Kemper County occupies Mississippi’s east-central border with Alabama, a stretch of rolling hills, pine forests, and river bottomlands that is a world apart from both the Delta flatlands to the west and the Gulf Coast to the south. The county seat of De Kalb is a small, compact town of roughly 810 residents that serves as the administrative and commercial anchor for the surrounding rural county. The county’s population stands near 8,600, having declined steadily from its mid-20th century peak as mechanized agriculture eliminated farm labor and younger residents moved to larger regional centers like Meridian, which lies about 40 miles to the southwest. Kemper County is part of the Meridian, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area.
The rental market in Kemper County is modest in size and fundamentally rural in character. The primary economic drivers are public services and education, agriculture and timber, healthcare, and — notably — the presence of East Mississippi Community College’s Scooba campus in the northern part of the county, which provides a small but real source of student and staff rental demand. Rents for single-family homes run $450 to $750 per month depending on condition and location, with the most active rental activity concentrated in and around De Kalb. Kemper County does not have a County Court, so eviction proceedings are filed in Justice Court — the standard venue for landlord-tenant actions in counties without a dedicated County Court.
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
De Kalb
Population
~8,600
Key Communities
De Kalb, Scooba, Electric Mills, Porterville, Preston
Court System
Justice Court
Median Rent
~$450–$750/mo
Rent Control
None
Just-Cause Eviction
Not required
⚡ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
14-Day Notice to Cure or Vacate
Month-to-Month Term.
30-Day Written Notice
Filing Fee
~$75–$100
Hearing Set
Typically within 1–2 weeks
Eviction Timeline
2–8 weeks total
Security Deposit Return
45 days after demand
Statute
Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-7-27, 89-8-13
Kemper County Ordinances & Local Rules
Topic
Rule / Notes
Rental Licensing
No county-level rental license required in Kemper County. Mississippi has no statewide landlord licensing statute. Verify with the Town of De Kalb or other municipalities for any local registration requirements, though rural and unincorporated properties are not subject to municipal codes.
Rent Control
None. Mississippi has no statewide rent control and Kemper County has no local rent control ordinance. Landlords may raise rents freely at lease renewal with proper notice.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap under Mississippi law. Return with itemized written accounting within 45 days after termination, delivery of possession, and written tenant demand. Wrongful retention: $200 plus actual damages (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21).
Court Filing — Justice Court
Kemper County does not have a County Court. Eviction (unlawful entry and detainer) proceedings are filed in Kemper County Justice Court. Address: Highway 39 & Main St (P.O. Box 661), De Kalb, MS 39328. Phone: (601) 743-2793. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Confirm current filing fees, court session dates, and procedures with the clerk before filing.
Kemper County Courthouse
The main Kemper County Courthouse is located at P.O. Box 130, De Kalb, MS 39328, Phone: (601) 743-2224. Circuit and Chancery Courts operate here. Eviction filings go to the Justice Court, not the Circuit or Chancery divisions.
EMCC Student Housing — Scooba
East Mississippi Community College’s Scooba campus, located in the northern part of the county, generates some off-campus rental demand in and around the Scooba community. Landlords near Scooba should use academic-year lease terms (August–May) and require a creditworthy co-signer or parental guarantor for student tenants. The Derrick Beard Act (§ 89-8-29) permits a co-signer to terminate a lease upon the lessee’s death — review this provision for any guarantor arrangement.
Source of Income
No state or local source of income protections. Landlords are not required to accept Housing Choice Vouchers. Given the county’s elevated poverty rate, HCV participation can reduce vacancy in lower-price rental segments.
Self-Help Eviction
Mississippi law permits self-help eviction only if: (1) the written lease explicitly reserves this right, and (2) it can be accomplished without a breach of the peace. Locking out a tenant is prohibited regardless. Justice Court proceedings are the safest and most reliable eviction remedy.
Mississippi has two parallel eviction frameworks: Chapter 7 (§89-7-27, general/non-residential) and Chapter 8 (§89-8-13, Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For RESIDENTIAL tenants, §89-8-13(5) provides the 3-day notice for nonpayment. Tenant can stop the eviction by paying all unpaid rent and costs by the court-ordered move-out date. After judgment, court orders tenant to vacate within 7 days (§89-8-39(1)). Tenant has 72 hours after writ execution to remove personal property (§89-7-31). Filing fees typically $75-$100 depending on county. Notice can be delivered via email/text if tenant agreed in writing to receive notices that way.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Justice Court / County Court. Pay the filing fee (~$75).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Mississippi eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Mississippi attorney or local legal aid organization.
🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease:
Mississippi landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly
reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding
tenant screening in Mississippi —
including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most
cost-effective steps you can take to protect your rental property. Before you ever need Mississippi's
eviction process, proper tenant screening can help
you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.
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Select your state, eviction reason, and the date you plan to serve notice. We'll calculate your earliest filing date and key milestones.
⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Underground Landlord
🏘️ Communities & Screening Tips
Key communities: De Kalb, Scooba, Electric Mills, Porterville, Preston, Wahalak.
EMCC student market: Scooba-area landlords should use academic-year leases and require parental guarantors. Verify guarantor income at 3x monthly rent and cross-check enrollment status before signing.
Rural income patterns: Timber, agriculture, and corrections-sector employment dominate. Seasonal and hourly income is common — verify annual earnings and employment continuity, not just a recent pay stub. Government, education, and healthcare employees offer the most stable income profiles in the county.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Kemper County Mississippi Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Rental Property Owners in De Kalb and the Rural East
Kemper County sits along Mississippi’s eastern border with Alabama, a stretch of pine-covered hills and river bottomlands that has shaped a rural, agricultural character largely unchanged over generations. The county seat of De Kalb is a compact town where the courthouse, the county government offices, and the few blocks of commercial activity make up the civic center of an otherwise dispersed rural population. For landlords, Kemper County represents a small, stable, and deeply local rental market — one governed by Mississippi’s landlord-favorable state law and administered through the Justice Court system.
The Kemper County Economy and Rental Market
Kemper County’s economy has contracted significantly from its mid-century agricultural peak. With a population of roughly 8,600 and a county seat of fewer than 900 people, the rental market here is modest in both scale and price. The largest employment sectors are educational services, healthcare and social assistance, and manufacturing — with agriculture, timber, and public corrections employment rounding out the picture. East Mississippi Community College’s Scooba campus, located in the northern part of the county, is one of the county’s more significant economic anchors, employing faculty and staff and drawing students who occasionally seek off-campus housing in and around Scooba.
Rents for single-family homes in De Kalb and the surrounding county generally range from $450 to $750 per month, with well-maintained properties at the higher end and older rural stock at the low end. The county’s poverty rate is substantial — over a quarter of families fall below the poverty line — which means that income verification and careful screening are not optional procedures but essential risk management tools for any landlord operating here.
Filing Evictions in Kemper County Justice Court
Kemper County is not among Mississippi’s 19 counties with a County Court, so all unlawful entry and detainer (eviction) proceedings are filed in the Kemper County Justice Court, located at Highway 39 & Main Street (P.O. Box 661), De Kalb, MS 39328, phone (601) 743-2793, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Circuit and Chancery Courts, which occupy the main Kemper County Courthouse at P.O. Box 130, De Kalb, are not the venue for eviction actions — always file in Justice Court.
The eviction process begins with written notice. For nonpayment of rent, serve a 3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate under Miss. Code Ann. § 89-7-27. If the tenant pays all rent owed within the three-day window, the eviction does not proceed. For a lease violation other than nonpayment, a 14-Day Notice to Cure or Vacate is required under § 89-8-13. Once the notice period expires without compliance, file a sworn Complaint for Unlawful Entry and Detainer with the Justice Court clerk. The clerk will schedule a hearing, and the Kemper County Sheriff or a constable will serve the summons. File fees typically run $75 to $100. If the court rules in your favor, the sheriff enforces the Writ of Possession. The entire process, for an uncontested case, generally takes two to eight weeks from filing.
This guide is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed Mississippi attorney or contact Kemper County Justice Court for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Landlord-tenant law is subject to change and may vary based on individual circumstances. Consult a licensed Mississippi attorney or contact Kemper County Justice Court for specific guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
