Building permits, zoning and land rules in Baldwin County, Alabama

Baldwin County requires a building permit for construction and for regulated building, electrical, mechanical or plumbing work within the County Building Department's jurisdiction¹. That jurisdiction covers most unincorporated land plus the towns of Elberta, Magnolia Springs and Perdido Beach; Silverhill and Summerdale issue permits in their police-jurisdiction areas, and land inside other city limits goes to that city¹. Inside Foley, the city issues its own building permits¹³. The county enforces building codes that took effect March 5, 2025¹⁴. Required inspections vary by project, and regulated work cannot be covered until each required inspection is approved¹⁵. The owner-builder exemption concerns contractor licensing, not the County permit: the owner must return the exemption form before the permit is issued⁷.

The Baldwin County Building Department issues County building permits and inspects work in its jurisdiction¹⁶. Call 251-580-1695 or use the CitizenServe portal the department links¹⁶. After gathering the required documents, applicants submit through CitizenServe, and most application types can also be filed in person at a County permitting office¹. An application is not a valid permit until its fees are paid and an issue date is posted¹. Zoning questions go to the Baldwin County Planning & Zoning Department at the same number and portal¹⁷. Septic is separate: contact the Baldwin County Health Department at 251-947-3618 or 22251 Palmer Street, P.O. Box 369, Robertsdale, Alabama 36567¹⁸.

Baldwin County administers zoning in portions of unincorporated Baldwin County, and some areas are unzoned and outside the County Commission's planning and zoning authority². Unlike the counties around it in Alabama, Baldwin County has county zoning². Cities zone their own land: Foley, Bay Minette and Elberta each have a zoning ordinance of their own^3,4,5. The County Zoning Ordinance applies only in the county's zoned areas¹². Use the County Parcel Viewer for a parcel's district, then file a Zoning Verification Form in CitizenServe, because published maps may not reflect recent rezoning². In a zoned area, zoning site-plan approval comes before the building permit for a new manufactured home and for a second dwelling or other new structure^1,12. Minimum dwelling size, lot size, setbacks, lot coverage and building height could not be confirmed; ask Planning & Zoning about the parcel's district¹⁷.

The Baldwin County Health Department handles permits for new onsite sewage systems and repairs to existing ones⁶. That holds inside city limits too: septic permits for Bay Minette, Fairhope, Gulf Shores and Elberta go through the health department⁶. Start with a soil test by a registered soils professional, then submit the application, fee and test result to the health department⁶. If testing finds a site restriction, a registered engineer must design the system, and installation starts only after the permit is issued⁶. The licensed installer must contact the health department for inspection before covering the system⁶. Only about 9.2% of Baldwin County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system¹⁹. Where public sewer is unavailable, occupancy on onsite sanitation requires a permitted system, inspection and Approval for Use²⁰.

Baldwin County's rule for long-term RV occupancy on private land could not be confirmed, so ask Planning & Zoning about the verified parcel district before treating an RV as a residence¹⁷. Alabama treats a park model as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use, not as a permanent dwelling; that rule does not create general permission for residential use of an ordinary RV on private land⁸. A countywide tiny-home occupancy rule and minimum dwelling size also could not be confirmed. The County does, however, require zoning site-plan approval before the building permit for a second dwelling in a zoned area¹². For a qualifying manufactured home, Alabama recognizes residential use when required utilities are connected and the home bears a HUD Seal, but County zoning, health and permitting rules still apply²¹.

1. Confirm which government issues the permit and whether the parcel sits in a County-zoned area; use the Parcel Viewer and request zoning verification^1,2.
2. Arrange the soil test and apply to the Baldwin County Health Department for the septic permit before installation⁶.
3. Gather the required documents and submit the building application through CitizenServe or, for most types, in person. If you act as your own builder, return the owner-builder exemption form before the permit is issued^1,7.
4. Get zoning site-plan approval first if the parcel is zoned and the project is a manufactured home, second dwelling or other new structure^1,12.
5. Obtain the electrical permit after the structure permit and before the electric utility connects service¹.
6. Apply for driveway, turnout or culvert approval before work in a County road or right-of-way; temporary construction access can be permitted for up to 180 days after the permanent driveway is approved⁹.
7. Schedule project-specific building inspections and the septic inspection, and do not cover either before approval^6,15.

Check parcel jurisdiction and zoning first, because some unincorporated areas are zoned and others are not². If you plan to divide land, a subdivision with six or more lots and new roads or drainage facilities requires a Sketch Plan, and a division into two parcels of at least 35 acres each can qualify for exemption review¹². Five lots or fewer with no new streets may go through Concurrent Review instead¹². Check road ownership: a driveway, turnout or culvert on a County-maintained road needs a County permit, minor residential driveways carry no fee, and a driveway onto a state highway needs an ALDOT permit using Form BM-111^9,10,22. In a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, the building application must include an Elevation Certificate marked construction drawings, and each permit carries a $75 flood fee¹¹. Test septic feasibility before closing, since only about 9.2% of county soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field¹⁹. The general private-well permit rule could not be confirmed; ask the health department about water and septic plans together¹⁸.