Bulloch County, GA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Bulloch County Code Section 4-50, in the technical codes division of Chapter 4, sets the trigger for when a building permit is required in the unincorporated area. Subsection (a)(1) requires any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the International Residential Code, to first apply to the building official and obtain the permit before the work begins.

Subsection (a)(3) exempts only the specific items listed in the administration section of the International Residential Code, so most residential and accessory construction, including additions, remodels and system replacements, needs a permit unless that IRC exemption list applies. Sec. 4-50(a)(6) also blocks any application from an applicant currently in violation of the Bulloch County Code of Ordinances until the violation is cleared and the building official issues a release. Applications must identify the applicant and owner, describe the proposed work, and, when required, include scaled drawings sealed by a Georgia-registered design professional.

Under Sec. 4-51(a)(2), the building official must examine a complete application within five working days and, if the work will comply, approve it and issue the permit; a refusal triggers written notice within ten days stating the reasons. Permits expire under Sec. 4-51(d) if no work starts within six months of issuance or if work is suspended for six months, forfeiting the fees already paid. Building without the required permit violates this division and is punishable under Sec. 4-54(b)(1).