Building in unincorporated Scott County needs a county permit. Call the Scott County Courthouse, 100 East Main Street, Forest (601-469-1926), for the county permit. Morton requires a city building permit for new buildings and for structural alterations costing more than $500.
Who issues building permits in Scott County?
The five-member Board of Supervisors governs the unincorporated county from the courthouse in Forest and meets there; its agendas and meeting dates are posted on the county’s CivicClerk portal. A 2022 state law, House Bill 1163, obliges each county to permit building outside its towns and each town to do so within its limits; a county permit must show the contractor’s material purchase certificate number (or taxpayer identification number) and licence or certificate of responsibility number.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Board of Supervisors | Scott County Courthouse, 100 East Main Street, Forest, MS 39074 (mail: P.O. Box 630); 601-469-1926 |
| Chancery Clerk (land records) | P.O. Box 630, Forest; 601-469-1922; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Tax Assessor and Collector | 100 E. First Street, Forest; 601-469-4051 |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who permits each town in Scott County?
- Morton: under the city’s zoning ordinance (dated September 5, 2019), a building permit is needed to build, move or structurally alter a building when the alteration costs more than $500. A Zoning Officer appointed by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen enforces it. City Hall is at 97 West First Avenue (601-732-6252).
- Forest: the City of Forest, not the county, handles permits for work inside the city.
- Lake and Sebastopol: both towns reach into neighboring counties (Lake into Newton, Sebastopol into Leake); each town handles permits inside its own limits.
Septic systems and contractors
Lots without sewer need an individual onsite wastewater permit from the Mississippi State Department of Health. For the county permit, bring your contractor’s state licence or certificate of responsibility number and the material purchase certificate or taxpayer ID.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →How to get a permit in Scott County
Work out whether it is inside Forest, Morton, Lake or Sebastopol, or in the unincorporated county.
Have the licence or certificate of responsibility number and the material purchase certificate or taxpayer ID ready.
Unincorporated county: call the courthouse in Forest (601-469-1926) for the county permit. Morton: City Hall, with a plot plan and the planned use if the city asks for them.
If there is no sewer, apply to the Mississippi State Department of Health.
Ask for the certificate of occupancy when you apply for the permit; the city issues it within three days of a written request once the work is done.
Certificates of occupancy in Morton
In Morton, no new, rebuilt or enlarged building may be used until the city’s Code Enforcer issues a certificate of occupancy, and the certificate is free. A temporary certificate can be issued for up to six months while work is finished or a building is partly occupied, and a change of use needs a written request at least 10 days ahead.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Flood zones
FEMA lists Scott County, Forest, Lake, Morton and Sebastopol as taking part in the National Flood Insurance Program. The county’s current flood map is dated July 20, 2021, and the four towns’ maps December 17, 2010.
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
Rather not deal with the Scott County building department?
Get a free quote →Official Scott County resources
- Scott County Board of Supervisors meetings and agendas (CivicClerk)
- Scott County Chancery Clerk records portal
- Mississippi Secretary of State: county officials directory (2025)
- House Bill 1163 (2022): county and city construction permits
- City of Morton ordinances
- City of Morton Zoning Ordinance
- FEMA Community Status Book: Mississippi
- Mississippi State Department of Health: onsite wastewater
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Scott County permit FAQs
Do I need a permit to build in unincorporated Scott County?
Yes. Construction outside the four towns needs a county permit. Call the courthouse in Forest (601-469-1926) for it.
What contractor details does the county permit carry?
The contractor’s material purchase certificate number or taxpayer ID, and the contractor’s licence or certificate of responsibility number.
When do I need a building permit in Morton?
To build, move or structurally alter a building; for alterations, when the work costs more than $500.
Does Morton charge for a certificate of occupancy?
No. The zoning ordinance says no fee is charged for a certificate of occupancy.
Who permits septic systems in Scott County?
The state does: onsite wastewater permits are issued by the Mississippi State Department of Health.
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More Mississippi permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Scott County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.