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

Section 18-14(a)(1) sets the county's basic rule: except where expressly exempted, any owner, authorized agent, or contractor who wants to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to install, alter, remove or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, must first apply to the building official and obtain the required permit, including a certificate of zoning compliance, before beginning work. No permit issues unless the applicant has satisfied the zoning regulations and other county ordinances.

Section 18-15(b) then lists narrow exemptions, such as small tool sheds under 200 square feet, painting and similar finish work, and portable equipment; anything not on that list needs a permit. Applications are filed with the building official in the community development department, must describe the proposed work and location, and lapse six months after filing if no permit issues, though the building official may grant 90-day written extensions for justifiable cause (§ 18-15(c)(2)). Design professional seals are required for buildings three stories or taller, over 5,000 square feet, or assembly/educational/institutional occupancies (§ 18-15(d)(3)), though single-family dwellings never need one (§ 18-15(d)(4)).

No permit issues until board of commissioners fees are paid, and starting permitted work early adds a penalty equal to 100 percent of the usual fee (§ 18-15(i)(1)-(2)). This applies only in unincorporated Carroll County; Carrollton, Villa Rica, Temple, Bowdon, Whitesburg, Mount Zion and Roopville each issue their own building permits.