Land Clearing Permits in Corinth & Alcorn County, Mississippi

Clearing land in Corinth or Alcorn County, Mississippi starts with a call to the right office, because we found no published standalone clearing permit for either. The City of Corinth’s permit page lists building and floodplain applications and a fee sheet. The Alcorn County website lists no permit page. State construction stormwater rules, though, apply to any land disturbance of one acre or more.

This guide sets out who to call and which rules are published, each linked to its source, and says plainly what we could not confirm. Requirements vary by parcel, scope and jurisdiction, and the governing authority makes the determination. Cut Brush can point out what commonly applies and which office to ask, but the decision belongs to that office. Everything below is as of 6 October 2026; confirm before you apply.

Which Office Is Yours?

Start with one question: is the land inside the Corinth city limits or in unincorporated Alcorn County? Corinth is the county seat, and communities such as Farmington, Glen and Rienzi are separate, smaller places. If you are not sure whether a parcel is inside a city, the county can tell you from the parcel number.

This guide covers the City of Corinth and Alcorn County. If your land is in Tishomingo, Prentiss, Tippah or Benton County, or inside another town such as Booneville, Iuka or Ripley, call that office; their rules are not covered here.

Inside Corinth: What the City Publishes

The City of Corinth’s permits page offers residential, commercial and floodplain building applications, along with sign, rezoning, subdivision and other applications, and a link to a fee sheet. The fee sheet is a scanned image that we could not read, so we quote no fee. We also found no application named for land clearing or grading. That does not prove none is needed; it means you should ask. The page lists City Hall at 300 Childs Street and a phone number of 662-286-6644.

The city’s planning page says the planning office is responsible for zoning and development ordinances and keeps a land development code and zoning map. Clearing for a new house, a subdivision or a commercial site is the kind of work that office reviews, so call before you book a machine. The number listed is 662-287-2401.

If the land is a vacant lot that has grown up, the compliance page shows that the code enforcement officer handles control of plant growth and debris. A notice from that office is a reason to clear, not a permit.

Unincorporated Alcorn County, Mississippi

Outside the city, the Alcorn County Board of Supervisors governs. The county website lists no building, zoning or land disturbance page that we could find, and we could not confirm whether the county requires a permit for clearing. Call the county administration office and ask two questions: whether a permit is required for clearing that is not tied to a building permit, and whether the parcel sits in a flood zone. Do not assume the answer is no.

Where the land is	What we found	What to do
City of Corinth	Building and floodplain applications; fee sheet not readable	Call 662-286-6644 or the planning office
Unincorporated Alcorn County	No published permit page	Call county administration before work
Any other town or county	Not covered here	Call that office

State Stormwater from One Acre

Above the local offices sits the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Its construction stormwater program covers land disturbance of one acre or more. From 1 to under 5 acres, the Small Construction General Permit applies, with a Notice of Intent and a stormwater plan prepared before work starts. At 5 acres or more, the Large Construction General Permit applies.

On hill ground this is easy to cross. A house site, a drive up a slope and a septic field can add up to an acre on a wooded lot. Mulching leaves roots in the soil and a chip layer on top, which is the kind of cover stormwater plans aim for; stripping the same acre to bare dirt is the kind of disturbance they aim to control. Tell any contractor how many acres will be disturbed and what the finish will be, so the paperwork matches the work.

Burning Debris

Mississippi does not allow land clearing debris to be burned within 500 yards of an occupied dwelling without a forced-draft system, which cuts the distance to 50 yards, and no open burning during a High Fire Danger Alert, per the MDEQ open burning fact sheet. That rule rules out burn piles on many lots, which is why mulching, with no pile at all, suits so much of this ground. Local burn bans can also apply; ask the sheriff’s office or the Forestry Commission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Alcorn County require a permit to clear land?

We could not confirm. The county website lists no permit page, so call county administration and ask. State stormwater rules apply from one acre regardless.

Does the City of Corinth have a clearing permit?

The city’s published pages name building and floodplain applications and a fee sheet, not a clearing permit. Ask the planning office whether your scope needs one.

Can I burn the brush I clear?

Not within 500 yards of an occupied dwelling without a forced-draft system, and not during a High Fire Danger Alert. Mulching leaves nothing to burn.

Start Planning Your Corinth Clearing

Settle the permit question first, then the scope. Our Corinth land clearing page summarizes the local picture, the Corinth pricing guide lists the four per-acre bands, and the kudzu hillside guide covers the vine behind many local jobs. For the statewide picture, see the Mississippi land clearing cost guide. When you are ready, request a free quote; if we can take the job, the scope and price go on paper.