Cobb County, GA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)

1 covers all storage and fuel tanks in unincorporated Cobb County, but subsection (a)(2) carves out a full exemption for propane containers used exclusively for heating or cooking at a detached one- or two-family dwelling, provided the tank holds no more than 1,000 water gallons. That covers the ordinary 250 to 500-gallon LP tank behind a single-family house: no permit, no plan review fee, and none of the zoning restrictions in the rest of the section apply to it. Step outside that box, capacity over 1,000 water gallons, a use other than heating or cooking, or a multi-family or commercial property, and the full ordinance applies.

Storage and fuel tanks must meet NFPA 30, 30A, 52 and 58 and any other code adopted under section 54-54. Aboveground tanks are banned outright in residentially zoned areas, with the sole exception of Cobb County fire stations. 00 plan review fee charged per permit regardless of how many tanks it covers. Temporary tanks in place 90 days or less skip the permit but must still sit at least 100 feet from any structure and meet every other code requirement. When an underground tank is pulled out of the ground, the owner, their designee, or the removing contractor has 30 days to give the Fire Marshal's Office a site plan and closure report.

This section governs unincorporated Cobb County only; Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs and Austell enforce their own separate fire codes for propane and fuel tank storage within city limits.