Administrative overview · FIPS 28035
Forrest County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
Municipal Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked Municipal Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
Applicable municipal building department; Forrest County Planning Department for county ordinances
For a project in or near Forrest County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
601-545-6000
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
641 N. Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Operating hours
Operating hours not verified
Review expectation
Ask the agency for its current review estimate
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
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
Frequently asked questions for Forrest County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
How should I begin an application?
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact 601-545-6000 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
A typical review timeline was not verified. Ask the agency for its current completeness and review estimate.
How are inspections scheduled?
N/A for building inspections; the county directs applicants to the applicable municipal building department. County subdivision-road construction is subject to at least three on-site County Engineer inspections.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
N/A; Forrest County expressly states that it does not administer building codes or issue certificates of occupancy. Building-code permitting is handled by the applicable municipality. N/A for building permits. For county subdivision review, agricultural land divisions that do not involve construction of new roads or streets are exempt. For stormwater, 0-0.9 acres disturbed requires only Planning Department notification; 1-5 acres requires a county permit; more than 5 acres requires an MDEQ permit.