Bolthole Index

Madison County, Alabama

Building permits, zoning and land rules in New Hope, Alabama

New Hope, Alabama requires city building permits for residential construction and applies its own zoning inside city limits.12 Madison County Health Department handles septic permits and inspections for New Hope properties that are not connected to public sewer.3 New Hope is in Madison County, but the county's unincorporated-area building rules should not be substituted for the city's requirements.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new residential construction and other listed work1
Zoning
New Hope administers municipal zoning inside city limits2
Septic permit
Required before installing or repairing an onsite system off public sewer4
RV living
Residential-lot occupancy is prohibited except in an authorized RV park5
Manufactured homes
Allowed in specified residential zoning districts with city inspection before occupancy67
Tiny homes
No separate city occupancy rule was confirmed; obtain a zoning determination2
Owner-builder
Alabama offers a conditional licensing exemption, but city permits still apply81

Who to call

Building permits

City of New Hope Building Inspection Department

Building-permit applications, fees and construction inspections inside New Hope

256-723-9227

5484 Main Drive, New Hope, AL 35760

Online permits →

Septic permits

Madison County Health Department Environmental Services

Onsite sewage permits, inspections and septic questions for Madison County addresses, including New Hope

256-533-8726

301 Max Luther Drive NW, Huntsville, Alabama 35811

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in New Hope, Alabama?

Yes. New Hope's official permit page requires an application, fees, a plot plan and building plans for new residential construction.1 The city also lists separate building permits for additions, accessory buildings, mobile-home placement, repairs, demolition, electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing work.1 Ask the City of New Hope Building Inspection Department which applications and inspections fit the exact scope before work begins.

The city page says to allow 3–5 business days for review of a new residential or commercial application and plans before issuance.1 Alabama's owner-builder exemption is a contractor-licensing exemption for qualifying owners who personally supervise construction of their own one-family or two-family residence; it does not waive New Hope's building permit.81

Who issues building permits in New Hope?

The City of New Hope Building Inspection Department handles building-permit applications, published permit fees and construction inspections inside New Hope.1 The permit clerk can be reached at 256-723-9227 during the business hours shown on the city page, and City Hall is at 5484 Main Drive, New Hope, AL 35760.1 The city also links to an online iWorQ permit portal.1

City zoning review is part of the local process: manufactured-home park plans, for example, go first to the Zoning Officer and then to the Building Official for building-permit review.9 Septic approval remains separate and goes through Madison County Health Department Environmental Services for New Hope properties using onsite sewage.3

Does New Hope have zoning, and what does it mean for land use?

New Hope adopts and administers its own zoning inside city limits.2 Manufactured homes are expressly allowed in the R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4 districts, but city inspection is required before a manufactured home receives a certificate of occupancy.67 A temporary rear-yard manufactured home can serve as an accessory dwelling only by special exception under the stated family-need conditions; an RV cannot be used for that purpose.10

Do not apply manufactured-home park dimensions to an ordinary house lot. The city's reviewed rule sets a 5,000-square-foot minimum lot and a 50-foot minimum width specifically for manufactured-home parks, with health-department regulation where sewer is unavailable.11 We could not confirm one citywide minimum dwelling size or a separate tiny-home category, so ask the city for the parcel's district and the standards for the proposed structure.

How do septic permits work inside New Hope?

Madison County Health Department, not the city building office, administers onsite sewage permits and inspections for New Hope properties that are not connected to public sanitary sewer.3 Alabama law requires a local-health-department permit before a homeowner or business installs a new onsite system or repairs an existing system.4 Call Environmental Services at 256-533-8726 to begin the site and inspection process.12

Before installation, the health department must be contacted to schedule an inspection, and it issues an Approval for Use before the building may be occupied.1314 Across Madison County, 36.5% of mapped soils avoid a “very limited” rating for a conventional septic drain field, so treat parcel-level septic feasibility as an early purchase and design question.15

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in New Hope?

New Hope prohibits occupying a motor home, camping trailer or similar vehicle on a residential lot except in an authorized recreational-vehicle park.5 An RV may not be used as a permanent residence, dwelling or business, and continuous occupancy beyond 3 months in a 12-month period is evidence of permanent occupancy.16 That rule does not create permission to camp on a residential lot for a shorter period because the separate residential-lot occupancy prohibition still applies.5

We could not confirm a distinct New Hope tiny-home occupancy rule or a citywide minimum dwelling size. Ask the city's permit clerk and Zoning Officer how the proposed unit is classified and whether its zoning district allows it. Manufactured homes have a clearer path: they are allowed in specified residential districts and require city inspection before a certificate of occupancy.617

Building a home in New Hope: what are the steps?

  1. Confirm that the parcel is inside New Hope and ask the city for its zoning district, allowed residential use and dimensional standards. New Hope administers zoning inside city limits.2
  1. Determine whether public sanitary sewer serves the parcel; if not, contact Madison County Health Department for the onsite sewage permit and inspection path.4
  1. Submit the city building-permit application with the required plot plan and building plans, then pay the applicable permit and inspection fees.1
  1. Allow 3–5 business days for the city's stated review period for new residential plans.1
  1. Schedule required construction inspections with the city permit clerk.1
  1. For onsite sewage, complete the health-department inspection and obtain Approval for Use before occupancy.1314

What should you check before buying land in New Hope?

Confirm the parcel's New Hope zoning district and intended use before relying on a listing description, especially for an RV, tiny home, manufactured home or accessory dwelling. New Hope's municipal zoning governs inside city limits.2 Resolve sewer availability and septic feasibility before fixing the house location because off-sewer construction needs a health-department permit, inspection and Approval for Use.414

Check the road authority before designing access; a driveway connecting to an Alabama state highway requires an ALDOT access permit.18 We could not confirm New Hope's ordinary residential driveway rule or private-well permit requirement, so ask the city and Madison County Health Department about the exact parcel. Madison County's effective property-tax rate is about 0.4%, and its median annual property-tax bill is $1,081; verify the parcel's actual assessment and exemptions.1920

Watch-outs

  • New Hope prohibits RV occupancy on a residential lot except in an authorized RV park.5
  • A New Hope building permit does not replace the Madison County Health Department's septic permit, inspection or Approval for Use.41314
  • The published 5,000-square-foot lot minimum applies to manufactured-home parks, not every residential parcel in New Hope.11
  • A state owner-builder licensing exemption does not waive New Hope's city building-permit process.81

Sources

  1. City of New Hope Building Inspection Department (newhopeal.gov)
  2. § 10.1 - Use of manufactured home (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  3. Madison County Health Department services (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  4. Madison County Environmental Services (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  5. § 11.11 - Storage and parking of recreational or commercial vehicles (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  6. § 10.1 - Use of manufactured home (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  7. § 10.1 - Use of manufactured home (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  8. Exemptions (Alabama statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. § 10.3 - Manufactured home park development standards (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  10. § 10.1 - Use of manufactured home (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  11. § 10.3 - Manufactured home park development standards (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  12. Madison County Health Department Environmental Services (alabamapublichealth.gov)
  13. Madison County Environmental Services (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  14. Madison County Environmental Services (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  15. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  16. § 11.11 - Storage and parking of recreational or commercial vehicles (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  17. § 10.1 - Use of manufactured home (New Hope), quoted and re-checked
  18. ALDOT Permit Manual (Alabama statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 10, 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 New Hope

New Hope’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Manufactured-home parks inside New Hope city limits.

    • The plan must first be approved by the Zoning Officer.
    • A City Council license and special-exception permit are also required under the park provisions.
    “No manufactured home park shall be established, operated or maintained, or permitted to be established, operated or maintained upon any property without having first secured a building permit from the Building Official.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Manufactured homes inside New Hope city limits.

    • Inspection is required before issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.
    • The supplied excerpt does not establish the complete inspection schedule for all construction types.
    “Must be inspected by the city inspector prior to being provided a Certificate of Occupancy”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Manufactured homes inside New Hope city limits.

    • The cited municipal rule concerns manufactured homes specifically.
    “Must be inspected by the city inspector prior to being provided a Certificate of Occupancy”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside New Hope city limits; New Hope adopts and administers zoning through Appendix E—Zoning of its Code of Ordinances.

    “Manufactured homes will be allowed in zoning districts R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4.”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Zoning districts expressly identified in the supplied New Hope code sections.

    • The excerpts identify R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, MU, B-1, and B-2 districts but do not provide the complete district map or full district schedule.
    “Manufactured homes will be allowed in zoning districts R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Manufactured-home parks inside New Hope city limits.

    • Minimum lot size is 5,000 square feet where sewer is provided or as regulated by the Alabama Health Department where sewer is unavailable, but never less than 5,000 square feet.
    • Minimum lot width is 50 feet.

    minimum lot size: >= 5000 square feet (where sewer is unavailable, Alabama Health Department regulation applies but the lot may not be less than 5,000 square feet) · minimum lot width: >= 50 feet

    “Minimum lot size shall be five thousand (5,000) square feet where sewer is provided or as regulated by the Alabama Health Department where sewer is not available but in no case less than five thousand (5,000) square feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Manufactured-home parks and recreational-vehicle parks inside New Hope city limits.

    • Manufactured-home park side, rear, and front yards are 20, 15, and 15 feet minimum, respectively.
    • Exterior park setbacks conform to the zoning district.
    • RV parks require a 20-foot perimeter setback and 50-foot front-yard setback.

    manufactured-home park side yard: >= 20 feet · manufactured-home park rear yard: >= 15 feet · manufactured-home park front yard: >= 15 feet · RV park perimeter setback: 20 feet · RV park front-yard setback: 50 feet

    “Side Yard—20 feet minimum Rear Yard—15 feet minimum Front Yard—15 feet minimum”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Manufactured-home parks inside New Hope city limits.

    • The limit applies to manufactured homes and accessory buildings on each lot.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 40 percent

    “No manufactured home and/or accessory building shall cover more than forty percent (40%) of the lot area.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Manufactured homes on residential lots inside New Hope city limits.

    • Frame height is measured above ground elevation at 90 degrees to the frame.

    manufactured-home height limit: <= 18 feet · manufactured-home frame height above ground: <= 3 feet (measured at ninety degrees to the frame)

    “The height limit for any manufactured home shall be eighteen feet (18'). The height of the manufactured home frame above the ground elevation, measured at ninety degrees (90°) to the frame, shall not be greater than three feet (3').”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational-vehicle occupancy and storage inside New Hope city limits.

    • Occupancy on a residential lot is prohibited except in an authorized recreational vehicle park.
    • Permanent occupancy in an RV park is prohibited.
    • Continuous occupancy beyond three months in any twelve-month period is prima-facie evidence of permanent occupancy.
    • An occupant may not remain in the same park more than 90 days.

    continuous occupancy threshold: > 3 months in any 12-month period (prima-facie evidence of permanent occupancy) · maximum stay in same park: <= 90 days

    “No recreational vehicle shall be used as a permanent place of residence, dwelling, or business. Continuous occupancy extending beyond three (3) months in any twelve (12) month period shall be considered prima-facie evidence of permanent occupancy.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping and overnight occupancy inside New Hope city limits.

    • Motor homes, camping trailers, and similar occupancy vehicles may not be occupied on residential lots except in authorized RV parks.
    • Camping or overnight stay is prohibited in public parks and recreation areas.
    “The occupancy of any motor home, camping trailer, or similar vehicle designed or intended for occupancy is prohibited while such vehicle is parked on a residential lot, except in a recreational vehicle park authorized under this Ordinance.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwelling use inside New Hope city limits.

    • A temporary rear-yard manufactured home may serve as an accessory dwelling only in a residential zoning district by special exception.
    • The stated family-need circumstances and application requirements apply.
    • Recreational vehicles may not be used as a temporary accessory dwelling.
    • Approval may last no longer than three years, with reapplication required.

    maximum initial approval term: <= 3 years (renewal may be granted for additional terms of not more than three years)

    “not more than one (1) manufactured home may be located in a rear yard of a zoned lot as an accessory dwelling on a temporary basis, as a special exception”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Well-and-septic sanitation for temporary rear-yard manufactured homes inside New Hope city limits.

    • Allowed only when City water and sewer service is unavailable to the lot.
    • The well and septic tank must be approved by the Health Department.
    • The manufactured home must not create a nuisance.
    “a well and septic tank approved by the Health Department if such City water and sewer service is not available to the lot”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Temporary rear-yard manufactured homes inside New Hope city limits.

    • City water and sewer service is required when available to the lot.
    • If unavailable, a Health Department-approved well and septic tank may be used.
    • The rule is specific to manufactured homes situated in rear yards.
    “must be connected to City water and sewer service, or to a well and septic tank approved by the Health Department if such City water and sewer service is not available to the lot”
  • Permit processPartial

    Manufactured-home parks inside New Hope city limits.

    • Submit a site plan to the Zoning Officer for review by appropriate agencies.
    • After Zoning Officer approval, submit the plan to the Building Official for review and building-permit issuance.
    • A park also requires a City Council license and application materials including a park plan and special-exception permit.
    “After approval by the Zoning Officer, the plan shall be submitted to the Building Official for review and issuance of a building permit.”

Rules another office applies inside New Hope

New Hope 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 septicCounty (with conditions)

    Onsite sewage disposal inside New Hope city limits; the Madison County Health Department is the local health department administering permits and inspections.

    • The municipal code also refers to State of Alabama and County Health Department requirements for recreational-vehicle park sanitary facilities.
    “The Madison County Health Department provides the following services to the public.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New onsite sewage systems or repairs to existing onsite systems inside New Hope city limits when not connected to public sanitary sewer.

    • A permit must be obtained from the local health department before installation or repair.
    • The rule applies to homeowners and businesses not connected to a public sanitary sewer.
    “Alabama law requires homeowners and businesses, not connected to a public sanitary sewer, to obtain a permit from the local health department, prior to installing a new system or making repairs to an existing onsite system.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    New onsite sewage systems or septic systems inside New Hope city limits.

    • The health department must be contacted to schedule an inspection before installation.
    • An Approval for Use is issued before occupancy.
    “Prior to installing an onsite sewage system or septic system, call the health department to schedule an inspection.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask New Hope or Madison County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside New Hope city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside New Hope city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside New Hope city limits.
  • Well permit — Private well permits inside New Hope city limits.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural building exemption inside New Hope city limits.
3 more unanswered
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

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 New Hope publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Madison County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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