Bolthole Index

Mobile County, Alabama

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Creola, Alabama

The Town of Creola, Alabama, in Mobile County, requires a building permit from its own building inspector before construction begins1, and it has its own zoning chapter with residential districts R-1 through R-52. Septic permits come from the local county health department, not the town3. Living in an RV on your lot is largely off the table4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the town's building inspector before work starts1
Zoning
Town zoning chapter with residential districts R-1 through R-52
Building codes
2018 International Building and Residential Codes adopted5
Septic
Permit to Install from the county health department, only where public sewer is unavailable36
RV living
Not allowed on a lot with a house; up to six months with council approval while building your own residence4
Manufactured homes
Occupancy only in a licensed, properly zoned trailer park or similar7

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Creola Building Inspection

Building permits and construction inspections inside Creola town limits

(251) 454-0281

Zoning

Creola City Hall

Town hall: general contact for the council and planning questions inside Creola

(251) 675-8142

9615 Old Hwy 43 P.O. Box 490 Creola, AL 36525-0490

Septic permits

Mobile County Health Department, Onsite Sewage Division

Septic (onsite sewage) permits, installations and inspections for Mobile County, including Creola

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 Town of Creola means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Creola, Alabama have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot size?

Yes. The Town of Creola has an adopted zoning chapter with residential districts R-1 through R-5 and other districts2. Unincorporated Mobile County has no zoning at all8, so a parcel just outside town limits works under very different rules from one inside them.

RV rules are the sharpest edge. A travel trailer may not be occupied while parked or stored except in a trailer park authorized under the town's zoning chapter, and an RV stored on a parcel with a main dwelling may not be used for living or sleeping4. Trailer parks are permitted only in the B-2 and M-1 districts with planning-commission approval4. Minimum dwelling size, general setbacks and tiny-home rules are not spelled out in the town materials we reviewed; ask Creola City Hall for the district table that applies to your parcel9.

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

Yes. Creola makes it unlawful to start excavation or construction of any building or accessory structure, or to move, alter or repair a structure, until the building inspector has issued a building permit1. The application needs a scaled plan or plat showing lot dimensions, structures, parking, drainage and traffic control. A single-family residence can be issued without a planning-commission referral, while other structures need that approval first1.

The town adopted the 2018 International Building and Residential Codes, among others, by reference5. A certificate of occupancy is required before the land or structure is used, and it is issued only if the work conforms to the zoning chapter10. Call Town of Creola Building Inspection at (251) 454-028111. Mobile County Inspection Services regulates structures in unincorporated Mobile County only12.

How do septic permits work inside Creola?

Septic is where the town hands off to the county. Septic tanks may be used only where no sewerage facilities exist, and they must follow state health department and county health department rules13. Where public sewer borders your lot or is reasonably available and has capacity, connection is required14.

If sewer is not available, you must submit an Application for a Permit to Install to your local county health department, and construction may begin only after that permit is issued3. In Mobile County that is the Onsite Sewage Division of the Mobile County Health Department15. The county lists a residential application and inspection fee of $20016. Septic permits for Creola addresses come from the county health office, not from town hall.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Creola?

Mostly no. An RV stored on a parcel that has a main dwelling may not be used for living or sleeping4. The one exception: an owner who is building a private residence may live in a trailer or motor home on site for not more than six months, after first getting council approval and making proper sewer and water tie-ins17.

Trailer parks are allowed only in the B-2 and M-1 districts with planning-commission approval, with a 90-day maximum stay and a 40-foot RV length limit exclusive of hitch4. Manufactured homes may be occupied only in a duly licensed and properly zoned trailer park, camp, court or sales lot, unless the town code makes an exception7. No Creola provision on tiny homes turned up; ask City Hall before you buy9.

Building a home in Creola: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your parcel is inside Creola limits and which zoning district it sits in2.
  2. Check whether public sewer reaches the lot; if so, you must connect14.
  3. If there is no sewer, apply to the Mobile County Health Department for a Permit to Install a septic system, using a licensed installer3.
  4. Submit a scaled plan to the building inspector and get the building permit before any excavation1.
  5. Pass inspections at each stage of construction18.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in10.

If you are subdividing, minor subdivision materials are due at least 15 days before the Planning Commission meeting and major ones at least 30 days before19.

What stays with Mobile County, and what should you check before you buy?

Mobile County's own building, zoning and permitting rules cover unincorporated land only; for land outside town limits see the Mobile County page20. Inside Creola, the county's role is septic permitting through its health department16.

Before buying, check flood exposure: development in Creola's special flood hazard areas must meet the town's floodplain standards, and where no base flood data exist, new construction generally needs the lowest floor at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade21. Mobile County's effective property tax rate is about 0.5%22, and its median property tax bill is $849 a year23. A driveway onto an Alabama state highway needs a state permit24.

Watch-outs

  • The town's code does not publish permit fees, so ask Town of Creola Building Inspection what a permit will cost before you budget11.
  • Owner-builder exemptions, a separate well-permit rule, driveway permits and agricultural exemptions inside Creola were not confirmed; call City Hall before assuming county or state exemptions apply9.
  • Septic permits are issued by the Mobile County Health Department, so a town building permit does not cover them3.

Sources

  1. Code of Ordinances, § 38-321, Permits and certificates (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  2. Code of Ordinances, § 38-57, Lot area, width, coverage, density and other factors (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  3. Can I Live On This Lot? (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  4. Code of Ordinances, § 18-83, Parking regulations (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  5. Code of Ordinances, § 6-1, Technical codes adopted by reference (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  6. Code of Ordinances, § 36-2, Septic tanks (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  7. Code of Ordinances, § 18-2, Location restrictions (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  8. Development and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  9. Creola City Hall (cityofcreola.org)
  10. Code of Ordinances, § 38-321, Permits and certificates (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Creola Building Inspection (cityofcreola.org)
  12. Inspection Services, quoted and re-checked
  13. Code of Ordinances, § 36-2, Septic tanks (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  14. Code of Ordinances, § 38-17, Water and sewer connections (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  15. Mobile County Health Department, Onsite Sewage Division (mchd.org)
  16. Environmental Health, quoted and re-checked
  17. Code of Ordinances, § 18-83, Parking regulations (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  18. Building Inspection (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  19. Code of Ordinances, § 30-101, Manufactured home requirements (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  20. Inspection Services, quoted and re-checked
  21. Code of Ordinances, § 10-234, Building standards for streams without established base flood elevations (Town of Creola), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  24. ALDOT Permit Manual (Alabama statewide rule), 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 Town of Creola

Town of Creola’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Excavation, construction, storage of building materials, temporary field offices, moving, alteration, or repair of buildings and structures inside Creola.

    • A building inspector must issue the permit before work begins.
    • Applications must include a scaled plan or plat with lot dimensions, structures, uses, parking/loading, drainage, and traffic-control information.
    • Single-family residences may be issued without planning-commission referral; other structures require prior planning-commission approval.
    “It shall be unlawful to commence the excavation for or the construction of any building or other structure, including accessory structures, or to store building materials or erect temporary field offices, or to commence the moving, alteration, or repair of any structure, including accessory structures, until the building inspector has issued for such work a building permit including a statement that the plans, specifications and intended use of such structure in all respects conforms with the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, occupancy, equipment, use, height, area, maintenance, and permits for buildings and structures in Creola.

    • The city adopted the listed editions by reference: 2018 International Building, Residential, Fire, Plumbing, and Mechanical Codes; 2006 International Fuel Gas, Property Maintenance, and Existing Building Codes; 2008 National Electrical Code; and 2006 International Energy Conservation Code.
    “Pursuant to Code of Ala. 1975, § 11-45-8, the city adopts, for the purpose of establishing rules and regulations for the construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, conversion, demolition, occupancy, equipment, use, height, area, and maintenance of buildings or structures in the city, including permits, the following codes:”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Residential, commercial, and other buildings and structures in all stages of construction, alteration, and repair inside Creola.

    • The city building inspector manages inspections and enforces applicable safety regulations and building codes.
    “Under general direction, a building inspector plans, directs, and manages the building inspection activities of the City; inspects residential, commercial, and other types of buildings and structures in all stages of construction, alteration, and repair; enforces safety regulations and applicable building codes; and performs related duties as required.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Land, buildings, structures, or portions thereof erected, moved, or altered in use inside Creola.

    • The building inspector must make a final inspection within three days after notification that the premises is ready.
    • The certificate is issued only if the land or structure conforms to the zoning chapter.
    “No land or building or other structure or part thereof hereafter erected, moved or altered in its use shall be used until the building inspector of the city shall have issued a certificate of occupancy stating that such land or structure or part thereof is found to be in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Creola town limits; the city has an adopted zoning chapter with residential districts R-1 through R-5 and other districts.

    “Recreational vehicle parks are uses permitted in B-2 and M-1 districts subject to the approval of the planning commission and the requirements of the following provisions.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational-vehicle occupancy and storage on land inside Creola.

    • A travel trailer may not be occupied temporarily or permanently while parked or stored except in a trailer park authorized under chapter 38.
    • A recreational vehicle stored on a parcel with a main dwelling may not be used for living or sleeping purposes.
    • During private-residence construction, the owner may reside in the vehicle for not more than six months with council approval and proper sewer and water tie-ins.
    • Trailer parks are permitted in B-2 and M-1 only with planning-commission approval; park spaces are rented by the day or week and have a 90-day maximum stay.

    maximum construction-site occupancy: 6 months (Owner constructing a private residence; council approval and sewer/water tie-ins required.) · maximum RV length in park: 40 feet (Exclusive of hitch.) · minimum RV park lot area: >= 2 acres

    “A recreational vehicle, which is defined as a camping trailer, a boat on a trailer, or a motor home which is used primarily for camping or recreational purposes, may be stored on a parcel of land whereon a main dwelling is located, provided that a zero-foot side yard setback and a front yard setback requirement of the back side of the sidewalk or ten feet from the edge of the street, whichever is greater, is complied with; but in any event, the recreational vehicle may not be used for living or sleeping purposes or stored on the street.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Temporary camping or temporary residence in recreational vehicles inside Creola.

    • Temporary RV residence is allowed only during private-residence construction, for not more than six months, with council approval and proper sewer and water tie-ins.
    • Other RV occupancy is restricted to authorized trailer parks and applicable park requirements.

    maximum temporary residence period: 6 months (During private-residence construction only.)

    “The owner of any trailer or motor home who is engaged in constructing his private residence may park such vehicle and reside in the vehicle for not more than six months on site, provided that such owner first obtains approval from the council, and provided, further, that proper sewer and water tie-ins are made.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured-home occupancy inside Creola.

    • Occupancy is unlawful except at a duly licensed and properly zoned trailer park, trailer camp, trailer court, or trailer sales lot, unless § 18-4 provides an exception.
    • Manufactured-home parks must comply with chapter 38 zoning regulations and state health-department regulations.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person to occupy or to lease or let for occupancy or permit the occupancy, whether with or without compensation, of any manufactured home within the city at any location other than a duly licensed and properly zoned trailer park, trailer camp, trailer court, or trailer sales lot except as permitted by section 18-4.”
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Onsite sewage systems inside Creola where public sewer is unavailable; Creola's code incorporates state public-health and county-health-department rules.

    • Creola Code § 36-2 requires compliance with current state department of public health and county health department regulations.
    • ADPH states that its onsite-sewage branch coordinates the program in county health departments and establishes and enforces design, permitting, installation, approval, and use requirements.
    “In areas where there are no sewerage facilities, septic tanks may be used, in accordance with current regulations of the state department of public health and the county health department.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Onsite sanitation inside Creola where public sewer is unavailable.

    • Septic tanks may be used only where there are no sewerage facilities.
    • State public-health and county-health-department rules apply.
    • Where public sewer is available or reasonably available with capacity, connection is required.
    “In areas where there are no sewerage facilities, septic tanks may be used, in accordance with current regulations of the state department of public health and the county health department.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Developments and individual lots inside Creola.

    • Connection is required where public or private community water and sewer systems border the lot or development lines or are reasonably available and the utility has capacity.
    • Otherwise, the lot must meet health-department minimum-size requirements for onsite wells or septic systems.
    • Existing functioning private wells and septic systems meeting health requirements may continue until failure or replacement.
    • The sewer ordinance separately requires connection when a public sanitary sewer line is available; existing residential premises at the ordinance's effective date are excepted from the stated 90-day rule.

    existing premises connection deadline after sewer availability: 90 days (Existing premises covered by § 36-1(b).) · future development connection deadline after notice: 10 days (Any proposed future development under § 36-1(c).)

    “Developments or individual lots in all districts must connect to public or private community water and sewer systems where such systems border any development or lot lines or are reasonably available and the appropriate utility has the capacity to provide the service; otherwise, lots must meet the minimum size requirements of the health department, for on-site wells or septic systems.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Creola.

    • A subdivision application requires an application fee, deed, adjacent-owner information, plat copies, digital PDF, and applicable engineering and other permits.
    • Minor subdivision materials must be submitted at least 15 days before the Planning Commission meeting; major subdivision materials at least 30 days before.

    minor-subdivision submission lead time: >= 15 days · major-subdivision submission lead time: >= 30 days

    “these regulations shall be in force and effect for the subdivision of all land which is situated inside the corporate limits of the city”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Development in Creola areas of special flood hazard, including approximate A-zones.

    • All development in Zone A must meet § 10-231 and § 10-232(1)-(4).
    • For development greater than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is lesser, base-flood-elevation data must be provided.
    • Encroachments within the greater of the stream width or 25 feet from the top of stream bank require registered-professional-engineer certification.
    • Where no base-flood data exist, new construction and substantial improvements generally require the lowest floor to be at least three feet above highest adjacent grade, subject to the stated alternative elevation rule.

    threshold for required base-flood-elevation data: 50 lots or 5 acres, whichever is lesser · stream-bank encroachment distance: width of stream or 25 feet, whichever is greater (Unless engineer certification demonstrates no increase in flood levels.)

    “All development in zone A must meet the requirements of section 10-231 and subsections 10-232 (1) through (4).”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Creola

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

  • Septic permitRequired

    New onsite sewage disposal systems inside Creola where the property is not connected to public sanitary sewer.

    • The application goes to the local county health department.
    • The application and plans must meet applicable rules before issuance.
    • Construction may begin only after the Permit to Install is issued.
    • The installer must be licensed by the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Board.
    “Before the construction of an onsite sewage disposal system, you must submit an Application for a Permit to Install an Onsite Sewage Disposal System to your local county health department.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Creola or Mobile County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing or improving a residence inside Creola.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Creola.
  • Setbacks — General building setbacks inside Creola.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Creola.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Creola.
5 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Town of Creola publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Mobile County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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