Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Headland, Alabama

Headland’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Residential and commercial new construction, additions, remodels, roof work, window replacement, accessory structures, pole barns, detached garages, gutter installation, and siding/brick work inside Headland city limits.

  • The City page separately identifies permits for swimming pools, manufactured portable buildings, mobile homes, fences, signs, temporary displays, and demolition.
  • Permit payment may be made by cash, check, or credit card.

  “The City of Headland requires building and signage permits for various reasons and can be acquired through the City of Headland office.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Headland city limits, Henry County, Alabama.

  • Zoning requests must be processed with the Director of Planning and Development before placement of rezone signs and notifications.

  “Zoning requests must be processed with the Director of Planning and Development prior to placement of Rezone Signs and Notifications.”

• Shed and accessory-building permit exemptionNot available (with conditions)

  Accessory structures inside Headland city limits.

  • The published City permit list includes accessory structures among work required for residential and commercial permits.

  “Required for Residential and Commercial: [...] Accessory Structures”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Headland city limits.

  • Applicants may contact the Director of Planning and Development.
  • The City publishes links to residential and commercial building-permit applications.

  “How do I obtain a Building Permit? Contact David Riley, Director of Planning and Development, at 334-785-5600 option #3 or permits@headlandalabama.org.”

Rules another office applies inside Headland

Headland does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  Onsite sewage systems inside Headland city limits when the property is not served by public sanitary sewer.

  • An application is submitted to the local county health department.
  • The Henry County Health Department directs septic-tank requests to its Environmental Office.

  “The Soil and Onsite Sewage Branch's main objective is to coordinate the onsite sewage program in the county health departments.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Off-grid onsite sewage disposal for land inside Headland city limits where city sewage disposal is unavailable.

  • The property must be evaluated for suitability and the owner must obtain an onsite sewage Permit to Install before construction.
  • Some sites are not suitable for septic systems.

  “If it is not, you will be required to have the soil tested to see if the soil is suitable for the installation of an onsite sewage disposal system (septic tank system).”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Headland or Henry County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Headland city limits.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Headland city limits.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Headland city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Headland city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts inside Headland city limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.