St. Clair County, Alabama

Imposes design, development, and infrastructure standards for proposed subdivisions; requires county review and approval of plats; grants the county authority to inspect developments for compliance.

Adopted July 14, 2026; effective August 15, 2026.

applies when — All residential parcels in St. Clair County conducting outdoor open burning, subject to seasonal or drought-declared restrictions.

Mandates obtaining a burn permit from the Alabama Forestry Commission for specified open burning operations. During state or county declared drought emergencies or air quality burn restrictions, all open burning of debris, brush, and household vegetation on parcels is prohibited, backed by misdemeanor penalties.

Ala. Code Title 9, Chapter 13; enforced locally in coordination with the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency and local fire districts.

All direct access points require permit approval and pipe sizing specifications from the St. Clair County Road/Engineering Department. Requires compliance with minimum sight distance requirements, proper driveway cross-pipe drainage installation (with a minimum 10-foot clear zone maintained from edge of pavement over cross pipes), and prohibition of unauthorized permanent structures within the 60-foot public right-of-way.

Enforced by the St. Clair County Engineering and Road Department under county subdivision and right-of-way regulations.

applies when — Real property parcels with delinquent county, school, or municipal ad valorem property taxes after December 31 of the tax year.

Delinquent taxes accrue statutory interest and penalties starting January 1. The Revenue Commissioner conducts an annual tax lien auction under Alabama law. If unpaid, the tax lien is sold to the highest bidder or retained by the county. Owners maintain a three-year statutory redemption period to redeem the property by paying back taxes, interest, and statutory fees before title conveyance occurs.

Ala. Code § 40-10-180 et seq., administered by the St. Clair County Revenue Commissioner.

applies when — Residential parcels subject to a mortgage in default containing a power of sale clause.

Authorizes non-judicial foreclosure auction. Requires mandatory publication of notice of sale once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in St. Clair County prior to sale at public outcry at the St. Clair County Courthouse (Ashville or Pell City courthouses). Grantees receive a statutory one-year right of redemption under Alabama law from the date of the foreclosure sale.

Ala. Code § 35-10-1 et seq. and § 6-5-247 et seq.

applies when — Parcels not connected to a municipal or public sanitary sewer system utilizing on-site septic tanks or decentralized wastewater systems.

Prohibits installation or repair of on-site sewage disposal systems without site soil evaluations (percolation tests), permit applications, and final inspection certification issued by the St. Clair County Health Department. Imposes minimum lot size, setback buffers from property lines, wells, and watercourses, and specific absorption field parameters under Alabama State Board of Health rules.

Ala. Code § 22-26-7 and Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-3-1, administered locally through the St. Clair County Health Department.

applies when — Parcels located within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA, 100-year floodplain/Base Flood Elevation zones) as identified on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for St. Clair County.

Restricts construction, subdivision, and grading in floodways and floodplains. Requires a county floodplain development permit, finished floor elevation at or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) plus freeboard, anchoring to resist flotation and lateral movement, and flood-resistant construction materials. Mandatory flood insurance applies to federally backed residential loans.

St. Clair County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, coordinated with FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) guidelines and County Subdivision Regulations Section 5-2.

applies when — Division of any parcel of land into two or more lots, tracts, or building sites in the unincorporated area of St. Clair County.

Mandates submission and approval of preliminary and final subdivision plats by the County Engineer and County Commission prior to recording or development. Requires dedication of a minimum 60-foot right-of-way (ROW) on adjoining county roads (or 30 feet from centerline if abutting one side), 28-foot roadway width with minimum 20-foot pavement surface, 80-foot diameter cul-de-sacs on dead-end roads, and proper drainage infrastructure.

Adopted by the St. Clair County Commission pursuant to Ala. Code Title 11, Chapter 24.

applies when — Owner-occupied principal residential parcels owned by qualifying Alabama/St. Clair County residents (standard homestead, senior 65+, or totally disabled).

Reduces taxable assessed valuation. Regular Homestead (H1) exempts up to $4,000 in assessed value from state taxes and $2,000 in assessed value from county ad valorem taxes. Seniors (age 65+) or permanently disabled individuals may qualify for exemptions from all state ad valorem taxes or full exemption from both state and county ad valorem taxes subject to statutory net annual income caps.

Ala. Code § 40-8-90 et seq.; claimed through the St. Clair County Revenue Commissioner.

Total property tax is calculated using the formula: Total Tax = (Assessed Value - Applicable Exemptions) × (Total Millage Rate ÷ 1,000), where 1 mill equals $0.001 per dollar of assessed value. Total millage is composed of the State of Alabama levy (6.5 mills), the St. Clair County general and road funds, county/local school district levies, and municipal ad valorem millage (e.g., total combined rates range typically between 36.0 and 51.0+ mills across taxing districts such as Steele-Ashville at 36 mills and Trussville/Moody jurisdictions).

Rates are set annually by the respective governing bodies (Alabama Legislature, St. Clair County Commission, local school boards, and municipalities).

Under the Alabama Constitution and St. Clair County Revenue Commissioner assessment standards, residential real property (owner-occupied single-family residential and agricultural property) is classified as Class III and assessed at 10% of its appraised fair market value. Other property (Class II) is assessed at 20%. The formula to determine taxable assessed value is: Assessed Value = Appraised Fair Market Value × 10% (0.10).

Governed by Ala. Const. art. XI, § 217 and Ala. Code Title 40; administered by the St. Clair County Revenue Commissioner.

applies when — Eligible Class III property (agricultural, forest, or historic)

Allows property to be taxed based on its current use value rather than fair market value, potentially reducing the tax burden. Conversion to a non-qualified use triggers revaluation and potential back-tax liability.

Code of Alabama 1975, §§ 40-7-25.1, 40-7-25.2, 40-7-25.3.

applies when — Parcels located within a planned community governed by the Alabama Homeowners' Association Act

The association holds a statutory lien on the lot for unpaid assessments from the date they become due. This lien has priority over later encumbrances, excluding state/county ad valorem taxes and prior mortgages.

Alabama Homeowners' Association Act, effective January 1, 2016 (Ala. Code § 35-20-12).

Lenders may conduct non-judicial foreclosures if the mortgage contract includes a power-of-sale clause. There is a statutory six-month right of redemption for residential property following a foreclosure sale.

Governed by Alabama Code § 40-10-122 and related mortgage statutes.

Property is assessed at 10% of its fair market value. The tax liability is calculated by multiplying the assessed value by the local millage rate. A standard homestead exemption applies to the 6.5 mill statewide property tax on the first $4,000 of assessed valuation.

Governed by Alabama Constitution and Code of Alabama 1975, Title 40.

≈ $30,185/yr on a $301,845 median

applies when — Parcels located within a development governed by a homeowners' association

Imposes governance structures, assessment obligations, and restrictive covenants as defined by the association's declaration and bylaws.

Alabama Code Title 35, Chapter 20.

Lenders may conduct non-judicial foreclosures. Notice of the sale must be provided in the county where the land is located. Lenders must mail a notice regarding the right to redeem the home at least 30 days before the sale.

Alabama Code Title 35, Chapter 10, Article 1A.

Residential property is classified as Class 3 and assessed at 10 percent of its fair market value. A standard homestead exemption applies to the 6.5 mill statewide property tax on the first $4,000 of assessed valuation.

Governed by Alabama Constitution and administered by the Alabama Department of Revenue.

applies when — Residential parcel not served by a public or centralized municipal sanitary sewer collection system.

Mandates that parcels rely upon permitted onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (septic tanks). Prohibits any dwelling construction, occupancy, or transfer without an unrevoked Approval of Installation and Permit to Operate issued by the Alabama Department of Public Health through the local county health department. Restricts parcel lot density, soil absorption fields, setbacks to property lines and wells, and mandates reserve replacement drainfield areas.

Ala. Code § 22-26-1 et seq.; Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-3-1.

applies when — Residential parcel containing target housing constructed prior to 1978.

Requires property owners and contractors conducting disturbance or renovation activities impacting more than de minimis surfaces (6 sq ft interior or 20 sq ft exterior) to follow lead-safe work practices and utilize state-accredited lead renovators under the Alabama Department of Public Health (Safe State program). Sellers and landlords are required to provide buyers/tenants the state-monitored lead hazard information pamphlet and disclose known lead paint records.

Ala. Code § 22-37A-1 et seq.; Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-3-27.

applies when — Residential real property situated outside incorporated municipal limits but within the municipality's designated extraterritorial planning jurisdiction (typically 1.5 to 5 miles of the corporate line based on municipal population class).

Subjects unincorporated parcels to municipal planning commission subdivision regulations, access standards, lot layout requirements, right-of-way dedications, and utility connection mandates even though the parcel does not receive municipal services or pay municipal property taxes.

Ala. Code § 11-52-30 et seq.

applies when — Residential parcel located within the designated Coastal Zone boundaries of Mobile or Baldwin Counties below the continuous 10-foot contour line.

Subject to state-level environmental and construction permitting overseen by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) under Division 8 regulations. Prohibits construction seaward of the coastal construction control line, strictly regulates shoreline armoring/bulkheads, requires beach and dune protection permits, and limits impervious surfaces and wetland fill, superceding local zoning allowances.

Ala. Code § 9-7-10 et seq.; ADEM Administrative Code r. 335-8-1-.01 et seq.

applies when — Residential parcel created as a condominium unit under a master deed/declaration.

Imposes statutory covenants runs with the land, allocates common expense liabilities to individual units, and establishes an automatic statutory lien against the residential parcel for unpaid common expense assessments without requirement of separate court action. Liens have statutory priority over subsequent encumbrances (subject to first mortgages) and allow foreclosure under power-of-sale mechanisms.

Ala. Code § 35-8A-101 et seq. (Alabama Uniform Condominium Act of 1991).

applies when — Residential parcel located within a subdivision governed by a recorded Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions with a mandatory-membership HOA formed on or after January 1, 2016 (or older HOAs that opted in).

Binds the parcel to the recorded declaration, bylaws, and mandatory maintenance assessment charges. Under Chapter 20, recorded declarations establish a lien on the parcel for unpaid assessments, late fees, and enforcement costs upon recording a statement of lien in the county probate office. Regulates HOA board fiduciary operations, annual disclosures, and architectural rules directly binding exterior parcel improvements.

Ala. Code § 35-20-1 et seq. (enacted via Act 2015-292, effective January 1, 2016).

Grants the mortgagor a post-sale statutory right to buy back the property from the foreclosure sale purchaser by paying the purchase price plus lawful interest, insurance, taxes, and permanent improvements. For residential properties where a homestead exemption was claimed in the tax year of the sale and mortgages originated on or after January 1, 2016, the redemption period is 180 days (6 months), provided the lender gave 30 days pre-sale notice of the right. For all other properties or older mortgages, a 1-year statutory redemption period applies. The debtor must surrender possession within 10 days of written demand or forfeit redemption rights.

Ala. Code §§ 6-5-248 through 6-5-251.

applies when — Residential mortgage or deed of trust containing an express power-of-sale clause upon borrower default.

Permits lenders to execute a non-judicial foreclosure without filing a court action. The foreclosing entity is required by state statute to publish notice of the foreclosure sale once a week for three consecutive calendar weeks in a newspaper published in the county where the real property is located. State statute does not require direct personal service or mailed notice to the debtor of the sale itself (though underlying mortgage contracts and 2016 statutory redemption notices mandate pre-sale mailings).

Ala. Code § 35-10-13.

Alabama is one of the few strict 'caveat emptor' (buyer beware) jurisdictions for residential real property transfers. Sellers are not subject to a general statutory mandate to provide a comprehensive property condition disclosure form. However, common law and statutory exceptions bind every parcel seller to disclose: (1) known latent defects that pose a direct risk to health or safety and cannot be discovered by reasonable buyer diligence, (2) direct responses without misrepresentation if asked specific condition questions, and (3) fiduciary or confidential relationship duties.

Established in Alabama common law (e.g., Blaylock v. Cary, 709 So. 2d 1128; Fennell Realty Co. v. Martin, 529 So. 2d 1003); codified licensing boundaries at Ala. Code § 34-27-36.

applies when — Single-family dwelling and parcel not exceeding 160 acres owned and occupied by the taxpayer as their primary residence on October 1 of the tax year.

Exempts up to $4,000 in assessed valuation from the 6.5 mill state ad valorem tax levy (providing a maximum direct state tax reduction of $26.00). Formula: Adjusted State Tax = Max(0, (Assessed Value - $4,000)) × 0.0065. Also provides a basic county exemption of up to $2,000 in assessed value for county taxes (excluding county school taxes). Additional full state/county exemptions exist for owners who are 65+ with qualifying net taxable income or permanently and totally disabled.

Ala. Code §§ 40-9-19 through 40-9-21.

Establishes a baseline 6.5 statewide millage rate ($0.0065 per dollar of assessed value) under Ala. Code § 40-8-1 and the Alabama Constitution. Single-family owner-occupied residential properties are classified as Class III with an assessment ratio of 10% of appraised fair market value (FMV). Formula: Assessed Value = Appraised FMV × 0.10. Unadjusted Tax = Assessed Value × Millage Rate (State 6.5 mills + County/Municipal/School millage). Class III residential property is also constitutionally protected by a statewide lid bill capping aggregate ad valorem tax levies at 1.0% of fair market value.

Ala. Const. art. XI, § 214; Ala. Const. Amend. 373 (the 'Lid Bill'); Ala. Code § 40-8-1.

≈ $30,185/yr on a $301,845 median