The only building department in Monroe County belongs to the City of Monroeville. Its codes are enforced inside the corporate limits and in the city’s police jurisdiction, and its building official takes permit and inspection calls on 251-575-5511. Monroe County’s own website is the Probate Judge’s site and publishes no building permit, fee or inspection for rural land; the Commission is reached on (251) 743-4107.
What requires a permit in Monroe County?
Monroeville: permit needed
- Constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a building, or changing its occupancy
- Installing, altering or replacing any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system
- Erecting most signs
- Storing building materials or putting up a temporary field office
- Moving, alteration or repair costing more than $1,000
Monroeville: exempt
- One-story detached accessory structures up to 200 sq ft
- Fences not over 6 feet high
- Retaining walls not over 4 feet, unless they support a surcharge
- Decks under 200 sq ft, decks no more than 30 inches above grade, and decks not attached to a dwelling
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and countertops
- Prefabricated above-ground pools less than 24 inches deep
Minor electrical repairs, portable heating and cooling appliances, and stopping leaks or clearing stoppages are exempt from trade permits there too. A concealed pipe that has to be removed and replaced counts as new work and needs a permit.
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Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in each Monroe County town?
| Place | Who issues building permits | Office and phone |
|---|---|---|
| Monroeville and its police jurisdiction | City of Monroeville Building Department; Eli Barfield is the building official | Monroeville City Hall · 251-575-5511 |
| Frisco City | The published sources do not say; the regional hazard mitigation plan lists Monroeville as the only place in the county practising building code enforcement | Town Hall, 3861 Bowden St · (251) 267-3439; Monday to Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Excel, Beatrice and Vredenburgh | The published sources do not say; none of the three is listed as enforcing a building code | Excel Town Hall (251) 765-2558; Beatrice Town Hall, 1112 Main St · (251) 789-2241; Vredenburgh Town Hall (334) 337-4473 |
| Unincorporated county | No county building office is published. The County takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program (flood map of February 4, 2009), and its floodplain regulations sit with the County Commission, so ask the Commission before building in a mapped flood hazard area | County Commission, 65 N. Alabama Ave., Monroeville, AL 36460 · (251) 743-4107 |
Monroeville posts a map of its police jurisdiction on the Building Codes Enforced page. A rural site that falls inside that line is under the City’s codes even though it is outside the city limits.
Applications Monroeville publishes
- Residential Building Permit form.
- Commercial Building Permit Template.
- Roofing Inspection Requirements and a roof sheathing reference for contractors under the 2024 residential code.
- Conditional Use Permit Application and Application for Variance to Zoning Ordinance, for the Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Permit costs and fees
Monroeville uses 4 fee schedules. Schedule A, for new buildings and additions, comes from the Code Official: the City’s fee page says to contact that office for it. Schedules B and C cover work on existing buildings, including repair or replacement of electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing systems:
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Total valuation | Existing residential (Schedule B) | Existing non-residential (Schedule C) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $1,000 | No fee unless an inspection is required, then $25 | No fee unless an inspection is required, then $26 |
| $1,001 to $2,000 | $35 | $37 |
| $2,001 to $50,000 | $35 for the first $2,000 plus $5.50 per additional $1,000 or fraction | $37 for the first $2,000 plus $6.50 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $299 for the first $50,000 plus $4.50 per additional $1,000 or fraction | $349 for the first $50,000 plus $5.50 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $524 for the first $100,000 plus $3.50 per additional $1,000 or fraction | $624 for the first $100,000 plus $4.50 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | Not on Schedule B | $2,424 for the first $500,000 plus $3.50 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
For example, a $30,000 remodel of an existing house pays $35 plus 28 times $5.50, which is $189.
| Other work (Schedule D) | Fee |
|---|---|
| Swimming pool construction | $35 minimum, including one inspection; $25 for each additional inspection |
| Building demolition, under 100,000 cubic feet | $50 |
| Building demolition, larger buildings | $50 plus $0.50 per 1,000 cubic feet |
| Building moving | $50 per unit |
| Manufactured home setup | $50 |
| Sign erection | 0.005 times the cost of labor and materials |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →The permit fee may be doubled when work starts before the permit is obtained, and it is waived for repairs after a natural disaster declared by the building official.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
Trade work on an existing building in Monroeville is priced on Schedule B or C like any other repair. Mechanical work over $10,000 is charged at 1% of the first $10,000, with a $35 minimum, plus 0.15% of the contract amount above $10,000. Inspecting a temporary electrical service, a meter base or an exterior panel replacement costs $25, plus $25 for each re-inspection. Every subcontractor on a job must show a current City business licence.
Septic permits throughout the county come from the Monroe County Health Department, 416 Agriculture Drive, Monroeville (251-336-2400). The Environmental Office has its own line, 251-336-2099.
How to apply in Monroe County: 5 steps
Monroeville’s map shows whether a site outside the city limits is still under the City’s codes.
Monroeville asks anyone opening a business or building for one to phone 251-575-5511 first, to settle zoning and whether the Planning Commission must review the plan.
Commercial, industrial and multifamily applications also need a landscape plan under the City code.
The permit must be displayed prominently and the approved drawings kept available for the inspector.
Apply to the Health Department’s Environmental Office; it is the one construction permit published for rural Monroe County.
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Get a free quote →Inspections
Monroeville inspections are booked by phone with the building inspector on 251-575-5511, at least one business day ahead. The City’s list covers concrete footings before the pour, the slab and under-floor work, structural framing and masonry, electrical (temporary service, rough-in and final), plumbing (trench, drainage and vent water test, water system pressure test and final), the sewer connection and the final inspection. The work has to stay exposed until it is approved, and the building cannot be occupied until the final inspection has passed and the Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
Where footings bear on more than 12 inches of compacted fill, the City requires field tests by an independent testing agency approved by the building official.
Local details that matter in Monroe County
Monroeville planning: the City has no in-house planning department. A Planning Commission, which meets on the first Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m. at City Hall, approves site plans, conditional uses and some signs, and a Zoning Board of Adjustment hears variances.
Wood decks: Monroeville also enforces the DCA6 deck construction guide as a supplement to the residential code.
Flood program: Monroe County takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program, and the regional plan assigns its floodplain regulations to the County Commission. FEMA lists Beatrice as not in the program, and the plan records joining it as a goal for both Beatrice and Excel.
County office hours: the Probate Judge, who presides over the County Commission, keeps office at 65 N. Alabama Ave. from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closing at noon on Thursdays.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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
Official Monroe County resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Monroe County Probate Judge and Commission contact details
- Monroe County office phone directory
- Monroe County Health Department contacts
- City of Monroeville building codes enforced and police jurisdiction map
- City of Monroeville work requiring a permit and exempt work
- City of Monroeville building permit application forms
- City of Monroeville building permit fee schedules
- City of Monroeville inspection requirements
- City of Monroeville planning and zoning
- Monroeville Code of Ordinances
- Division A regional hazard mitigation plan
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Monroe County building permit FAQs
Does Monroe County, Alabama issue building permits?
The County publishes no building permit, fee or inspection. Monroeville’s Building Department permits work in the city and its police jurisdiction.
Do I need a Monroeville permit if I live just outside the city?
Yes, if the property is inside the police jurisdiction. The City’s codes are enforced there as well as in the corporate limits, and the City posts a map of the boundary.
How much is a building permit for a remodel in Monroeville?
On Schedule B, $35 for the first $2,000 of valuation plus $5.50 for each additional $1,000 up to $50,000. A $30,000 remodel costs $189.
Do I need a permit for a shed, deck or fence in Monroeville?
Not for a one-story detached accessory structure up to 200 sq ft, a fence up to 6 feet high, or a deck under 200 sq ft. Larger ones need a permit.
How do I schedule an inspection in Monroeville?
Phone the building inspector on 251-575-5511 at least one business day before the inspection is needed.
Who handles septic permits in Monroe County?
The Monroe County Health Department’s Environmental Office, 251-336-2099, at 416 Agriculture Drive, Monroeville.
What does a new house permit cost in Monroeville?
New buildings and additions are on Schedule A, and the City’s fee page sends applicants to the Code Official for it, on 251-575-5511.
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This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Monroe County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.