City of Covington

Permits are required to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change occupancy of a building or structure, and for electrical, gas, mechanical, and plumbing work

Note: No consolidated Covington exempt-work list was located in the public permit materials reviewed

Building code

Covington's Construction Codes page lists 2018-based ICC codes with Georgia amendments and the 2020 NEC, but Georgia's statewide DCA minimum-code baseline changed effective January 1, 2026; applicants should confirm current enforced editions with staff

Owner-builder

No separate owner-builder affidavit was publicly posted in reviewed sources; the public building permit application requires a property owner affidavit authorizing a representative

Contractor requirements

General contractor and Georgia-licensed subcontractor information is required on the city application, and state license copies must be submitted

1. 01
   Confirm the property is inside Covington and determine whether historic district approval, sign review, trade permits, or other separate approvals are required
2. 02
   Download the applicable permit form from the Building Forms page; the 2023 building permit application requires plans, affidavit, state license copy, business license copy, ID, and septic or fire-line documentation when applicable
3. 03
   Submit the application package to the Department of Planning and Development; incomplete applications are denied and returned
4. 04
   Pay plan review fees and permit charges when invoiced (residential plan review at $75 and commercial plan review at $250)
5. 05
   Receive permit issuance after staff review and any required companion approvals
6. 06
   Complete inspections and close out the permit before occupancy; non-residential certificate of occupancy issuance requires final approved PDF plans to be emailed to the Fire Marshal and Building Inspector

Typical processing time: Accessory building permit applications can take up to 15 business days according to the published submittal-procedures sheet

Source: Department of Planning and Development, City of Covington ↗

The accessory structure procedures sheet says the city does not accept credit cards for that permit type and requires checks payable to the City of Covington

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ (effective 2023) before budgeting.

Typical sequence: Project-specific; the city requires inspections before occupancy and requires non-residential final-plan closeout before certificate of occupancy issuance