Tupelo building department

Tupelo routes every construction, land-use, rental, and commercial-occupancy permit through the Department of Development Services on the third floor of City Hall, 71 East Troy Street. The department has four divisions: Permitting (intake, contractor licensing, inspection scheduling), Building (construction oversight and site plan review), Planning and Zoning, and Code Enforcement. There is no online permit portal. Applications go by email to [email protected] or are dropped off in person, and fees are paid by mail or in person.

The recorded-deed rule

Every Tupelo application needs a completed form and a current recorded deed. If the applicant is not the owner, a lease and the owner’s permission are also required. The city will not approve a permit without the deed. Projects cannot cross parcel lines, so multiple parcels have to be merged first.

Residential construction permits

The Residential Construction application covers new homes, additions, and renovations, plus outbuildings, swimming pools, garages, and storm shelters. Review takes up to 10 business days, and corrections can add up to 10 more days. Required attachments include:

• The recorded deed (and lease and owner permission if applicable)
• A minor site plan showing lot dimensions, existing and proposed setbacks, structures, driveways, utilities, structure heights, and the storm-water discharge point
• City of Tupelo privilege licenses for the contractor and every subcontractor
• State contractor licenses for work valued at $50,000 or more
• A general contractor surety bond, or an Authorization to Act as Owner’s Agent if the owner pulls the permit
• A flood elevation certificate, geotechnical report, overlay or Certificate of Appropriateness review, or MDEQ demolition notice where applicable

No construction permit is issued until the licenses for the general contractor and all subcontractors are on file. The Permitting Division also has a Homeowner Exemption Form for owners doing their own work.

Site plan details that catch applicants

• Slab or pad height above grade is measured from the storm-water discharge point or the road centerline. Anything more than 12 inches above grade needs special approval.
• Driveways may be no wider than 25% of lot frontage.
• Fences need a picture and a site plan, and the application asks for side, front, and rear fence heights.
• Multifamily housing with three or more units on one parcel needs a commercial construction permit, pre-development approval, and major site plan approval from the Planning Committee and City Council.
• The address number has to be posted on both the mailbox and the structure.

Fees

Construction fees are based on project value. For new work and additions, value comes from the ICC 2018 Valuation Schedule. For renovations, it comes from a signed contract or invoice. Flat application fees from the department’s 2025 fee schedule include:

Application	Fee
Accessory use (driveway, porch, patio, balcony, flagpole)	$25
Wall and fence permit	$35
Contractor’s application	$25
Demolition	$100 entire structure; $50 interior only
Land development (clearing, grading, fill, drainage, curb cut)	$50
Moving a building	$100
Commercial certificate of occupancy	$100
Temporary commercial certificate of occupancy	$75
Residential rental registration	$25 per unit per year
Certificate of Appropriateness (historic district)	$25
Rezoning	$200
Zoning verification letter	$25

The residential application lists base trade fees of $15 each for electrical, gas, plumbing, and sewer and $20 for mechanical, plus per-item charges such as $2 per 220-volt circuit and $2 per gas opening.

Residential certificate of occupancy reinspections

The first residential CO inspection is free. Failed inspections then cost $50 for the first reinspection, $100 for the second, $200 for the third, and $400 for the fourth.

Inspections and occupancy

The Permitting Division schedules inspections at (662) 841-6510. The applicant has to request final inspections from each required department, and the final certificate of occupancy is issued only after all of them pass. Rental units must be registered, licensed, and inspected before they receive a CO. Construction must comply with the Tupelo Development Code, the ICC code series, the ICC/ANSI A117.1 accessibility standard, and the electrical code.

Commercial and land development

No land development is allowed in Tupelo without both a Commercial Construction application and a Land Development application filed with the Building Division. The Building Division’s site plan review team meets on Thursdays. The division also administers the Tupelo Licensing Commission and the blight and demolition program. Preliminary plans can be sent to the Building Division for an early look.

Planning, zoning, and overlay districts

Pre-development meetings with Planning and Zoning are mandatory for compatible-use and flexible-use reviews, variances, and subdivisions. Work in an overlay district or the Downtown overlay needs a $25 overlay review. Work in the Mill Village historic district needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. The residential application flags overlay districts, suspect soils, and flood zones as conditions that require an additional form.