists Lamar County as practising building code enforcement, zoning and subdivision regulation | County Commission, 205 Butler Circle, Vernon · Administrator 205-695-7333 |
| Vernon | Listed in the 2021 plan as practising building code enforcement and zoning; the City has no website | Vernon City Hall · (205) 695-7718 |
| Millport | Listed in the 2021 plan for zoning and subdivision regulations, not for building code enforcement; the Town’s document center holds council minutes only | Town Hall · 205-662-4228; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. |
| Kennedy | Listed in the 2021 plan for subdivision regulations; no town website | Kennedy Town Hall · (205) 596-3670 |
| Sulligent | Not listed for building code enforcement; the City’s site covers business licences and water and gas bills | City Hall · (205) 698-9111 |
| Beaverton and Detroit | Not listed for building code enforcement or zoning; neither publishes permit information | Beaverton Town Hall, 32490 County Road 49 · 205-412-9125; Detroit Town Hall · (205) 273-4294 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The plan itself notes that across northwest Alabama the authority to enforce building codes is used by only a limited number of municipalities, because of staffing and cost.
Applications that are published
The only construction-related applications published for Lamar County are the state’s onsite sewage forms, which the county Health Department processes. Its services list covers onsite sewage applications and permits, small and large flow development, and septic tank, grease trap and holding tank permits.
Permit costs and fees
No county building permit fee is published, and no town in the county posts one. The one construction charge the County does publish is at the landfill: contractors pay $10 per cubic yard for construction debris, and people from outside the county pay the same rate for any load. Lamar County residents who are not contractors use the landfill free.
Electrical, plumbing and septic work
No county electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit is published. Septic approval is the exception: call the Health Department on 205-695-9195 and ask for the Environmental Office. The office is at 300 Springfield Road, Vernon, and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to proceed in Lamar County: 5 steps
Vernon, Sulligent, Millport, Kennedy, Detroit and Beaverton each have their own limits; the rest of the county answers to the Commission.
Ask whether a building permit, zoning approval or flood zone review applies to the parcel.
The Health Department’s Environmental Office handles onsite sewage applications.
The 911 district issues new addresses; call 205-695-7108.
The Engineer’s office (205-695-7136) is open Monday to Thursday and looks after county roads and the landfill.
Inspections
The County publishes no building inspection service or schedule. Septic systems are approved through the Health Department, and anything a town requires is arranged with that town hall.
Local details that matter in Lamar County
Commission meetings: the Commission meets on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month, moving to Tuesday when Monday is a holiday.
Rather not deal with the Lamar County building department?
Get a free quote →Landfill hours: the county landfill at 698 Jackson Military Road, Sulligent, is closed on Mondays. It opens Tuesday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., with a break from 12:00 to 12:30, and on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to noon. It has no phone, so questions go to the County Engineer.
Engineer’s week: the Engineer’s office works Monday to Thursday, 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and closes a day early when a county holiday falls on a Friday.
Flood maps: the county’s current flood insurance rate map took effect on May 3, 2010.
Alabama building code
From 1 January 2027, under Act 2024-443, a residential home builder must build to the applicable residential code (the Alabama Residential Building Code, or the local code where one applies) even where no building department inspects the work. Since 1 October 2024 the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board adopts the residential code, and the Licensing Board for General Contractors the commercial energy code. Alabama’s codes and the 2027 change
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Lamar County resources
- Lamar County Government
- Lamar County Commission
- Lamar County Engineer and Landfill
- Lamar County 911 Emergency Communication District
- Lamar County Health Department services
- Lamar County Health Department contacts
- Alabama onsite sewage application forms
- Northwest Alabama regional hazard mitigation plan (2021)
- City of Sulligent
- Town of Millport
Lamar County building permit FAQs
Does Lamar County, Alabama issue building permits?
The County’s website lists no building department, permit form or fee. A 2021 regional plan lists the county as practising building code enforcement, so ask the County Administrator on 205-695-7333 what applies to your parcel.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Vernon and Sulligent?
Neither city publishes a permit page. The 2021 regional plan lists Vernon as practising building code enforcement and zoning; Vernon City Hall is on (205) 695-7718 and Sulligent City Hall on (205) 698-9111.
Who handles septic permits in Lamar County?
The Lamar County Health Department, 300 Springfield Road, Vernon, 205-695-9195. Ask for the Environmental Office.
How do I get an address for a new house in Lamar County?
The Lamar County Emergency Communication District issues new addresses. Its number is 205-695-7108.
What does it cost to dump construction debris at the county landfill?
Contractors pay $10 per cubic yard. Lamar County residents who are not contractors are not charged.
Is flood zone construction regulated in Lamar County?
Yes. The county and Beaverton, Detroit, Kennedy, Millport, Sulligent and Vernon all participate in the National Flood Insurance Program.
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This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Lamar County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.