Building Safety in Barrow County, GA (2026)
7 rules for unincorporated Barrow County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Childcare Center Rules
Unincorporated Barrow County's Unified Development Code sets site standards for day care facilities: group homes cap at 18 people with a six-foot play-area fence, while day care centers serving 19 or more need 30 square feet of indoor play space per child and a 300-foot separation from other facilities.
Barrow County Day Care Facility Standards
Some RestrictionsBarrow County Code § 89-172
(a)Group day care facility. A day care facility accommodating up to a maximum of 18 adults or children is subject to the following:(1)Care shall be limited to fewer than 24 hours per day.(2)A maximum of 18 adults or children for whom compensation is received.(3)Outdoor play areas shall be provided in the rear or side yards for all group day care facilities and shall be enclosed by a solid hedge...
Green Building Code
Barrow County has no separate "green building" ordinance. Instead it adopts the Georgia State Energy Code for Buildings as one of its technical codes (§ 22-31(a)(8)), and § 22-34(a)(9) makes that code govern the thermal design of every new building envelope and its mechanical, electrical and water-heating systems, enforced through dedicated frame and final energy inspections.
Unincorporated Barrow County Adopts State Energy Code
Some RestrictionsBarrow County Code §§ 22-31(a)(8), 22-34(a)(9), 22-98(f)(6)
(8)Georgia State Energy Code for Buildings. ... (9)Applicability of Georgia State Energy Code. The provisions of the Georgia State Energy Code, as amended, shall regulate the design of building envelopes for adequate thermal resistance and low air leakage and the design and selection of mechanical, electrical, service water heating and illumination systems and equipment that will enable the eff...
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Unincorporated Barrow County requires every permitted short-term rental to have a working carbon monoxide detector outside each bedroom offered for rent, built and placed to the adopted residential building code, and kept operational for the life of the permit. This standard applies to short-term rentals specifically, not to housing generally.
Barrow County STR Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Some RestrictionsBarrow County Code § 26-155(c)(2)
(2)Outside each bedroom in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms for rent, shall be equipped with an operational carbon monoxide detector that meets applicable adopted residential building code and shall be maintained in good working order at all times.
Building Permits
In unincorporated Barrow County, anyone who wants to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or install a covered electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, must first apply to the county building official and obtain a permit (§ 22-91(a)). Ordinary minor repairs are exempt, but only with the building official's approval.
When Barrow County Requires a Building Permit
Some RestrictionsBarrow County Code §§ 22-91(a), 22-97(b)
(a)Permit required; application. Any owner, authorized agent or contractor who desires 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 any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by the technical codes or to cause any suc...
Electrical Permits
Unincorporated Barrow County enforces the National Electrical Code as one of its technical codes (§ 22-31(a)(5)), applying it to "the installation of electrical systems, including alterations, repairs, replacement" and related equipment (§ 22-34(a)(4)). Electrical work needs the same building-official permit as other technical-code work, checked through five staged inspections.
Barrow County Electrical Permit and NEC Rules
Some RestrictionsBarrow County Code §§ 22-31(a)(5), 22-34(a)(4), 22-98(f)(2)
(a)The latest edition of the following codes, as adopted and amended by the state department of community affairs, shall be enforced by the county:(1)Standard Building Code;(2)Standard Mechanical Code;(3)Standard Gas Code;(4)Standard Plumbing Code;(5)National Electrical Code; ... (4)Applicability of National Electrical Code. The provisions of the National Electrical Code, as amended, shall appl...
Plumbing Permits
Barrow County enforces the Standard Plumbing Code as one of its technical codes (§ 22-31(a)(4)), applying it to "every plumbing installation, including alterations, repairs, replacement" connected to water or sewer service (§ 22-34(a)(7)). Plumbing work needs a building-official permit checked through underground, rough-in and final inspections plus the code's own required tests.
Barrow County Plumbing Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsBarrow County Code §§ 22-4, 22-31(a)(4), 22-34(a)(7), 22-98(f)(3)
(4)Standard Plumbing Code. ... (7)Applicability of Standard Plumbing Code. The provisions of the Standard Plumbing Code, as amended, shall apply to every plumbing installation, including alterations, repairs, replacement, equipment, appliances, fixtures, fittings and appurtenances, and when connected to a water or sewerage system. ... The county is exempted from the provisions of O.C.G.A. § 8-2...
Building Inspections
In unincorporated Barrow County, the building official inspects construction at set stages under Barrow County Code § 22-98: foundation, slab, frame and final for building work, plus matching stage inspections for electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas systems before any covering or occupancy.
Building Inspections in Barrow County, GA
Some RestrictionsBarrow County Code § 22-98
(f)Required inspections. The building official, upon notification from the permit holder or his agent, shall make the following inspections and such other inspections as necessary, and shall either release that portion of the construction or shall notify the permit holder or his agent of any violations which must be corrected in order to comply with the technical code:(1)Building inspections.a....
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