Bolthole Index

Lincoln County, Mississippi

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Brookhaven, Mississippi

Brookhaven, Mississippi has a city building-permit application process and its own zoning ordinance.12 For land inside Brookhaven city limits in Lincoln County, contact the city Building Inspector about construction and the city office about parcel zoning.34 Septic installation requires a Mississippi State Department of Health permit, and permanent water service depends on an available sewage-disposal solution.567

At a glance

Building permits
City application requires plans, deed copy and completed form1
Zoning
City zoning applies inside Brookhaven city limits2
Septic permits
Required for onsite systems; administered by MSDH65
Mobile homes
Moving permit required; siting limits differ for single-wide and double-wide homes8
Residential setbacks
R-1: front 35 feet, side 10 feet, rear 25 feet9
Water connection
Permanent sewage disposal must be available before permanent water-meter connection7
Owner-builder
State licensing exemption for work on your own residence does not waive local building requirements10

Who to call

Building permits

City of Brookhaven Public Works Department / Building Inspector

City building inspection and building-permit questions inside Brookhaven city limits

601-833-7766

P.O. Box 560 Brookhaven, MS 39602

Planning & zoning

City of Brookhaven Building Permit and Zoning Office

Building-permit applications, fee questions and parcel zoning assistance

601-833-7766

Septic permits

Mississippi State Department of Health, Division of On-Site Wastewater

On-site wastewater applications and private-well sampling for Brookhaven

1-855-220-0192

[email protected]

570 East Woodrow Wilson Drive Jackson, MS 39216

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

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Do you need a building permit in Brookhaven, MS?

Brookhaven publishes a city building-permit application process requiring 2 sets of plans, a copy of the deed and a completed application; depending on the job, review may take 2 weeks.1 Ask the city Building Inspector which building permit and inspections your particular project needs before ordering materials.3

Brookhaven also requires city-inspector involvement for electrical work when power has been off for 6 months or longer, or when work requires service disconnection.114 Gas work requires a permit when the meter has been removed or gas has been off for 6 months or longer; electrical work must be performed by a licensed electrician and gas work by a licensed plumber.114

Who handles Brookhaven building permits and zoning questions?

The Brookhaven Public Works Department lists the Building Inspector at 601-833-7766 and gives its mailing address as P.O. Box 560 Brookhaven, MS 39602.3 The city building-permit page directs questions about parcel zoning to the city office at 601-833-7766.4 Use that city contact to establish the parcel district before preparing a site plan.4

Brookhaven publishes a permit-fee schedule and directs questions about the fee formula to its office; the available information does not establish a flat building-permit price.12 Building and zoning questions go to the city, while on-site wastewater applications go to MSDH rather than the city Building Inspector.345

Does Brookhaven have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Brookhaven has an adopted city zoning ordinance, so the parcel district matters when choosing a home site.2 In Brookhaven’s R-1 district, buildings need a front setback of at least 35 feet, side setback of 10 feet and rear setback of 25 feet.9 Main and accessory structures together may cover no more than 35% of an R-1 lot, and buildings may not exceed 35 feet in height.1314

Brookhaven’s R-2 district sets a minimum lot area of 8,000 square feet, with 4,000 square feet per family and a 5,000-square-foot provision for single-family dwelling units.15 In A-1, a single-family dwelling generally needs at least 1 acre and access to a dedicated public street or highway; qualifying previously recorded smaller lots have an exception.16 Confirm the actual parcel district with the city zoning office rather than applying another district’s dimensions to your land.4

How do septic permits and water connections work in Brookhaven?

A septic system inside Brookhaven requires an MSDH permit, and permanent water-meter connection requires an available permanent sewage-disposal solution, which may be sewer or septic.67 MSDH automatically refers applications within 1 mile of a sewer line to the sewer provider and requires a Letter of Rejection before proceeding with a septic application.7 Establish sewer availability before treating septic as the default for a city parcel.7

For a new onsite system, submit a complete application to MSDH; the department emails a payment link after receiving the completed application, and online payment carries an additional fee.17 The published Notice of Intent plus Final Approval fee is $197.50, subject to change and processing charges.18 MSDH’s Wastewater Call Center is 1-855-220-0192.19 Off-grid sanitation still requires wastewater to go to sewer or septic; discharge onto the ground, into ditches or into bodies of water is prohibited.20

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or mobile home in Brookhaven?

We could not confirm whether Brookhaven allows private-lot RV living, tiny-home occupancy or a separate accessory dwelling; ask the city zoning office about the proposed use and parcel district before buying a unit.4 Brookhaven’s mobile-home rules do establish a moving-permit requirement before a mobile home is moved.8

A single-wide may move into a mobile-home park or replace a mobile home of the same size or smaller; the replaced home must have been occupied within the prior 90 days, verified by a water or electrical bill.8 A double-wide may move into R-2 or R-3 areas if setbacks are met, or into a mobile-home park.8 Mississippi also requires applicable factory-built homes to undergo state installation inspection before occupation.21

Building a home in Brookhaven: what steps should come first?

  1. Ask Brookhaven’s zoning office to identify the parcel district and discuss the proposed residential use before drawing the site layout.4
  2. Establish the sewage-disposal route: permanent water service depends on sewer or septic availability, and nearby sewer can trigger referral before MSDH processes septic.7
  3. Ask the city about floodplain standards before fixing the floor elevation: applicable new residential construction and substantial improvements in special flood hazard areas must place the lowest floor, including basement, at least 2 feet above base flood elevation.22
  4. Submit the city building application with 2 sets of plans and a deed copy, allowing for a possible 2-week review.1
  5. Confirm required inspections and occupancy paperwork with the city Building Inspector; we could not confirm when a residential certificate of occupancy is required.3

For land outside Brookhaven city limits, use the Lincoln County guide for the county answer; Brookhaven’s zoning rules concern land inside city limits.2

Watch-outs

  • A Mississippi owner-builder licensing exemption does not itself waive Brookhaven building permits or inspections.10
  • We could not confirm a Brookhaven minimum dwelling size or an agricultural building-permit exemption; ask the city zoning and building office before designing a small home or barn.4
  • A permanent water connection cannot substitute for resolving sewage disposal, and proximity to sewer may prevent proceeding directly to a septic application.7

Sources

  1. Building Permits - Brookhaven Mississippi (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  2. Appendix B - Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 501 R-1 Residential district (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  3. City of Brookhaven Public Works Department / Building Inspector (brookhaven-ms.gov)
  4. City of Brookhaven Building Permit and Zoning Office (brookhaven-ms.gov)
  5. WasteWater (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  6. WasteWater (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  7. WasteWater (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  8. Building Permits - Brookhaven Mississippi (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  9. Appendix B - Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 501 R-1 Residential district (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  10. Mississippi Senate Journal, March 9, 2022 (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Building Permits - Brookhaven Mississippi (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  12. Building Permits - Brookhaven Mississippi (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  13. Appendix B - Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 501 R-1 Residential district (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  14. Appendix B - Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 501 R-1 Residential district (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  15. Appendix B - Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 502 R-2 Residential district (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  16. Appendix B - Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 500 A-1 General agricultural district (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  17. On-Site Wastewater — Mississippi State Department of Health, quoted and re-checked
  18. WasteWater FAQ — Mississippi State Department of Health, quoted and re-checked
  19. Mississippi State Department of Health, Division of On-Site Wastewater (msdh.ms.gov)
  20. WasteWater (Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  21. MH-5 Uniform Standards Code for Factory-Built Homes Law (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Chapter 24 Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, Sec. 24-70 (Brookhaven), 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 Brookhaven

Brookhaven’s own rules

  • InspectionsLimited

    Certain electrical and gas work inside Brookhaven city limits.

    • Electrical work requires city-inspector involvement when power has been off six months or longer or work requires service disconnection.
    • Gas work requires a permit when the meter is removed or gas has been off six months or longer.
    • All electrical work must be performed by a licensed electrician; gas work by a licensed plumber.
    “the City Inspector must inspect the work”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Brookhaven city limits; the city code contains an adopted Appendix B Zoning Ordinance with A-1, R-1, R-2 and R-3 districts.

    “The principal use of land is for single-family dwellings”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Brookhaven city limits.

    • The reviewed code sections identify A-1 General Agricultural, R-1 Residential, R-2 Residential and R-3 Recreational zoning districts.
    • This is not a complete inventory of every district in the adopted zoning ordinance.
    “This District shall provide an area devoted primarily to agricultural and horticultural uses.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in Brookhaven city's A-1 agricultural district.

    • The dwelling must have access to a dedicated public street or highway.
    • A recorded lot of one acre or less existing on the ordinance's passage date may qualify if it has at least 50 feet of frontage on a dedicated public street.

    minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (recorded lot of one acre or less with minimum 50 feet frontage may qualify)

    “a lot having an area of not less than one acre”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Buildings in Brookhaven city's R-1 district.

    front setback: >= 35 feet · side setback: >= 10 feet · rear setback: >= 25 feet

    “The front building setback line shall be a minimum of 35 feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Main and accessory buildings in Brookhaven city's R-1 district.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent

    “Main and accessory buildings or structures shall not exceed 35 percent of the total lot area.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in Brookhaven city's A-1 district.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet

    “No building shall exceed 35 feet in height.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured or mobile homes inside Brookhaven city limits.

    • A single-wide mobile home may be moved only into a mobile-home park or to replace a same-size-or-smaller mobile home occupied within the prior 90 days, with water or electrical bill verification.
    • A double-wide may be moved into R-2 or R-3 areas if setback requirements are met, or into a mobile-home park.
    • A moving permit is required before moving the mobile home.

    replacement occupancy lookback: 90 days (water or electrical bill must verify occupancy)

    “A single wide mobile home may only be moved into a mobile home park or if it is replacing a mobile home of the same size or smaller. The mobile home which is being replaced must have been occupied within the last 90 days. A copy of the water bill or electrical bill must be provided to verify the mobile home was occupied.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    New construction and substantial improvements in Brookhaven special flood hazard areas where the cited standards apply.

    • Residential buildings, including manufactured homes, must have the lowest floor including basement at least two feet above BFE.
    • Additional standards apply to nonresidential construction, encroachments, enclosures, flood openings, accessory structures and manufactured homes.
    • The cited rule applies in areas of special flood hazard designated on the community FIRM where BFE data are provided, subject to the stated exclusions and cross-references.

    minimum elevation above BFE: >= 2 feet (lowest floor including basement)

    “elevated to no lower than two feet above the BFE.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Brookhaven city permit fees.

    • The page links to the schedule and directs questions about the fee formula to the city office.
    • The actual fee schedule was not reproduced in the reviewed page excerpt.
    “The schedule of permit fees may be found on this page. If you have any questions regarding the formula for determining the fees, please contact our office at 601-833-7766.”
  • Permit processPublished

    Brookhaven city building-permit process.

    • Submit two sets of plans, deed copy and completed application.
    • Depending on the job, review may take two weeks.

    plan sets: 2 sets · possible review period: 2 weeks (depending on the job)

    “2 sets of plans, a copy of the deed, and a completed building permit application. Depending on the job, there may be a 2 week review period.”

Rules another office applies inside Brookhaven

Brookhaven 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 septicState

    On-site wastewater permitting and review applicable to properties inside Brookhaven city limits.

    • MSDH administers the on-site wastewater application process; local ordinances may separately affect an application.
    “The Permit is required for a water meter and the installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system serving property inside Brookhaven city limits.

    • A permit is required for installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system.
    • The source states the permit is also required for a water meter.
    “installation of an on-site wastewater disposal system.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Sanitation for property inside Brookhaven city limits without ordinary public sewer service.

    • A septic system may serve property where sewer is unavailable, subject to MSDH permitting.
    • Wastewater may not be discharged to the ground, ditches or bodies of water.
    • Mississippi does not recognize gray water; wastewater must pipe into a central sewer system or septic system.
    “Mississippi does not recognize gray water.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    New permanent water-meter and wastewater service arrangements for property inside Brookhaven city limits.

    • A permanent sewage-disposal solution must be available before a permanent water meter can be connected.
    • A sewer line or septic system may satisfy the permanent solution requirement.
    • Within one mile of a sewer line, MSDH automatically refers applications to connect and requires a Letter of Rejection from the sewer provider before proceeding with a septic application.

    sewer referral distance: <= 1 mile (MSDH automatically refers applications within this distance to connect)

    “By law, sewer systems have first-right to provide sewer to everyone. As such, MSDH automatically refers applications within one (1) mile of a sewer line to connect. We must receive a Letter of Rejection from the sewer provider before we can proceed with the application.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Brookhaven city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for land inside Brookhaven city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Brookhaven city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Brookhaven city limits.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Brookhaven city limits.
4 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • 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 Brookhaven publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lincoln County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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