Simpson County, Mississippi Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Simpson County, new homes, commercial buildings and remodeling projects need a building permit from the county’s Community Development Department (601-675-2366), and a manufactured home needs its permit before it is moved onto the land. Every general, electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractor must also hold an annual county contractor permit: $50 a year, a $5,000 performance bond and proof of insurance. A manufactured home permit costs $500.

Who issues building permits in Simpson County?

The Simpson County Community Development Department handles permits for the unincorporated county. Its director is Daniel Ferguson. The department says building permits are required for all new commercial and residential buildings and for remodeling projects, and that manufactured homes need a permit before they are placed. It also issues the county’s annual contractor permits and its hauling permits. A Simpson County Building Inspector inspects manufactured home set-ups before the power is released.

Who permits each town in Simpson County?

• Magee: the City’s Building Department reviews plans, issues permits and inspects. It enforces the 2021 International Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code, adopted by the Board of Aldermen on August 15, 2023. City Hall is at 123 Main Avenue North (City Clerk 601-849-3344); the building inspector’s line is 601-503-3927.
• Mendenhall: under the city’s zoning ordinance (amended September 2002), building permits are issued by the city official the Mayor and Board of Aldermen designate, at fees the board sets. City Hall is at 172 West Maud Avenue (601-847-1212), open 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.
• Braxton: the town says its building permits and inspections are handled through the Simpson County Community Development Department.
• D’Lo: the published sources do not say who issues building permits in the town; ask the Town of D’Lo.

Contractors and trade work

Simpson County registers contractors rather than issuing separate trade permits. Every general contractor, HVAC installer, electrician and plumber who works in the county must file a contractor permit with Community Development and renew it each year. The county’s requirements sheet sets these conditions:

• A $5,000 performance bond in favor of Simpson County and a $50 annual fee to the building department.
• General liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence.
• A Mississippi State Board of Contractors licence for new residential construction over $50,000, and for residential remodeling, additions or roofing over $10,000.
• The general, electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors must each come to the office and sign the permit application before the permit is issued.

For a manufactured home, an electrician hired for the hook-up must be licensed and bonded with Simpson County and sign the application too. Septic systems on lots without sewer need the Mississippi State Department of Health’s Form 335 site evaluation before the county permit, and its final Form 910 before the county releases permanent power.

Simpson County permit fees

Ask Community Development for the building permit fee for your project before you apply.

What to bring for a building permit

The application form also has boxes for three sets of plans, foundation plans, a homeowner waiver and an elevation certificate where required, a haul bond and a lot registration form. Its section for shops, sheds and storage buildings calls for engineered plans for a metal building of 1,500 sq ft or more, or for trusses.

How to get a Simpson County permit

Manufactured home inspection

The county’s Building Inspector will not release power to a manufactured home until these items are done and inspected:

• The State Fire Marshal’s inspection, with its decal fixed to the home before skirting (Fire Marshal, 601-359-1061)
• Skirting around the whole base in brick, masonry, lattice or an approved product; one section at the back may stay open for the air conditioner
• Front and back doorsteps with handrails
• Electrical work from the meter base to the home
• House numbers or a numbered mailbox
• A hard-surfaced driveway of gravel or asphalt from the road
• The Health Department’s Form 910 if the home is on a septic system

Other Simpson County details

Flood zones: the county’s manufactured home sheet tells applicants to check the FEMA flood map, as land in a special flood hazard area needs extra paperwork, and the building application asks for an elevation certificate where required. FEMA lists Simpson County and all four towns in the National Flood Insurance Program. Inside Magee, the City’s permit packet says it imposes 2 feet of freeboard above the base flood elevation.

Logging: the county publishes a separate logging permit form on its Community Development page.

Magee plan review: the City says most residential reviews are finished within five working days and commercial reviews can take up to two weeks.

Building code in Simpson County

Simpson County’s building and manufactured home sheets say all construction must comply with county and state law and the 2021 International Building Codes. Magee enforces the 2021 International Codes and the 2020 National Electrical 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

Official Simpson County resources

• Simpson County Community Development Department
• Simpson County building permit requirements
• Simpson County building permit application
• Simpson County manufactured home requirements
• Simpson County permits and zoning contacts
• Simpson County Board of Supervisors
• City of Magee permits and licenses
• City of Magee building permit application and policies
• City of Mendenhall
• Town of Braxton building permits
• FEMA Community Status Book: Mississippi
• Mississippi State Department of Health: onsite wastewater

Simpson County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in unincorporated Simpson County?

The Simpson County Community Development Department (601-675-2366), which also handles permits for the Town of Braxton.

Do I need a permit to remodel?

Yes. The county requires building permits for all new residential and commercial buildings and for remodeling projects.

How much is a manufactured home permit in Simpson County?

$500, and the home must be registered with the Tax Assessor for $2. The permit is needed before the home is moved onto the property.

Do contractors have to register with the county?

Yes. General contractors, electricians, plumbers and HVAC installers need an annual county contractor permit: a $50 fee, a $5,000 performance bond and at least $300,000 of general liability insurance.

When will the county release power to a new home?

After the final Form 910 from the Health Department for a septic system, and for a manufactured home after the county inspection of skirting, steps, wiring, address numbers and driveway.

Who issues permits in Magee and Mendenhall?

Each city issues its own: Magee through its Building Department (building inspector 601-503-3927; City Hall 601-849-3344) and Mendenhall through City Hall (601-847-1212).

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