County Building Permits
Washington County, GA - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Washington County, Georgia. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
The county's July 1, 2025 permit information sheet states Washington County implemented a development permit procedure on January 1, 2014 for any development in unincorporated areas of the county. This section is limited to unincorporated Washington County.
- Department
- Washington County Board of Assessors for development permits, E-911 addresses, county right-of-way driveway permits, and mobile home transport permits
- Address
- 121 Jones Street, Sandersville, GA 31082
- Phone
- 478-552-2937
Online Permit Portal
Platform: • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
- If needed, apply for an E-911 address first. The county says each residence or commercial establishment must have its own address, the site must be staked out before an address is issued, the fee is $50, and turnaround can take up to 7 business days.
- Apply for the county development permit after obtaining a valid E-911 address. The county states this permit is required for residential or commercial construction, all new additions or outbuildings over 400 square feet, new subdivisions, RV parks, mobile home parks, new or used mobile homes, and pool houses.
- Complete the required county site visit before construction starts. The county states development permits require one or more site visits and turnaround is typically 5 to 10 business days.
- If the project involves human occupancy served by septic, apply for the septic tank permit after obtaining the E-911 address and development permit. The county says septic permits are issued by the Board of Health and may take up to 20 business days depending on state testing schedules.
- If the project includes a driveway or other county right-of-way encroachment, obtain the county permit and site visit approval. If the project involves transporting a used mobile or manufactured home, obtain the transport permit before moving the unit to the site and provide the required third-party inspection documentation.
Typical processing time: Up to 7 business days for E-911 addresses, typically 5 to 10 business days for development permits, up to 20 business days for septic permits, and up to 10 business days for county right-of-way encroachments
General Requirements
The county's permit information sheet states development permits are required in unincorporated Washington County for new or used mobile homes, residential or commercial construction, remodels, new outbuildings over 400 square feet, new RV parks, mobile home parks, subdivisions with private roads, and new or rebuilt driveways. The county road department page also states permits are required for remodels and for new outbuildings over 400 square feet.
Required Documents
- The county publicly verifies a staked site for E-911 addressing and one or more site visits
- For used mobile or manufactured homes, the county requires a third-party inspection by a certified home inspector, licensed contractor, or local municipal building inspector
- Septic-served development requires Board of Health approval after county site review
- Building code
- Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes apply statewide through DCA. No separate Washington County local amendment package for unincorporated construction was found in the reviewed source set.
- Owner-builder
- No county-specific owner-builder rule was found in the reviewed county permit materials.
- Contractor requirements
- Georgia state contractor licensing rules apply where applicable. For used mobile homes, the county relies on third-party inspection by a certified home inspector, licensed contractor, or municipal building inspector.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $50 for a non-habitable structure over 400 square feet, $50 for a driveway permit, and $50 for an E-911 address application
- Permit fee formula
- Flat fees by permit type. E-911 address application is $50; non-habitable structure over 400 square feet is $50; driveway permit is $50; residential development including mobile homes is $85; commercial development is $300; subdivisions, RV parks, and mobile home parks are $300.
- Payment note
- The Road Department page states payments can be made by cash or check, and credit or debit is accepted with a 4 percent service fee.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
- The Road Department page states there are no requirements for pools in the county.
Important: No broader public exempt-work list was found in the reviewed county sources.
Inspections
How to Schedule
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- Inspection hours
- The Road Department page states permits can be obtained by phone from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
Typical inspection sequence: E-911 address site visit if needed, county development permit site visit before construction, septic review for occupied structures if applicable, county right-of-way review for driveway work if applicable, and third-party used mobile home inspection where required
Existing septic systems require re-inspection and approval by the Health Department when a new or used mobile home is brought to an existing home site
Additional Resources
- Building code: Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes apply statewide through DCA. No separate Washington County local amendment package for unincorporated construction was found in the reviewed source set.
- Verify contractor license: Georgia Residential and Commercial General Contractors FAQ
- Zoning information: View zoning info
- https://www.washingtoncountyga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/404/Washington-County-Permits
- https://washingtoncountyga.gov/186/Road-Department
- https://library.municode.com/ga/washington_county/codes/code_of_ordinances
- https://dca.georgia.gov/community-assistance/construction-codes/current-state-minimum-codes-construction
- https://sos.ga.gov/page/residential-and-commercial-general-contractors-frequently-asked-questions
- 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 Washington County Board of Assessors for development permits, E-911 addresses, county right-of-way driveway permits, and mobile home transport permits before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Washington County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Washington County, GA?
- The county's permit information sheet states development permits are required in unincorporated Washington County for new or used mobile homes, residential or commercial construction, remodels, new outbuildings over 400 square feet, new RV parks, mobile home parks, subdivisions with private roads, and new or rebuilt driveways. The county road department page also states permits are required for remodels and for new outbuildings over 400 square feet.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Washington County, GA?
- The minimum permit fee is $50 for a non-habitable structure over 400 square feet, $50 for a driveway permit, and $50 for an E-911 address application. Fees are calculated as: Flat fees by permit type. E-911 address application is $50; non-habitable structure over 400 square feet is $50; driveway permit is $50; residential development including mobile homes is $85; commercial development is $300; subdivisions, RV parks, and mobile home parks are $300..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Washington County, GA?
- 1. If needed, apply for an E-911 address first. The county says each residence or commercial establishment must have its own address, the site must be staked out before an address is issued, the fee is $50, and turnaround can take up to 7 business days. 2. Apply for the county development permit after obtaining a valid E-911 address. The county states this permit is required for residential or commercial construction, all new additions or outbuildings over 400 square feet, new subdivisions, RV parks, mobile home parks, new or used mobile homes, and pool houses. 3. Complete the required county site visit before construction starts. The county states development permits require one or more site visits and turnaround is typically 5 to 10 business days. 4. If the project involves human occupancy served by septic, apply for the septic tank permit after obtaining the E-911 address and development permit. The county says septic permits are issued by the Board of Health and may take up to 20 business days depending on state testing schedules. 5. If the project includes a driveway or other county right-of-way encroachment, obtain the county permit and site visit approval. If the project involves transporting a used mobile or manufactured home, obtain the transport permit before moving the unit to the site and provide the required third-party inspection documentation.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Washington County, GA?
- Typical processing time is Up to 7 business days for E-911 addresses, typically 5 to 10 business days for development permits, up to 20 business days for septic permits, and up to 10 business days for county right-of-way encroachments.
- What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Washington County, GA?
- The following work is generally exempt: The Road Department page states there are no requirements for pools in the county.. Note: No broader public exempt-work list was found in the reviewed county sources.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Washington County, GA?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: , .
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