Environmental Rules in Mississippi (2026)
27 rules on the books across Mississippi, 7 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Stormwater Management
Requirements for managing rainwater runoff on your property, including retention basins, permeable surfaces, and drainage plans.
Mississippi: statewide
StatewideHeavy RestrictionsMississippi enforces stormwater discharge regulations through the Department of Environmental Quality under the federal…
Read full rule →Jackson
Significant RestrictionsJackson's Article IV Stormwater Quality Protection makes it a public nuisance to release pollutants into the public…
Read full rule →Southaven
Significant RestrictionsIn the City of Southaven, Title II applies stormwater performance standards to any land disturbing or construction…
Read full rule →Gulfport
Some RestrictionsGulfport designs its stormwater system to a 50-year storm event under Appendix C of the city code, with peak discharge…
Read full rule →Harrison County
Some RestrictionsHarrison County's Drainage Management Site Plan Ordinance requires engineered stormwater controls for new development…
Read full rule →Hinds County
Some RestrictionsHinds County requires a Storm Water Quality Management Permit before disturbing one acre or more of land in the…
Read full rule →Jackson County
Some RestrictionsJackson County regulates stormwater pollution countywide under Article 11 of its Zoning Ordinance. Commercial and…
Read full rule →Rankin County
Some RestrictionsRankin County's Zoning Ordinance requires a drainage plan showing storm drainage facilities and projected storm water…
Read full rule →Erosion Control
Rules to prevent soil erosion during construction and landscaping, including required sediment barriers and ground cover standards.
Gulfport
Some RestrictionsGulfport requires soil stabilization within five days of clearing or a construction halt under Appendix C of the city…
Read full rule →Harrison County
Some RestrictionsNo building permit or final subdivision plat can be issued in unincorporated Harrison County until the County Engineer…
Read full rule →Hinds County
Some RestrictionsHinds County requires a Perimeter Control Plan and grading plan before any clearing or grading begins on a construction…
Read full rule →Jackson
Some RestrictionsGrading or earthwork disturbing more than 2,000 square feet but less than five acres in Jackson requires an erosion and…
Read full rule →Jackson County
Some RestrictionsJackson County requires erosion and sediment control measures on every subdivision, site plan and building permit in…
Read full rule →Southaven
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Southaven, no permit for land disturbing or construction activity that uncovers one (1) or more acres is…
Read full rule →Coastal Development
Building restrictions near coastlines, including setbacks from the water, dune protection rules, and coastal commission permits.
Flood Zones
Building requirements for properties in FEMA flood zones, including elevation standards, flood insurance mandates, and construction limits.
Jackson County
Heavy RestrictionsJackson County enforces FEMA floodplain standards with post-Katrina elevation requirements. Most of southern Jackson…
Read full rule →Gulfport
Significant RestrictionsAny development inside a Gulfport special flood hazard area needs a $100 floodplain development permit before work…
Read full rule →Hinds County
Significant RestrictionsHinds County's Flood Plain District (FP) overlays FEMA-designated flood hazard areas identified through the National…
Read full rule →Rankin County
Significant RestrictionsRankin County bans development within the designated Floodway and requires any development in the surrounding Special…
Read full rule →Southaven
Significant RestrictionsIn the City of Southaven, Section 6-12 requires a development permit before any development activities begin in…
Read full rule →Jackson
Some RestrictionsAny new construction or substantial improvement inside a mapped special flood hazard area in Jackson must be anchored…
Read full rule →Flood Elevation Requirements
FEMA NFIP minimum base flood elevation (BFE) construction standards for properties in mapped flood zones, including freeboard requirements above BFE.
Gulfport
Significant RestrictionsGulfport requires new and substantially improved buildings in mapped flood zones to have their lowest floor at least 1…
Read full rule →Jackson County
Significant RestrictionsIn Jackson County's unincorporated Flood Plain (F) District, no building or use is allowed without a special use permit…
Read full rule →Hinds County
Some RestrictionsNew construction and substantial improvements inside the Hinds County Flood Plain District must clear the base flood…
Read full rule →Jackson
Some RestrictionsJackson requires new and substantially improved buildings in shallow-flooding special flood hazard areas to elevate the…
Read full rule →Rankin County
Some RestrictionsIn FEMA Flood Zone A within unincorporated Rankin County, Mississippi, new structures must have a finished floor 24…
Read full rule →Southaven
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Southaven, Section 6-31 sets the community freeboard at eighteen inches: new or substantially improved…
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