Gulfport building department

Building Code Services is the permitting and inspection arm of Gulfport’s Department of Urban Development. It handles plan review, permits, construction inspections, contractor licensing, and floodplain permitting from the Wm. H. Hardy Building at 1410 24th Avenue. Planning and Zoning ((228) 868-5710) and department administration ((228) 868-5790) work from the same building. City offices are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Submitting an application

Gulfport has no online permit-tracking portal, but it accepts electronic submittals. Each application, with all attachments, must be submitted as a PDF file only. Upload it through the city’s online drop box (a SharePoint upload folder linked from the Building Code Services page), or deliver or mail it to Building Code Services at 1410 24th Avenue. Incomplete or inaccurate submittals slow processing.

Application forms on file include:

• The General Permit Application (version 3/2024), which covers new construction, attached and detached additions, alterations, repairs, fences, demolition, and moving buildings
• Separate electrical, HVAC, plumbing, roof, sign, and tree permit applications
• A Construction Board of Appeals application and a Preliminary Design Review application

The general application needs the contractor’s Gulfport license number and the tax parcel number. Metes-and-bounds parcels also need a deed or survey with the legal description before the permit can be issued.

Plan requirements for one- and two-family homes

House plans and the site plan are submitted electronically as 24” x 36” PDFs at standard scale. The site plan shows:

• Overall property and structure dimensions and distances from property lines to each structure
• Parking and ingress/egress
• Special flood hazard areas, with an elevation certificate when required
• A landscape plan
• Existing and proposed water, sewer, and fire hydrant locations

The drainage plan shows existing and proposed grades and the direction of surface flow. The finished floor must be at least 1 foot above the crown of the road or 1 foot above the base flood elevation. Foundation details cover footing and pier dimensions, rebar placement and laps, 28-day concrete strength, fill courses, vapor barrier, and foundation ventilation.

Commercial plans

Commercial site and civil plans must be sealed by a Mississippi-licensed design professional and submitted the same way (24” x 36” PDF). They must show parking, truck loading, setbacks, fire lanes, easements, fences, dumpsters, landscaped areas and buffer strips, and flood-zone elevation certificates. A lighting plan is required for parking facilities with 10 or more spaces. The Planning Division assigns the street address.

Building permit fees

The Building Permit Fee Schedule adds a $30 base fee to a valuation-based permit fee:

Valuation	Permit fee (plus $30 base)
Up to $1,001	$24
$9,002-$10,001	$60
$49,002-$50,001	$220
$99,002-$100,001	$420
Up to $500,001	$24 for the first $1,000 + $4 per additional $1,000
Over $500,001	$2,020 for the first $500,000 + $3.20 per additional $1,000

Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits have their own fee schedules, posted alongside the building schedule.

Re-roofing in a high-wind city

Gulfport treats the entire city as a high-wind area. Residential neighborhoods are in the 160 mph (3-second gust) design wind zone. The city’s re-roofing guide, which references the 2018 IRC and IBC, requires:

• Asphalt shingles tested to ASTM D7158 Class H, with at least 6 nails per shingle, installed per the bundle-wrapper instructions (inspectors check the wrapper)
• Metal roofing of at least 26 gauge, rated for 160 mph, on battens at least 1½” thick
• Metal drip edge on all eaves and rakes, and 4” x 4” step flashing on every course
• Only one layer of roof covering; no overlays
• Decking nailed 4” on edges and 6” in the field. If more than 50% of the decking is replaced, all of it must be replaced or brought into IEBC compliance.

Repairs of one square (100 sq ft) or less count as maintenance and need no permit. Anything larger needs a permit, and any decking repair needs a permit and a nailing inspection. Final inspections are required on all residential and commercial roofs, and the permit card must be visible from the street.

City contractor license

The Gulfport license number requested on permit applications comes from the city’s contractor license application. It must be notarized and filed in the name of the qualifying party. It requires:

• Proof of any Mississippi State Board of Contractors license
• Liability insurance of $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate, with completed-operations coverage and the city listed as certificate holder
• A business privilege license from the home jurisdiction and a photo ID
• A $100 fee, waived for holders of an MSBOC Certificate of Responsibility
• Five reference letters to the Building Official, required only for applicants without a state license

An optional notarized letter can authorize others to pull permits and call in inspections for the qualifier.

Flood zones

Gulfport faces flooding from the Biloxi River, from Turkey Creek and Flat Branch, and from localized drainage pockets. Any building, alteration, grade change, or fill in a Special Flood Hazard Area needs Building Code Services approval first. Building Code Services and the Planning Division provide free flood-zone determinations, including FIRM panel and base flood elevation, and keep elevation certificates on file; call (228) 868-5790 with the parcel number. Public Works and Engineering ((228) 868-5740) will visit a property at no charge to review a drainage problem. Dumping in ditches violates city Ordinance 4-143. Report construction without a posted permit to (228) 868-5715.