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When a permit is required
Permit triggers and exempt work for Charlton County
Any construction project over 150 square feet must be permitted. Any mobile home being set up in Charlton County must be permitted, and used mobile homes must pass a safety and quality inspection before they are permitted. A land-disturbance permit is required when clearing more than one acre.
Note: No formal county exempt-work list was found on the county permitting page, inspection page, fee sheet, permit packet, or FAQ page. The county only publicly states that construction projects over 150 square feet must be permitted.
- Two sets of plans meeting the listed code set
- Completed permit application
- Truss package if applicable
- Proof that a septic permit has been applied for
- Homeowner acting as contractor agreement if applicable
- Code summary acknowledgement if needed
- Site development plan showing setbacks
- Elevation certificate if building in a flood zone
- Proof of county land-disturbance permit if disturbing more than one acre
- Building code
- International Building Code (IBC) 2018 Edition with Georgia Amendments; International Residential Code (IRC) 2018 Edition with Georgia Amendments; International Fire Code (IFC) 2018; International Plumbing Code (IPC) 2018; International Mechanical Code (IMC) 2018; International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) 2018; National Electrical Code (NEC) 2017; International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) 2015; International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) 2018 with Georgia Amendments.
- Permit validity
- No public countywide expiration rule for ordinary building permits was located in the published building-permit packet or county webpages. For mobile-home move-on permits, setup must be completed within 60 days after issuance and required passed inspections or another full-price permit is required.
- Owner-builder
- Owner must reside in the structure and not offer it for sale or rent for at least two years after certificate of occupancy issuance. Owner acts as general contractor and must use licensed subcontractors for electrical, plumbing, and conditioned-air work.
- Contractor requirements
- All electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work must be done by contractors licensed by the Georgia Secretary of State with no exceptions. A Georgia licensed contractor must pull construction permits by law, while a homeowner may pull a permit to build their own home every two years. Homeowners may not pull their own electrical, plumbing, or gas permits, and may pull a mechanical permit only for a packaged heating and air unit.
Application process
Application → plan check → issuance → inspection → final
- 01 Confirm the property is in unincorporated Charlton County and not inside Folkston or Homeland.
- 02 Review the county permitting page for the applicable permit type. The county publicly posts links for building permit applications, mobile home move-on permits, land-disturbance permits, and permit fees.
- 03 Complete the county building permit packet and checklist. The published checklist requires plans, application, septic proof, site plan, and other project-specific documents.
- 04 If applicable, obtain related prerequisite approvals shown in the county checklist, including septic-permit proof from environmental health and a county land-disturbance permit if more than one acre will be disturbed.
- 05 Submit the completed packet to the county permitting office and wait for issuance. The county warns that starting without a permit results in a doubled fee.
- 06 Request inspections by phone at (912) 496-3826. All inspection requests are scheduled for the next day.
Fee schedule
Charlton County building permit fees
No public online permit payment workflow or card-processing policy was identified
Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.
Required inspections
Scheduling and sequence
- Call (912) 496-3826 (phone)
- Inspection hours
- Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Time windows
- Inspection requests are scheduled for the next day
Typical sequence: County publicly confirms permit issuance followed by required inspections. For owner-builders, inspections must occur in an established sequence per the affidavit. For mobile-home move-on permits, the county publishes a two-inspection sequence followed by certificate of occupancy.
Frequently asked
Common questions about unincorporated Charlton County permits
01 Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Charlton County, GA? ▸
02 How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Charlton County, GA? ▸
03 How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Charlton County, GA? ▸
04 How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Charlton County, GA? ▸
Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with Charlton County Permitting, 911 Addressing, Trash Pickup and Building Inspections / Code Enforcement before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.