Clarke County, Mississippi Building Permit Guide

For construction in unincorporated Clarke County, contact the Board of Supervisors (601-776-5873) or the County Administrator (601-776-1012), both at P.O. Box 616, Quitman. Among the five towns, Enterprise’s website sets out its rule: a $25 building permit for new residential construction, under the 2006 International Residential Code. Septic systems are permitted by the state health department.

Clarke County building department: who handles permitting

Clarke County has five incorporated places, by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimates: the City of Quitman, the county seat (1,925 residents), and the towns of Stonewall (833), Enterprise (475), Shubuta (395) and Pachuta (195). Land outside them is governed by the five-member Board of Supervisors.

These county numbers come from the Secretary of State’s 2025 county directory. House Bill 1163 of 2022 (Miss. Code §19-5-9(11)) obliges every county to require a permit for construction in its unincorporated area; the Board of Supervisors’ office can say how Clarke County handles that for your parcel.

Building in Enterprise and the other towns

Enterprise has adopted the 2006 International Residential Code and requires a building permit for new residential construction, at $25 per permit. Town Hall at 500 River Road (601-659-7971, info@townofenterprise.com) houses the Office of the Clerk, open 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The Board of Aldermen meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Auditorium; anyone wishing to speak must file a public participation form eight working days ahead.

Quitman, the county seat, posts its own flat-rate building and demolition permit application (revised June 4, 2024) on the City’s website; ask City Hall for the current form and fee before building inside the city. For the towns of Stonewall, Shubuta and Pachuta, ask the town clerk about permits.

Flood maps and septic systems in Clarke County

Flood insurance program: FEMA lists Clarke County and all five of its towns (Enterprise, Pachuta, Quitman, Shubuta and Stonewall) as taking part in the National Flood Insurance Program. The county’s current flood maps are dated September 2, 2011.

Septic systems: where there is no town sewer, the Mississippi State Department of Health permits the onsite wastewater system. You can apply online, by fax, by mail or by e-mail to wastewater@msdh.ms.gov, and the wastewater call center is 1-855-220-0192.

Mississippi building code

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

Clarke County permit search and official resources

• Secretary of State: County Offices and Directory of State and County Officials (2025)
• Town of Enterprise: general information and building permits
• FEMA Community Status Book: Mississippi NFIP communities
• House Bill 1163 (2022): county permit requirement
• Mississippi State Department of Health: On-Site Wastewater

Clarke County permit FAQs

Who do I contact about building in unincorporated Clarke County?

The Board of Supervisors (601-776-5873) or the County Administrator (601-776-1012), P.O. Box 616, Quitman, MS 39355.

How much is a building permit in Enterprise?

$25 per permit. Enterprise requires one for new residential construction and has adopted the 2006 International Residential Code.

Is Clarke County in the flood insurance program?

Yes. FEMA lists the county and all five towns, with county flood maps dated September 2, 2011.

Where are the Board of Supervisors’ minutes kept?

With the Chancery Clerk, P.O. Box 689, Quitman (601-776-2126), who is clerk of the Board.

Who permits a septic system in Clarke County?

The Mississippi State Department of Health (wastewater call center 1-855-220-0192).

Simplify Clarke County 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 Clarke County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.