Bolthole Index

Dallas County, Alabama

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Selma, Alabama

Selma, Alabama requires a building permit from the city's Building Inspector's Office before any construction starts1. The city also has its own residential zoning districts2. Septic and well questions for Dallas County sit with the Dallas County Health Department's Environmental Office3; we could not confirm how septic is handled inside city limits.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the Selma Building Inspector before construction begins1
Zoning
Yes: R-100, R-75, R-60, R-50, R-50A and R-50B residential districts2
Inspections
City inspects construction, including before footings are poured4
Septic
Dallas County Health Department Environmental Office handles onsite sewage systems in the county; rule inside the city unconfirmed3
Sewer connection
Building Inspector issues sewer connection permits; impact fee $450 per connection inside city limits5
Minimum dwelling size
1,200 sq ft per family in R-100; 750 sq ft in R-756
Owner-builder
Alabama exempts owners building their own one- or two-family home from a builder's license; city permit rules still apply7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Selma Building Inspector's Office

Building permits, plan review, construction inspections and sanitary sewer connection permits inside Selma city limits

(334) 876-1210

222 Broad Street Selma, AL 36701

Septic permits

Dallas County Health Department Environmental Office

Septic tank questions and onsite sewage permits for Dallas County

334-874-2550

100 Samuel O. Moseley Drive, Selma, Alabama 36701

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Selma, Alabama?

Yes. Selma, Alabama requires a permit from the Building Inspector's Office before construction starts, and the city treats starting work without one as unlawful18. Inside Selma, the city enforces its building and housing codes and reviews plans for conformance9. The city inspects work in progress, including before footings are poured4.

Plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning work must be done by a contractor licensed by Alabama and Selma1. We could not find the city's full application steps or fee schedule, so call the Building Inspector's Office at (334) 876-1210 for the current process108.

Does Selma have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Selma has its own zoning code with residential districts R-100, R-75, R-60, R-50, R-50A and R-50B2. Rules depend on the district, so find your parcel's district before you plan anything.

In the R-100 district a one-family dwelling needs at least 1,200 square feet per family, and R-75 requires 750 square feet6. Minimum lot area for one-family homes runs from 14,000 square feet in R-100 down to 6,000 square feet in the smallest districts11. Front yards run 40 feet in R-100 and 20 feet in the smaller-lot districts12. Maximum building area is 25% of the lot in R-100 and up to 50% in R-50B13.

Mobile-home subdivisions need a Planning Commission recommendation, a 10-acre minimum site and lots of at least 6,500 square feet14.

How do septic permits work inside Selma?

We could not confirm which agency issues septic permits for lots inside Selma city limits, or whether a given lot must connect to city sewer. What is confirmed: the Dallas County Health Department's Environmental Office administers onsite sewage systems in Dallas County3, and a new onsite system needs a Permit to Install, applied for through the local county health department, with an installer licensed by the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Board15.

Where a building does connect to city sewer, the Selma Building Inspector issues the sanitary sewer connection permit, and the sewer impact fee is $450 per equivalent average connection inside city limits5. Call the Environmental Office at 334-874-2550 before you buy16.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Selma?

We could not confirm a Selma rule on long-term RV living or tiny-home occupancy on private land. The one RV-related rule we verified is narrow: camping is prohibited at Selma's public access areas, which says nothing about private land17. Ask the Building Inspector's Office and the city's Planning and Development staff before parking or placing any dwelling on a lot8.

Mobile homes are regulated as a zoning use: they are allowed in mobile-home subdivisions that meet the city's standards14.

Building a home in Selma: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your lot's zoning district and its minimum lot size, setbacks and dwelling size2.
  2. Check whether the lot lies in a flood hazard area; new homes there must have the lowest floor at or above base flood elevation18.
  3. Settle sewer or septic: ask the Building Inspector about sewer connection5 and the Dallas County Health Department Environmental Office about onsite systems3.
  4. Get the building permit from the Building Inspector's Office before work starts1.
  5. Hire licensed trades for plumbing, electrical and HVAC1. An owner acting as their own contractor on a one- or two-family home for their own use is exempt from Alabama's builder licensing, but must supervise the work and not offer it for sale7.
  6. Schedule city inspections, including before footings are poured4.

What stays with Dallas County, and what should you check before buying?

Septic and wells for the county are the Dallas County Health Department's territory, not the city's building office3. Outside Selma city limits, Dallas County rules apply instead. For example, subdivision plats outside municipal limits go through the County Engineer19.

For context, Dallas County's effective property tax rate is 0.4%20, and its median property tax bill is $413 a year21. The typical home value is about $90,88622. Check flood status, sewer availability and the lot's zoning district first.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm whether the City of Selma has its own septic or well rules inside city limits; ask the Dallas County Health Department Environmental Office at 334-874-255016.
  • We could not find Selma's certificate-of-occupancy, accessory-dwelling or short-term-rental rules; ask the Building Inspector's Office before relying on any of them.10
  • Selma's lot-size, setback and height figures vary by residential district, so check your parcel's district rather than assuming R-100 numbers11.

Sources

  1. Building Inspector - The City of Selma Alabama (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  2. Code of Ordinances, Appendix A—Zoning, Sec. 42, Residential district regulations (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  3. Environmental Office | Alabama Department of Public Health, quoted and re-checked
  4. Building Inspector - The City of Selma Alabama (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  5. Building Inspector - The City of Selma Alabama (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  6. Code of Ordinances, Appendix A—Zoning, Sec. 42, Residential district regulations (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  7. Exemptions (Alabama statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. City of Selma Building Inspector's Office (selma-al.gov)
  9. Building Inspector - The City of Selma Alabama (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  10. Building Inspector - The City of Selma Alabama (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  11. Code of Ordinances, Appendix A—Zoning, Sec. 42, Residential district regulations (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  12. Code of Ordinances, Appendix A—Zoning, Sec. 42, Residential district regulations (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  13. Code of Ordinances, Appendix A—Zoning, Sec. 42, Residential district regulations (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  14. Code of Ordinances, Appendix A—Zoning, Sec. 42.1, Mobile home district regulations (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  15. Can I Live On This Lot?, quoted and re-checked
  16. Dallas County Health Department Environmental Office (alabamapublichealth.gov)
  17. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 18, Sec. 18-25, Restricted use of public access areas (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  18. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 11½, Sec. 11½-27, Specific standards (Selma), quoted and re-checked
  19. Engineering | County of Dallas, AL, quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data

Written October 16, 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 Selma

Selma’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction inside Selma city limits.

    • Permit must be obtained before construction begins.
    • Plumbing, electrical, heating, and air conditioning work must be performed by a contractor licensed by Alabama and Selma.
    • Residential general contractors bidding jobs over $10,000 and commercial general contractors bidding jobs over $50,000 must have an Alabama contractor license.

    residential contractor bid threshold: > 10000 USD (State of Alabama Contractor’s License required) · commercial contractor bid threshold: > 50000 USD (State of Alabama Contractor’s License required)

    “It is unlawful for anyone to start construction without first obtaining a permit from the Building Inspector’s Office.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Public and private buildings inside Selma city limits.

    • The Building Inspector enforces local building and housing codes and reviews plans for conformance.
    “The mission of the Building Inspector’s Office is to establish and maintain a pleasant working relationship with office staff, the general public, property owners, public officials and to enforce the building and housing codes with firmness and tact.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Buildings and housing during construction, alterations, and repair jobs inside Selma city limits.

    • The City inspects construction, alterations, and repairs for code compliance, including before footings are poured.
    “Inspect sites before the footings are poured and check construction in process.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Selma city limits.

    • City Planning & Development states it is the starting point for development within city limits; the adopted code contains residential zoning districts.
    “This section contains the residential district regulations as follows:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Residential zoning districts inside Selma city limits.

    • The published schedule identifies R-100, R-75, R-60, R-50, R-50A, and R-50B residential districts.
    “ITEM | DISTRICTS | R-100 | R-75 | R-60 | R-50 | R-50A | R-50B”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    All City of Selma public access areas.

    • The prohibition is limited to City public access areas; it does not establish a citywide private-land camping rule.
    “Picnicking, except at tables provided, and camping are prohibited at all public access areas.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile-home subdivisions inside Selma city limits.

    • A mobile-home subdivision requires Planning Commission recommendation.
    • Minimum site is 10 acres; maximum density is five mobile homes per acre; only one mobile home per lot.
    • Each lot must be at least 6,500 square feet; mobile homes require a 20-foot setback from access streets and five feet from other lot lines.
    • Water, sewage, garbage, trash, electric installations, roads, lighting, recreation areas, and other listed facilities are subject to stated City standards and approvals.

    minimum mobile-home subdivision site: >= 10 acres · maximum density: <= 5 mobile homes per acre (one mobile home per lot) · minimum individual lot area: >= 6500 square feet

    “each mobile home lot shall have a minimum area of six thousand five hundred (6,500) square feet”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    New residential and commercial structures connecting to Selma sanitary sewer inside city limits.

    • The Building Inspector issues sanitary sewer connection permits.
    • The cited section establishes impact and assessment charges when a connection is made; it does not establish a universal connection mandate.
    • Sewer impact fee is $450 per equivalent average connection inside city limits; outside-city connections add 25 percent.
    • An assessment fee of $500 applies where the stated post-January 1, 1997 city-expense line condition is met; outside-city connections add 25 percent.
    • CDBG-funded connections to qualifying lower-income homes may be waived.

    sanitary sewer impact fee: 450 USD per equivalent average connection (within corporate limits) · sewer assessment fee: 500 USD per dwelling house or other structure (if the specified sewer-line condition applies)

    “Such impact fee shall be four hundred and fifty dollars ($450.00) for each equivalent average connection where such connection is located within the corporate limits of the city plus an additional twenty-five (25) per cent when said connection is made outside the corporate limits.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision proposals inside Selma city limits.

    • Proposals must minimize flood damage, provide flood-resilient utility and facility location/construction, and provide adequate drainage.
    • Base-flood-elevation data are required for proposals and other development exceeding the lesser of 50 lots or five acres.

    flood-elevation-data threshold: > 50 lots (or development greater than five acres, whichever is lesser) · flood-elevation-data threshold: > 5 acres (or development greater than 50 lots, whichever is lesser)

    “All subdivision proposals shall be consistent with the need to minimize flood damage.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    New residential construction or substantial improvement in Selma areas of special flood hazard with supplied base-flood-elevation data.

    • Lowest floor, including basement, must be elevated no lower than zero feet above base flood elevation.
    • For floodways, encroachments are prohibited unless a registered professional engineer provides the specified certification.
    • Manufactured homes are prohibited in floodways except in an existing park or subdivision subject to stated anchoring and elevation standards.

    lowest-floor elevation above base flood elevation: >= 0 feet (residential construction in covered special flood hazard areas)

    “Residential construction. New construction or substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated no lower than zero (0) feet above the base flood elevation.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Construction permits inside Selma city limits.

    • The City approves or denies construction-permit requests and examines submitted plans for code conformance; the full application sequence and fee schedule were not located.
    “The building inspector approves or denies requests for construction permits, in addition to testifying in court concerning construction code violations and other building issues.”

Rules another office applies inside Selma

Selma 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

    One-family dwellings in Selma R-100 residential district.

    • The cited section also specifies 750 square feet per family in R-75, referencing Southern Standard Housing Code section 305, 1969 Edition.

    minimum dwelling area per family: >= 1200 square feet (R-100)

    “Area of dwelling or house: Square feet per family: 1,200 in R-100, 750 in R-75 (as required by Southern Standard Housing Code, section 305, 1969 Edition.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    One-family dwellings in Selma R-100 residential district.

    • The residential schedule sets distinct lot-area minimums for R-75, R-60, R-50, R-50A, and R-50B.

    minimum one-family lot area: >= 14000 square feet (R-100)

    “Minimum lot area, one family square feet | 14,000 | 12,000 | 8,400 | 7,200 | 6,000 | 6,000”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    One-family dwellings in Selma R-100 residential district.

    • Front-yard requirements may be reduced to the average depth of nearby developed lots, but not below 20 feet for residential lots.
    • The schedule sets different yard dimensions in other residential districts.

    front yard depth: >= 40 feet (R-100) · rear yard depth: >= 45 feet (R-100) · each side yard width: >= 15 feet (R-100)

    “Minimum depth of front yard, feet | 40 | 35 | 30 | 20 | 20 | 20”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    One-family dwellings in Selma R-100 residential district.

    • The schedule establishes differing maximum building-area percentages in the other listed residential districts.

    maximum building area: <= 25 percent of gross lot area (R-100)

    “Maximum building area, per cent of gross lot area | 25% | 25% | 45% | 45% | 45% | 50%”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    One-family dwellings in Selma R-100 residential district.

    • The schedule establishes differing height and story limits in other listed residential districts.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet (R-100) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories (R-100)

    “Maximum building height, feet | 35 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 45”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Lots in a Selma mobile-home subdivision.

    • All lots must have access to motor-traffic roads or streets meeting stated right-of-way, paved-surface, curb, and gutter dimensions; Planning Commission may grant a written variance for limited-traffic designs.

    minimum street right-of-way: >= 50 feet (mobile-home subdivision) · minimum paved surface: >= 20 feet (mobile-home subdivision)

    “All lots shall have access to roads or streets for motor traffic which shall have a minimum right-of-way of fifty (50) feet with twenty (20) feet paved surface with curb and gutter provided.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Selma city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new or altered buildings inside Selma city limits.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Selma city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Selma city limits.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Selma city limits.
7 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • 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 Selma publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Dallas County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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