Bartow County, GA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- building, electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing work
- Issued by
- Bartow County building official
- Prerequisite approvals
- lawful lot, water/sewer tap under §§ 18-114, 18-118
- First-violation fine
- $200.00
- Max jail exposure
- 60 days, § 18-388
Summary
Unincorporated Bartow County requires a permit before anyone builds, enlarges, alters, repairs, or changes the occupancy of a building or structure, or works on its electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems. Starting any such regulated construction or land-disturbing work before the permit issues is unlawful under the county's building code.
Any owner, authorized agent, or contractor who desires to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, or change the occupancy of a building or a structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by the standard building codes, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit for the work, except as exempted below. ... It shall be unlawful to commence construction of a building or structure requiring a permit without first obtaining a permit, as required herein.
Full Breakdown
' The same section separately requires anyone opening a new non-residential business, or a new tenant occupying an existing non-residential structure, to notify the building official and pass an inspection before getting a business license or beginning tenancy, though residential tenants such as apartment renters are exempt from that notice step. Section 18-117 also makes it 'unlawful to commence construction of a building or structure requiring a permit without first obtaining a permit,' and separately unlawful to start land-disturbing activity, moving, or alteration of a building, or development of land not requiring a building, until every necessary permit has issued.
Before a permit can be released, § 18-114 requires the lot be a lawful lot of record, § 18-118 requires proof of other county approvals such as water and sewer taps, and § 18-119 bars issuance to anyone currently in violation of the chapter or under an active stop-work order. Bartow County Community Development's building official, under § 18-116, administers the permit system for the eight adopted standard building codes listed at § 18-31.
Violations & Fines
Starting regulated construction without the § 18-117 permit is unlawful and can be prosecuted criminally in magistrate court under § 18-385, pursued civilly in superior court under § 18-386, or stopped immediately with a stop-work order under § 18-387. The mandatory fine schedule in § 18-421 runs $200.00 for a first violation, $400.00 for a second, and $600.00 for a third or subsequent violation, capped at $1,000.00 per offense, with added criminal penalties of up to 60 days in jail under § 18-388.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Bartow County require a building permit?
Can I get a permit for any lot in unincorporated Bartow County?
What happens if I build without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bartow County
Compare Bartow County to another location·View the Georgia building safety overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.