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

Sec. 14-91(a), in Division 3 of Chapter 14's Article III, sets the trigger broadly: anyone who wants to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure," or to install, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system covered by the technical codes, "shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit for the work" before starting. Those technical codes are the eight listed in Sec. 14-36: the Georgia State Minimum Standard Building, One and Two Family Dwelling, Fire, Plumbing, Mechanical, Gas, Electrical and Energy Codes, each the relevant International Code with Georgia State Amendments.

Sec. 14-91(a) carves out seven mechanical-work exceptions from the permit requirement, including portable heating, ventilation and cooling appliances, minor part replacements that do not affect approval, portable evaporative coolers, and self-contained refrigeration units of ten pounds or less of refrigerant on a motor of one horsepower or less. Sec. 14-91(c) similarly lets the building official approve "ordinary minor repairs" without a permit if they do not violate the technical codes. A complete application under Sec. 14-91(d) must be filed on the county's form with the required fee, describe the proposed work and its location, and be signed by the owner or an authorized agent.

Sec. 14-91(e) treats the application as abandoned six months after filing absent an issued permit, though the building official may grant 90-day extensions for a written, justified request, and Sec. 14-2 additionally blocks any building permit until the health department approves sewage disposal for the site.