City Building Permits
Brunswick, GA - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in Brunswick, Georgia. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Applies within the incorporated City of Brunswick
- Department
- Planning, Development and Codes Department - Building Permits and Inspections
- Address
- 601 Gloucester Street, Brunswick, GA 31520
- Phone
- 912-279-2656
Online Permit Portal
Platform: iWorQ • Account required: Yes • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Submit an online application through the city portal for Building, MEP, Roofing, Demolition, Sign, or Right of Way permits
- City staff reviews the submission and emails the applicant with fees, payment options, and any additional materials needed
- For projects requiring plan review, submit the required application package and plan sets; requests are reviewed weekly by the Development Review Team
- Obtain related approvals such as certificate of appropriateness, conditional use, ROW, JWSC coordination, and erosion and sediment approvals before permitting
- After review completion and payment, the city issues the permit; inspections occur during construction and a certificate of occupancy or completion is issued after final approvals
Source: Planning, Development and Codes Department - Building Permits and Inspections
General Requirements
Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change occupancy of a building or structure, or install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems
Required Documents
- Building permit application
- Owner and contractor contact data
- Contractor business license and state license information
- Homeowner permit affidavit if the owner acts as general contractor or subcontractor
- Sealed drawings and PDF plan set
- Recent property survey
- Civil/site/foundation/architectural/structural/trade plans
- JWSC civil sets (where applicable)
- ROW permit (where applicable)
- Certificate of appropriateness (where applicable)
- Conditional use permit (where applicable)
- Erosion/sediment documents (where applicable)
- Permit validity
- Application deemed abandoned if no permit is issued within 6 months after filing unless extended in writing. Issued permits become invalid unless work starts within 6 months, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 6 months after starting. The Building Official may grant written 90-day extensions for cause.
- Building code
- 2024 IRC, 2024 IBC, 2024 IFGC, 2024 IFC, 2024 IMC, 2024 IPC, 2024 ISPSC, 2018 IPMC, 2018 IEBC, and 2026 Georgia Amendments to the 2023 NEC (effective January 1, 2026)
- Owner-builder
- Homeowner's Permit allowed only for the owner's primary residence, not for sale or lease, and not if the owner used a Homeowner's Permit on another residence within the prior 24 months
- Contractor requirements
- No permit shall be issued to anyone other than a properly licensed contractor under Georgia law and Brunswick ordinances; O.C.G.A. 43-41-17 applies to state residential/general contractor licensing
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- 60
- Plan check fee
- Residential plan review $100; commercial plan review $200; plan re-stamp $50
- Permit fee formula
- New residential and new commercial permits are valuation-based using ICC valuation data: up to $7,000 = $60; $7,001 to $250,000 = $8 per $1,000; $250,001 and over = $2,500 plus $2 per $1,000 over the first $250,000. Renovation of an existing building below $250,000 is $8 per $1,000 of contracted cost, $60 minimum
- Reinspection fee
- 1st $35, 2nd $50, 3rd $65
- Penalty (no permit)
- Unpermitted work equal to double the permit fee in addition to any fine imposed; moving in or operating before C/O $500; same-day inspection $50
- Payment note
- Staff emails applicants with fees and payment options after application review
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Planning, Development and Codes Department - Building Permits and Inspections to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- ()
- Inspection hours
- Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Time windows
Typical inspection sequence: For certificate of occupancy/home occupancy: Planning clearance, JWSC signoffs (if applicable), then building and fire inspection, then certificate pickup when all signatures are complete
Additional Resources
- Building code: 2024 IRC, 2024 IBC, 2024 IFGC, 2024 IFC, 2024 IMC, 2024 IPC, 2024 ISPSC, 2018 IPMC, 2018 IEBC, and 2026 Georgia Amendments to the 2023 NEC (effective January 1, 2026)
- 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 Planning, Development and Codes Department - Building Permits and Inspections before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brunswick Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in Brunswick, GA?
- Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change occupancy of a building or structure, or install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems
- How much does a building permit cost in Brunswick, GA?
- The minimum permit fee is 60. Fees are calculated as: New residential and new commercial permits are valuation-based using ICC valuation data: up to $7,000 = $60; $7,001 to $250,000 = $8 per $1,000; $250,001 and over = $2,500 plus $2 per $1,000 over the first $250,000. Renovation of an existing building below $250,000 is $8 per $1,000 of contracted cost, $60 minimum. Plan check fee: Residential plan review $100; commercial plan review $200; plan re-stamp $50.
- How do I apply for a building permit in Brunswick, GA?
- 1. Submit an online application through the city portal for Building, MEP, Roofing, Demolition, Sign, or Right of Way permits 2. City staff reviews the submission and emails the applicant with fees, payment options, and any additional materials needed 3. For projects requiring plan review, submit the required application package and plan sets; requests are reviewed weekly by the Development Review Team 4. Obtain related approvals such as certificate of appropriateness, conditional use, ROW, JWSC coordination, and erosion and sediment approvals before permitting 5. After review completion and payment, the city issues the permit; inspections occur during construction and a certificate of occupancy or completion is issued after final approvals
- What work is exempt from building permits in Brunswick, GA?
- The following work is generally exempt: Ordinary minor repairs made with approval of the Building Official if they do not violate the technical codes; Portable heating appliances; Portable ventilation equipment; Portable cooling units; Steam/hot/chilled water piping within regulated heating or cooling equipment; Replacement parts that do not alter approval or create an unsafe condition; Portable evaporative coolers; Self-contained refrigeration systems with 10 pounds of refrigerant or less and motors of 1 horsepower or less.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in Brunswick, GA?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: .
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