Bolthole Index

Madison County, Mississippi

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Ridgeland, Mississippi

Ridgeland, Mississippi (Madison County) zones land inside city limits, and the city's Building Permits and Inspections Division reviews construction plans, inspects work and issues Certificates of Occupancy12. Septic permits inside Ridgeland come from the Mississippi State Department of Health, not the city3. Madison County's own permit and zoning rules cover only unincorporated land4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes. Ridgeland divides the city into zoning districts; the official zoning map is the final authority on any parcel.1
Building permits
Issued by the City's Building Permits and Inspections Division; we could not confirm the ordinance wording for new homes2
Septic
Mississippi State Department of Health, with a certified installer and a pre-construction inspection call3
R-1 lot size
12,000 sq ft minimum area and 90 ft minimum width5
R-1 setbacks
35 ft front, 10 ft sides, 25 ft rear6
Accessory dwellings
Conditional use in the R-1 district7
Owner-builder (state licensing)
Owners building their own residence are exempt from state residential builder licensing, which is separate from permits8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Ridgeland Building Permits and Inspections Division

Building plan review, periodic inspections and Certificates of Occupancy inside Ridgeland city limits

100 W School Street, Ridgeland, MS 39157

Zoning

City of Ridgeland Community Development (Planning and Zoning)

Zoning questions, the property zoning map, and rezoning, conditional use and variance requests inside Ridgeland

601.856.7113

Septic permits

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

Individual onsite wastewater applications, recommendations, permits and inspections

601-576-7150

570 East Woodrow Wilson Drive, Jackson, MS 39216

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Ridgeland, MS have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The City of Ridgeland is divided into zoning districts, and the official zoning map is the final authority on how any parcel inside city limits is classified1. The City's Community Development office runs planning and zoning9.

Dimensions depend on the district. In the R-1 Single-Family Residential District, the minimum lot area is 12,000 square feet and the minimum lot width is 90 feet5. R-1 setbacks are 35 feet in front, 10 feet on each side and 25 feet in the rear6. Maximum building height in R-1 is 50 feet or 2½ stories10. R-1 districts are not placed where there is no public sewer5.

A secondary attached or detached dwelling unit in R-1 is a conditional use under the zoning ordinance7. Detached single-family homes on their own lots in a horizontal mixed-use development need at least 1,800 square feet of heated floor area11.

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

Inside Ridgeland, the City's Building Permits and Inspections Division reviews construction drawing packages, performs periodic inspections and issues Certificates of Occupancy212. The City, not Madison County, is the office for building permits on land inside city limits.

We could not find the ordinance sentence that states a permit is required for a new house in Ridgeland, so confirm with the Division before you pour a foundation. The City says a published schedule of permit and zoning fees is posted in the Community Development Department, nothing is processed until fees are paid, and zoning-related fees are nonrefundable13.

Mississippi law requires counties and municipalities to enact uniform building codes unless they opted out before November 30, 201414. Mississippi's owner-builder exemption covers state residential builder licensing for a person building their own residence, but it does not remove a local permit or inspection requirement8.

How do septic permits work inside Ridgeland?

Septic is not a city permit. The Mississippi State Department of Health sets the rules and handles onsite wastewater approvals, inspected with the appropriate county health department15. A new system inside Ridgeland follows the state's soil-and-site evaluation, Permit/Recommendation, installation, inspection and final-approval steps16.

The certified installer must contact the Department 24 hours before construction to schedule the inspection, and final approval follows inspection and signed affidavits3. The state form also offers a two-acre exemption option with its own conditions3.

Most homes inside a city connect to public sewer, and R-1 zoning is not placed where public sewer is missing5. We could not confirm whether Ridgeland requires a sewer connection when sewer is available, so ask the City before planning a septic system. For septic questions call the17 state office.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Ridgeland?

We could not confirm. No Ridgeland ordinance provision on long-term RV living, temporary camping or tiny-home occupancy turned up in the City's published material, and that is not the same as permission. The City also lists a Mobile Home Park District in its zoning ordinance, but we could not confirm where manufactured homes are allowed or what approvals they need.

Mississippi requires every factory-built home sited in the state to pass an installation inspection before occupancy, and local permits must be obtained before installation18. For RVs or tiny homes, ask Community Development at9 and get the answer for your specific zoning district in writing.

Building a home in Ridgeland: the steps, in order

  1. Look up the parcel's zoning district on the City's property zoning map and confirm the lot size, setbacks and height for that district91.
  2. Confirm with the Building Permits and Inspections Division what permit and plan package a new home needs, and what the fees are1213.
  3. If public sewer is not available, start the state septic process through the17 office16.
  4. Build with periodic City inspections2.
  5. Get the Certificate of Occupancy from the Division before you move in; we could not confirm that every new residence requires one19.

What stays with Madison County, and what should you check before you buy in Ridgeland?

Outside Ridgeland's limits, Madison County rules apply instead. The county requires a permit from its Board of Supervisors before building on unincorporated land, and county zoning applies only there420. Confirm which side of the city line a parcel is on before you call anyone.

Septic comes from the state in either case21. For wells, Mississippi requires a groundwater withdrawal permit for water wells with surface casing 6 inches or larger, with some exclusions; we could not confirm a city-specific well rule22.

Madison County's effective property tax rate is 0.7% and the median bill is $2,071 a year2324. The county's typical home value is $338,15425. Only 2.3% of county soils rate "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field, so lots without sewer usually need a site evaluation or engineered system26.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm the Ridgeland ordinance wording that requires a permit for a new house, so call the Building Permits and Inspections Division before you start work2.
  • Zoning dimensions differ by district, so read the district for your parcel on the official zoning map rather than assuming the residential figures above apply1.
  • The County's building permit and zoning rules apply only to unincorporated Madison County, not inside Ridgeland4.

Sources

  1. Official Zoning Ordinance of the City of Ridgeland (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  2. Permits and Inspections - City of Ridgeland (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  3. Mississippi State Department of Health Form 908: Notice of Intent, New Individual On-site Wastewater Disposal System (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  4. Madison County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  5. Official Zoning Ordinance of the City of Ridgeland (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  6. Official Zoning Ordinance of the City of Ridgeland (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  7. Official Zoning Ordinance of the City of Ridgeland (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  8. Mississippi Senate Journal, March 9, 2022 (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. City of Ridgeland Community Development (Planning and Zoning) (ridgelandms.org)
  10. Official Zoning Ordinance of the City of Ridgeland (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  11. Official Zoning Ordinance of the City of Ridgeland (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Ridgeland Building Permits and Inspections Division (ridgelandms.org)
  13. Official Zoning Ordinance of the City of Ridgeland (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  14. Mississippi Uniform Building Codes (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Mississippi State Department of Health Current Regulations: On-site Wastewater (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Mississippi State Department of Health Form 908: Notice of Intent, New Individual On-site Wastewater Disposal System (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  17. Mississippi State Department of Health, Division of On-Site Wastewater (msdh.ms.gov)
  18. MH-5 Uniform Standards Code for Factory-Built Homes Law (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Permits and Inspections - City of Ridgeland (Ridgeland), quoted and re-checked
  20. Planning and Zoning | Madison County Mississippi, quoted and re-checked
  21. On-Site Wastewater - Mississippi State Department of Health, quoted and re-checked
  22. Guidelines for Securing the Services of a Water Well Driller (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  26. 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

Written October 24, 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 Ridgeland

Ridgeland’s own rules

  • InspectionsLimited

    Construction plans permitted by the City inside Ridgeland city limits.

    • The City states that its division performs periodic inspections; the page does not state a universal inspection sequence for every residential project.
    “The Building Permits and Inspections Division is charged with reviewing construction drawing packages, performing periodic inspections, and issuing Certificates of Occupancy.”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Projects for which Ridgeland's Building Permits and Inspections Division issues a Certificate of Occupancy.

    • The located City page states that the division issues Certificates of Occupancy but does not state that every new residence requires one.
    “The Building Permits and Inspections Division is charged with reviewing construction drawing packages, performing periodic inspections, and issuing Certificates of Occupancy.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Ridgeland city limits.

    • The official zoning map is the final authority as to the zoning status of land and structures in the City of Ridgeland.
    “For the purpose of promoting public health, safety, morals, or general welfare, the City of Ridgeland, Mississippi, is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building permits and zoning-related applications inside Ridgeland city limits.

    • The Mayor and Board of Aldermen may alter or amend the schedule.
    • No action or processing occurs until applicable fees, charges, and expenses are paid in full.
    • Zoning-related fees are nonrefundable.
    “Said schedule of fees shall be posted in the Community Development Department whose office shall be responsible for their collection.”

Rules another office applies inside Ridgeland

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

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Detached single-family dwellings in a horizontal mixed-use development inside Ridgeland city limits.

    • The dimensional standards apply when detached single-family dwellings are provided on their own lots in a horizontal mixed-use development.

    minimum heated floor area: 1800 square feet

    “Minimum Heated Floor Area: 1,800 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ridgeland city limits.

    • R-1 districts shall not be located in areas that do not have public sewerage.

    minimum lot area: 12000 square feet · minimum lot width: 90 feet

    “Maximum Building Height: 50 feet or 2 ½ stories. B. Minimum Lot Area: 12,000 square feet. C. Minimum Lot Width: 90 feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ridgeland city limits.

    • Front-yard measurement is from the existing or proposed right-of-way line shown on the adopted Ridgeland Thoroughfares Plan to the building setback line.

    front yard: 35 feet · side yards: 10 feet · rear yard: 25 feet

    “Front yard: 35 feet from the existing or proposed right-of-way line as shown on the adopted Ridgeland Thoroughfares Plan to the building setback line. 2. Side yards: 10 feet. 3. Rear yard: 25 feet.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ridgeland city limits.

    maximum building height: 50 feet (or 2½ stories)

    “A. Maximum Building Height: 50 feet or 2 ½ stories. B. Minimum Lot Area: 12,000 square feet.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Secondary attached or detached dwelling units in the R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ridgeland city limits.

    • The unit is a conditional use under Section 600.09 and is subject to Section 31.06 of the zoning ordinance.
    “Secondary attached/detached dwelling units as defined in Article II and subject to the regulations in Section 31.06 of this Ordinance.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    A new individual onsite wastewater disposal system for which final approval is sought inside Ridgeland city limits.

    • A certified installer must contact the Department 24 hours before construction to schedule the inspection.
    • Final approval follows inspection and specified signed affidavits.
    • The form offers a two-acre exemption option where final approval is not required or desired, subject to stated acreage and entity requirements.
    “The Certified Installer is responsible for contacting the Department 24 hours BEFORE beginning construction to schedule an inspection. STEP 5 - Final Approval After the inspection, you MUST provide the following to the Department:”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Onsite wastewater disposal for a residence inside Ridgeland city limits where sewer service is not used.

    • The applicant follows the MSDH soil-and-site evaluation, Permit/Recommendation, installation, inspection, and final-approval process.
    • The form's two-acre exemption option has separate stated conditions.
    “Individual On-site Wastewater Disposal System”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — New residential construction inside Ridgeland city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Ridgeland city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Residential lots inside Ridgeland city limits.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Ridgeland city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Ridgeland city limits.
8 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Ridgeland publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Madison County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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