Manufactured Home Permits in Escambia County, AL

10/9/2026

If you're planning to put a manufactured or modular home on land in Escambia County, Alabama, the home itself is only part of the job. Before move-in day you'll deal with a septic permit, a certified installer, county registration, and possibly city permits if your lot is inside Brewton. This guide walks through who handles what around Brewton, which offices to call, and how Taber's Place helps with the site work through its land/home packages.

One note before we start: rules and fees change. Everything below comes from official state, county and city pages, and we link each one. When in doubt, call the office before you buy land or schedule work.

Step 1: Find out whether the lot can take a septic system

For a lot without city sewer, this is the question to answer first, ideally before you buy the land.

The Alabama Department of Public Health's Can I Live On This Lot? page advises checking with the city sewer authority or the local health department to see whether the property can connect to public sewer. If it can't, the soil has to be tested to see whether it can support an onsite sewage (septic) system. ADPH notes that lots with shallow soil, slow drainage, too much wetness, or too little room may not work for a conventional system, and in those cases an engineer must design the system.

You apply for a Permit to Install with the county health department, and work on the system can't begin until that permit is issued. ADPH also says your septic installer should be licensed by the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Board.

In Escambia County, that's the Escambia County Health Department's Environmental Services, which lists onsite sewage disposal and private well water testing among its services and has offices in Brewton and Atmore. Their page doesn't list fees or forms, so call them for current requirements.

Step 2: Check city limits, zoning and local permits

Where your lot sits decides which local office you deal with.

Inside Brewton city limits. The City of Brewton's Planning & Zoning / Community Development office at 1010A Douglas Ave. posts a City Zoning Map, a permit application, and an online permit portal. The page doesn't spell out rules for manufactured homes specifically, so ask them directly whether your home type is allowed in your zone and which permits you need before setup.

Outside city limits. The Escambia County Engineering & Road Department handles county roads. Its page says the county will install a driveway turnout on county right-of-way at no charge when a landowner requests access, as long as the property owner buys and furnishes the required drainage pipe. Road names are handled by the E-911 office. We didn't find a county page on zoning or building permits for homes in unincorporated areas, so call the county before you assume there are none.

Other towns. If your land is in or near another town, such as East Brewton or Atmore, check with that town's hall too. Each sets its own rules.

Step 3: Use a certified installer

This one is set at the state level. According to the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission, no manufactured home or manufactured building (modular unit) may be installed in Alabama except by a certified installer, and it's a violation of the law to contract with an uncertified one. Certified installers are required to buy installation decals from the Commission, and those decals can't be transferred. The AMHC site has a search tool so you can confirm an installer is currently certified.

Step 4: Register the home and get a move permit

The Escambia County Tax Collector handles manufactured home registration. Their page says:

• You have 30 days from the purchase date to register a manufactured home without a penalty.
• Homes 1990 and newer need a title or Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, and every home needs a bill of sale.
• Once the registration fee is paid, the decal is mailed to you and must be displayed. The office has a Mobile Home Inspector who checks decals, and the citation fee is $15.00, with an additional $24.00 penalty if it isn't paid within 15 days.
• A Move Permit from the Tax Collector is required before a manufactured home is moved on Alabama highways. The fee is $10.00 per home, and you'll need proof that applicable property taxes, registration and any penalties are paid.

Step 5: Plan the site work

Once you know the lot works and the permits are lined up, the land still needs to be ready for the home. This is where a land/home package helps.

Taber's Place in Brewton works with local realtors and property owners to help buyers find land, and its land/home packages can include water wells, septic, electrical, land clearing, concrete, fencing, covered porches, outbuildings and carports.

Bundling the site work with the home means fewer separate contractors for you to line up. You still want to make sure each piece, especially the septic system, is permitted before work starts, so ask the Taber's Place team how permits fit into your package and timeline.

Pick the home, then the plan

The home you choose affects the footprint you need on the lot, so it helps to have a floor plan in mind early. For example, The Quinn by Cavco Palm Harbor Plant City is a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with 1,560 sq ft in a 30' x 52' footprint, while The Craft Select, also from Cavco Palm Harbor Plant City, has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and 1,680 sq ft at 26'8" x 60'. Both are listed as Special Offers at Taber's Place right now. You can browse all homes to compare sizes and layouts before you size up a lot.

Talk it through with Taber's Place

Permits and site prep are easier when you know the order: septic suitability, local zoning and permits, a certified installer, then registration. Taber's Place is at 2496 South Blvd in Brewton, AL. Stop by the lot, call (251) 207-7099, or contact the team online to talk about a land/home package for your property in Escambia County or nearby.