Unincorporated Panola County, Mississippi requires a permit for a new home, manufactured home or other structure1. The Panola County Land Development Office issues construction permits and administers the county's building codes and zoning rules2. New homes also need inspections, septic approval and a Certificate of Occupancy before legal occupancy and permanent electrical service3456.
At a glance
- Building permit
- Required for new homes, manufactured homes and other structures in unincorporated Panola County1
- Zoning
- County zoning and land-use regulations apply; confirm the parcel's district with Land Development782
- Septic
- Apply through the Mississippi State Department of Health for a site evaluation and permit or recommendation49
- RV living
- Temporary only, with a county permit, sanitary disposal and a maximum of 156 days per year10
- Tiny home
- General occupancy rules are unconfirmed; ask Land Development before purchase or placement2
- Owner-builder
- State licensing exemption is available for work on your own residence, but the county permit still applies111
- Minimum lot
- New-home sites require 1 legal acre with public water or 1.5 acres with well water12
- Private well
- A state groundwater-withdrawal permit applies at a 6-inch surface-casing diameter, subject to exclusions13
Who to call
Building permits
Panola County Land Development Office
Construction permits, building codes, zoning regulations and land-development questions
245 Eureka Street Batesville, MS 38606
Septic permits
Mississippi State Department of Health, Division of On-Site Wastewater
On-site wastewater applications, soil and site evaluations, permits or recommendations, and technical assistance for Panola County
570 East Woodrow Wilson Drive Jackson, MS 39216
Floodplain permits
Panola County Floodplain Manager
Flood-zone development permits and flood-map questions
245 Eureka Street Batesville, MS 38606
Roads & driveways
County roads, bridges, culverts, roadside drainage and right-of-way work
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 27, 2026.
Do you need a building permit in Panola County, Mississippi?
Yes. Unincorporated Panola County requires permits for new home construction, manufactured homes and other structures1. The Panola County Land Development Office is the county contact for construction permits and enforcement of adopted building codes and zoning regulations2. A new site-built home must pass mandatory inspections at construction phases before work is concealed3. The county's published residential permit fee is $0.30 per heated square foot, with a $250 minimum and a 500-square-foot minimum used in the fee schedule14. Mississippi's owner-builder licensing exemption allows a person to build or improve that person's own residence, but it does not cancel Panola County's permit or inspection requirements1113.
Who is the Panola County building department, and how do you reach it?
The Panola County Land Development Office serves as the construction-permit and zoning office2. The office is at 245 Eureka Street, Batesville, MS 38606, and the main phone number is 662-563-63132. Contact Land Development before finalizing a house plan so staff can identify the parcel's zoning district, permit documents, applicable code and inspection sequence283. New site-built homes cannot be legally occupied until the final inspection is approved, all permit requirements are satisfied and the county issues a Certificate of Occupancy5. Permanent electrical service also waits for the approved final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy, and the sewer system must be installed and connected65.
Does Panola County have zoning?
Panola County administers adopted zoning and land-use regulations, and requirements may vary by zoning district7. The county publishes a zoning map and Land Use Ordinance, so confirm the parcel's district with the Land Development Office rather than assuming rural acreage is unrestricted82. For new residential construction, the minimum property-line setbacks are 50 feet at the road-frontage side, 15 feet at each side and 20 feet at the rear15. A new-home lot served by public water must contain at least 1 legal acre and have 150 feet of road frontage, while a well-water lot must contain at least 1.5 acres12. Panola County's rules for general tiny-home occupancy, accessory dwellings, building height and lot coverage could not be confirmed; ask Land Development about the proposed building type and district before buying2.
How do septic permits work in Panola County?
The Mississippi State Department of Health handles new on-site wastewater applications for Panola County and provides the soil and site evaluation that leads to a permit or recommendation49. The MSDH permit or recommendation is required to obtain a water meter4. Applications are available online, and MSDH's wastewater call center is 1-855-220-01929. Only about 2.6% of Panola County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so secure the parcel evaluation before fixing the home site or assuming a conventional system will work16. Mississippi has a Notice of Intent exemption path for sites larger than 2 acres, but MSDH does not inspect the system during installation under that exemption and the owner remains responsible for keeping wastewater on the property and out of watercourses17.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Panola County?
An RV or camper on private property in Panola County may be used only for temporary habitation for no more than 156 days per year10. The property owner must obtain a Panola County Land Development Commission permit, pay the $151 permit fee and connect the unit to a sanitary disposal system10. The RV cannot be used as a permanent residence, rental unit or accessory-storage unit10. A renewal, when applicable, also costs $15110. Panola County's general rule for occupying a tiny home could not be confirmed, so ask the Land Development Office to review the proposed unit, foundation, utilities and parcel zoning before purchase or placement2. A tiny home does not avoid the county's confirmed permit, setback and lot-size rules when the project falls within new residential construction11512.
Building a home in Panola County: the steps, in order
- Ask the Panola County Land Development Office to confirm the parcel's zoning district, setbacks, lot eligibility and construction-permit requirements281512.
- Apply to MSDH for the soil and site evaluation and on-site wastewater permit or recommendation before committing to the house location49.
- Arrange each required inspection and do not conceal work before approval3.
What should you check before buying land in Panola County?
Start with septic feasibility because only about 2.6% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field16. Panola County averages about 56.2 inches of precipitation annually, so inspect drainage and confirm the buildable and septic areas on the actual parcel20. About 70.5% of the county has a slope of 15% or less, and about 56.1% is wooded; parcel conditions can still differ from those countywide measures2122. Farmland value averages about $3,142 per acre, while the effective property-tax rate is about 0.8% and the median annual property-tax bill is about $935232425. Ask the Floodplain Manager whether the site lies in a Special Flood Hazard Area because development there requires a county permit before work starts26. Confirm legal access and any county-road culvert or state-highway driveway permit before closing1819.
Watch-outs
- A Panola County home cannot be legally occupied, and permanent electrical service cannot be authorized, until final approval and a Certificate of Occupancy56.
- Temporary RV habitation requires a county permit and lawful sanitary disposal and is capped at 156 days per year10.
- All development in a Special Flood Hazard Area needs approval from the Panola County Floodplain Manager before work begins26.
- A driveway approach or culvert connecting to a county road requires a county right-of-way permit, while access to a state highway requires an MDOT permit1819.
Sources
- Panola County MS – Code Enforcement / Land Development (2026 county census)
- Panola County Land Development Office (panolacoms.com)
- New Home Construction – Panola County, quoted and re-checked
- On-Site Wastewater – Mississippi State Department of Health, quoted and re-checked
- New Home Construction – Panola County, quoted and re-checked
- New Home Construction – Panola County, quoted and re-checked
- Panola County Land Development Office, quoted and re-checked
- Planning and Zoning – Panola County, quoted and re-checked
- Mississippi State Department of Health, Division of On-Site Wastewater (msdh.ms.gov)
- RV & Campers – Panola County, quoted and re-checked
- Mississippi Senate Journal, March 9, 2022 (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- New Home Construction – Panola County, quoted and re-checked
- Guidelines for Securing the Services of a Water Well Driller (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- New Home Construction – Panola County, quoted and re-checked
- New Home Construction – Panola County, quoted and re-checked
- Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
- Notice of Intent + Final Approval, quoted and re-checked
- Panola County Road Department (panolacoms.com)
- Mississippi Access Management Guide (Mississippi statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Annual precipitation: Bolthole Index county data
- Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
- Wooded share of land: Bolthole Index county data
- Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
- Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
- Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
- Panola County Floodplain Manager (panolacoms.com)
Written September 27, 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.