Bolthole Index

Jackson County, Mississippi

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Pascagoula, Mississippi

Pascagoula, Mississippi requires a city building permit for construction and other listed building work, with zoning or other applicable development approval issued first.1 Pascagoula administers its own zoning inside city limits; onsite wastewater remains under Mississippi State Department of Health rules.23 For land outside the city, use the Jackson County guide, whose county building-permit rules apply to unincorporated land.4

At a glance

Building permits
Required for construction and other listed building work inside Pascagoula1
Zoning
City Unified Development Ordinance governs land use2
Septic permits
MSDH permit required to install an onsite wastewater system; sewer availability comes first5
Minimum home size
SFR-10 single-family detached dwellings: at least 1,500 square feet6
Lot coverage
SFR-10 principal buildings: maximum 40% of lot area7
Owner-builder
Owners may receive permits for certain repairs and improvements; electrical and mechanical work may require licensed contractors8

Who to call

Building permits

Pascagoula Building Division

City building plan review, building permits, inspections and flood-ordinance plan review

Zoning

Pascagoula Planning and Building

City zoning, land planning, site plan review and building application forms

228-938-6620

4015 14th Street Pascagoula MS 39567

Floodplain permits

Pascagoula Planning and Building — Flood Information

City flood information and existing elevation certificates

228-938-6620

4015 14th Street Pascagoula MS 39567

Septic permits

Mississippi State Department of Health, Jackson County Health Department and Environmental Office

Local contact for Mississippi's on-site wastewater program in Jackson County

228-762-1117

4600 Lt. Eugene J. Majure Drive Suite 2 Pascagoula, MS 39581

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in Pascagoula, MS?

Pascagoula requires a building permit before construction, alteration, moving, enlargement, replacement, repair, removal or demolition of a building or structure, along with other work listed in the city ordinance.1 A Pascagoula building permit requires an already-issued Zoning Compliance Permit, Temporary Use Permit or Sign Permit covering the development that includes the structure.1

Pascagoula has adopted the 2018 International Building Code and the 2018 International Residential Code for single-family and duplex dwellings, with local amendments.9 Ask the Building Division which application and trade permits cover your proposed work before scheduling construction.10

Who issues building permits in Pascagoula, and how do you reach them?

The Pascagoula Building Division issues building permits for new construction and repairs and handles building plan review and building inspections, including plumbing, electrical and mechanical work.10 Contact Pascagoula Planning and Building at 228-938-6620 or visit 4015 14th Street Pascagoula MS 39567.11 The city Planning and Building page provides the Building Permit Application and separate electrical, mechanical and plumbing application forms.11

Pascagoula allows homeowners or business owners to receive permits for certain repairs and improvements, while electrical and mechanical permits may be restricted to licensed contractors.8 Mississippi’s own-residence exemption concerns residential-builder licensing and does not waive a required city building permit or inspection.12

Does Pascagoula have zoning, and what does it mean for small homes?

Pascagoula administers its Unified Development Ordinance inside city limits, including zoning, density, parking and landscaping requirements.2 The city Planning division handles land planning and site plan review; ask that office to identify the parcel’s district before choosing a house design.11

For single-family detached dwellings in Pascagoula’s SFR-10 district, the minimum floor area is 1,500 square feet per dwelling unit.6 Principal buildings in SFR-10 have a maximum building coverage of 40% of lot area.7 Those district-specific limits make the parcel’s zoning designation essential to evaluating a small-home proposal.67 Ask Planning and Building for the applicable lot-size and setback standards for your district.11

How do septic permits work inside Pascagoula?

Installing an onsite wastewater disposal system in Pascagoula requires an MSDH permit, and the Notice of Intent must be submitted before construction or placement of a residence or other building that may need such a system.5 The Jackson County Health Department and Environmental Office is the local MSDH contact at 228-762-1117.13

Sewer systems have first right to serve: applications within 1 mile of a sewer line are referred to the sewer provider, and MSDH requires a Letter of Rejection before proceeding.5 The Permit/Recommendation is valid for 1 year, but extensive grading or deviations from the submitted site or dwelling plan can void it.5 Even applicants eligible for the state exemption process must apply and install a system from the MSDH-issued permit; acreage alone does not eliminate that requirement.5

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

We could not confirm permission to occupy an RV as a residence on a private Pascagoula lot or a separate city rule for tiny-home occupancy; ask Pascagoula Planning and Building about the proposed use and the parcel’s zoning district.11 Pascagoula’s zoning ordinance regulates land use, while the SFR-10 district requires at least 1,500 square feet for a single-family detached dwelling.26

If your proposed home is a manufactured home, Mississippi requires inspection under its state installation program before occupation, and necessary state and local permits must be obtained before installation.14 Ask the city to confirm whether that housing type is allowed on your parcel before arranging delivery.11

Building a home in Pascagoula: what are the steps, in order?

  1. Ask Pascagoula Planning and Building to confirm the zoning district and review the proposed use and site plan.11
  2. Request city flood information and any existing elevation certificate; a structure in a Special Flood Hazard Area may need an elevation certificate before work.15
  3. Resolve wastewater service before construction: submit an MSDH Notice of Intent if an onsite system may be needed, with sewer-provider referral where applicable.5
  4. Obtain the applicable Zoning Compliance Permit, Temporary Use Permit or Sign Permit before the city building permit.1
  5. Coordinate building plan review, building permits and inspections with the Pascagoula Building Division, including the electrical, plumbing and mechanical work.10

For highway-fronting land, Mississippi requires a state-highway driveway permit for new access or alterations to an existing drive.16

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm a complete current Pascagoula building-permit fee schedule or a general agricultural construction exemption; ask the Building Division about your project.10
  • Pascagoula’s Building Division reviews plans for compliance with the city Flood Hazard Prevention Ordinance; resolve flood requirements alongside zoning and building plans.10
  • We could not confirm when an existing septic system inside Pascagoula requires inspection; ask the Jackson County Health Department and Environmental Office before relying on an existing installation.13

Sources

  1. Pascagoula Unified Development Code (Pascagoula), quoted and re-checked
  2. Planning, Building and Code Enforcement (Pascagoula), quoted and re-checked
  3. Mississippi State Department of Health Current Regulations: On-site Wastewater (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  4. Jackson County Zoning Ordinance (2026 county census)
  5. WasteWater, quoted and re-checked
  6. Pascagoula Unified Development Code (Pascagoula), quoted and re-checked
  7. Pascagoula Unified Development Code (Pascagoula), quoted and re-checked
  8. cityofpascagoula.com (Pascagoula), quoted and re-checked
  9. Sec. 14-121. Building code (Pascagoula), quoted and re-checked
  10. Pascagoula Building Division (cityofpascagoula.com)
  11. Pascagoula Planning and Building (cityofpascagoula.com)
  12. Mississippi Senate Journal, March 9, 2022 (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Mississippi State Department of Health, Jackson County Health Department and Environmental Office (msdh.ms.gov)
  14. MH-5 Uniform Standards Code for Factory-Built Homes Law (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Pascagoula Planning and Building — Flood Information (cityofpascagoula.com)
  16. Mississippi Access Management Guide (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 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 Pascagoula

Pascagoula’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction and other listed work on buildings or structures inside Pascagoula city limits.

    • A permit is required before construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal, or demolition.
    • A Building Permit requires a previously issued Zoning Compliance Permit, Temporary Use Permit, or Sign Permit for development that includes the structure.
    “A Building Permit is required before construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal, or demolition of any building or structure and certifies that such work complies with the construction standards in the Building Code.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Homeowners or business owners seeking permits for repairs or improvements inside Pascagoula city limits.

    • The city page states that homeowners or business owners may be issued permits for certain repairs and improvements.
    • Electrical and mechanical permits may be limited to licensed contractors.
    “While the homeowner or business owner may be issued permits for certain repairs and improvements, other permits required for electrical and mechanical work may only be granted to a licensed contractor.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction inside Pascagoula city limits.

    • The 2018 International Building Code is adopted with listed amendments.
    • The 2018 International Residential Code is adopted for one- and two-family dwellings with listed amendments.
    “The 2018 Edition of the International Building Code, including all appendix chapters except A, E, H, K, L, and M, published by the International Code Council, Inc., is hereby adopted with the following amendments:”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Pascagoula city limits.

    • The City administers the Unified Development Ordinance, including zoning, density, parking, landscaping, and related land-use regulations.
    “The Planning division is responsible for land planning and site plan review. Focused on short and long-term objectives, this division relies heavily on the City’s Comprehensive Plan, the Unified Development Ordinance (which includes zoning, density, sign, parking, landscaping and other regulations), Flood Hazard Prevention Ordinance, and other documents.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the SFR-10 district.

    • The UDO's principal intensity and dimensional standards apply to the SFR-10 district.
    • Accessory-structure exceptions in the cited table do not change the principal dwelling standard.

    minimum floor area per dwelling unit: >= 1500 square feet

    “Minimum floor area per dwelling unit (sq ft) 1,500 Maximum building coverage (% of lot area) 40 Maximum height (ft) 35 1,2 Minimum front yard depth (ft) 25 Minimum side yard depth (ft) 12 3 Minimum rear yard depth (ft) 20 3”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Principal buildings in the SFR-10 district.

    • The standard is stated as maximum building coverage of the lot area.

    maximum building coverage: <= 40 percent of lot area

    “Maximum building coverage (% of lot area) 40 Maximum height (ft) 35 1,2”

Still unanswered

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

  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Pascagoula city limits.
  • Septic permit — New or existing on-site wastewater systems inside Pascagoula city limits.
  • Septic inspection — On-site wastewater systems inside Pascagoula city limits.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction or land use inside Pascagoula city limits.
  • Permit fees — City permits inside Pascagoula 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.

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

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