Forsyth County, GA Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Code adopted
- Georgia State Minimum Standard Plumbing Code
- Amendment effective
- January 1, 2024
- Toilet flow limit
- 1.28 gallons per flush
- Showerhead limit
- 2.0 gpm at 80 psi
- Enforcement
- Sheriff and building department
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine, 60 days jail
Summary
Forsyth County enforces the Georgia State Minimum Standard Plumbing Code, adopted by reference, with local water-efficiency amendments effective January 1, 2024 that apply to any new construction, alteration, or repair requiring a plumbing permit.
It is the intent of the county to enforce the latest edition of the following Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes, as adopted and amended by the state department of community affairs and the following codes are hereby adopted by reference as though they were copied fully in this section: Standard Building Code. Standard Gas Code. Standard Mechanical Code. Standard Plumbing Code... Effective January 1, 2024, where new construction, or any alterations, repairs or additions to existing buildings or plumbing systems, or the installation or modification of an irrigation system requiring a permit occurs, new and replacement plumbing fixtures and equipment shall comply with the requirements of the Georgia State Minimum Standard Plumbing Code as amended by the State of Georgia and Forsyth County.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 43).
Full Breakdown
Section 18-31 adopts by reference the latest state-approved editions of the Standard Plumbing Code along with the Standard Building, Gas, and Mechanical Codes, the National Electrical Code, the CABO dwelling code, the Georgia Energy Code, and the Georgia Accessibility Code, and it names specific appendices, including plumbing code Appendices B, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J, as adopted too; where a code provision conflicts with an existing county ordinance, the county ordinance controls. Section 18-102 makes the plumbing code's requirements apply, effective January 1, 2024, whenever new construction, alterations, repairs, or additions to a building or plumbing system, or the installation or modification of an irrigation system, occurs and requires a permit.
28 gallons per flush, all WaterSense-labeled, and imposes design and component standards on new landscape irrigation systems tied to permits, including rain sensors, master shut-off valves, and pressure regulation. Section 18-105 exempts certain repairs and specialty fixtures, such as those for persons with disabilities or penal institutions, from the new fixture standards, with exemptions granted by the director of the department of building and economic development.
Violations & Fines
Violations of the plumbing code article are enforced by the county sheriff and the department of building and economic development under section 18-106, with citations tried before the county magistrate; upon conviction, penalties follow section 1-12's general schedule of up to a $1,000.00 fine, up to 60 days in jail, or both, and unresolved conditions may also be pursued as a nuisance abatement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What plumbing code does Forsyth County use?
When did Forsyth County's plumbing fixture amendments take effect?
What is the maximum flush volume for a toilet installed in Forsyth County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Forsyth County
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