Unincorporated Fannin County

The county ordinance requires a permit before covered construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, occupancy changes, and covered electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing work.

• Exempt Accessory buildings not over 200 square feet with no power supply
• Exempt Portable heating appliances
• Exempt Portable ventilation equipment
• Exempt Portable cooling units
• Exempt Steam, hot, or chilled-water piping within heating or cooling equipment regulated by the article
• Exempt Replacement parts that do not alter approval or make the system unsafe
• Exempt Portable evaporative coolers
• Exempt Self-contained refrigeration systems containing 10 pounds or less of refrigerant and actuated by motors of 1 horsepower or less
• Exempt Ordinary minor repairs approved by the building inspector if they do not violate the technical codes

Building code

Fannin County's 2024 Building Code Enforcement Ordinance enforces the latest editions adopted and amended by Georgia DCA of the IBC, IRC, IFC, IPC, IMC, IFGC, NEC, IECC, and ISPSC.

Permit validity

An application is deemed abandoned six months after filing if no permit has been issued, unless extended in writing. A county permit becomes invalid if work is not commenced within six months after issuance or if work is suspended or abandoned for six months, subject to written extensions of up to 90 days each for justifiable cause.

Contractor requirements

The county ordinance requires contractors on permitted work to comply with applicable state or local licensing rules and to provide any required state license number before permit issuance.

1. 01
   Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Fannin County and not inside Blue Ridge, McCaysville, or Morganton city limits.
2. 02
   Prepare the county application package. The county checklist for residential permitting requires deed or lease, survey if one exists, proposed building plans, marked property lines and project location, exact directions and gate code, driveway permit if a new driveway connects to a county road, approved septic permit or sewage evaluation if required, and site-plan or floodplain information if required.
3. 03
   File the permit application with the Building Department and include any additional information the building inspector requires under the county ordinance.
4. 04
   Pay required permit fees before issuance. The county ordinance states fees are established by the Board of Commissioners and posted in the department.
5. 05
   Wait for permit issuance. The county ordinance requires the building inspector to act on the application without unreasonable or unnecessary delay.
6. 06
   Post the permit card at the site before work begins and keep approved plans at the job site during normal business hours.
7. 07
   Schedule required inspections by calling the Building Department and giving the permit number.

Source: Fannin County Building Department ↗

Fees must be paid before permit issuance. The ordinance says the county fee schedule is posted in the Building Inspection Department.

• Call 706-632-8361 with permit number (phone)
• Building inspectors: Keith Nicholson (706-455-1097), Jody Barfield (706-851-6004), Mathew Kirby (706-851-8538) (phone)

Inspection hours

Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed at noon for lunch

Typical sequence: Foundation before pour; slab before pour; framing/plumbing after framing, plumbing, and HVAC rough-ins and before insulation; rough electrical before insulation or drywall; final electrical when all electrical work is complete; DET verifier test for new residential construction with living space; final inspection for Certificate of Occupancy when all carpentry, masonry, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work is complete.

Source: Fannin County Building Department ↗