Permit Fees in Georgia

Georgia just changed its rulebook. On January 1, 2026 the state's mandatory minimum codes jumped to the 2024 International Residential Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code, both with 2026 Georgia amendments. The energy code did not move; it stays on the 2015 IECC with Georgia supplements. Less obvious: the mandatory codes apply to all construction statewide whether or not your county runs an enforcement program. A cabin in a no-permit rural county still legally has to meet the 2024 IRC.

Cities and counties handle the actual permitting; the state writes codes but issues nothing. Atlanta's verified fees: $525 for a bathroom remodel permit, $550 for a kitchen, $385 for a roof replacement, and $175 for an HVAC changeout.

Georgia is friendly to owner-builders. No contractor license is needed to build your own home, and jurisdictions formalize the rules with a homeowner's affidavit at permit issuance. Expect strings attached, on the Savannah model: you must live in the residence, and you can't have pulled a homeowner permit at another address within the past two years. One house at a time is the spirit of it.

Sources: Georgia DCA current minimum codes · DCA: new codes effective Jan 1, 2026 · Savannah owner-as-contractor FAQ · verified 2026-06