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

Randolph County has not adopted a general county building permit requirement or county building code¹. That answer does not eliminate the septic Permit to Install, subdivision approval or review of construction in a flood-prone area^1,2,4. Inside a municipality or its police jurisdiction, ask the municipality whether its own building permit or zoning approval applies; the Randolph County Health Department remains the septic authority for the county^1,3. A landowner may build their own home because there is no county building permit to obtain, although state trade-licensing rules may still apply¹. Alabama also provides a licensing exemption for an owner who personally supervises construction of a qualifying home for their own occupancy⁷. Report the completed structure to the Revenue Commissioner's Appraisal Office¹.

Randolph County has no general county building permit office because the County Commission has not adopted general building permit requirements¹. The County Engineer handles subdivision approval and is the first contact for floodplain development involving a home or business^1,2. The Randolph County Health Department administers onsite sewage applications, septic permits and septic certifications throughout the county³. Inside a municipality, contact the city about its building permit and zoning approval requirements; septic authority does not shift to the city^1,3. The published county guidance does not give a complete floodplain development application or fee schedule, so take floodplain questions to the County Engineer¹. The County Commission can route other land-use questions¹.

Randolph County has no county zoning ordinance for unincorporated property outside municipal limits and police jurisdictions¹. County zoning therefore sets no minimum dwelling size, minimum lot size, setback, lot-coverage limit or building-height limit, and county zoning does not restrict accessory dwellings, RVs, tiny homes or manufactured homes⁵. The agricultural exclusion is narrower: roads or buildings on private property used for agriculture are excluded from the subdivision definition, but that is not an exemption from septic, floodplain or other applicable rules². Subdivision access standards, septic permits and floodplain development review can still apply even without zoning^1,2,4. Inside a municipality or its police jurisdiction, ask the city about zoning approval and building permits while taking septic permit questions to the Randolph County Health Department^1,3.

A Randolph County home or business not connected to public sanitary sewer needs a septic Permit to Install before a new onsite sewage system is built or an existing system is repaired⁴. Submit the application and plans to the Randolph County Health Department, which administers onsite sewage and septic permits throughout Randolph County, including addresses inside municipalities³. The county page also lists septic-tank-pumper inspections and permits, but we could not confirm the installation-inspection sequence for every septic system³. We also could not confirm Randolph County septic permit fees, so ask the Health Department for the parcel-specific application, site evaluation, inspection steps and charges³. Only 40.5% of county soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field, making an early site evaluation especially useful⁸.

Randolph County zoning does not restrict an RV, tiny home or manufactured home on unincorporated land outside municipal limits and police jurisdictions^1,5. A park model, however, is classified by Alabama as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use rather than a permanent dwelling⁶. A qualifying manufactured home may be used as a residence when it meets the state definition and utility conditions⁹. A new or repaired onsite sewage system still needs a septic Permit to Install through the Randolph County Health Department^3,4. For an ordinary motor home or travel trailer, we could not confirm a general permanent-occupancy rule, so discuss the proposed unit and sanitation plan with the Health Department before moving in^3,6. Inside a municipality, also ask the city about zoning approval¹.

1. Confirm whether the parcel is inside municipal limits or a police jurisdiction; if it is, ask the city about its building permit and zoning approval¹.
2. If the project divides land, start with the County Engineer; subdivision applications must be submitted at least 30 days before consideration².
3. Ask the County Engineer about floodplain development review before designing on a flood-prone site¹.
4. Apply to the Randolph County Health Department for a septic Permit to Install before building or repairing an onsite sewage system^3,4.
5. Use a licensed builder or follow the owner-builder and trade-licensing rules even though the county does not issue a general building permit¹.
6. If access is from a state highway, obtain the required ALDOT driveway turnout permit before construction¹⁰.
7. Report the finished structure to the Revenue Commissioner's Appraisal Office¹.

Confirm the parcel's municipal status, flood exposure, septic suitability and legal access before buying^1,2,4. Lots governed by the subdivision regulations generally need at least 30 feet of access from a city, county or state road to the building site, while specified parcels need 60 feet². Published subdivision charges include a $250 minor-subdivision base fee plus $50 per lot or site; these are subdivision fees, not general building permit or septic permit fees². Only 40.5% of county soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field, and the county is 76.8% wooded, so evaluate the actual homesite rather than judging the tract from road frontage⁸. The Health Department offers private-well water testing, but we could not confirm a general well-construction permit rule³.