Inside Cleveland, the City’s Department of Community Development issues construction permits, licenses trade contractors and inspects the work; applications can be filed online. The building permit fee follows the value of the job, so a $150,000 project pays $769, and the City aims to review a house permit within 5 working days.
Who issues building permits in Cleveland?
The Department of Community Development, directed by Billy Trotter, issues construction permits inside the city limits. Its Code Compliance branch issues permits, licenses contractors and schedules or performs construction and occupancy inspections, and the department also runs floodplain management and serves the Planning Commission, Heritage Commission and Contractor Licensing Board.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 207 E Carpenter Street, Cleveland, MS 38732 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 1439, Cleveland, MS 38732 |
| Phone (permits, inspections, code enforcement) | 662-843-4601 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Apply online | Online application forms linked from the department page |
The City’s permit brochures still give an older office address on N. Bayou Road; the department page lists 207 E Carpenter Street. Outside the city limits, Bolivar County publishes no building permit office; county questions, including those for its Planning Division, go to the County Administrator in Cleveland (662-846-5877).
What needs a permit in Cleveland
The City’s residential guide says a permit is needed to construct, alter, convert, repair, enlarge, move or demolish any part of a building, including houses, fences, sheds, pools, decks, patios and driveways. For most homes, painting, re-roofing, replacing a few rotten trim boards, floor coverings, cabinets, wallpaper and re-glazing windows or doors do not need one.
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- Building
- Demolition
- Moving
- Electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing
- Floodplain development
- Site development
- Signs
- Water or sewer connections
Online forms
- Building, demolition and floodplain permit applications
- Electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing applications
- Site development and sign applications
- Materials list
- Owner/builder certification
- Utility permit application (PDF)
Every food service business also needs a Food Service Facility Grease Control Permit to operate in the city.
Cleveland permit fees
The City’s Permit Fee Schedule, effective March 7, 2011, prices building permits on the total value of the project, even where the owner does some or all of the work.
| Total valuation | Fee |
|---|---|
| $1,000 and less | $25 |
| $1,001–$50,000 | $25 for the first $1,000 plus $6 per additional $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,000–$100,000 | $319 for the first $50,000 plus $5 per additional $1,000 |
| $100,001–$250,000 | $569 for the first $100,000 plus $4 per additional $1,000 |
| $250,001–$500,000 | $1,019 for the first $250,000 plus $3 per additional $1,000 |
| $500,001–$1,000,000 | $1,769 for the first $500,000 plus $2.50 per additional $1,000 |
| $1,000,001 and up | $3,019 for the first $1,000,000 plus $2 per additional $1,000 |
| Demolition | $50 |
| Missed scheduled inspection | $25 re-inspection fee |
A job valued at $150,000 falls in the $100,001–$250,000 band: $569 plus 50 × $4 makes $769. Do not carry a band into the next one; the $250,001 band restarts at $1,019 rather than continuing from $1,169. Fees are doubled when work starts before a permit, and a stop-work order also costs the general contractor a $100 fine. The office takes cash, checks and credit cards.
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Get a free quote →Electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical permits in Cleveland
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical | $25 base; service $5 (225 A or less) or $7; first 25 fixtures $4, then $0.50 each; circuits $2 each; special circuits $3 each |
| Mechanical | $25 base plus $5 per ton of HVAC for new systems, replacements or significant alterations |
| Plumbing | $25 base plus $3 per fixture; water or sewer piping $10; fire or lawn sprinkler $5 |
| Gas | $25 base plus $5 per outlet |
Licensing: electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing contractors, and lawn irrigation contractors on projects that involve the public, need a City of Cleveland licence (master, residential or journeyman), issued through the Contractor Licensing Board on proof of a passed exam, $100,000/$300,000 liability insurance and a $5,000 bond. A new licence costs $75 and renews for $25 by December 31. Holders of a Mississippi State Board of Contractors licence or a reciprocal licence in the same class can register instead for $75 a calendar year. On June 18, 2026 the Contractor Licensing Board approved revisions to the contractor ordinance and recommended them to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, whose July 6, 2026 agenda listed the amendments for approval; ask the department for the current rules.
Homeowners may take out electrical, mechanical, plumbing or gas permits for the home they live in; the City’s guides say all other trade work needs a licensed master contractor.
Documents and review times
Bring a completed building permit application and two sets of plans drawn to scale. Anyone may draw plans for a single-family house if they are to scale and complete, but multi-family and commercial plans must come from a licensed architect or engineer.
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- Application and two sets of scaled plans
- A residential remodeler licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors for work of $10,000 or more, and a state-licensed residential builder for $50,000 or more
- Owner/builder form if you act as your own general contractor (up to two projects a calendar year, on the home you live in or will live in)
- Electrical, mechanical and plumbing plans for new houses
- Review goal: 5 working days, or issued while you wait for simple jobs
Commercial and multi-family
- Application and two sets of plans by a licensed design professional
- A general contractor holding a state Certificate of Responsibility for new construction over 7,500 sq ft or work valued at $50,000 or more
- Licensed subcontractors approved by Community Development
- Review by the Building Official, Fire Inspector and City Engineer
- Review goal: 7–14 working days
How to get a Cleveland permit: 6 steps
Confirm the site is inside the city and check setbacks in Article 6 of the Land Development Ordinance and the zoning map.
A mapped flood hazard area needs a floodplain development permit as well, and a historic resource needs Heritage Commission approval.
Trade contractors must hold a City licence or registered reciprocity before trade permits are issued.
File the building permit application and trade applications online or at 207 E Carpenter Street, with two sets of plans.
When the permit is issued and paid you receive stamped plans and a placard; keep both on site where the inspector can see them.
Book each inspection on 662-843-4601 before any work is covered.
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Call Community Development on 662-843-4601 to schedule, reschedule or cancel an inspection. Building inspections cover the site, footings, foundations, framing, exterior finishes and drywall; electrical inspections cover temporary poles, underground and rough-in work and service panels; gas inspections include pressure testing; plumbing inspections cover under-slab, water and sewer services and rough-in. A final building inspection closes the permit after the trade finals pass.
An application lapses after 180 days with no activity, and an issued permit expires if 180 days pass without an approved inspection; extensions can be requested by phone. A missed scheduled inspection costs $25.
Cleveland rules that shape a project
Flood zones: the City takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program and the Community Rating System, and the Director of Community Development is the floodplain administrator. A floodplain development permit is needed, in addition to the building permit, for any construction or fill in a mapped special flood hazard area. New and substantially improved buildings there need the lowest floor at or above the base flood elevation, and every new or substantially improved building, inside or outside the flood zone, must have its lowest floor at least 6 inches above the centerline of the street unless the administrator accepts the site’s topography.
Historic properties: the Cleveland Heritage Commission reviews construction, alteration, demolition and relocation of landmarks and resources in preservation districts, and properties on the National Register are landmarks under Chapter 42. Demolishing a resource without a certificate of appropriateness bars permits on that property for three years.
Fire district: buildings in the B-1, B-2, B-2H, M-1 and X-1 zoning districts must meet fire district construction rules.
Codes Cleveland enforces
Community Development says the City has adopted and enforces the 2021 International Building, Residential, Existing Building, Fire, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing and Property Maintenance Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code, following an April 1, 2024 board agenda item to advertise and adopt the 2021 codes. The online Code of Ordinances, codified through November 2021, still shows the 2015 codes and 2014 NEC adopted in February 2015.
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Get a free quote →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
Cleveland permit FAQs
How much does a building permit cost in Cleveland, MS?
It is based on project value: $25 up to $1,000, $319 at $50,000, $569 at $100,000 and $769 at $150,000. Trade permits start at a $25 base fee each.
Do I need a permit to re-roof my house in Cleveland?
The City’s residential guide lists re-roofing among the jobs that usually do not need a permit for most houses; fences, sheds, decks, patios and driveways do need one.
Can I be my own contractor?
Yes, for up to two projects a calendar year on a house you live in or are building to live in, after signing the owner/builder form.
How long does plan review take?
The City aims for 5 working days on house permits and 7 to 14 working days on commercial and multi-family projects.
Do electricians and plumbers need a Cleveland licence?
Yes. Electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing contractors (and lawn irrigation contractors on public projects) need a City licence, or must register a state or reciprocal licence in the same class for $75 a year.
How high must a new building sit in Cleveland?
At least 6 inches above the street centerline everywhere in the city, and at or above the base flood elevation in a mapped flood zone.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Official Cleveland permit resources
- Cleveland Department of Community Development
- Cleveland Community Development forms and quick links
- Cleveland online building permit application
- Cleveland permit fee schedule (effective March 7, 2011)
- Cleveland guide to residential permits and inspections
- Cleveland guide to commercial permits and inspections
- Cleveland Code, Chapter 18: building codes and contractor licensing (Municode)
- Cleveland Code, Chapter 34: floods (Municode)
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More Mississippi permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Cleveland permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.