Sumter County government lists no building department and publishes no county building permit. The County Engineer at the Road Department, 104 Main Street, Livingston (205-652-9608), administers the Subdivision Regulations, issues the Development Permit required before any work in a flood hazard area, and issues free permits for using county right-of-way. In the City of Livingston, a building permit is required for any construction project over $1,000 and for all electrical, HVAC and plumbing work. Septic permits come from the Sumter County Health Department.
What requires a permit in Sumter County?
Outside the cities and towns, the county’s published requirements all run through the County Engineer.
County Engineer
- Development Permit: before any development activity in an area of special flood hazard, under the county Flood Damage Prevention Resolution
- Right-of-way permit: before using county roads or right-of-way for timber cutting, tree trimming along utility lines, installing or maintaining utility lines, or similar purposes
- Hauling on County Road Permit: for hauling material on Sumter County roads
- Permit to Develop: issued after the County Commission approves a proposed subdivision plat
- Logging notice: under the county Logger Notice Ordinance
City of Livingston
- All construction projects over $1,000
- All electrical work
- All HVAC work
- All plumbing work
The county publishes no building permit, plan review or building inspection for houses or commercial buildings in the unincorporated area.
Who issues building permits in Sumter County?
Sumter County has 7 incorporated places on the Census Bureau’s list. Two of them are recorded as enforcing building codes.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Place | Who issues building permits | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Livingston (county seat) | City of Livingston, City Hall; the City takes permit applications through an online Permit Application form, and its code compliance office enforces building codes and zoning. The form sets the fee at $5.30 per $1,000 of the total value of the work | (205) 652-2505 |
| York | City of York; the 2021 regional hazard mitigation plan records York Code Enforcement enforcing building codes, zoning and subdivision regulations. City Hall is at 607 2nd Avenue | (205) 392-5231 |
| Emelle | The Town Clerk at City Hall, 123 Dailey Ave, takes permit inquiries in person or by phone; the 2021 plan lists only floodplain actions for the town, not building code enforcement | (205) 286-2243 |
| Cuba, Epes, Gainesville and Geiger | The published sources do not say: the 2021 plan lists only floodplain actions for these towns, not building code enforcement; ask the town hall | Cuba (205) 392-7181; Epes (205) 652-2994; Gainesville (205) 652-7551; Geiger (205) 455-2811 |
| Unincorporated Sumter County | No county building permit; the County Engineer handles flood, subdivision and right-of-way permits | 205-652-9608 |
The plan is the Division C Regional Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, effective March 24, 2021, published by the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. Paul Plumb is the County Engineer. The Road Department is open Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sumter County permit types and filing
- Flood Development Permit. Applied for at the County Engineer’s office on the county’s form before work starts. The County Engineer is the resolution administrator.
- Right-of-way use permit. Required since a County Commission resolution of September 22, 2008, and issued at the Engineer’s discretion.
- Hauling on County Road Permit. A two-page application to the same office.
- Subdivision approval. A sketch plan, then a proposed plat reviewed by the County Engineer and approved by the County Commission, a Permit to Develop, construction, and a final plat recorded with the Probate Judge.
- Administrative subdivision. A shorter route for splitting one lot from a larger parcel the owner has held for at least 2 consecutive years, or for adjusting lot lines, on a survey submitted to the County Engineer.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →In Livingston, the City’s online Permit Application covers building and trade work, and a privilege licence is required before carrying on any business in the city.
Permit costs and fees in Sumter County
These are the fees in the Sumter County Subdivision Regulations, adopted by Commission resolution on December 9, 2013, and in the 2008 right-of-way resolution.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Right-of-way use permit | No cost |
| Proposed plat review | $100 per submission |
| Proposed plat review where road construction or road improvements are required | $500 per submission |
| Lot fee | $25 per lot, site or unit |
| Road fee | $0.75 per linear foot of road to be built and inspected |
| Administrative subdivision | $100 per occurrence, in place of the normal fee schedule |
| Fine for selling, offering, transferring or leasing lots in breach of the regulations | $1,000 per lot |
| Using county right-of-way without a permit | Fine of up to $500 and up to 6 months in jail, on conviction |
A 6-lot subdivision on an existing road, with no road work, would pay $100 for plat review and $150 in lot fees. The plat review fee is non-refundable, and the developer also pays the county’s inspection and testing charges.
Livingston’s Permit Application prints its fee: $5.30 per $1,000 of the total value of the work. A $150,000 house therefore pays $795. Payment is by card on the form or by mail to P.O. Drawer W, Livingston, AL 35470.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and septic in Sumter County
The county issues no trade permits. Livingston requires a permit for all electrical, HVAC and plumbing work, whatever the cost, through the same City application as building permits.
Septic systems are permitted by the Sumter County Health Department, 1121 North Washington Street, Livingston (205-652-7972). The county’s Subdivision Regulations treat the Health Department’s requirements as part of plat approval.
Application documents
Proposed subdivision plat
- Proposed plat and supporting documentation
- Names and addresses of each adjoining landowner and utility entitled to notice
- Plat review fee of $100 or $500
- Copy of the most recent vesting deed
- A copy of the NPDES permit, if one applies
Flood Development Permit
- Application on the county form, filed before any development activity
- Elevation of the proposed lowest floor
- After construction reaches that stage: an as-built certification of the lowest floor or floodproofing level on the FEMA certificate
- For non-residential floodproofing: certification by a professional engineer or architect
An incomplete plat application delays consideration by the County Engineer and the Commission. An administrative subdivision needs a survey with the certification in the regulations’ appendix, and a letter of concurrence from affected landowners when lot lines are being moved.
Rather not deal with the Sumter County building department?
Get a free quote →How to proceed in Sumter County: 6 steps
In Livingston, file the City’s Permit Application; in York, call City Hall on (205) 392-5231.
Call 205-652-9608; in a flood hazard area the Development Permit comes before any work.
Contact the Sumter County Health Department in Livingston.
Any utility, driveway-side or tree work in county right-of-way needs the free permit first.
Use the administrative subdivision for a single lot, or the full plat process for more.
Lots may be offered once it is issued, and substantial work must begin within one year.
Inspections and closeout in Sumter County
The county does not inspect buildings for code compliance. The County Engineer reviews flood development permits, receives the as-built elevation certification once the lowest floor is complete, and inspects subdivision roads, charging the developer for inspection and testing.
Livingston and York enforce their own building codes. Whoever signs a Livingston permit agrees to follow the City’s construction, heating, air conditioning, plumbing, electric wiring, paving and zoning rules, and the contractor must remove all building debris.
Local considerations in Sumter County
Flood elevation: where base flood elevation data exist, the lowest floor of a new or substantially improved building, basement included, must be no lower than the base flood elevation. The county’s flood maps are those in the Flood Insurance Study dated April 3, 2012.
Timber and utilities: the right-of-way permit was created because timber and utility work was damaging county roads. Working without one can be prosecuted in Sumter County District Court.
Selling lots: lots in a new subdivision may be offered for sale once the Permit to Develop is issued, but the final plat must be recorded with the Probate Judge before the sale is completed.
Access to county roads: the County Commission adopted an Access Management Policy on December 9, 2013, alongside the Subdivision Regulations.
Livingston threshold: the City’s $1,000 threshold applies to construction projects only; electrical, HVAC and plumbing work needs a permit at any value.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Livingston permits lapse: the permit is void if work has not started within 6 months, or if it stops for 6 months at any time after it starts.
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 sources — Sumter County
- Sumter County Commission
- Sumter County Road Department and County Engineer
- Sumter County Subdivision Regulations
- Sumter County Flood Damage Prevention Resolution
- Resolution to Require Permits for Use of County Right-of-Way
- Sumter County Hauling on County Road Permit
- Sumter County Health Department
- City of Livingston licences, permits and taxes
- City of Livingston online Permit Application
- City of York forms and permits
- Division C Regional Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (Alabama EMA)
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Sumter County building permit FAQs
Does Sumter County issue building permits?
No county building permit is published. The County Engineer issues flood development permits, right-of-way permits and Permits to Develop for subdivisions.
Do I need a building permit in Livingston?
Yes, for any construction project over $1,000 and for all electrical, HVAC and plumbing work. Call City Hall on (205) 652-2505 or use the City’s online Permit Application.
Can I build in a flood zone in Sumter County?
Only with a Development Permit from the County Engineer, obtained before work begins, and with the lowest floor at or above the base flood elevation.
How much does it cost to subdivide land?
$100 per plat submission, or $500 if roads are to be built or improved, plus $25 per lot and $0.75 per linear foot of new road. Splitting off a single lot as an administrative subdivision is $100.
Where do I get a septic permit?
From the Sumter County Health Department, 1121 North Washington Street, Livingston, 205-652-7972.
Is there a fee for the county right-of-way permit?
No. The 2008 resolution says it is issued at no cost to the applicant.
Simplify Sumter County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Alabama. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
Ready to break ground in Sumter County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Sumter County permits while your crew stays on the job.
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Sumter County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.