County Building Permits
Brown County, OH - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Brown County, Ohio. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
one, two, and three-family dwellings; additions and attached garages to those dwellings; detached garages over 200 square feet; structural remodeling and demolitions of residential dwellings
- Department
- Brown County Building Department
- Address
- 800 Mt. Orab Pike, Suite 111, Georgetown, OH 45121
- Phone
- (937) 378-4716
Application Process
- Start with the residential building application and checklist
- Submit two sets of plans, fee, and required approvals
- County review and plan approval
- Permit issued upon plan approval
- Inspections requested 24 hours in advance
Source: Brown County Building Department
General Requirements
Permit required for covered one, two, and three-family work listed above
Required Documents
- two sets of plans
- board of health approval
- planning commission approval
- fee
- site plan and construction documents
- subdivision approval
- erosion control approval
- driveway curb cut approval
- local zoning permit
- flood permit where applicable
- septic approval
- Permit validity
- approval expires if no work has started within 12 months
- Building code
- Residential Code of Ohio for one, two, and three-family dwellings
- Owner-builder
- application certifies work is authorized by owner of record or authorized agent; no separate owner-builder policy published
- Contractor requirements
- no countywide general contractor license requirement is published; OCILB state licensing applies to electrical, plumbing, and HVAC trades
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- 100
- Plan check fee
- included in the $100 plan review/processing fee; second review after first recheck is $75
- Permit fee formula
- residential new construction and garages/accessory buildings are priced by square footage tiers
- Reinspection fee
- 50 for reinspection/additional inspection when disapproved, inaccessible, or specially requested
- Penalty (no permit)
- 20 for an additional certificate of occupancy after file closure
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Brown County Building Department to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Scheduling deadline
- requested 24 hours in advance
- Inspection hours
- Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Typical inspection sequence: foundation, concrete slab or under-floor, framing/mechanical, fireplace if applicable, final
Additional Resources
- Building code: Residential Code of Ohio for one, two, and three-family dwellings
- Brown County building department
- Fee schedule
- License lookup guide: Ohio Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Ohio Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Ohio hub: Ohio Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Brown County Building Department before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brown County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Brown County, OH?
- Permit required for covered one, two, and three-family work listed above
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Brown County, OH?
- The minimum permit fee is 100. Fees are calculated as: residential new construction and garages/accessory buildings are priced by square footage tiers. Plan check fee: included in the $100 plan review/processing fee; second review after first recheck is $75.
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Brown County, OH?
- 1. Start with the residential building application and checklist 2. Submit two sets of plans, fee, and required approvals 3. County review and plan approval 4. Permit issued upon plan approval 5. Inspections requested 24 hours in advance
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