Eatonton, GA - 2026 Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Putnam County Planning and Development handles permitting for the City of Eatonton under the SSD agreement, so city building permits are publicly routed through the county permit office rather than a separate city building department.

Department

Putnam County Planning and Development

Address

117 Putnam Drive, Suite B, Eatonton, GA 31024

Phone

(706) 485-2776

Email

pdsubmittals@putnamcountyga.us

Website

https://www.putnamcountyga.us/planning

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm that the property is inside the City of Eatonton but note that permit intake is still handled by Putnam County Planning and Development under the SSD agreement. Use the city-marked county forms, which include a City of Eatonton checkbox.
2. Download the applicable building permit packet from the county Applications and Forms page. Residential, commercial, and multi-family packets all direct applicants to submit complete packets to pdsubmittals@putnamcountyga.us or hand deliver them.
3. Assemble required supporting approvals before submittal. Public packets require items such as recorded plat, parcel/tax identification, site plan, septic approval or location approval, sewer approval if applicable, water approval, building plans, and land disturbance approval if triggered. New driveways require a separate Public Works driveway permit.
4. Submit the packet. The county states incomplete applications will not be processed.
5. Planning and Development performs plan review and coordinates any needed zoning, environmental health, fire marshal, and land disturbance approvals shown on the forms.
6. Pay permit fees after review. No separate city-operated building payment page was found; the public-facing fee materials are on the county Planning and Development site.
7. Wait for permit issuance before starting work. County packets state construction may not begin until the building permit is issued.

Typical processing time: Residential/modular packet says plan review may take at least 4 weeks. Commercial packet says plan review may take at least 3 weeks. No city-specific faster or separate timeline was found.

Source: Putnam County Planning and Development

General Requirements

Putnam County states building permits are required for agricultural, residential, and commercial construction, including additions, remodels, new construction, accessory structures such as storage buildings, carports, barns, detached garages, and swimming pools, plus manufactured homes, DCA modular homes, and existing home relocation. Because Eatonton building permits are routed through the county SSD process, this is the operative public requirement for city projects.

Required Documents

• Applicable permit application
• recorded plat
• parcel identification
• scaled site plan showing existing and proposed structures and setbacks
• septic approval or septic locate approval where applicable
• sewer/water approvals where applicable
• building plans
• erosion and sediment materials when required
• land disturbance permit materials where triggered
• copies of contractor state license and occupational tax certificate
• Commercial packets also call for more detailed architectural, structural, life safety, MEP, and fire protection plan sets as applicable

Permit validity

Public county forms used for city permits say work must commence within 6 months of issuance and not be abandoned for more than 6 months; amended permits are required if plans change or additional work is added. A county solar checklist also states permits expire 6 months after issue if work has not commenced and required inspections are not scheduled, and all work must be completed within 12 months.

Building code

Putnam County Code section 18-36 adopts by reference the International Building Code, National Electrical Code, International Fuel Gas Code, International Mechanical Code, International Plumbing Code, International Residential Code, International Energy Conservation Code, International Fire Code, International Property Maintenance Code, and International Existing Building Code, with later editions or amendments as required by the Georgia Uniform Codes Act. Georgia DCA's current statewide minimum code page lists the current state minimum codes and amendments.

Owner-builder

Public forms allow signature by the owner or authorized agent and include a responsible party affidavit for owner or contractor, but no separate Eatonton owner-builder policy page was found.

Contractor requirements

County permit pages require every contractor to submit a copy of the state contractor license and an occupational tax certificate with each permit. Georgia also requires state licensure for residential and general contractors under state law; verify current license status through the Georgia Secretary of State.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

$55.00 minimum fee for any permit

Plan check fee

No separate public line item for plan review or plan check fee was found in the county fee schedule.

Permit fee formula

Residential permits are primarily square-foot based: $0.35 per square foot of enclosed area, $0.30 per square foot of garage/storage/barn space, and $0.20 per square foot of porches, decks, or open shed space; manufactured homes use $0.30 per square foot enclosed area and the same accessory/open-space rates; remodels are $5.00 per $1,000 of estimated cost; permanent residential pools are $110.00. Commercial permits are valuation based, starting at $35.00 for the first $1,000 plus $10.00 per additional $1,000 up to $50,000, then stepping down to $5.00 per additional $1,000 in higher ranges.

Reinspection fee

First reinspection $55.00; second reinspection $55.00; all additional reinspections $110.00. Failure to obtain a permit is $100.00 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater. Permit renewal is 50 percent of the original permit fee.

Payment note

No city-specific payment page for building permits was found. A county solar permit checklist says payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card, with credit card payments accepted by phone; that is the clearest public payment guidance located from the shared permit office.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the Putnam County Planning and Development to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

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Inspection hours

County office hours posted generally are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Typical inspection sequence: Public materials confirm field inspections during construction and final inspection before completion. A county solar checklist identifies rough-in and final inspections; no more detailed city-specific building inspection sequence was publicly posted for all project types.

Published county reinspection fees apply through the shared permit office: $55.00 for first and second reinspections, then $110.00 for each additional reinspection.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Putnam County Code section 18-36 adopts by reference the International Building Code, National Electrical Code, International Fuel Gas Code, International Mechanical Code, International Plumbing Code, International Residential Code, International Energy Conservation Code, International Fire Code, International Property Maintenance Code, and International Existing Building Code, with later editions or amendments as required by the Georgia Uniform Codes Act. Georgia DCA's current statewide minimum code page lists the current state minimum codes and amendments.
• Verify contractor license: Georgia Construction License Lookup
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• https://www.eatontonga.us/city-directory/
• https://www.putnamcountyga.us/planning
• https://www.putnamcountyga.us/planning/page/building-inspections
• https://dca.georgia.gov/community-assistance/construction-codes/current-state-minimum-codes-construction
• License lookup guide: Georgia Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Georgia Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Georgia hub: Georgia Contractor License & Permit Hub

Frequently Asked Questions

Eatonton Building Permit FAQ

Do I need a building permit in Eatonton, GA?

Putnam County states building permits are required for agricultural, residential, and commercial construction, including additions, remodels, new construction, accessory structures such as storage buildings, carports, barns, detached garages, and swimming pools, plus manufactured homes, DCA modular homes, and existing home relocation. Because Eatonton building permits are routed through the county SSD process, this is the operative public requirement for city projects.

How much does a building permit cost in Eatonton, GA?

The minimum permit fee is $55.00 minimum fee for any permit. Fees are calculated as: Residential permits are primarily square-foot based: $0.35 per square foot of enclosed area, $0.30 per square foot of garage/storage/barn space, and $0.20 per square foot of porches, decks, or open shed space; manufactured homes use $0.30 per square foot enclosed area and the same accessory/open-space rates; remodels are $5.00 per $1,000 of estimated cost; permanent residential pools are $110.00. Commercial permits are valuation based, starting at $35.00 for the first $1,000 plus $10.00 per additional $1,000 up to $50,000, then stepping down to $5.00 per additional $1,000 in higher ranges.. Plan check fee: No separate public line item for plan review or plan check fee was found in the county fee schedule..

How do I apply for a building permit in Eatonton, GA?

1. Confirm that the property is inside the City of Eatonton but note that permit intake is still handled by Putnam County Planning and Development under the SSD agreement. Use the city-marked county forms, which include a City of Eatonton checkbox. 2. Download the applicable building permit packet from the county Applications and Forms page. Residential, commercial, and multi-family packets all direct applicants to submit complete packets to pdsubmittals@putnamcountyga.us or hand deliver them. 3. Assemble required supporting approvals before submittal. Public packets require items such as recorded plat, parcel/tax identification, site plan, septic approval or location approval, sewer approval if applicable, water approval, building plans, and land disturbance approval if triggered. New driveways require a separate Public Works driveway permit. 4. Submit the packet. The county states incomplete applications will not be processed. 5. Planning and Development performs plan review and coordinates any needed zoning, environmental health, fire marshal, and land disturbance approvals shown on the forms. 6. Pay permit fees after review. No separate city-operated building payment page was found; the public-facing fee materials are on the county Planning and Development site. 7. Wait for permit issuance before starting work. County packets state construction may not begin until the building permit is issued.

How long does it take to get a building permit in Eatonton, GA?

Typical processing time is Residential/modular packet says plan review may take at least 4 weeks. Commercial packet says plan review may take at least 3 weeks. No city-specific faster or separate timeline was found..

How do I schedule a building inspection in Eatonton, GA?

Inspections can be scheduled via: , .

Other cities in Putnam County