Building on Raw Land in Simpson County, Mississippi

Simpson County's Board of Supervisors adopted a genuinely new building-permit ordinance for unincorporated areas on January 6, 2025 -- one of the more specific, dollar-figure-backed construction rules found anywhere in this research project. Here's exactly what it requires, who it applies to, and what it costs.

This page covers what's specific to Simpson County. For the general explanation, see the national guide.

The ordinance: 2021 building codes, effective January 2025

Simpson County's Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a new building-permit ordinance for unincorporated areas of the county on January 6, 2025. The ordinance adopts the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) and the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) as the applicable construction standards for both residential and commercial building. Anyone building a new structure or remodeling an existing one in unincorporated Simpson County now needs to obtain a permit through the county's Office of Community Development before starting work, with specific documentation required as part of that application. This is recent enough -- barely 20 months old as of this page's 2026 review -- that any pre-2025 understanding of Simpson County's construction requirements is now out of date.

Because the ordinance is new, it's worth budgeting real time for the county to iron out administrative details as it gains experience applying it. If you're planning new construction, ask the Office of Community Development directly and early which documents they currently require with a permit application, and don't assume a neighbor's experience from before January 2025 still reflects the current process.

Contractor registration: who has to register, and what it costs

Separate from the building-code adoption, the ordinance introduced an annual permit/registration requirement for general contractors, HVAC installers, electricians, and plumbers who want to do work in unincorporated Simpson County -- registering through the Office of Community Development for a $50 annual fee. If you're hiring a contractor for new construction or a remodel here, confirm that contractor is currently registered with the county before signing a contract; an unregistered contractor may not be able to pull permits or pass inspections on your project.

For larger jobs specifically -- any residential construction project over $50,000 or any remodeling project over $10,000 -- the ordinance goes further: the contractor must hold a valid license from the Mississippi State Board of Contractors, obtain a $5,000 performance bond, and carry proof of general liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence. These are real, specific financial thresholds worth confirming with any contractor bidding on a Simpson County project of that size -- ask to see the current Mississippi Board of Contractors license, the performance bond, and the certificate of insurance directly, rather than taking a verbal assurance that the contractor is properly licensed and bonded.

The inspection-failure fee, and what it means for your construction budget

The ordinance also builds in a real financial consequence for a botched inspection: if a required inspection cannot be completed because a contractor failed to meet the applicable requirements or otherwise failed the inspection, the ordinance imposes a $150 fee per occurrence. That's a cost that falls on whoever is responsible for scheduling and preparing for inspections on your project -- typically the contractor, but worth spelling out explicitly in your construction contract so it's clear who absorbs a $150 charge if an inspection has to be rescheduled due to incomplete work.

Put together, a buyer planning new construction or a substantial remodel in unincorporated Simpson County should budget for: the standard building permit itself, a $50 annual registration fee for the contractor (confirm it's current), a $5,000 performance bond and $300,000-per-occurrence liability insurance if the project crosses the $50,000 new-construction or $10,000 remodel threshold, and the possibility of a $150 per-occurrence fee if an inspection has to be redone. None of these figures are unusually high compared to construction-permitting costs nationally, but they are specific, real, and new enough that a contractor or seller's pre-2025 cost estimate for building here should be treated as outdated.

Building on Raw Land in Simpson County, Mississippi

The ordinance: 2021 building codes, effective January 2025

Contractor registration: who has to register, and what it costs

The inspection-failure fee, and what it means for your construction budget

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