In accordance with House Bill 1163, the Attala County Board of Supervisors imposed a new ordinance mandating permit for construction within the unincorporated areas of the county.
The supervisors chose to set the permit cost at $100, lower than several other counties throughout the state which imposed a $250 fee.
The ordinance was enacted on July 5, 2022, but effective retroactively to July 1, 2022.
The state legislature and governor enacted the bill in this year’s legislative session, which amended Miss. Code Ann. 19-5-9, instructing counties throughout the state to require permitting as a condition to construction. The law requires permitting even if a county does not desire permitting within its jurisdiction.
“That means if somebody is coming out to do electrical work at your house to add-on to your house, build a house, add a barn or whatever they’re building, they are supposed to come (to the chancery building) to pay a fee and account for it,” Board Attorney Scott Pickle told the supervisors. “We don’t have to have a licensed building inspector like the city to go out and inspect work, but we do have to require (contractors) to furnish this information and get a permit from us to do the work.”
The board attorney said the ordinance was enacted to ensure quality work is being executed properly.
“There are good intentions behind it,” said Pickle. “It’s where if somebody who doesn’t really know what they are doing wires your house and it catches fire and burns everybody up.. they are trying to make sure reputable people are doing this work.”
District Three Supervisor Steven Goss asked Pickle if one could still do work on their own residence without a permit.
“You can do your own thing on your own place still,” said Pickle. “You just can’t hire somebody who is in the business getting paid without a permit.”
The permit must contain the contractor’s material purchase certificate number furnished by the Department of Revenue or a W-9 and a copy of the contractor’s license or certificate of responsibility.
Under the new ordinance, it shall be unlawful for any construction to take place within the unincorporated area of Attala County unless a permit has been obtained.
In order for a prime contractor, construction manager, builder, remodeler, or any other person defined in House Bill 1163 to obtain a permit, they must complete the application.
Applications may be obtained at the Chancery Court building at 230 West Washington Street in Kosciusko via Chancery Court Clerk Taylor Casey.
Casey will ensure the application has been completed and fees have been paid, then immediately thereafter issue the permit.
Monies received from the permits will go into the county’s general fund.
