Bolthole Index

Covington County, Alabama

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Opp, Alabama

Opp, Alabama requires a city building permit before construction, plumbing or electrical work begins inside city limits.1 The City of Opp also has its own zoning code.2 Septic tanks are generally unlawful inside the city, which expects sewer connection, and the Covington County Health Department issues onsite sewage permits for the county.34

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the City of Opp before construction, plumbing or electrical work1
Zoning
City of Opp zoning code applies inside city limits2
Septic
Septic tanks generally prohibited inside city limits; sewer connection required when a main is close35
Building codes
2012 ICC codes adopted by reference6
Manufactured homes
960 sq ft minimum for Class A homes in manufactured-home subdivisions7
Accessory dwelling
One per single-family lot in P-2 developments8
Owner-builder
State licensing exemption exists; city permit still applies91

Who to call

Building permits

City of Opp building permits (Building page)

City building and electrical permit applications, plumbing and gas permits, and inspections inside Opp city limits

Planning & zoning

City of Opp Planning and Economic Development (City Planner)

City planning, the zoning code and subdivision of unimproved property inside Opp

334-498-0118

Septic permits

Covington County Health Department, Environmental Services

Septic-tank requests and environmental services for Covington County

334-222-1175

23989 Alabama Highway 55, Andalusia, Alabama 36420

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Opp means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Opp, Alabama?

Yes, inside Opp city limits. A city building permit must be obtained before construction, plumbing (including gas work) or electrical wiring begins.1 The city adopted the International Building Code and International Residential Code, among other codes, by reference.6 Permitted work is inspected by the city's building inspector, and the city charges for that inspection.10

Alabama exempts an owner who acts as their own contractor on a one-family or two-family home for their own use from the state home-builder license, provided the home is not offered for sale.9 That is a state licensing exemption; the source does not say it removes a separate building permit.11 The city pages we reviewed state no owner-builder exemption from the city permit, so expect to apply for one.

Who issues building permits in Opp, and what do they cost?

The City of Opp issues building permits and electrical permits; its Building page links printable applications.12 The page lists a building permit and inspection fee of $12.50 plus $0.15 per $100 of the construction or plumbing contract price, and a $3.00 gas permit fee.13 Electrical permits start at $50.00 for a 200 amp service.13

The city's Planning and Economic Development page shows a different fee schedule and does not say which is current, so confirm the amount with the City Planner before you budget.13 The City Planner can be reached at 334-498-0118.14 The city's Building page links a Certificate of Occupancy document that no longer loads, so ask the city what it requires before you move in.

Does Opp have zoning, and what does it mean for homes and lots?

Yes. Opp has a zoning ordinance adopted by the Opp City Council, and it applies inside city limits, not in unincorporated Covington County.2 Rules depend on the zoning district, so look up the district for your parcel before you plan anything.

Two district-specific rules stand out. In P-2 planned neighborhood developments, one accessory dwelling per single-family lot is allowed on top of the normal density.8 Class A manufactured homes in manufactured-home subdivisions need at least 960 square feet of enclosed, heated living area.7 Driveways may not exceed 13 feet wide within the first 15 feet of a single-family lot.15

Subdividing unimproved property goes through the city Planning Board.16

How do septic permits work inside Opp?

Opp's city code makes it unlawful to build or maintain a privy, septic tank, cesspool or similar sewage disposal facility, except where another code provision allows it.3 We could not confirm what those exceptions are. Where a city sewer main lies in the abutting street or alley and within 100 feet of the property line, the owner must connect at their own expense within 90 days after official notice.5

Onsite sewage permits in Covington County come from the Covington County Health Department's Environmental Office, reached at 334-222-1175.4 Before you count on a septic system on an Opp lot, ask the City of Opp whether your lot is exempt from the prohibition and whether sewer is available, then ask the Health Department about a permit.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on a lot in Opp?

We could not confirm a general rule for living in an RV, camping on private land or occupying a tiny home inside Opp city limits. The zoning code defines recreational vehicles, but we found no private-land occupancy rule. Ask the City Planner at 334-498-0118 before you park or place anything.14

If you plan a manufactured home, Alabama requires it to be tied down to properly installed ground anchors, and installers must be certified by the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission.17 Opp's own manufactured-home rules are district-specific.7

Building a home in Opp: the steps, in order

  1. Call the City Planner at 334-498-0118 to confirm your parcel's zoning district and what it allows.14
  2. Ask the city whether sewer reaches your lot, since septic tanks are generally prohibited inside city limits.3
  3. If a septic system is allowed for your lot, apply to the Covington County Health Department before building.4
  4. Fill out the city's building permit application, and the electrical application if you need one, and pay the fees.12
  5. Build to the adopted codes, and schedule work with the city's building inspector.10
  6. Ask the city about a Certificate of Occupancy before moving in.

What stays with Covington County, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits for any Covington County address come from the county health department, not from the city.4 Outside Opp's limits, the county commission approves subdivision plats, and the county engineer reviews them first.18 We could not confirm that Covington County itself zones unincorporated land, so rules on a parcel outside the city should be confirmed with the Covington County Commission.19

Before you buy, confirm that the parcel is inside Opp city limits, since the city's rules stop at its boundary. Covington County's effective property tax rate is 0.3%.20

Watch-outs

  • Opp's code generally prohibits septic tanks inside city limits, so a lot without sewer access may not be buildable the way a rural lot is.3
  • The city's two pages list different building permit fee schedules, so confirm the current fees with the City Planner.13
  • The city's Certificate of Occupancy link did not load, so ask the city what is required before occupancy.12

Sources

  1. Building – City of Opp Alabama (Opp), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Opp Zoning Code 2021, quoted and re-checked
  3. Opp Code Sec. 9-30 Prohibited facilities generally (Opp), quoted and re-checked
  4. Covington County Health Department, Environmental Services (alabamapublichealth.gov)
  5. Opp Code Sec. 9-31 Sewer connection required after notice (Opp), quoted and re-checked
  6. Opp Code of Ordinances, Sec. 4-1. Technical codes adopted (Opp), quoted and re-checked
  7. City of Opp Zoning and Development Code 2021 (Opp), quoted and re-checked
  8. City of Opp Zoning and Development Code 2021 (Opp), quoted and re-checked
  9. Exemptions (Alabama statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Building – City of Opp Alabama (Opp), quoted and re-checked
  11. HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE LAW, quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Opp building permits (Building page) (cityofopp.com)
  13. Building – City of Opp Alabama (Opp), quoted and re-checked
  14. City of Opp Planning and Economic Development (City Planner) (cityofopp.com)
  15. City of Opp Zoning and Development Code 2021 (Opp), quoted and re-checked
  16. Economic Development – City of Opp Alabama (Opp), quoted and re-checked
  17. Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission Sunset Report, quoted and re-checked
  18. Handbook for Alabama County Commissioners, quoted and re-checked
  19. Covington County, AL official website (2026 county census)
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 10, 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Opp

Opp’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, plumbing including gas work, electrical wiring, re-plumbing, or re-wiring inside Opp city limits.

    • A city building permit must be obtained before commencement.
    • The city's page also separately identifies building and electrical permit applications.
    “without having first obtained from the city a building permit.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Building construction, plumbing including gas work, and electrical wiring or rewiring within Opp city.
      “It shall be unlawful for any person to commence the construction of any building [...] within the city without having first obtained from the city a building permit.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Opp city limits.

    • The city ordinance adopts the listed 2012 ICC codes and National Fire Protection Association codes by reference.

    International Residential Code edition: 2012 (One- and Two-Family Dwellings)

    “The following codes, current edition, are hereby adopted by reference as though they were copied herein fully:”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction and plumbing inside Opp city limits.

    • The city charges for inspection by the building inspector.
    • Electrical work on structures requiring a building permit requires an electrical permit.
    • Specific inspection stages were not located.
    “the inspection to be made by the building inspector of the city”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Construction or use affected by an Opp building permit.
      “The construction or usage affected by any building permit shall be subject to four inspections”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Opp city limits.

    • District regulations and use approvals apply under the City of Opp Zoning and Development Code.
    “The city is hereby divided into zones or districts, as shown on the official zoning map”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Opp city limits.

    • The source lists AR, R-1 through R-5, and P-1 through P-3 among the city's zoning districts.
    “3.1.1. AR Agricultural and Recreational. 3.1.2. R-1 Low Density Residential. 3.1.3. R-2 Medium Family Residential.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured-home parks and subdivisions in Opp's T-1 Manufactured Home District.

    • New T-1 districts require at least five acres and a site plan. Manufactured-home subdivisions allow only Class A manufactured homes and site-built homes; parks allow Class A and B homes, while Class C and non-manufactured homes are prohibited in parks.

    minimum manufactured-home-district area: >= 5 acres (New T-1 district)

    “Only Class A manufactured homes and site-built homes shall be permitted in manufactured home subdivisions. Only Class A and Class B manufactured homes shall be permitted in manufactured home parks.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    One accessory dwelling per single-family lot in a P-2 planned neighborhood development.

    • The allowance is in addition to permitted densities in table 8-3.
    • The claim is limited to P-2 developments; no citywide allowance was established.

    accessory dwellings: 1 per single-family lot (P-2 planned neighborhood development)

    “One accessory dwelling per single-family lot shall be permitted in addition to the permitted densities, provided in table 8-3.”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Privies, septic tanks, cesspools, and other sewage-disposal facilities inside Opp city limits.

    • The ban is subject to the code's stated exception: “Except as hereinafter provided.”
    “Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Prohibited — Privies, privy vaults, septic tanks, cesspools, and other sewage-disposal facilities inside Opp city limits, except where another code provision provides otherwise.
      “Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes inside Opp city limits when a city public sanitary or combined sewer is located in the abutting street, alley, or right-of-way.

    • Connection is required at the owner's expense.
    • Official notice must be given.
    • Connection must occur within 90 days after official notice.
    • The public sewer must be within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of the property line.

    connection distance: <= 100 feet (public sewer must be within this distance of the property line) · compliance period: 90 days (after official notice)

    “within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that such public sewer is within one hundred (100) feet (30.5 meters) of the property line.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Sewer (with conditions) — Properties inside Opp city limits that abut a street, alley, or right-of-way containing a city public sanitary or combined sewer.
      “within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that such public sewer is within one hundred (100) feet (30.5 meters) of the property line.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of unimproved property inside Opp city limits.

    • The Planning Board is authorized to exercise powers under Alabama Code § 11-52-6 et seq.
    • The zoning code includes subdivision plat requirements and city subdivision regulations.
    • Specific submission fees were not located.
    “The Planning Board is also authorized and empowered to exercise all powers and to do all things authorized to such Planning Board by such law, and to exercise such control as it authorized under such law with reference to subdivision of unimproved property.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Regulated (with conditions) — Proposed subdivisions inside Opp city limits.
      “before any building permit may be granted thereon, the property owner or authorized agent shall apply for and secure approval of such proposed subdivision”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Driveways and lot ingress/egress inside Opp city limits.

    • Within the first 15 feet of the lot measured from the front lot line, driveway widths may not exceed 13 feet for single-family and duplex dwellings, 25 feet for multifamily dwellings, or 30 feet for nonresidential uses.
    • Subdivision and development plans must also satisfy driveway-spacing requirements.

    single-family or duplex driveway width: <= 13 feet (within first 15 feet of lot) · multifamily driveway width: <= 25 feet (within first 15 feet of lot) · nonresidential driveway width: <= 30 feet (within first 15 feet of lot)

    “Within the first 15 ft. of the lot (measured from the front lot line along which a driveway is proposed) driveways shall not exceed the following widths:”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in Opp's special flood hazard Zone A where streams exist but base-flood data have not been provided.

    • Applies in the areas of special flood hazard established in Sec. 4-62 and requires compliance with Sec. 4-91 and Sec. 4-92(1)-(4).
    “All development in Zone A must meet the requirements of section 4-91 and subsections 4-92 (1)—(4).”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    City building, plumbing, and gas permits inside Opp city limits.

    • Building permit and inspection fee: $12.50 plus $0.15 per $100 of construction or plumbing contract price.
    • Gas permit and inspection fee: $3.00.
    • The city's economic-development page displays a different fee schedule; the date or supersession relationship was not stated.

    base building permit and inspection fee: 12.5 USD (plus $0.15 per $100 of contract price) · construction or plumbing fee: per 0.15 USD per $100 (contract price) · gas permit and inspection fee: 3 USD

    “Electrical permits are a minimum of $50.00 for a 200 amp service, and increase as the number of amps increase.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Published (with conditions) — City building permits and associated city building inspection for construction or plumbing in Opp.
      “such person shall pay to the city a fee of twelve dollars and fifty cents ($12.50), plus the sum of fifteen cents ($0.15) per one hundred dollars ($100.00)”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building and electrical permitting inside Opp city limits.

    • A building permit is required before covered construction, plumbing, gas, or electrical work begins.
    • The city provides links to printable building/electrical permit applications.
    • The full review, issuance, and inspection sequence was not located.
    “Click the links below to open and print a permit application for building and/or electrical work:”

Rules another office applies inside Opp

Opp does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Class A manufactured homes in manufactured-home subdivisions in Opp's T-1 Manufactured Home District.

    • Applies to Class A manufactured homes permitted in manufactured-home subdivisions.

    minimum enclosed and heated living area: >= 960 square feet (Class A manufactured home in a manufactured-home subdivision)

    “The manufactured home shall have a minimum of 960 sf. of enclosed and heated living area.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Class A manufactured homes in manufactured-home subdivisions within Opp city limits.
      “The manufactured home shall have a minimum of 960 sf. of enclosed and heated living area.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential development in Opp's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

    • Table 6-2 states that applicable district regulations may modify or supplement the table requirements.

    minimum lot size: >= 15000 square feet (R-1 residential district)

    “District R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 [...] Min. Lot Size 15,000 sf.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential development in Opp's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

    • Table 6-2 indicates that district regulations may modify or supplement listed requirements.

    minimum front-yard setback: >= 40 feet (R-1) · minimum rear-yard setback: >= 45 feet (R-1) · minimum one-story side-yard setback: >= 15 feet (R-1)

    “Min. Front Yard Setback 40 ft. [...] Min. Rear Yard Setback 45 ft. [...] Min. Side Yard Setback One-story 15 ft.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential development in Opp's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

    • Table 6-2 indicates that applicable district regulations may modify or supplement the requirements.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent (R-1)

    “Max. Lot Coverage 25% 25% 30% 35% 55% 40%”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Principal buildings in Opp's R-1 Low Density Residential District.

    • Table 6-2 indicates that applicable district regulations may modify or supplement the requirements.

    maximum principal-building height: <= 35 feet (R-1; alternatively 2½ stories)

    “Principal Buildings 2½ stories or 35 ft.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Opp or Covington County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing inside Opp city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Buildings inside Opp city limits.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Opp city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Opp city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Opp city limits.
5 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Opp publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Covington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Covington County: county rules, score and offices