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

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

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

Pascagoula limits fence heights through local zoning ordinances. Front yard fences are typically limited to 4 feet and rear/side yard fences to 6 to 8 feet in residential zones.

Pascagoula 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.

Pascagoula enforces pool safety requirements including water quality, drain covers, and maintenance standards. The MS State Department of Health oversees public pool safety regulations.

Mississippi adopted the International Residential Code statewide under Miss. Code Ann. § 17-25-21 (Mississippi Building Code Council). Residential swimming pools in Pascagoula 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) applies to public, semi-public, hotel, motel, apartment, and HOA pools, not single-family residential pools.

Pascagoula UDO Section 4.4.F.1 treats a converted detached garage as an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU): one ADU per single-family lot, capped at the lesser of 1,000 sq ft or 25% of the principal dwelling's floor area, with at least 1 (and no more than 2) added off-street parking spaces. Mississippi Building Code with Gulf Coast wind and FEMA flood elevation requirements applies.

Mississippi has not enacted statewide ADU enabling legislation; under the broad zoning grant in Miss. Code Ann. Title 17, Chapter 1, ADU regulation is delegated to local governments. The City of Pascagoula regulates accessory structures and accessory dwellings through its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), most recently revised 9.21.23, administered by the Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Department at 4015 14th Street. The UDO governs zoning districts, density, parking, and accessory uses; building permits are issued through the Building and Code Enforcement Division.

Pascagoula requires permits for sheds over 120 square feet. Hurricane-prone coastal location means all accessory structures must meet wind-load ratings and FEMA flood elevation requirements in zones along the Pascagoula River and Beach Boulevard.