Building permits in Chatham County, Georgia
Find the right authority before you build. Chatham County permitting follows Georgia law — here is exactly who issues the permit and where to start.
County + cities (mixed)
Chatham County Office of Building Safety & Regulatory Services (unincorporated areas)
Chatham County’s Office of Building Safety and Regulatory Services issues building permits for unincorporated Chatham County. Within the City of Savannah, permits go through the City’s Development Services Department; other municipalities (Pooler, Port Wentworth, Garden City, etc.) have their own processes. Zoning for unincorporated Chatham is administered by the Metropolitan Planning Commission.
Check a home project's permit in Chatham County, Georgia
Select a project to see its Georgia permit rule. Whether the county or your city issues it depends on incorporation status — see the authority note above.
Georgia
Exact permit fees are set by the local building department. WikEst shows the published or code-based range where one exists, linked to its official source — verify the final amount at the source before budgeting.
🏠 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) permit fee in Georgia
Permit requiredCase by casecity authority
Permit fee range
Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 technology fee; total scales with cost of construction. Municipal fees vary.
Typical timeline
Varies
Setback
—
Exempt if
Not size-exempt
Georgia’s mandatory 2024 IRC with Georgia Amendments (eff. Jan 1, 2026) governs construction; ADUs need a building permit plus local zoning approval. Verify with your city (e.g., Atlanta Office of Buildings).
Official sources: City of Atlanta — Residential Construction Permits (Office of Buildings) · GA Dept. of Community Affairs — 2024 IRC w/ GA Amendments (eff. Jan 1, 2026)
Representative cities for Georgia: Atlanta, Savannah.
All 20 project fee ranges in Georgia
Official-source ranges where published; “By local jurisdiction” means no flat fee is published and the amount is set case by case.
| Project | Permit? | Authority | Fee range | Go / no-go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) | yes | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 technology fee; total scales with cost of construction. Municipal fees vary. | case-by-case |
| 🪵 Deck / Porch | yes | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 technology fee; total scales with construction cost. | allowed |
| 🧱 Fence / Wall | conditional | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee where a permit is required. | allowed |
| 🛖 Shed / Outbuilding | conditional | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee for permitted sheds. | allowed |
| 🪜 Basement Finish | yes | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee; total scales with scope. | allowed |
| 🚗 Garage / Carport | yes | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee; total scales with valuation. | allowed |
| ☀️ Rooftop Solar PV | yes | city | Electrical/structural permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee. | allowed |
| 🌡️ HVAC Replacement | yes | city | Mechanical permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee. | allowed |
| 🍳 Kitchen Remodel | yes | city | Building permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee, trade permits billed separately. | allowed |
| 🛁 Bathroom Remodel | yes | city | Building permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee, trade permits billed separately. | allowed |
| 🏗️ Room Addition | yes | city | Building permit fee based on valuation; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee plus plan review. | allowed |
| 🪟 Window / Door Replacement | conditional | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee where a permit is required. | allowed |
| 🏘️ Roof Replacement | yes | city | Roof-covering permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee. | allowed |
| 🅿️ Driveway / Parking Pad | conditional | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee where a permit is required. | allowed |
| 🏊 Swimming Pool / Spa | yes | city | Building permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee; barrier fencing required. | allowed |
| 🧱 Retaining Wall | conditional | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee where a permit is required. | allowed |
| 💥 Demolition / Teardown | yes | city | Demolition permit fee set by the city/county building department; verify locally. | allowed |
| 🚰 Septic System | yes | county | Septic permit fees set by the county health department; verify locally. | allowed |
| 🔌 EV Charger | conditional | city | Electrical permit fee set by the city; verify locally. | allowed |
| ⚡ Standby Generator | yes | city | Electrical (and often mechanical/gas) permit fee set by the city; verify locally. | allowed |
Permit cheat-sheet (Georgia rules)
| Project | Permit? | Authority | Typical fee | Timeline | Go / No-Go | Key notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) | Permit required | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 technology fee; total scales with cost of construction. Municipal fees vary. | — | Case by case | Georgia’s mandatory 2024 IRC with Georgia Amendments (eff. Jan 1, 2026) governs construction; ADUs need a building permit plus local zoning approval. Verify with your city (e.g., Atlanta Office of Buildings). |
| 🪵 Deck / Porch | Permit required | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 technology fee; total scales with construction cost. | — | Generally allowed | Deck/patio additions require a permit (Atlanta lists deck/patio addition). Attached decks and decks over 30 in above grade always require one. |
| 🧱 Fence / Wall | Conditional | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee where a permit is required. | — | Generally allowed | Many Georgia municipalities exempt fences 6–7 ft or lower; some require a permit. Atlanta processes fence permits (Express allowed for certain stop-work-order fence fixes). Verify locally. |
| 🛖 Shed / Outbuilding | Conditional | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee for permitted sheds. | — | Generally allowed | Larger sheds and any shed with utilities require a building permit. Savannah and other cities follow the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes with local fee schedules. Exempt: Under 120 sq ft typically exempt (IRC); Atlanta lists accessory shed structures as permitted. |
| 🪜 Basement Finish | Permit required | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee; total scales with scope. | — | Generally allowed | Finishing a basement into habitable space requires permits for egress, framing, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work. Sleeping rooms need code-compliant egress. |
| 🚗 Garage / Carport | Permit required | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee; total scales with valuation. | — | Generally allowed | A new garage requires a building permit. |
| ☀️ Rooftop Solar PV | Permit required | city | Electrical/structural permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee. | — | Generally allowed | Rooftop solar PV requires an electrical and structural permit, filed via a standard/trade permit through the local Office of Buildings. |
| 🌡️ HVAC Replacement | Permit required | city | Mechanical permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee. | — | Generally allowed | Furnace, AC, or heat-pump replacement requires a mechanical permit and inspection. |
| 🍳 Kitchen Remodel | Permit required | city | Building permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee, trade permits billed separately. | — | Generally allowed | A permit is required when relocating plumbing/electrical, moving walls, or changing fixtures. Cosmetic-only work may be exempt. |
| 🛁 Bathroom Remodel | Permit required | city | Building permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee, trade permits billed separately. | — | Generally allowed | A permit is required when relocating plumbing/electrical, moving walls, or changing fixtures. Cosmetic-only updates may be exempt. |
| 🏗️ Room Addition | Permit required | city | Building permit fee based on valuation; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee plus plan review. | — | Generally allowed | Room additions change the footprint and require a full building permit, zoning approval, and usually a site plan. |
| 🪟 Window / Door Replacement | Conditional | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee where a permit is required. | — | Generally allowed | Swapping windows or exterior doors in the same opening is generally exempt; enlarging or adding openings requires a permit. |
| 🏘️ Roof Replacement | Permit required | city | Roof-covering permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee. | — | Generally allowed | Re-roofing is permitted (Atlanta Express covers re-roofing without structural change); minor repairs may be exempt. |
| 🅿️ Driveway / Parking Pad | Conditional | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee where a permit is required. | — | Generally allowed | A permit may be required where the driveway connects to the street/right-of-way or triggers an erosion/grading permit. Verify locally. |
| 🏊 Swimming Pool / Spa | Permit required | city | Building permit fee; Atlanta minimum $150 plus $25 fee; barrier fencing required. | — | Generally allowed | Pools require a separate permit and barrier fencing. Atlanta requires pool permits to be filed separately from any other permit application. |
| 🧱 Retaining Wall | Conditional | city | Atlanta minimum permit cost $150 plus $25 fee where a permit is required. | — | Generally allowed | Height and whether the wall supports a surcharge (driveway, structure, or slope above) determine the permit threshold. Verify with your municipality. |
| 💥 Demolition / Teardown | Permit required | city | Demolition permit fee set by the city/county building department; verify locally. | — | Generally allowed | A full teardown or major strip-out requires a demolition (building) permit from the city or county building department under the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes. Demolition permits commonly require utility disconnects and, for older homes, asbestos/lead clearance before work begins. Atlanta processes through the Office of Buildings. |
| 🚰 Septic System | Permit required | county | Septic permit fees set by the county health department; verify locally. | — | Generally allowed | New or replacement onsite wastewater (on-site sewage management) systems require a construction permit from the county health department under GA DPH Rule 511-3-1. Engineered design and a site/soil evaluation are required; the county board of health is the permitting authority. |
| 🔌 EV Charger | Conditional | city | Electrical permit fee set by the city; verify locally. | — | Generally allowed | A home EV charging station needs an electrical permit (dedicated 240V circuit and wall unit) issued by the city under the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes. Georgia has no single statewide EV-permitting fast-track, so review time varies by city. Work must meet the NEC. |
| ⚡ Standby Generator | Permit required | city | Electrical (and often mechanical/gas) permit fee set by the city; verify locally. | — | Generally allowed | A permanently installed standby generator with a transfer switch and fuel (gas/propane) line requires electrical and often mechanical/gas permits, plus inspection. Setback, noise, and carbon-monoxide rules may apply, and HOAs may restrict installation. Verify with the city building department (e.g., Atlanta Office of Buildings). |
Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in Chatham County, Georgia?
Chatham County Office of Building Safety & Regulatory Services (unincorporated areas) is the permitting authority for Chatham County. Permitting is split — cities issue for incorporated areas, the county for unincorporated areas. Start at the official portal linked above.
Do I go to the county or my city for a building permit in Chatham County?
Permitting is split — cities issue for incorporated areas, the county for unincorporated areas.
What home projects need a permit in Chatham County?
The same project types shown in the cheat-sheet above (ADU, deck, fence, shed, solar, and more) — rules follow Georgia state law. Whether the county or your city issues it depends on your property's incorporation status.
How do I apply for a permit in Chatham County?
Use the official permit portal linked above. Most offices accept online submissions; have your plans, site information, and contractor details ready before applying.
Sources: Chatham County Office of Building Safety & Regulatory Services · GA Dept. of Community Affairs — 2024 IRC w/ GA Amendments (eff. Jan 1, 2026) · GA DCA — Current State Minimum Standard Codes · City of Atlanta — Current Georgia Minimum Codes for Construction · City of Atlanta — Residential Construction Permits (Office of Buildings)