Bolthole Index

Mobile County, Alabama

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Citronelle, Alabama

Building inside Citronelle, Alabama means applying to the city's Building Department, which enforces the Citronelle zoning ordinance and the adopted building codes12. Septic permits are separate: the Mobile County Health Department issues them, even inside city limits3. Mobile County's own building and zoning rules cover only unincorporated land4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the City of Citronelle Building Department; plans are reviewed before a permit is issued1
Zoning
City zoning ordinance with residential, business and manufactured-home districts2
Inspections
Footings/foundation, plumbing rough-in and slab, framing, and final5
Septic
Mobile County Health Department release required where city sewer is unavailable6
Manufactured homes
R-4 district: 12,000 sq ft minimum lot, 100 ft minimum width7
RV living
Only the city's Lakeview RV Park is confirmed (permit-only, 90-day stays); other RV use not confirmed8
Owner-builder
Alabama licensing exemption for owners building their own home, not offered for sale9

Who to call

Building permits

City of Citronelle Building Department

Building permits, plan review and inspections inside Citronelle city limits, and enforcement of the Citronelle zoning ordinance

(251) 605-1556

inspector@cityofcitronelle.com

19135 Main Street, Citronelle, AL 36522

Online permits →

Septic permits

Mobile County Health Department, Onsite Sewage Division

Septic (onsite sewage) permits, installations and inspections for Mobile County, including inside Citronelle

onsite@mchd.org

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Citronelle, Alabama?

Yes. Inside Citronelle city limits, the City of Citronelle Building Department reviews plans and issues building permits1. The city's checklist asks for a stake-out survey showing the building footprint, lot lines and setback lines, plus a full set of construction plans5. Inspections cover footings and foundation, plumbing rough-in and floor slab, framing, and a final inspection5.

One trap for land splits: no building permit or certificate of occupancy is issued for a parcel created by subdivision until its final plat is approved and recorded10.

Mobile County's separate building permit system applies to unincorporated Mobile County, not to land inside Citronelle11. The adopted code edition for Citronelle's own permits is something we could not confirm; ask the Building Department.

Who handles building permits and inspections in Citronelle, and how do you reach them?

The City of Citronelle Building Department handles all commercial and residential inspections for the city1. Reach the code inspector at (251) 605-1556 or inspector@cityofcitronelle.com1. Applications and inspection requests run through the city's online CloudPermit portal1.

The city asks new builders to meet the building inspector before starting, and says all plans must be reviewed before a building permit is issued1. Before utilities are turned on, a list of subcontractors must be submitted to the permitting clerk for verification1.

Does Citronelle have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Citronelle publishes its own zoning districts, including R-1 low-density single-family, R-2 medium-density residential, business districts and a manufactured-home district2. This differs from unincorporated Mobile County, which has no zoning4.

In the R-4 Manufactured Home District, each lot needs at least 12,000 square feet and 100 feet of width at the front building setback line, unless the county health department requires more7. R-3 residential development requires public or community water and sewer12.

For RVs, the one confirmed rule covers the city's Lakeview Recreational Vehicle Park, where camping is by permit only8. We could not confirm rules for living in an RV on a private lot, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum house size; ask the Building Department before you buy.

How do septic permits work inside Citronelle?

Septic permits inside Citronelle come from the Mobile County Health Department, not the city3. The city's checklist says a septic tank is required where city sewer service is unavailable, and it requires a release from the health department6. The health department's application and inspection fee is $200 for a residential system13.

Soils matter here: about 26% of the county's soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so many lots need a site evaluation14. Where city sewer is available, check connection requirements with the city first12. We could not confirm whether private water wells need a permit inside city limits; ask the Building Department.

Building a home in Citronelle: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district and setbacks with the City of Citronelle Building Department1.
  2. Check whether city sewer reaches the lot; if not, get a septic release from the Mobile County Health Department6.
  3. If the parcel came from a split, confirm its final plat is recorded10.
  4. Book a meeting with the building inspector and submit a survey and plans1.
  5. After plan review, receive the building permit1.
  6. Pass the footings, plumbing and slab, framing and final inspections5.

An owner who acts as their own contractor on a one- or two-family home they will live in, and do not offer for sale, can use Alabama's licensing exemption9.

What stays with Mobile County, and what to check before you buy in Citronelle

Land outside city limits follows Mobile County's rules instead, so confirm the parcel is actually inside Citronelle; see the Mobile County page for unincorporated land. Mobile County's Inspection Services issues Right of Way Encroachment Permits for work in county rights-of-way, driveways included15.

Mobile County's effective property tax rate is 0.5%16. Annual precipitation runs about 64 inches in the county17. Flood-hazard rules in the county's ordinance cover unincorporated land, so ask the city which flood requirements apply to a lot inside Citronelle18.

Watch-outs

  • Citronelle's own zoning and building rules apply only inside city limits; unincorporated Mobile County has no zoning4.
  • A state agricultural-building exemption covers contractor licensing only and does not exempt a building from local permits19.
  • We could not confirm Citronelle's rules on short-term rentals, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum home size; ask the Building Department2.

Sources

  1. City of Citronelle Building Department (cityofcitronelle.com)
  2. Appendix A Zoning, Sec. 2.2 Residential districts (Citronelle), quoted and re-checked
  3. Mobile County Health Department Environmental Health (Citronelle), quoted and re-checked
  4. Development and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  5. Permit Application Checklist (Citronelle), quoted and re-checked
  6. Mobile County Health Department Environmental Health (Citronelle), quoted and re-checked
  7. Appendix A Zoning, Sec. 4.5 R-4 Manufactured Home District (Citronelle), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 16, Sec. 16-55 Rules and regulations for use of the Lakeview Recreational Vehicle Park (Citronelle), quoted and re-checked
  9. Exemptions (Alabama statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Appendix B Subdivisions (Citronelle), quoted and re-checked
  11. Inspection Services, quoted and re-checked
  12. Appendix A Zoning, Sec. 2.2 Residential districts (Citronelle), quoted and re-checked
  13. Environmental Health, quoted and re-checked
  14. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  15. Inspection Services, quoted and re-checked
  16. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  17. Annual precipitation: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Inspection Services, quoted and re-checked
  19. Home Builders Licensure Board Exemptions (Citronelle), quoted and re-checked

Written October 15, 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 Citronelle

Citronelle’s own rules

  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Citronelle city limits.

    • The official city checklist identifies inspections for footings/foundation, plumbing rough-in and floor slab, framing/incidentals, and final inspection.
    “Inspection Check Lists Footings / Foundation Plumbing Rough In and Floor Slab Framing / Incidentals Final”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Parcels created by subdivision inside Citronelle planning jurisdiction.

    • A final subdivision plat must be approved and recorded before a certificate of occupancy may be issued for the created parcel.
    “No building permit and no certificate of occupancy shall be issued for any parcel of land created by subdivision unless a final plat of such subdivision has been approved and recorded as required by these regulations.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Citronelle city limits.

    • The reviewed code publishes residential, business, and manufactured-home district classifications.
    • District-specific standards may appear in separate provisions.
    “2.21 R-1 Low Density Single-Family Residential District: This district is provided to afford opportunity for choice of low density suburban residential environment consisting of single-family homes on large parcels of land. 2.22 R-2 Medium Density Residential District: This district is intended as a medium density single-family urban residential district and two (2) to four (4) family units to a building structure with lots of moderate size.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Lots in the R-4 Manufactured Home District inside Citronelle city limits.

    • The county health department may require a greater area.

    minimum lot area: >= 12000 square feet (unless the county health department requires a greater area) · minimum lot width at front building setback line: >= 100 feet

    “Each lot shall have a minimum lot area of twelve thousand (12,000) square feet and a minimum lot width of one hundred (100) feet at the front building setback line, unless the county health department requires a greater area.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Overnight camping at the City of Citronelle Lakeview Recreational Vehicle Park.

    • Camping is permit-only and time-limited as described in Sec. 16-55.
    • The ordinance was enacted May 22, 2025.

    maximum consecutive days: 90 days (new occupancy period may be granted after 30 days) · maximum total days: 180 days per 12 months (unless approved by mayor)

    “Overnight camping is by permit only and is limited to a maximum of ninety (90) consecutive days, where after a new occupancy period may be granted after the expiration of thirty (30) days. However, no one is allowed to stay in the park in excess of one hundred eighty (180) total days in any 12-month period of time, unless approved by mayor.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    R-3 residential development and manufactured-home developments inside Citronelle city limits.

    • R-3 requires public or community water and sewer facilities.
    • Manufactured-home developments require individually metered public sanitary sewer and water connections.
    • If city sewer is unavailable, the city checklist requires a septic tank and Mobile County Health Department release.
    “Public or community water and sewer facilities are required.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and parcels created by subdivision inside Citronelle planning jurisdiction.

    • The final plat must be approved and recorded under the subdivision regulations.
    • Subdivision developments must conform to approved city plans, maps, ordinances, and design standards.
    “No building permit and no certificate of occupancy shall be issued for any parcel of land created by subdivision unless a final plat of such subdivision has been approved and recorded as required by these regulations.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Individual manufactured-home spaces in a manufactured-home development inside Citronelle city limits.

    • Each space must abut a driveway at least 20 feet wide.
    • The driveway must have unobstructed access to a public street, alley, or highway.

    minimum driveway width: >= 20 feet

    “All manufactured home spaces shall abut upon a driveway not less than twenty (20) feet in width, which shall have unobstructed access to a public street, alley or highway.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Subdivision-related building permit and certificate-of-occupancy process inside Citronelle planning jurisdiction.

    • A final plat must be approved and recorded before a building permit or certificate of occupancy is issued for a parcel created by subdivision.
    “No building permit and no certificate of occupancy shall be issued for any parcel of land created by subdivision unless a final plat of such subdivision has been approved and recorded as required by these regulations.”

Rules another office applies inside Citronelle

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

  • Who permits septicCounty

    Onsite sewage systems inside Citronelle city limits, which is located in Mobile County.

    • The Mobile County Health Department operates under the ADPH Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Rules.
    • The service covers residential and commercial septic systems.
    “Following the ADPH Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Rules, the Mobile County Health Department’s Onsite Sewage division regulates the permitting, installations and inspections of onsite sewage disposal systems (septic tanks) for Mobile County, both residential and commercial.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Residential and commercial onsite sewage systems inside Citronelle city limits when septic service is used.

    • Mobile County Health Department Onsite Services regulates septic permitting.
    • The city checklist states a septic tank is required if city sewer service is unavailable and requires a release from the Mobile County Health Department.
    “A SEPTIC TANK IS REQUIRED IF CITY SEWER SERVICE IS UNAVAILABLE: A RELEASE FROM MOBILE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, (251) 634-9801.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Onsite sewage systems inside Citronelle city limits.

    • The Mobile County Health Department regulates septic installations and inspections.
    “the Mobile County Health Department’s Onsite Sewage division regulates the permitting, installations and inspections of onsite sewage disposal systems (septic tanks) for Mobile County, both residential and commercial.”
  • Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Alabama residential home-builder licensing for agricultural buildings, including work inside Citronelle city limits.

    • The exemption applies to building or improving agricultural buildings except for any residence contained therein.
    • It is a licensing exemption and does not establish a local zoning or building-permit exemption.
    “No residential home builders license is required to build or improve agricultural buildings except for any contained therein.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building code adopted — Residential and other construction inside Citronelle city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family and manufactured dwellings inside Citronelle city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Residential lots inside Citronelle city limits.
  • Building height — Buildings inside Citronelle city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Citronelle city limits.
4 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • 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 Citronelle publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Mobile County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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