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Harrison County, MS Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governs: Short-Term Rental permit applicants only
Requirement: Site plan must show smoke & CO detectors
Source: UDC § 834.01(a), adopted 08/02/2021
Enforcement: Cease and Desist Order, UDC § 1409
Penalty: Up to $100/day, § 1409.03
Also required: Property manager within 50 miles

Summary

Harrison County requires every short-term rental unit's site plan to show the recommended number of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors before the county issues a Short-Term Rental Permit. The rule sits inside UDC § 834.01(a), the same section that caps occupancy at 10 or 16 guests and ties enforcement to the county's Cease and Desist process.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Harrison County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

The site plan shall reflect that the unit is equipped with the recommended number of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.

Full Breakdown

Section 834 of the Harrison County Unified Development Code (UDC), adopted 08/02/21, sets the minimum conditions a property owner must meet to obtain a Short-Term Rental Permit and Harrison County Tax Privilege 'Business' License for a vacation rental in the unincorporated county. 01(a) requires the site plan submitted with the permit application to show, to scale, the rental unit, on-premises parking (one space per two overnight guests), the maximum overnight occupancy, and the number of full bathrooms and bedrooms: capped at 10 guests for houses with four or fewer bathrooms and five or fewer bedrooms, or 16 guests for larger houses. ' The requirement applies only to units seeking an STR permit; it is not a county-wide residential fire code mandate. 01(f)). '

Violations & Fines

A Short-Term Rental Permit issued without the required smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, or any other § 834.01 condition, triggers a Cease and Desist Order under UDC § 1409. Continued, knowing violation of the Unified Development Code is a misdemeanor under § 1409.03: a fine of up to $100 per offense, court costs added, and each day the violation continues after notice counts as a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Harrison County require smoke detectors in every home?

No. UDC § 834.01(a) only ties smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to the Short-Term Rental Permit process: the site plan submitted with an STR application must show the unit equipped with the recommended number of both. The county's base residential fire/building code requirements are separate and are not covered by this UDC section.

How many detectors are 'recommended'?

Section 834.01(a) does not set a fixed count; it requires the site plan to reflect that the unit carries the 'recommended number' of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, tying the standard to manufacturer or code-based placement guidance rather than a specific number written into the ordinance itself.

What happens if an STR site plan omits the detectors?

The application is out of compliance with § 834.01(a), and the county can issue a Cease and Desist Order under § 1409. Knowing, willful non-compliance with the Unified Development Code is punishable as a misdemeanor with a fine up to $100 per day under § 1409.03.

Sources & Official References

[1]Harrison County Unified Development Code § 834.01

Other rules in Harrison County

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All Harrison County rules

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