Digital permit application gateway
Start with the issuing authority’s own submission lane. A complete application package, accurate valuation, and accessible inspection path are the fastest route through statutory plan review.
Recommended first click
Use the official digital gateway to submit plans, monitor review comments, pay required charges, and request inspections when the permit is issued. If the link is unavailable, use the agency website or phone number on the administrative profile to confirm the current lane.
Typical review lane
Residential trade permits and residential re-roofing: usually 1-2 business days. All other complete permit applications: usually 7-10 business days.
Treat this as a planning signal, not a guaranteed approval date. Completeness, corrections, resubmittals, and agency workload control the actual clock.
Verify the parcel is inside this agency’s service area and note whether a city, state, fire marshal, septic authority, or utility district also has approval authority.
Prepare legible plans, site information, project valuation, ownership authorization, contractor information, and any energy, floodplain, zoning, or utility documentation the issuing office requires.
Keep the permit number, approved plan set, correction comments, fee receipts, and inspection results together. Those records establish the compliance trail for the next trade.
Application documents
Before submission, call 251-972-6837 if the project involves a change of occupancy, structural alteration, accessory structure, demolition, or work near a regulated environmental feature.
Source trail
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Baldwin County Building Department is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 251-972-6837.
Residential trade permits and residential re-roofing: usually 1-2 business days. All other complete permit applications: usually 7-10 business days.
Request inspections in CitizenServe: My Account > View My Requests > View My Bldg Dept > select the permit > Request an Inspection. Same-day requests are not accepted. Alternatively call 251-972-6837 during business hours; requests are not accepted by voicemail or email. Reports are emailed and posted in the portal.
2024 International Building Code with amendments; 2024 International Residential Code with amendments; 2024 International Mechanical Code; 2024 International Plumbing Code with amendments; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code; 2018 International Energy Conservation Code with amendments; 2023 National Electrical Code with amendments; and 2025 Baldwin County Building Code Modifications. Residential decks do not require a permit when detached, no more than 200 square feet, no more than 30 inches above grade, and not serving the required exit door. Outside flood zones, one-story detached accessory structures generally do not require a permit when they are no more than 200 square feet on a property with an existing primary residence, or no more than 120 square feet when serving an existing multifamily/commercial building. Manufactured-home roofing, HVAC, plumbing and interior alterations are outside the county's permit/inspection scope. Owner-builder licensing exemptions may apply, but permits are still required.
What makes an application complete
Before you click submit, make sure the drawings agree with the site plan, project description, valuation, ownership authorization, and contractor information. If the work changes structure, occupancy, drainage, fire protection, energy performance, or utility demand, describe that scope plainly. Ambiguous narratives create correction cycles and delay the field schedule.
Save the confirmation number, payment receipt, uploaded plan set, and every correction comment. Those records are the backbone of a defensible compliance file when multiple trades or agencies share responsibility.
Submission quality check
Site: address, parcel, access, setbacks, and existing conditions are consistent.
Scope: structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, and energy work is identified.
Closeout: inspection contacts and the final approval path are understood before work begins.