Brandon, Mississippi Building Permit Guide

The City of Brandon’s Community Development Department, 1000 Municipal Drive (601-824-4580, Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), issues building permits for property inside the city. Fees follow the value of the work under Appendix C of the City Code, new house permits are often issued within 24 hours, and commercial site plans take about 2–3 weeks and need Board approval.

Who issues building permits in Brandon?

Inside the city limits, permits are issued by the City’s Community Development Department, whose permit counter is in the Community Development Suite at City Hall, 1000 Municipal Drive. Under the City Code the building inspector accepts applications, examines plans and the site, and issues or refuses permits, with an appeal to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. Plans that need review are routed to the Community Development divisions and to the Fire, Public Works and Engineering Departments.

Rankin County Community Development also has its office in Brandon, at 203 East Government Street, but it permits only unincorporated Rankin County. Pearl, Flowood and Richland issue their own permits.

What needs a permit in Brandon

A permit is needed whenever a structure is built, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved or demolished, or its occupancy changes. The City’s permit information also lists:

Separate City forms cover land disturbance permits, commercial site plan review, development review, sign and temporary sign permits, rental inspections and truck routes. Signs in the historic district need a Certificate of Appropriateness before the sign permit.

Brandon building permit fees

Building permit fees are set in Appendix C of the City Code (section 18-34, last changed by ordinance of August 21, 2017). The value of a house is its heated and cooled square footage times the cost per square foot in the current International Code Council Building Valuation Data; commercial and industrial value is the amount on the Material Purchase Certificate (MPC), or the ICC valuation if no MPC is provided when the permit is issued.

For example, a commercial job with a $200,000 MPC pays $650 plus 100 × $3, or $950, for the building permit, and a further $475 for plans examination.

The Board agendas from July to October 2026 list no change to building permit fees. Where the City Code and the 2017 fee sheet differ, as on the moving fee, the codified Appendix C is the adopted text.

Contractor registration and trade permits

All residential and commercial contractors and all electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors must register with the City before a permit is issued. Registration needs the City form, a copy of a Mississippi Certificate of Responsibility or a licence issued by the State or a Mississippi municipality, a $5,000 performance bond payable to the City and a $25 annual fee for each trade. The City Code also asks for general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate, and workers’ compensation where state law requires it.

Electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits are issued only to licensed contractors, and every subcontractor on the job signs the building permit application. Construction work must be done by at least a journeyman-level worker. A homeowner may build or remodel their own principal dwelling, but must use licensed subcontractors.

Documents and review times

For small jobs such as residential additions and remodels, the contractor or the owner-occupant files the application with plans showing plumbing, electrical, mechanical and framing details and a site plan of the whole lot. For larger jobs, the City asks for three complete sets of plans and specifications and a full site plan; restaurants and other food service projects need written approval from the Rankin County Health Department before the building permit application.

The application records the primary contractor and the electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors, the construction type, occupancy group, heated and gross square footage, project valuation, utility providers, zoning district, historic district and flood status, with engineering certification for sites in a floodway or floodplain. Commercial projects must be permitted by a Mississippi-licensed contractor registered with the City.

Work that needs no plans is permitted over the counter. New house permits are often issued within 24 hours, while commercial new construction site plan approval generally takes 2–3 weeks and goes to the Board. Revisions are resubmitted to the permit counter with every change clouded and a response letter.

How to get a Brandon building permit

Brandon inspections and permit expiry

Brandon’s building inspector checks the work for compliance with the adopted codes, and a re-inspection costs $25. A permit generally expires after 90 days if no inspection has been made, and a project is treated as abandoned if no work is done for a year. To keep a permit alive, write to the Community Development Director asking for an extension; an extension or renewal costs 25% of the original permit fee.

Before a demolition permit is issued, the owner arranges utility cut-offs, a licensed master plumber disconnects the water and sewer lines and the City inspects them, and the building is tested for asbestos, with any asbestos removed and documented.

Local Brandon details

Flood zones: Chapter 42 of the City Code makes the City Engineer the floodplain administrator and requires the lowest floor of new and substantially improved homes and commercial buildings to be at least two feet above the base flood elevation.

Fire sprinklers: Brandon’s amendments to the 2018 International Fire Code require sprinklers in all educational buildings; in business occupancies where a fire area exceeds 10,000 sq ft or the space is three or more stories above grade or a story below; in A-1, A-3 and A-4 assembly and S-1 storage buildings over 10,000 sq ft; in F-1 factories over 7,500 sq ft; in repair garages over 4,000 sq ft; and in Group U buildings of 10,000 sq ft or more. Sprinklers are not required in one- and two-family houses.

Zoning and design: the City adopted a new Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance and zoning map on April 6, 2026, and publishes architectural review and historic district guidelines.

Codes adopted in Brandon

Section 18-61 of the City Code adopts the 2018 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Fire, Property Maintenance, Swimming Pool and Spa, and Existing Building Codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code, with local amendments last changed in July 2025. The residential design table uses a 115 mph wind speed, seismic category B and very heavy termite risk.

Some work is exempt statewide: farm structures once the owner files an affidavit (Mississippi Code §17-2-7), and manufactured housing built to federal standards, certain industrial and utility facilities, buildings on non-public fairgrounds and hunting or fishing camps with an owner’s affidavit (§17-2-9). None of these exemptions reaches floodplain rules. The state minimum codes are the Mississippi Building Code and Mississippi Residential Code, the residential code drawn from the 2021 International Residential Code. How building codes apply in Mississippi

Brandon permit FAQs

How much does a building permit cost in Brandon, MS?

It depends on the project value: $50 up to $1,000 of value, rising to $650 for the first $100,000 plus $3 per additional $1,000. Commercial jobs pay half the permit fee again for plans examination.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Brandon?

Yes, for their own owner-occupied home, but the owner then acts as general contractor and must use licensed subcontractors for the trade work.

How fast are permits issued?

Work without plans is permitted over the counter, new house permits are often ready within 24 hours, and commercial site plan approval takes about 2–3 weeks with a Board vote.

Do contractors have to register with the City?

Yes. General contractors and electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors register with a state or municipal licence, a $5,000 bond, insurance and a $25 fee per trade each year.

Do I need a permit for a shed or new windows?

Yes. The City lists window replacement and sheds among the jobs that need a permit, and portable storage buildings over 120 sq ft need one too.

When does a Brandon permit expire?

Generally after 90 days without an inspection. A project with no work for a year is treated as abandoned; extensions are requested in writing from the Community Development Director.

Official Brandon permit resources

• Mississippi Insurance Department: Mississippi Uniform Building Codes
• Brandon documents and forms
• Brandon permits and licenses
• Brandon building permit information
• Brandon building permit application
• Brandon building permits fee schedule (2017 sheet)
• Brandon contractor and subcontractor registration form
• Brandon commercial site plan requirements
• Brandon land disturbance permit application
• Brandon certificate of appropriateness application
• Brandon architectural review guidelines (2025)
• Brandon Code of Ordinances, including Appendix C fees (Municode)
• Brandon Board agendas and minutes

Simplify Brandon permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Mississippi. 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.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Brandon permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.