Bolthole Index

Jefferson County, Alabama

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Homewood, Alabama

Homewood, Alabama has its own zoning ordinance with published districts1, and the city's Inspections & Permits department handles building permits for work inside city limits2. Zoning questions go to the city's Engineering & Zoning department3. We could not confirm who handles septic permits inside Homewood; Jefferson County Department of Health regulates onsite sewage disposal in the county4.

At a glance

Building permits
Issued by the City of Homewood's Inspections & Permits department2
Zoning
City zoning ordinance with published districts; reviewed by Engineering & Zoning13
Floodplain
City floodplain ordinance covers all development in special flood hazard areas5
Septic
Jefferson County Department of Health regulates onsite systems in the county; Homewood-specific rule not confirmed4
Camping on public land
Prohibited without a permit6
RV or tiny-home living on private land
Not confirmed; ask Engineering & Zoning3
Property tax
Jefferson County effective rate of 0.6%7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Homewood Inspections & Permits

Plan review, building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and gas permits, Certificates of Occupancy and inspections inside Homewood

205-332-6800

2850 19th St. S.

Zoning

City of Homewood Engineering & Zoning

Zoning review, variances, rezoning, tree and fence permits, Board of Zoning Adjustment and Planning Commission applications

205-332-6800

2850 19th St. S.

Septic permits

Jefferson County Department of Health - Community Environmental Protection Division

Onsite sewage disposal (septic) permits for Jefferson County

205-930-1230

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Homewood means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Homewood, Alabama have zoning?

Yes. Homewood's own zoning ordinance sets use rules by district, and a blank cell in a district's use table means the use is not permitted1. The published districts include C-1 through C-5, I-1 through I-3, PCD-1, PCD-2, M-1, PI, PMUD, MXD, EURD, GURD and LPD, and West Homewood has its own use table8.

The city's Engineering & Zoning department reviews zoning permits and takes variance and rezoning applications, and it staffs the Board of Zoning Adjustment and the Planning Commission3. For any specific lot, use the city's interactive zoning map or ask the department for a zoning verification letter.

We could not confirm Homewood's residential lot sizes, setbacks, minimum dwelling size or accessory-dwelling rules, so confirm them with Engineering & Zoning before you commit to a purchase.

Do you need a building permit in Homewood, and who issues it?

Inside Homewood city limits, building permits come from the City of Homewood's Inspections & Permits department, which also handles plan review, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and gas permits, Certificates of Occupancy and inspections2. Fence permits and tree permits go through Engineering & Zoning3.

Jefferson County's building permit rules cover unincorporated land only9. If the parcel is outside city limits, use the Jefferson County page instead. We could not confirm which building code edition Homewood has adopted or its permit fee schedule, so ask the Director of Inspections & Permits at the city's main number.

How do septic permits work in Homewood?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside Homewood city limits. The Jefferson County Department of Health regulates and inspects onsite sewage disposal in Jefferson County4, and a county building permit there is issued only after the health department issues the onsite sewage construction permit10.

A lot already served by public sewer would not normally need a septic system, but we found no Homewood rule that settles whether a given lot must connect. Call the Community Environmental Protection Division of the Jefferson County Department of Health11, and ask Inspections & Permits2 whether sewer service reaches the address.

What does Homewood's floodplain ordinance require?

Homewood regulates all development in its special flood hazard areas, including new construction, substantial improvements and repairs to repetitive-loss structures5. Where base flood elevation data exists, homes must be built with the lowest floor at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation, and in zone A areas without that data the lowest enclosed floor must sit at least 3 feet above the highest adjacent grade5.

Manufactured homes in a flood hazard area generally need a permanent foundation with the lowest floor at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation, securely anchored12. Jefferson County's floodplain office covers unincorporated land and a few other cities, and Homewood is not on that list13; ask the City of Homewood's Inspections & Permits department about a specific property.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Homewood?

We could not confirm any Homewood rule that allows or prohibits living in an RV or a tiny home on private land. Engineering & Zoning is the office to ask, because the answer would depend on the lot's zoning district3.

One rule is clear: camping on public property inside Homewood is unlawful without a permit from the authorizing authority, and the permit must be displayed at the campsite6.

Jefferson County's temporary-RV rule during home construction applies to unincorporated land, not to land inside Homewood14.

Building a home in Homewood: the steps, in order

  1. Ask Engineering & Zoning for the lot's zoning district and any variance needs, and book a pre-application meeting if the project is not routine3.
  2. Check the lot against the floodplain ordinance before designing the foundation5.
  3. Confirm sewer or septic with the Jefferson County Department of Health and the city11.
  4. Apply for building permits with Inspections & Permits, which also schedules inspections and issues the Certificate of Occupancy2.
  5. If you act as your own builder, Alabama's owner-builder exemption covers one-family and two-family homes you will occupy and not offer for sale15.

What stays with Jefferson County (and what to check before you buy)

Septic and onsite sewage regulation sit with the Jefferson County Department of Health4. A driveway onto a county-maintained road needs an access application to the Jefferson County Department of Roads and Transportation, including roads inside municipalities that the county maintains16. Driveways onto an Alabama state highway need a state permit17.

Jefferson County's effective property tax rate is 0.6%7. Outside city limits the county's own zoning and building rules apply instead, so use the Jefferson County page for unincorporated land.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Homewood's adopted building code edition, permit fees, owner-builder rules, or residential lot-size and setback standards; ask the Director of Inspections & Permits and the Zoning Administrator at the city's main number2.
  • Camping on public property inside Homewood requires a permit that must be displayed at the campsite6.
  • Jefferson County's zoning and building rules apply to unincorporated land only; inside Homewood the city's rules apply instead18.

Sources

  1. Homewood Code, Appendix A, Article IV, Sec. FF, Permitted uses for non-residential districts (Homewood), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Homewood Inspections & Permits (cityofhomewood.com)
  3. City of Homewood Engineering & Zoning (cityofhomewood.com)
  4. Onsite Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  5. Homewood Code, Sec. 5-37, General standards (Homewood), quoted and re-checked
  6. Homewood Code, Sec. 14-92, Camping on public property (Homewood), quoted and re-checked
  7. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  8. Homewood Code, Appendix A, Article IV, Sec. FF, Permitted uses for non-residential districts (Homewood), quoted and re-checked
  9. ePermit | Jefferson County, AL, quoted and re-checked
  10. Onsite Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  11. Jefferson County Department of Health - Community Environmental Protection Division (jcdh.org)
  12. Homewood Code, Sec. 5-38, Specific technical standards (Homewood), quoted and re-checked
  13. Floodplain Management, quoted and re-checked
  14. ZONING RESOLUTION, quoted and re-checked
  15. Exemptions (Alabama statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Jefferson County Subdivision & Construction Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  17. ALDOT Permit Manual (Alabama statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Development Services | Jefferson County, AL, quoted and re-checked

Written October 15, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Homewood

Homewood’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Homewood city limits; Homewood's adopted zoning ordinance establishes zoning districts and district-use rules.

    • Use permissions vary by zoning district and may be subject to ordinance limitations, review, or conditions.
    “a blank cell indicates that the use is not permitted. district uses zoning districts c-1 c-2 c-3 c-4 c-4(a) c-4(b) c-5 i-1 i-2 i-3 pcd-1 pcd-2 m-1 pi pmud mxd eurd gurd lpd”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Homewood city zoning districts and district-use regulation.

    • The opened district-use matrix states that a blank cell indicates the use is not permitted.
    • The matrix includes C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, C-4(a), C-4(b), C-5, I-1, I-2, I-3, PCD-1, PCD-2, M-1, PI, PMUD, MXD, EURD, GURD, and LPD.
    • The West Homewood District has its own use matrix in Section EE, incorporated by reference.
    “a blank cell indicates that the use is not permitted. district uses zoning districts c-1 c-2 c-3 c-4 c-4(a) c-4(b) c-5 i-1 i-2 i-3 pcd-1 pcd-2 m-1 pi pmud mxd eurd gurd lpd”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Camping on public property or at a public place inside Homewood city limits.

    • Camping is allowed only with a permit issued by the authorizing authority.
    • The permit must be conspicuously displayed at the campsite.
    • The ordinance defines camping to include use of public property, streets, sidewalks, rights-of-way, or areas underneath bridges for living accommodation, sleeping, preparation to sleep, storing personal property, fires, cooking, or use of a tent or other structure for habitation.
    • Organized camping events with written permission for a special event are exempt.

    pre-removal notice period: 24 hours (After warning and posting, property remaining may be removed; this is an enforcement procedure, not an authorization period.)

    “It shall be unlawful for any person to camp on public property or at a public place without being in the possession of permit issue by the authorizing authority permitting such activities, which permit shall be conspicuously displayed at the campsite.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes placed or substantially improved in Homewood special flood hazard areas where the floodplain ordinance applies.

    • Manufactured homes outside a manufactured-home park or subdivision, in a new or substantially improved park or subdivision, in an expansion to an existing park or subdivision, or in an existing park or subdivision after substantial flood damage must be elevated on a permanent foundation with the lowest floor at least one foot above the BFE and securely anchored.
    • Other manufactured homes in existing parks or subdivisions must meet the alternative elevation and anchoring standards in Sec. 5-38(4)(b).

    minimum elevation above BFE: >= 1 foot (Alternative standards apply to certain existing manufactured-home-park sites under Sec. 5-38(4)(b).)

    “be elevated on a permanent foundation such that the lowest floor of the manufactured home is elevated one (1) foot or more above the bfe and be securely anchored to an adequately anchored foundation system to resist floatation, collapse, and lateral movement.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    All proposed development, including new construction, reconstruction, repetitive-loss repairs, and substantial improvements, in Homewood special flood hazard areas and flood-prone areas regulated by the city.

    • Required standards include necessary federal or state permits, anchoring against flotation/collapse/lateral movement, flood-damage-resistant materials below BFE, flood-minimizing construction methods, protected utility and service facilities, and review of subdivision and development proposals.
    • In zone A without BFE data, new construction and substantial improvements generally require the lowest enclosed floor at least three feet above highest adjacent grade, with the additional BFE-related elevation rule stated in Sec. 5-40(4).
    • Manufactured homes and recreational vehicles are subject to additional standards in Sec. 5-38(4).

    residential lowest floor elevation above BFE: >= 1 foot (Applies where BFE data is available in designated A, AE, or AH areas.) · zone A lowest enclosed floor above highest adjacent grade without BFE data: >= 3 feet (Sec. 5-40(4) also states the structure must be elevated no less than four feet above highest adjacent grade when the one-foot-above-BFE requirement is applied.)

    “in sfhas without bfe data, new construction and substantial improvements of existing structures shall have the lowest floor (for the lowest enclosed area; including basement) elevated no less than three (3) feet above the highest adjacent grade.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Residential construction inside Homewood city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders undertaking construction inside Homewood city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption applicable inside Homewood city limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Homewood city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Homewood city limits.
20 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Homewood publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Jefferson County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Jefferson County: county rules, score and offices