I own a home in Mississippi
Homestead exemption, property taxes, deeds, and storm damage.
MISSISSIPPI GUIDE
Life in Mississippi comes
with its own rules.
Know what comes next.
From homestead exemption and the Chancery Clerk to car tags at the Tax Collector, tornado season, and starting a business, CountyOffices gives you clear Mississippi-specific guidance for the things that matter.
Reviewed against official Mississippi government sources • Updated as laws and requirements change
What brings you here today?
I own a home in Mississippi
Mississippi's Regular Homestead Exemption gives eligible homeowners a graduated tax credit up to $300, and homestead property gets assessed at a lower 10% ratio instead of the standard 15% most other property uses - a real benefit that shows up before the credit itself is even applied. If you're 65 or older, or totally disabled, a separate exemption goes further: you're exempt from all ad valorem tax on the first $7,500 of assessed value, which typically means no property tax at all on a home valued under roughly $75,000. Apply through your county Tax Assessor's office between January 1 and April 1 - you must own and occupy the property as of January 1 of the year you apply, and all vehicles you own must carry Mississippi plates to qualify. Once granted, homestead exemption generally renews automatically unless your situation changes. Deeds are recorded with the Chancery Clerk, the same office that handles most estate and land record matters in Mississippi.
Sources: Mississippi Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Assessor offices, Mississippi Code §27-33
I'm buying or selling property
Closings, title searches, deeds, recording fees, and property records.
I'm buying or selling property
Mississippi closings typically go through a title company or attorney, with deeds recorded by the Chancery Clerk in the county where the property sits - this office functions as both recorder and estate/probate clerk, a broader combination than in states with a separate Recorder of Deeds. A title search through the Chancery Clerk's land records confirms there are no outstanding liens before closing, and in the ten Mississippi counties split into two judicial districts, confirm which specific district courthouse holds the records for your particular property. Once you buy and move in, apply for the homestead exemption through the county Tax Assessor between January 1 and April 1 - it never transfers with the sale, and Mississippi requires you to own and occupy the property as of January 1 to qualify for that year, so a mid-year purchase generally means your first full exemption doesn't apply until the following year.
Sources: county Chancery Clerk and Tax Assessor offices, Mississippi Dept. of Revenue
I'm preparing for tornado season
Safe rooms, weather alerts, insurance documents, and county resources.
I'm preparing for tornado season
Mississippi sits in Dixie Alley, with tornado risk peaking in spring and a significant secondary peak in late fall - Mississippi has experienced some of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in recent U.S. history, so both windows deserve real preparation, not just the spring one. Before storms threaten, know whether your home or neighborhood has access to a safe room or community shelter - Mississippi has run active state and FEMA-supported safe room rebate and installation programs given the state's storm history, so check with your county Emergency Management office about current availability. Know your county's specific weather alert system, since notification methods vary from county to county across Mississippi's 82 counties. After a tornado, your county Tax Assessor can reassess storm-damaged property, and the Chancery Clerk holds the property records you'll need for insurance and any FEMA claims if a federal disaster is declared. If you're rebuilding, check with your county or city building department about permit requirements before starting repairs.
Sources: Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, county Emergency Management offices
Someone passed away
Chancery Court, wills, estates, and county filing steps.
Someone passed away
Mississippi assigns wills, estates, land disputes, and guardianships to the Chancery Court - a distinct court from Circuit Court, with its own elected Chancery Clerk handling filings, a legacy of Mississippi's equity-court tradition. Mississippi offers a small estate process (affidavit of successor's rights to real property or a summary administration) for estates under a statutory value threshold, letting heirs settle without opening full administration. Whether an estate needs full administration depends on its size, whether there's a will, and whether the heirs agree. In the ten Mississippi counties split into two judicial districts, confirm which district's Chancery Clerk handles the specific county area where the deceased lived. If the deceased had homestead exemption on their home, it doesn't transfer automatically to heirs - whoever inherits and occupies the home needs to apply independently through the county Tax Assessor, and must meet the January 1 ownership-and-occupancy requirement for that year's exemption.
Sources: Mississippi Judiciary, Mississippi Code Title 91 (Estates, Trusts, and Fiduciaries)
I'm getting married or divorced
Marriage licenses, divorce filing, name changes, and official records.
I'm getting married or divorced
Marriage licenses in Mississippi come from the Circuit Clerk - a different office from the Chancery Clerk who handles estates and land records - and you can apply in any county regardless of residency, no waiting period, so it's possible to get licensed and married the same day. The one-time license fee is around $37 and doesn't expire. Divorce is filed in Chancery Court (not Circuit Court), and Mississippi requires 6 months of bona fide residency before filing. Mississippi is one of only two states nationally (along with South Dakota) that doesn't allow true unilateral no-fault divorce: the no-fault ground of "irreconcilable differences" requires both spouses to consent - if one spouse contests, the filing spouse must instead prove one of 12 fault-based grounds. For a consented no-fault filing, there's a mandatory 60-day waiting period from filing before the court can finalize it. Courts divide marital property under an equitable distribution standard. There's no waiting period to remarry once a Mississippi divorce is final.
Sources: Mississippi Judiciary, county Circuit Clerk and Chancery Clerk offices, Mississippi Code §93-5
I own farm or timber land
Agricultural use values, land records, county roads, and rural services.
I own farm or timber land
Mississippi assesses agricultural and timber land differently from other real property, valuing qualifying land based on its use for farming or timber production rather than market value - a genuine benefit for working land near areas where development pressure has pushed comparable market values well above what the land is worth for agricultural or timber use. Apply through your county Tax Assessor to have qualifying acreage valued this way; the land needs to be in real agricultural or timber production, not simply open or undeveloped. County roads serving rural and agricultural property have historically fallen under the responsibility of individual county Board of Supervisors districts, since Mississippi's five-member Board traditionally divided road maintenance duties by district - worth knowing if you're dealing with a road access issue on rural land, since the relevant district supervisor, not a countywide public works department, may be your first point of contact. Land records, easements, and timber deeds affecting the property are recorded with the Chancery Clerk, the same office that handles other real estate documents.
Sources: Mississippi Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Assessor offices, Mississippi State University Extension
I need an official record
Birth, death, marriage, court, property, and business records.
I need an official record
Birth and death certificates come from the Mississippi State Dept. of Health's Vital Records office; county Circuit Clerks also keep statistical records of marriage filed with the state. Marriage records themselves are held by the county Circuit Clerk where the license was issued. Property records - deeds, mortgages, liens - are recorded and searchable through the Chancery Clerk, generally free to search in person with a fee for certified copies. Court records differ by type: civil and criminal cases in Circuit Court come from the Circuit Clerk, while wills, estates, guardianships, and land disputes in Chancery Court come from the Chancery Clerk - two different offices for two different kinds of court filings. Business entity records are filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State, searchable statewide. In the ten Mississippi counties split into two judicial districts, confirm which specific district's courthouse holds the records you need before visiting or requesting copies.
Sources: Mississippi State Dept. of Health, county Circuit Clerk and Chancery Clerk offices, Mississippi Secretary of State
I'm starting or running a business
Licenses, permits, EIN, sales tax, and local requirements.
I'm starting or running a business
Registering a business in Mississippi starts with the Secretary of State, where you file to form an LLC or corporation and register a trade name. From there, most businesses register with the Mississippi Dept. of Revenue for a sales tax permit if they'll sell taxable goods or services, and get an EIN from the IRS if they're not a sole proprietor with no employees. County and city requirements come next: local business licenses, zoning approval, and building permits vary considerably, so check both levels for your specific location. If you'll own commercial vehicles, remember Mississippi handles car tags through the county Tax Collector, with the tag cost based on the vehicle's assessed value - a distinctive local ad valorem structure rather than a flat state registration fee. Business real estate follows the same assessment process as residential property through your county Tax Assessor. In the ten Mississippi counties with two judicial districts, confirm which district's courthouse handles filings for your specific business location.
Sources: Mississippi Secretary of State, Mississippi Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Collector offices, IRS
How-To Guides for Mississippi
How do I access court records?
Read guide →How do I appeal my property tax assessment?
Read guide →How do I find an inmate or search a jail roster?
Read guide →How do I find and access senior services?
Read guide →How do I get a business license?
Read guide →How do I get a copy of a birth certificate?
Read guide →How do I get a copy of a death certificate?
Read guide →How do I get a marriage license?
Read guide →How do I pay my property taxes?
Read guide →How do I register to vote or check my registration?
Read guide →How to Research Your Family History in Mississippi
Read guide →Mississippi Statewide Probate Guide
Read guide →Open Records
Read guide →Mississippi works differently. Here's what to know.
Chancery Court Handles Estates
Wills, estates, land disputes, and guardianships run through the Chancery Court and its Clerk.
Chancery Court Handles Estates
Mississippi retains a distinct Chancery Court - a legacy of the old English courts of equity - handling wills, estates, guardianships, land disputes, and certain contract matters, separate from the Circuit Court that handles most civil and criminal litigation. Each county elects its own Chancery Clerk to run this office, which also serves as the county's land records office, recording deeds, mortgages, and liens alongside its estate and probate functions. This combination means the same Chancery Clerk's office is your destination for both settling an estate and researching a property's deed history - a broader scope than a probate-only or recording-only office elsewhere. Divorce, unusually, is also filed in Chancery Court in Mississippi, not Circuit Court, since divorce falls under equity jurisdiction historically. If you're navigating estates, land records, guardianships, or divorce in Mississippi, the Chancery Court and Chancery Clerk are almost always where you'll end up, distinct from the Circuit Clerk who issues marriage licenses and handles other litigation.
Sources: Mississippi Judiciary, Mississippi State University Extension
File for Homestead Exemption
You must apply with the Tax Assessor to get the exemption, with extra relief at 65 or disabled.
File for Homestead Exemption
Mississippi requires an actual application to get any homestead benefit - nothing is automatic just because you own and live in a home. The Regular Homestead Exemption provides a graduated tax credit up to $300 and reduces your assessment ratio from the standard 15% down to 10%, a real benefit built into the exemption itself beyond the credit. If you're 65 or older, or totally disabled, a separate and more generous exemption exempts you from all ad valorem tax on the first $7,500 of assessed value - typically eliminating property tax entirely on homes valued under roughly $75,000. Apply through your county Tax Assessor's office between January 1 and April 1; you must own and occupy the property as of January 1 of the year you apply, and every vehicle you own must carry Mississippi license plates to qualify. Miss the window and you generally wait until the following year's application period - there's no retroactive filing the way some states allow.
Sources: Mississippi Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Assessor offices, Mississippi Code §27-33
Car Tags at the Tax Collector
Vehicle tags come from your county Tax Collector, with taxes based on your vehicle's value.
Car Tags at the Tax Collector
Mississippi vehicle registration costs genuinely depend on where you live and what your car is worth - there's no flat statewide fee. Beyond a modest registration fee, vehicles under 10,000 lbs. owe an annual ad valorem tax, calculated as 30% of the vehicle's MSRP (minus depreciation over 10 years, with a $100 minimum assessed value) multiplied by your specific county's millage rate, which "will vary drastically across the state and even within the same county." A statewide "Legislative Tag Credit" (recently around 5-9%, fluctuating year to year based on a state fund balance) offsets part of the bill, which is why tag costs can shift noticeably from one renewal to the next even with no change to your car or county rate. Mississippi's overall car tax burden ranks among the highest in the country - WalletHub has cited it as the second-highest car tax rate nationally. Pay and renew through your county Tax Collector, not a state DMV, and register within 7 working days of purchase (30 days if you're newly moving to Mississippi).
Sources: Mississippi Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Collector offices, Mississippi Code §27-51
Ten Counties, Two Courthouses
Ten Mississippi counties split into two judicial districts, each with its own county seat.
Ten Counties, Two Courthouses
Ten Mississippi counties - Bolivar, Carroll, Chickasaw, Harrison, Hinds, Jasper, Jones, Panola, Tallahatchie, and Yalobusha - are split into two separate judicial districts, each with its own courthouse and, in most cases, its own set of county seat cities (Hinds County, for instance, splits between Jackson and Raymond; Harrison County between Biloxi and Gulfport). This dates back to 19th-century Mississippi, when counties spanning larger or geographically divided areas split their court functions to keep a courthouse within reasonable travel distance of every resident. The practical effect today: if you live in one of these ten counties, land records, court filings, and other county business may be held at one district courthouse or the other depending on where in the county you are - confirm the correct district before visiting or requesting records, since showing up at the wrong district's courthouse for a property or court matter means a second trip.
Sources: Mississippi State University Extension, Mississippi Secretary of State
The Board of Supervisors
Five elected supervisors run each county, historically each responsible for a district's roads.
The Board of Supervisors
Every Mississippi county is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors, elected from five geographic districts within the county. Historically, and still in many counties today, each supervisor holds direct, individual responsibility for road and bridge maintenance within their own district - a genuinely decentralized structure compared to states where a single countywide public works department handles all local roads uniformly. This means road conditions, maintenance priorities, and responsiveness can vary noticeably from one part of a Mississippi county to another, depending on that district's specific supervisor and how they've allocated resources. The Board of Supervisors collectively also sets the county's tax millage rate, handles the county budget, and serves as the first level of appeal for property assessment disputes. If you have a county road issue or are appealing an assessment, knowing the Board of Supervisors as a body - and potentially which specific district supervisor covers your property - is more relevant in Mississippi than in states with more centralized county government.
Sources: Mississippi State University Extension, Mississippi Association of Supervisors
Sixteenth Section School Lands
Counties lease out school trust lands, a system dating back to Mississippi's earliest surveys.
Sixteenth Section School Lands
Dating back to the Land Ordinance of 1785, federal surveys set aside "Section 16" of every township across much of Mississippi specifically to fund local public schools - land that remains, to this day, owned by the State of Mississippi in trust for public education, with local school boards (not the county) acting as trustee and managing leases. If you live or farm on Sixteenth Section land, you're typically leasing it from your local school district rather than owning it outright, and the lease terms, rent-setting, and management run through that district's land manager rather than any county office. Not every part of Mississippi has these lands: roughly 15 counties lying entirely north of the historical Choctaw-Chickasaw boundary have none at all, a legacy of an 1803 treaty that failed to reserve Sixteenth Sections in that area (Mississippi later received substitute "lieu" land elsewhere as partial compensation, though the state lost the proceeds from selling it during the Civil War). Lease and management disputes go to the relevant school district's land manager first, with the Secretary of State's office providing statewide oversight of how districts handle these trust lands.
Sources: Mississippi Secretary of State, Mississippi Constitution Article VIII §211, Mississippi Code §29-3
The questions Mississippi residents actually ask
Mississippi county records online availability varies considerably by county and record type. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History provides the most centralized online access through its digital archives portal, covering transferred county records from many of the state's 82 counties. Some counties provide online deed and property tax searching through county websites. The Mississippi Secretary of State provides free online business entity searching. Vital records require ordering through the Mississippi State Department of Health. For Mississippi county records not available online, the Public Records Act at Mississippi Code Section 25-61-1 provides a seven-working-day response framework for written requests.
Mississippi birth and death certificates from 1912 onward are maintained by the Mississippi State Department of Health, Vital Records Office in Jackson. Certified copies can be ordered online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person at the Jackson office. Birth records are restricted to the individual named, immediate family members, and legal representatives. Pre-1912 births and deaths are found in county registers, church records, and census materials held by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Some Mississippi county records for births before 1912 survive in county health registers and church registers at the local level.
Mississippi county records for real property are held by the Chancery Clerk in the county where the property is located. The Chancery Clerk maintains deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, and plats in the property records index. Many Mississippi counties provide online deed searching through the county website or third-party platforms. Property tax assessment records are maintained separately by the Tax Assessor, and tax collection records are held by the Tax Collector. Researchers need to contact all three offices to build a complete picture of a property's title, assessment history, and tax payment record within Mississippi county records.
Online access to Mississippi county records for court matters is limited compared to many states. The Mississippi Supreme Court website provides a court locator but limited online case searching for trial courts. Chancery Court records including estate files, divorce decrees, and guardianship orders are held by the Chancery Clerk in each county and generally require in-person or written requests. Circuit Court criminal and civil records are held by the Circuit Clerk. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History has digitized some older court records and makes them accessible online. Fees for certified copies of court documents are set by state statute.
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History in Jackson is the primary repository for historical Mississippi county records, holding transferred deed books, chancery records, tax rolls, and court minutes from many of the state's 82 counties. The MDAH's digital archives portal provides online access to a growing portion of these holdings. FamilySearch has digitized significant Mississippi county records microfilm. The National Archives holds Freedmen's Bureau records for Mississippi covering 1865 to 1872, essential for African American ancestry research. County libraries and genealogical societies hold local collections, and the Mississippi Genealogical Society maintains research resources for all 82 counties.
Mississippi's Public Records Act at Mississippi Code Section 25-61-1 et seq. provides public access to government records held by all Mississippi government agencies including county offices. Submit a written request to the custodian of records at the relevant county agency. The agency must respond within seven working days, either providing access or citing a specific exemption. No reason for the request is required. Fees are limited to actual costs of reproduction. If a request is denied, the requester may pursue the matter in chancery court. The Mississippi Ethics Commission provides guidance on public records compliance and investigates certain denial complaints.
The Chancery Clerk in Mississippi maintains one of the broadest record collections of any county officer in the South. Mississippi county records held by the Chancery Clerk include deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, plats, and liens affecting real property; Chancery Court case files including estate proceedings, guardianships, mental health commitments, and conservatorships; divorce decrees and domestic relations orders; financing statements under the Uniform Commercial Code; and in many counties minutes of the Board of Supervisors. The Chancery Clerk does not maintain criminal records (Circuit Clerk) or marriage licenses (Circuit Clerk). For researchers, the Chancery Clerk is the starting point for property, estate, divorce, and commercial records research.
Marriage licenses in Mississippi are issued by the Circuit Clerk in the county where the license was obtained. To obtain a copy, contact the Circuit Clerk with the names of both parties and the approximate marriage date. The Mississippi State Department of Health holds marriage records from 1926 onward at the state level. Historical marriage records before 1926 are found in Circuit Court files and microfilm held by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. FamilySearch provides indexed Mississippi marriage records from many counties and time periods. Note that divorce records are held by the Chancery Clerk rather than the Circuit Clerk, as divorces are Chancery Court matters.
Mississippi criminal history records are maintained by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Criminal Information Center. The public can request a criminal background check through the DPS online portal for a fee. Individual county-level criminal case records within Mississippi county records are accessible through the Circuit Clerk in the county where the case was filed. The Mississippi Supreme Court website provides limited online case information. Certified criminal history information requires a formal DPS request with identifying information and applicable fees. Some Mississippi records may be expunged under Mississippi expungement statutes upon petition to the Circuit Court in the county of conviction.
Free access to Mississippi county records for land varies by county. Some Chancery Clerk offices provide free online deed searching through county websites. Others use third-party platforms that charge subscription or per-document fees. Searching in person at the Chancery Clerk's office is generally free. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History provides free in-person access to transferred Mississippi county records including historical deed books and chancery records. The MDAH digital archives portal provides free online access to digitized records. FamilySearch provides free online access to digitized Mississippi land records and vital records from many counties.
Mississippi has more counties with dual county seats than almost any other state, a legacy of 19th-century geography and legislative decisions that divided large counties into northern and southern districts each with its own courthouse. Counties with dual seats include Bolivar, Carroll, Chickasaw, Hinds, Jasper, Jones, Panola, Tallahatchie, and Yalobusha. Mississippi county records in these counties are physically divided between the two courthouse locations, with records for cases and transactions originating in each district held at the respective courthouse. Researchers must identify which district courthouse has jurisdiction over the relevant location before submitting a request, as the two offices maintain entirely separate record systems for their respective districts.
Fees for Mississippi county records vary by record type and county. Mississippi's Public Records Act limits copying fees to the actual cost of reproduction. Certified copies of deeds and recorded instruments carry per-page fees set by state statute. The Mississippi State Department of Health charges fixed fees for certified copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates. Chancery Court fees for copies of estate and guardianship documents are set by state law. Circuit Court fees for criminal and civil record copies are set by statute. Tax Assessor and Tax Collector fees for certified assessment and payment records vary by county. Contacting the relevant office before submitting a request confirms current fee schedules.
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Important Deadlines in Mississippi
Mississippi's Homestead Exemption deadline is genuinely firm every year: April 1, filed with your county Tax Assessor.
Important Deadlines in Mississippi
Mississippi's Homestead Exemption deadline is genuinely firm every year: April 1, filed with your county Tax Assessor. To qualify, you must be a Mississippi resident, own and occupy the property as of January 1 of the filing year, and comply with Mississippi income tax requirements. Once filed, you generally don't need to reapply annually - but a real list of life changes triggers a fresh filing requirement: buying or selling property, marriage, divorce, a spouse's death, turning 65, or becoming disabled all require a new application with supporting documentation (birth certificate or driver's license for age, VA or Social Security documentation for disability). Regular homestead credit applies to all eligible taxpayers on their primary residence, while additional "special" homestead relief for seniors 65+ or 100% disabled taxpayers removes ad valorem tax entirely on the first $7,500 of assessed value. Property tax bills are typically due by February 1. If you disagree with your assessment, you can informally review your valuation at the Assessor's office through June, but after July 1, formal written appeals to the Board of Supervisors are due by August 5 - a genuinely firm deadline for that specific process.
Sources: Mississippi Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Assessor and Board of Supervisors offices, Mississippi Code §27-33-1 et seq.
Assessment Appeals in Mississippi
If you disagree with your property's assessed value, Mississippi gives you two genuinely distinct windows.
Assessment Appeals in Mississippi
If you disagree with your property's assessed value, Mississippi gives you two genuinely distinct windows. Through June, you can informally review your property's appraisal directly at the county Assessor's office - a real opportunity to resolve a valuation dispute before it becomes formal. After July 1, you must appeal in writing to the county Board of Supervisors, with a firm deadline of August 5. Mississippi's property classification system genuinely matters here: Class I (single-family, owner-occupied residential) is assessed at 10% of true value, while Class II (other real property) sits at 15%, so confirm your property is correctly classified, since a misclassification alone can meaningfully inflate your bill. Bring genuine supporting evidence: comparable sales, an independent appraisal, or documentation of a factual error in your property's characteristics. The Board of Supervisors - the same five-member elected body that runs each county's roads and general operations - also sits as the Board of Equalization for these appeals, reviewing evidence and issuing a ruling. If you disagree with the Board's decision, further appeal to Chancery Court remains available. Because assessed values increase in many Mississippi counties given rising real estate markets, don't assume last year's bill predicts this year's - check your notice each cycle.
Read the full property tax appeal guide →
Sources: Mississippi Dept. of Revenue, county Tax Assessor and Board of Supervisors offices, Mississippi Code §27-35-89
Public Records Access in Mississippi
The Mississippi Public Records Act presumes that records held by state and local government agencies are open to public inspection, and like most states' open-records laws, you generally don't need to explain your reason for a request or demonstrate a personal interest in the records.
Public Records Access in Mississippi
The Mississippi Public Records Act presumes that records held by state and local government agencies are open to public inspection, and like most states' open-records laws, you generally don't need to explain your reason for a request or demonstrate a personal interest in the records. Agencies must respond within 7 working days, and cite a specific statutory exemption if a request is denied - common exemptions include certain law enforcement investigative records, personnel and medical information, and other categories the legislature has carved out. Mississippi's Chancery Clerk holds a genuinely broad portfolio, distinctive nationally: real estate records (deeds, mortgages, liens), estate and probate matters, land disputes, and guardianships all run through this single elected office, tied to the Chancery Court itself. Court records for civil, criminal, and family matters similarly flow through the Chancery and Circuit Court system. Business entity records are filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State, searchable statewide. Property valuation and appeal records go through your county Tax Assessor, a separate office from the Chancery Clerk. Remember 10 Mississippi counties genuinely split into two judicial districts, each with its own courthouse and set of records - confirm which district your specific matter falls in before assuming a single county courthouse holds everything. If a records request is denied, disputes can ultimately go to Chancery Court.
Read the full open records guide →
Sources: Mississippi Ethics Commission, Mississippi Code §25-61-1 et seq. (Public Records Act), county Chancery Clerk offices
Storm & Recovery Help in Mississippi
Mississippi faces genuine tornado risk with peak season running spring and again in late fall, plus real hurricane exposure along the Gulf Coast counties (Hancock, Harrison, Jackson) during hurricane season.
Storm & Recovery Help in Mississippi
Mississippi faces genuine tornado risk with peak season running spring and again in late fall, plus real hurricane exposure along the Gulf Coast counties (Hancock, Harrison, Jackson) during hurricane season. Know your county's warning system and, if you have one, your safe room or storm shelter location before severe weather season starts. Mississippi has supported residential and community safe room grant programs given the state's tornado history, particularly following major tornado events - check with your county Emergency Management office about current program availability. Coastal residents should separately understand hurricane evacuation zones and flood risk, genuinely distinct from tornado preparedness. Your county Emergency Management Agency coordinates local response and maintains current warning information during active weather events. After a tornado, hurricane, or storm causes damage, your county Tax Assessor can adjust your property's valuation to reflect the damage, and if a federal disaster is declared, FEMA assistance becomes available for both individual homeowners and local government recovery costs. Insurance claims should be filed promptly with documentation (photos, a written inventory, receipts for emergency repairs). Building permits for storm repairs and rebuilds go through your county or city building department.
Sources: Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, county Emergency Management Agency and Tax Assessor offices
New to Mississippi?
As a new Mississippi resident, check with the Mississippi Dept. of Public Safety for the current specific window to transfer your out-of-state driver's license, and register your vehicle with your county Tax Collector - remember Mississippi taxes vehicles based on value as part of your annual tag renewal, so budget for this genuinely recurring cost.
New to Mississippi?
As a new Mississippi resident, check with the Mississippi Dept. of Public Safety for the current specific window to transfer your out-of-state driver's license, and register your vehicle with your county Tax Collector - remember Mississippi taxes vehicles based on value as part of your annual tag renewal, so budget for this genuinely recurring cost. If you've purchased a home, file for the Homestead Exemption with your county Tax Assessor by April 1 - you'll need to have owned and occupied the property as of January 1 of that filing year, so timing your purchase relative to January 1 genuinely matters for your first eligible year. Register to vote through your county Circuit Clerk's office. Remember Mississippi's Chancery Clerk handles a genuinely broad set of functions - deeds, estates, land records, guardianships - all under one elected office, distinct from the Circuit Clerk (court records, voter registration) and the Tax Assessor/Collector (property valuation and vehicle tags). If you're settling in one of Mississippi's 10 two-district counties, confirm which courthouse serves your specific address, since each district maintains its own separate records.
Sources: Mississippi Dept. of Public Safety, Mississippi Dept. of Revenue, county Chancery Clerk, Circuit Clerk, and Tax Assessor/Collector offices
Find the services available in your county
Mississippi laws apply statewide, but offices, services, procedures and local requirements can vary by county. Select your county for verified local offices, services and official resources.
All 82 Mississippi counties
Browse every county and county seat.
Adams CountyNatchezAlcorn CountyCorinthAmite CountyLibertyAttala CountyKosciuskoBenton CountyAshlandBolivar CountyCleveland & RosedaleCalhoun CountyPittsboroCarroll CountyCarrollton & VaidenChickasaw CountyHouston & OkolonaChoctaw CountyAckermanClaiborne CountyPort GibsonClarke CountyQuitmanClay CountyWest PointCoahoma CountyClarksdaleCopiah CountyHazlehurstCovington CountyCollinsDeSoto CountyHernandoForrest CountyHattiesburgFranklin CountyMeadvilleGeorge CountyLucedaleGreene CountyLeakesvilleGrenada CountyGrenadaHancock CountyBay St. LouisHarrison CountyBiloxi & GulfportHinds CountyJackson & RaymondHolmes CountyLexingtonHumphreys CountyBelzoniIssaquena CountyMayersvilleItawamba CountyFultonJackson CountyPascagoulaJasper CountyBay Springs & PauldingJefferson CountyFayetteJefferson Davis CountyPrentissJones CountyEllisville & LaurelKemper CountyDe KalbLafayette CountyOxfordLamar CountyPurvisLauderdale CountyMeridianLawrence CountyMonticelloLeake CountyCarthage
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Sources and References
- Mississippi Public Records Act, Mississippi Code Section 25-61-1 et seq.
- Mississippi Department of Archives and History: mdah.ms.gov
- Mississippi State Department of Health, Vital Records: msdh.ms.gov
- Mississippi Supreme Court: courts.ms.gov
- Mississippi Secretary of State, Business: sos.ms.gov/business-services
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Criminal Information: dps.ms.gov
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