Mobile County building department

Mobile County Inspection Services handles plan review, permits, and inspections in unincorporated Mobile County. It enforces the county’s adopted building codes and its Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance. Inspection Services is part of Mobile County Public Works. The office is at 1110 Schillinger Road N. and is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The county’s permit program dates to Hurricane Frederick in 1979. After that storm, the County Commission expanded permitting from the federal flood zone to all of unincorporated Mobile County. The codes were first set by a resolution adopted January 12, 1981.

County or city?

Mobile County has 11 municipalities:

• Bayou La Batre
• Chickasaw
• Citronelle
• Creola
• Dauphin Island
• Mobile
• Prichard
• Mt. Vernon
• Saraland
• Satsuma
• Semmes

Several of them handle permitting, including land disturbance, building permits, and address assignment, in their own extraterritorial jurisdictions as well. Maps of those areas are on the county GIS site.

There is no zoning in unincorporated Mobile County. For official written confirmation, send the parcel or key number to the Engineering Department’s development office ([email protected], 251-574-8595).

What needs a permit

The county says almost any residential or commercial work requires a permit. The listed exceptions are:

• Cosmetic work: painting, redecorating, new countertops or cabinets, and swapping light fixtures, ceiling fans, or equipment with no rewiring
• Fences 7 feet or less in height

All work in a county right of way needs a separate Right of Way Encroachment Permit, including driveways, utility, and drainage work. It is applied for through the county’s OpenGov portal.

What to submit

The county’s “Information required for obtaining a building permit” sheet (July 1, 2026) asks for:

1. Plans: one set of code-compliant building plans.
2. Site sketch: a property diagram showing existing and new structures and approximate distances to property lines.
3. Health Department approval (251-634-9801):
   • Septic: a perk number or proof of installation for a new dwelling, or approval for adding bedrooms or an RV.
   • Public sewer: a lateral number.
4. Contact information for the owner, the contractor, and the designer. Include copies of the contractor’s general contractor, county business, home builders, and trade licenses.
5. A deed, if the address can’t be verified.
6. Flood elevation: a current flood elevation certificate, or a waiver from the Flood Plain Administrator, if the site is in a flood zone.

Review time. Plan review takes 5 to 10 working days for both residential and commercial projects.

Commercial projects also need:

• a $100 plan review fee, paid at submittal
• sealed COMcheck reports
• a Statement of Special Inspections
• a life safety plan

Electronic plan review. The county accepts electronic submittals for both residential and commercial permits through its Electronic Plan Review (EPR) website.

Homeowners who hire subcontractors. If you pull the permit yourself and hire subcontractors, file the Homeowner’s Contractor List. It is due within 15 days of permitting and before the first inspection, at [email protected]. It lists each contractor’s county and state license numbers and job cost.

Fees (effective July 1, 2026)

Fees for a new structure are “all inclusive”: one fee covers building, electrical, energy, mechanical, and plumbing. Separate trade permits are issued only when one trade works alone, such as an HVAC change-out.

Permit	Fee
New conditioned house or addition (1–2 family)	$25 + $0.62 per sq ft, $225 minimum
Unconditioned accessory building	$5 + 0.5% of contract cost, $175 minimum
Re-roof	$5 + 0.5% of contract cost, $55 minimum
Other residential work	$5 + 0.5% of contract cost, $55 minimum
Sidewalk or driveway in public right of way	$55
Residential re-inspection	$25
Commercial new construction or addition	0.6% of contract cost, $200 minimum; includes the state craft training fee
Commercial after-hours inspection (up to 4 hours)	$200

Minimum valuations. The county applies minimum values when calculating fees:

• new homes: $125 per sq ft under roof
• residential additions: $100 per sq ft, or the contract cost
• unconditioned accessory structures: $30 per sq ft
• conditioned accessory structures: $60 per sq ft

Penalties for working without a permit. The fee is doubled for a first offense, tripled for a second, and quadrupled after that. Offenses are counted per calendar year.

Permit term and refunds. Permits are valid for one year and can be re-permitted for 5% to 50% of the original fee. Fees are not refunded after any inspection, and cancellation costs $100.

Codes

The County Commission adopted new codes by resolution, effective July 1, 2026. The county’s commercial code summary lists:

• the 2024 IBC, IMC, IPC, IFC, and IEBC
• the 2023 National Electrical Code
• the 2015 IECC
• the 2013 Mobile County Coastal Construction Supplement

Engineers must seal mechanical plans for buildings over 2,500 sq ft. The county also requires that equipment exposed to high wind loads have tie-down details. Designers should get the county’s current local amendments before submitting.

Records

The county is not required to keep residential blueprints for more than 90 days after a certificate of occupancy is issued. Keep your own copy of your plans. Septic records and plumbing inspection records from before 2016 are held by the Mobile County Health Department. Mobile County has no countywide fire department, so fire reports come from the local department that covers the address.