In unincorporated Panola County, the Land Development Office (245 Eureka Street, Batesville; 662-563-6313) issues building permits, inspects construction and issues the certificate of occupancy. A new house costs $0.30 per heated square foot with a $250 minimum, plus $75 for each electrical, plumbing and HVAC permit, and home builders and every trade subcontractor must hold a Mississippi State Board of Contractors licence. Batesville and Sardis run their own code offices.
What needs a county permit in Panola County?
The county’s residential construction ordinance requires a building permit for all residential construction, alteration, repair or improvement in the unincorporated county, and separate county rules cover other buildings:
Homes
- New site-built houses (no new residence under 500 heated sq ft)
- Additions, alterations and repairs; remodelers need a permit when the work exceeds $10,000
- Manufactured and modular homes, including the pier foundation
- Tiny houses and shed-to-home conversions
- Electrical, plumbing and HVAC sub-permits on every residential job
Other work
- Shops and storage buildings of any size, site-built or prefabricated
- Commercial construction and site work
- Any development in a special flood hazard area
- Temporary RV or camper use
- Driveway culverts on county roads and E-911 addresses
Who issues building permits in Panola County?
The Land Development Office is the county’s issuing authority for construction permits and enforces its building, zoning and flood ordinances in the unincorporated area. Chad Meek is the Building Official, and under the 2020 flood ordinance he is also the county’s floodplain administrator. The Panola County Planning Commission, whose applications go through the same office, must authorize new businesses, subdivisions, rezonings, variances, cell towers and solar farms.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 245 Eureka Street, Batesville, MS 38606 |
| Phone | 662-563-6313 |
| Permit desk | permitdesk@panolacoms.com |
| Building Official / Floodplain Manager | Chad Meek |
| Filing | In person; licensed subcontractors may pay trade permits by phone |
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| Place | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Batesville (city, 7,325) | City Code Office, 146 Public Square, 662-563-6621 (Monday–Friday 7:00–4:00); Chief Building Official and Floodplain Administrator Andy Berryhill; 2012 International codes and 2011 NEC; building, electrical, plumbing, gas, mechanical, demolition, sign, pool and floodplain permits |
| Sardis (1,670) | The town’s own building official under the 2021 International codes and 2011 NEC adopted in its code; building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fence permit applications are on the Town’s Forms page, and the town inspector also inspects electrical, gas and sewer connections. City Hall 662-487-2371 |
| Como (1,064) | The published sources do not say; ask Como City Hall, 103 Main Street (662-526-9647) |
| Courtland (483) and Pope (261) | The published sources do not say; ask the town clerk |
| Crenshaw (495 in Panola) and Crowder (240 in Panola) | Both towns straddle the county line; the published sources do not say who permits there, so ask the town |
Contractor licences and trade permits
Panola County requires a Mississippi State Board of Contractors licence for anyone in the business of building homes in the county and for remodelers on jobs over $10,000. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and mechanical subcontractors must hold a state licence however small the job, and each pulls an individual $75 permit for every residential project. Copies of all licences go to the Land Development Office before the permit is issued, and the builder lists every licensed subcontractor.
Owners may act as their own general contractor for their own home, but only one house in a one-year period after a certificate of occupancy, and they must still use licensed subcontractors for the electrical, plumbing and HVAC work. Licensed subcontractors can pay for their permits by phone (662-563-6313); general contractors pay in person by check, card or cash.
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| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| New house, addition or residential improvement | $0.30 per heated sq ft, $250 minimum |
| Electrical, plumbing or HVAC sub-permit | $75 each |
| Re-inspection | $100, paid before the certificate of occupancy |
| Shop or storage building | $0.15 per sq ft of roofed area, $100 minimum |
| Commercial building | $0.40 per sq ft (resolution dated October 5, 2026) |
| Manufactured or modular home | $0.30 per sq ft |
| Tiny house | $0.30 per heated sq ft, $250 minimum |
| Temporary RV or camper permit | $151, renewal $151 |
| County inspection of an existing septic system | $125 |
| Special exception or variance | $100 |
| Rezoning (property reclassification) | $750 |
| Minor subdivision / major subdivision | $100 plus $25 per lot / $100 plus $3 per lot |
| Cell tower or solar farm | $3,500 |
For example, a house with 1,800 heated square feet costs $540 for the building permit plus $225 for the three trade permits, $765 in all. Permit fees are not refundable.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to bring to the Land Development Office
New house or tiny house
- Copy of the recorded deed
- Building plans or floor plan with layout and dimensions
- State licences of the general contractor and the electrical, plumbing and HVAC subcontractors
- Site plan showing the 50-foot front, 15-foot side and 20-foot rear setbacks
- Lot of at least 1 acre and 150 feet wide on public water, or 1.5 acres on a well
Manufactured home
- Deed and the original sales purchase agreement showing serial number, year, make and size
- Landlord waiver and consent for rented land, or the owner’s consent form for family land
- Home no more than 20 years old when the permit is bought
- Licensed installer; poured concrete piers 12 x 12 inches and 24 inches deep with a PVC pipe for the inspector
- Steps, a landing at least 3 x 3 feet and handrails at every entrance
Shop permits need certified dimensions so the roofed area can be calculated. Commercial projects go to the Planning Commission first; its applications need the deed, a written description, hours of operation and parking, and any site plan or engineered drawings, filed at least three weeks before the meeting on the second Monday of the month, held alternately at the Batesville and Sardis courthouses.
How to get a Panola County building permit: 6 steps
Batesville, Sardis and the other incorporated places handle their own limits.
Check lot size, setbacks, zoning and flood zone with the Land Development Office (662-563-6313) before buying a home or shed.
New homes need a septic system designed and approved by the Mississippi State Department of Health; an existing system must pass a county ($125) or state inspection.
Bring the deed, plans and licences to 245 Eureka Street; the office reviews the plans and site plan before any work begins.
Pay the permit and trade fees; the office assigns the E-911 address, which must be posted at the site.
Request each inspection as the work reaches it; permanent power is released only after the final inspection and certificate of occupancy.
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A new site-built home is inspected at footings (before concrete), plumbing rough-in (with water in the PVC drain lines for testing), slab or floor, framing (with roofing and sheathing complete), mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-in, insulation before drywall, and final. Request each one through the Land Development Office and do not cover work until it passes. At final, grading, safety railings and fixtures must be complete and the E-911 address posted.
The certificate of occupancy is issued only after the final inspection is approved and the sewer system is installed and connected; the home cannot be occupied, and permanent electric service will not be released to Entergy or Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association, until then. Temporary power is allowed once the permit is issued. Failed inspections cost $100 per re-inspection.
Local rules that matter in Panola County
Flood zones: under the county’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance of December 14, 2020, the lowest floor of houses, manufactured homes and non-residential buildings in a special flood hazard area must be 3 feet above the base flood elevation, with heating, cooling and electrical equipment also 3 feet above it. An elevation certificate from a licensed surveyor or engineer is required before the permit is issued, and enclosed areas below that level may be used only for parking, access or storage with flood vents.
New businesses: every new business in the unincorporated county needs Planning Commission approval of a special exception before it opens.
Driveways: culvert applications for county roads are made in person; the county provides one culvert per occupied homestead. On state highways such as Highways 6, 51 and 35, apply to the Mississippi Department of Transportation District 2 office in Batesville (662-563-4541).
RVs and campers: an RV may be lived in temporarily for up to 156 days a year with a county permit held by the landowner, and must be connected to an approved sewer system; RVs cannot be used as rentals or permanent homes.
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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
Official Panola County resources
- Panola County Land Development Office
- Panola County new home construction: fees, inspections, lot rules
- Panola County residential construction licensing ordinance
- Panola County shop and non-residential permits (effective December 8, 2025)
- Panola County commercial construction permitting
- Panola County manufactured home permits
- Panola County flood zone permits
- Panola County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (2020)
- Panola County Planning Commission and application fees
- Panola County Land Development Office contacts
- Panola County Board of Supervisors meeting portal
- City of Batesville Code Office
- Town of Sardis Code Chapter 8, Buildings
- Town of Sardis permit application forms
- Mississippi State Department of Health: On-Site Wastewater
- Mississippi Insurance Department: Mississippi Uniform Building Codes
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Panola County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Panola County?
The Panola County Land Development Office (662-563-6313) for unincorporated land; the City of Batesville Code Office (662-563-6621) inside Batesville; and the Town of Sardis inside Sardis.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Panola County?
$0.30 per heated square foot with a $250 minimum, plus $75 for each electrical, plumbing and HVAC permit. An 1,800 sq ft house comes to $765.
Can I build my own house?
Yes, as an owner-contractor for your own home, one house per year, but the electrical, plumbing and HVAC work must be done by state-licensed subcontractors.
Do I need a permit for a shed or shop?
Yes. Any new shop or storage building needs a permit at $0.15 per sq ft of roofed area, with a $100 minimum.
Which building code does Panola County use?
The Land Development Office lists the 2012 International Residential Code as its adopted code.
How high must I build in a flood zone?
The lowest floor must be 3 feet above the base flood elevation, shown on an elevation certificate before the permit is issued.
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More Mississippi permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Panola County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.