Before You Build in Moss Point, MS: Permit & Rule Checklist (2026)

Moss Point limits front yard fences to 4 feet and side/rear fences to 6 feet in residential zones. Chain link fencing is common and permitted throughout the city. Flood zone properties along the Pascagoula River may need breakaway fence panels.

Moss Point may require permits for fence installation depending on height, location, and type. Permit requirements are established through local building and zoning codes.

Moss Point addresses boundary fences and neighbor disputes through local ordinances. Mississippi follows general common law principles for shared fences and property line placement.

Moss Point enforces pool safety rules including barrier fencing and drain cover requirements. Pool installations in flood zone neighborhoods near the Escatawpa River must comply with FEMA elevation standards in addition to safety codes.

Mississippi adopted the International Residential Code statewide under Miss. Code Ann. § 17-25-21 (Mississippi Building Code Council). Residential swimming pools in Moss Point must comply with IRC Appendix AG, Section AG105 Barrier Requirements: a barrier at least 48 inches high measured from the outside, openings that do not allow a 4-inch sphere to pass, and self-closing, self-latching gates opening outward from the pool. The William Lee Montjoy Pool Safety Act (Miss. Code Ann. Ch. 45-43) imposes more detailed enclosure and gate rules but applies to public, semi-public, hotel, motel, apartment, and HOA pools, not single-family residential pools.

Moss Point requires building permits for swimming pool installation. The Mississippi State Department of Health regulates public and semi-public pools under MS Code Ann. §41-26-1.

Mississippi has no statewide ADU enabling statute; under the broad zoning grant in Miss. Code Ann. Title 17, Chapter 1, ADU regulation is delegated to local governments. Moss Point regulates accessory structures and accessory dwellings through Chapter 42 (Zoning) of its Code of Ordinances and the City of Moss Point Adopted Zoning Ordinance (zoning map adopted December 7, 2021), administered by the Community Development Department (228-475-0300). Whether an ADU, garage apartment, or guest cottage is permitted depends on the underlying zoning district and a written zoning verification from the City.

Converting a garage to livable space in Moss Point requires a residential building permit under the 2018 IRC. Coastal wind-load and FEMA floodplain standards apply, and the conversion must still satisfy Chapter 42 off-street parking minimums. Call Zoning at 228-475-0300.

Moss Point regulates sheds and outbuildings through local building and zoning codes. Small sheds under 120 to 200 square feet may be exempt from permit requirements in many municipalities.