County Building Permits
Decatur County, GA - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Decatur County, Georgia. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Applies to unincorporated Decatur County. This routing is explicit in the county planning page and county construction regulations.
- Department
- Bainbridge-Decatur County Building Department / Bainbridge-Decatur County Planning Department
- Address
- 101 South Broad Street, Bainbridge, GA 39817
- Phone
- (229) 248-2000
Online Permit Portal
Platform: SmartGov by Granicus • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Decatur County and identify all needed permit types.
- Create a SmartGov account or apply through the Bainbridge-Decatur County office.
- Contractors must complete contractor registration in the portal before pulling permits.
- Submit the permit application and all required supporting materials. County regulations require written application and allow the Building Official to require plans, specifications, site plan, deed or plat ownership evidence, and health approvals for private well or septic service.
- Await plan review. The Building Official must act without unreasonable or unnecessary delay and will issue the permit if the filing conforms to the code and other laws.
- Pay the required fee. County regulations state no permit may be issued until the permit fee has been paid.
- Receive the permit, keep approved plans on site, and proceed to required inspections before certificate of occupancy.
Typical processing time: No general public permit issuance SLA was found. The SmartGov portal asks applicants to allow 24 business hours for an email response regarding permit status.
Source: Bainbridge-Decatur County Building Department / Bainbridge-Decatur County Planning Department
General Requirements
County regulations require permits for building, electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing, and driveway work. The county planning page states this office issues all permits relating to construction, including building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, mobile home, low voltage electrical installation, and sprinkler installation permits.
Required Documents
- Written permit application
- Project description
- Site plan showing existing and proposed buildings
- Scaled drawings and specifications when required
- Deed or recorded plat showing ownership
- Health department approval for private well or septic service
- Floodplain or similar approvals where required
- Permit validity
- Permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within 6 months after issuance or is suspended or abandoned for 6 months. Written 90-day extensions may be granted for justifiable cause.
- Building code
- The reviewed county regulations are older and refer to state-mandated codes then in effect, but Georgia DCA's current statewide minimum mandatory codes now include the 2024 IBC, 2024 IRC, 2024 IPC, 2024 IMC, 2024 IFGC, 2024 ISPSC, 2023 NEC, and 2015 IECC, each with Georgia amendments or supplements as applicable.
- Owner-builder
- County code allows an individual to construct, alter, repair, remove, or demolish buildings and perform covered trade work in a single-family dwelling owned or occupied by that individual, subject to code compliance. The code notes it is not intended to allow speculative home building without proper county regulatory fees, and building more than one home per 3 years may constitute a violation.
- Contractor requirements
- Contractors working in unincorporated Decatur County must apply and pay regulatory fees at the County Building Office. State-licensed contractors must show proof of current Georgia licensure and complete the local application. Non-state-licensed contractors must demonstrate proof of competency under county rules. The planning page also requires contractors to complete portal registration before pulling permits.
Fees
- Payment note
- Permit fees must be paid before issuance. SmartGov supports online payment for portal users.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- Agricultural equipment-only roof-and-pole structures with no concrete floor, no electrical connections, no human or animal occupancy, and located on 25 acres or more are exempt from building permit requirements only
- Normal maintenance and repair related to upkeep of existing buildings, structures, and electrical, gas, plumbing, conditioned air, and low voltage systems
- Residential accessory structures on individual residential lots under 250 square feet that are clearly incidental to the primary residence are exempt from building permit requirements only; separate electrical, plumbing, and other applicable permits still apply
Inspections
How to Schedule
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- Inspection hours
- Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Time windows
Typical inspection sequence: Building inspections include foundation, frame, insulation, wallboard, and final. Electrical inspections include temporary service, underground or slab, rough-in, and final. Gas, mechanical, plumbing, and swimming pool inspections have rough-in and final stages as published in Section 6.4-4 of the county regulations.
Additional Resources
- Building code: The reviewed county regulations are older and refer to state-mandated codes then in effect, but Georgia DCA's current statewide minimum mandatory codes now include the 2024 IBC, 2024 IRC, 2024 IPC, 2024 IMC, 2024 IFGC, 2024 ISPSC, 2023 NEC, and 2015 IECC, each with Georgia amendments or supplements as applicable.
- 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 Bainbridge-Decatur County Building Department / Bainbridge-Decatur County Planning Department before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Decatur County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Decatur County, GA?
- County regulations require permits for building, electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing, and driveway work. The county planning page states this office issues all permits relating to construction, including building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, mobile home, low voltage electrical installation, and sprinkler installation permits.
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Decatur County, GA?
- 1. Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Decatur County and identify all needed permit types. 2. Create a SmartGov account or apply through the Bainbridge-Decatur County office. 3. Contractors must complete contractor registration in the portal before pulling permits. 4. Submit the permit application and all required supporting materials. County regulations require written application and allow the Building Official to require plans, specifications, site plan, deed or plat ownership evidence, and health approvals for private well or septic service. 5. Await plan review. The Building Official must act without unreasonable or unnecessary delay and will issue the permit if the filing conforms to the code and other laws. 6. Pay the required fee. County regulations state no permit may be issued until the permit fee has been paid. 7. Receive the permit, keep approved plans on site, and proceed to required inspections before certificate of occupancy.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Decatur County, GA?
- Typical processing time is No general public permit issuance SLA was found. The SmartGov portal asks applicants to allow 24 business hours for an email response regarding permit status..
- What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Decatur County, GA?
- The following work is generally exempt: Agricultural equipment-only roof-and-pole structures with no concrete floor, no electrical connections, no human or animal occupancy, and located on 25 acres or more are exempt from building permit requirements only; Normal maintenance and repair related to upkeep of existing buildings, structures, and electrical, gas, plumbing, conditioned air, and low voltage systems; Residential accessory structures on individual residential lots under 250 square feet that are clearly incidental to the primary residence are exempt from building permit requirements only; separate electrical, plumbing, and other applicable permits still apply.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Decatur County, GA?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: , , .
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