County Building Permits
Camden County, GA - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Camden County, Georgia. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Unincorporated Camden County. Incorporated municipalities in Camden County handle their own municipal permitting.
- Department
- Camden County Planning and Development
- Address
- 135 Gross Road, Kingsland, GA 31548
- Phone
- (912) 729-5603
- permits@co.camden.ga.us
Online Permit Portal
Platform: GovWell • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Confirm the project is in unincorporated Camden County, not inside Kingsland, St. Marys, or Woodbine city limits
- Create or log into the Planning and Development GovWell portal to apply for the applicable permit and upload plans, site plans, engineering documents, elevation certificates, drawings, and photographs
- Submit the building permit application and supporting documents including plans, site-development/survey information, septic or Environmental Health approvals as applicable, and right-of-way encroachment approval when needed
- Submit on paper if preferred, with permit forms available on the county website
- Pay the assessed fee and obtain permit issuance before beginning work
- Request inspections through the GovWell portal after permit issuance
Typical processing time: Plans submitted by Monday 5:00 p.m. were historically reviewed on Wednesday mornings; current online portal does not publish a processing-time SLA
General Requirements
Building, Electrical, Manufactured Home, Accessory Structure, Pool, and Demolition permits
Required Documents
- Building plans
- Site plans
- Engineering documents
- Elevation certificates
- Drawings
- Photographs
- Septic documentation where applicable
- Right-of-way encroachment permit where applicable
- Site-development survey
- Permit validity
- Building permits must be renewed if construction has not begun within 6 months; permits are valid for 180 days unless extended in writing
- Building code
- Georgia statewide minimum standard construction codes as administered by DCA
- Owner-builder
- An owner may act as his or her own general contractor with a homeowner affidavit required
- Contractor requirements
- Georgia statewide contractor licensing rules apply. Camden County's portal supports contractor registration.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $55 for trades/rough-ins only; $100 for accessory structures
- Permit fee formula
- New single-family construction is $0.70 per square foot of heated space plus impact fee; mobile homes are flat-fee plus impact fee; accessory structures are 1% of total building cost plus 2% of trades/rough-ins, not less than $100; trades/rough-ins only are 2% of total cost, not less than $55
- Reinspection fee
- $100; fees are doubled if construction starts before permit issuance
- Payment note
- Online portal allows payments
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Camden County Planning and Development to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- ()
Typical inspection sequence: Inspection requests can be made online through the portal; plans are first reviewed through Planning and Development and approved plans must stay on site
Additional Resources
- Building code: Georgia statewide minimum standard construction codes as administered by DCA
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- License lookup guide: Georgia Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Georgia Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Georgia hub: Georgia Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Camden County Planning and Development before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Camden County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Camden County, GA?
- Building, Electrical, Manufactured Home, Accessory Structure, Pool, and Demolition permits
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Camden County, GA?
- The minimum permit fee is $55 for trades/rough-ins only; $100 for accessory structures. Fees are calculated as: New single-family construction is $0.70 per square foot of heated space plus impact fee; mobile homes are flat-fee plus impact fee; accessory structures are 1% of total building cost plus 2% of trades/rough-ins, not less than $100; trades/rough-ins only are 2% of total cost, not less than $55.
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Camden County, GA?
- 1. Confirm the project is in unincorporated Camden County, not inside Kingsland, St. Marys, or Woodbine city limits 2. Create or log into the Planning and Development GovWell portal to apply for the applicable permit and upload plans, site plans, engineering documents, elevation certificates, drawings, and photographs 3. Submit the building permit application and supporting documents including plans, site-development/survey information, septic or Environmental Health approvals as applicable, and right-of-way encroachment approval when needed 4. Submit on paper if preferred, with permit forms available on the county website 5. Pay the assessed fee and obtain permit issuance before beginning work 6. Request inspections through the GovWell portal after permit issuance
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Camden County, GA?
- Typical processing time is Plans submitted by Monday 5:00 p.m. were historically reviewed on Wednesday mornings; current online portal does not publish a processing-time SLA.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Camden County, GA?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: .
Need help with your project?
Navigating permits in Unincorporated Camden County can be complicated.
Jaspector connects you with local experts who can review your scope, verify your contractor, and help you understand what permits your project actually needs.
Learn how Jaspector works