County Building Permits
Clarke County, MS - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Clarke County, Mississippi. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
All unincorporated properties within Clarke County, not within incorporated city or town limits.
- Department
- Clarke County Board of Supervisors / Clarke County Clerk's Office
- Address
- 100 East Church Street, Quitman, MS 39355
- Phone
- (601) 776-5873
- admin@clarkecountyms.gov
Application Process
- Contact Clarke County Clerk's Office or Board of Supervisors office to determine if your project requires a permit
- Obtain permit application form from the office
- Complete application with project details, property information, and contractor information
- Submit application with required documentation in person
- Application review and approval/denial
- Obtain building permit before construction begins
- Schedule inspections as required
- Final approval upon completion
Typical processing time: Contact county office for processing time estimates
General Requirements
Building permits required for new construction, additions, structural modifications, demolition, septic system installation/repair, and land development
Required Documents
- Completed permit application
- Property information
- Contractor information
- Project plans and drawings (as required)
- Permit validity
- Contact county office for permit validity period
- Building code
- Clarke County has not adopted a mandatory statewide building code. Contact Board of Supervisors for specific code edition information.
- Owner-builder
- Contact county office for owner-builder requirements
- Contractor requirements
- Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) license required for commercial projects exceeding $50,000 or residential projects exceeding $10,000
Fees
- Payment note
- Contact county office for current permit fee schedule and payment methods
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Clarke County Board of Supervisors / Clarke County Clerk's Office to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Clarke County Clerk's Office: (601) 776-2126 (phone)
- Scheduling deadline
- Contact county office for scheduling procedures
- Inspection hours
- Contact county office for hours of operation
- Time windows
- Contact county office for inspection availability windows
Typical inspection sequence: Standard inspection stages: foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing/mechanical, final approval
Additional Resources
- Building code: Clarke County has not adopted a mandatory statewide building code. Contact Board of Supervisors for specific code edition information.
- Verify contractor license: Mississippi State Board of Contractors License Lookup
- MDEQ Stormwater Program
- FEMA Flood Map Search
- License lookup guide: Mississippi Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Mississippi Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Mississippi hub: Mississippi Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Clarke County Board of Supervisors / Clarke County Clerk's Office before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Clarke County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Clarke County, MS?
- Building permits required for new construction, additions, structural modifications, demolition, septic system installation/repair, and land development
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Clarke County, MS?
- 1. Contact Clarke County Clerk's Office or Board of Supervisors office to determine if your project requires a permit 2. Obtain permit application form from the office 3. Complete application with project details, property information, and contractor information 4. Submit application with required documentation in person 5. Application review and approval/denial 6. Obtain building permit before construction begins 7. Schedule inspections as required 8. Final approval upon completion
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Clarke County, MS?
- Typical processing time is Contact county office for processing time estimates.
- What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Clarke County, MS?
- The following work is generally exempt: Farm structures may qualify for exemptions under Mississippi Code § 17-2-7 (exemptions do not apply to floodplain management ordinances). Note: Exemptions from building permit do not mean exemptions from zoning, planning, floodplain, or MDEQ stormwater requirements. Contact county office for clarification.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Clarke County, MS?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: Clarke County Clerk's Office: (601) 776-2126. Contact county office for scheduling procedures.
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