Mobile, AL Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit types
- Major, minor, small, landscape
- Issuing office
- City engineering department
- Unused permit lapses
- After 6 months
- No-permit penalty
- 3x fee plus enforcement
Summary
Mobile requires a right-of-way permit, major, minor, small project, or landscape, before anyone constructs in or obstructs a public right-of-way, including sidewalks.
(a)Permit requirement.(1)Except as otherwise provided in this Code, no person may construct or obstruct any right-of-way without first having obtained one of the following right-of-way permits from the department: a. Major project; b. Minor project; c. Small projects; or d. Landscape.(2)A right-of-way permit is a permit which allows the holder to construct, obstruct, or landscape in that part of the right-of-way described in such permit and to hinder free and open passage over the specified portion of the right-of-way...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
Under § 57-234, no one may construct in or obstruct a right-of-way in Mobile, Alabama (Mobile County) without first getting a major project, minor project, small projects, or landscape right-of-way permit from the city engineering department. The permit authorizes the holder to construct, obstruct, or landscape the specified portion of the right-of-way and hinder pedestrian passage there for the duration stated. Permits are tied to fixed dates and areas, lapse if unused within six months, and carry fees set by the city council to recover administrative and disruption costs; a handful of narrow activities, like small landscaping under 18 inches, are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Constructing in or obstructing the right-of-way without a permit under § 57-234 triggers a required permit plus triple the normal fee, security deposit, and possible notice of violation or municipal offense ticket under § 57-237.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build in the sidewalk right-of-way in Mobile?
What if work in the right-of-way is done without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mobile
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