Baldwin County, Georgia Building Permit Guide

For property in unincorporated Baldwin County, building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits come from Baldwin County Planning & Development, 1601 N. Columbia Street, Suite 200, Milledgeville (478-445-4205). Applications can be emailed to permits@baldwincountyga.com, every residential and commercial application gets a structural plan review, and inspections are carried out within 24 to 48 hours of a request.

What requires a permit in Baldwin County?

The County requires a permit before anyone starts to build, alter or move a structure or changes the use of a building, structure or land; changing agricultural crops is the only exception it names. A permit is needed for any work valued at over $1,000 or whenever an inspection is required.

Who handles permitting in Baldwin County?

Planning & Development administers the County’s building and land-use codes. Besides building permits and inspections it handles land-use applications, addressing, GIS, code enforcement and business and alcohol licences. Its code enforcement work covers unincorporated Baldwin County. Inside Milledgeville, the City’s own Planning & Zoning department issues building, electrical, grading, heating and air, and plumbing permits.

Applying online and the County’s permit forms

To file online, complete the right form and email it to permits@baldwincountyga.com. The office emails back an approval or denial, and an approval states the total due. Pay by Visa or MasterCard over the phone at 478-445-4205, or mail or bring a check. Once payment is made, the County adds an electronic signature to the application and emails it back. Forms can also be picked up at the annex, 1601 N. Columbia Street, Suite 200.

• Building Permit Application, for residential, commercial and demolition work. It asks for heated and unheated square footage, the job valuation, the electricity provider and the general contractor’s licence number, and carries sign-offs from the Addressing Coordinator, Fire Department, Planning & Development and County Manager.
• Sub Contractor Affidavit (page 2 of the application), signed for the electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors and notarised.
• Moving Permit Application, for single-wide and double-wide homes, with Tax Assessor and Tax Commissioner sign-offs.
• Homeowner affidavits: the Building Department issues permits only to a state-licensed contractor or the owner-occupant of a residential property, and an owner acting as builder signs a notarised affidavit.
• LDA Land Disturbance Permit Application, Driveway Permit Application and Contractor Info Update form.

Permit costs and fees in Baldwin County

The County’s permit page and forms list these charges. No building permit fee schedule is posted; the approval email states the total due.

Fire Marshal inspections, including the final construction inspection and the first follow-up, are free; a second follow-up costs $50, and the third and each later one $100.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits

Planning & Development issues electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, and each trade permit is issued separately. On a new building, the general contractor lists the licensed electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors on the notarised Sub Contractor Affidavit, and a change of subcontractor needs written notice to Planning & Development first.

A homeowner may buy the electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit only when doing that work personally, and must meet the Building Official before those permits are issued. An owner-builder who does not do the trade work hires licensed contractors, who obtain their own trade permits.

The Fire Department signs off every building permit application, and the Fire Marshal reviews building, sprinkler, fire alarm, hood and hazardous-materials plans for the fees listed above.

Application documents

The County will not process a building permit until every checklist item on the application is complete:

• Completed application with the signed Sub Contractor Affidavit
• County driveway permit, from the Planning & Development office
• Copy of the Georgia DOT driveway permit, where one applies
• House plans (elevations and floor plan), as an electronic copy or on paper
• Copy of the plat showing the footprint of each structure and its front, rear and side setbacks, available from the Clerk’s Office
• Health Department septic approval

A manufactured-home moving permit needs the application, the $35 driveway permit, proof of ownership of the home (title, bill or letter of sale), the plat with setbacks and septic approval. Structural plan review applies to both residential and commercial applications, which is why permits are no longer issued on the day of application.

How to apply: 6-step Baldwin County process

Baldwin County inspections

Call the Building Department at 478-445-4205 to request an inspection. The County schedules it as soon as possible and allows 24 to 48 hours for the inspector to complete it.

The inspector checks the footings, the slab, the rough-in and the final before power can be released. When everything is complete, the County contacts the power company and issues the certificate of occupancy.

Local Baldwin County details

Septic systems: Environmental Health at the Baldwin County Health Department, 100 Ireland Drive, Milledgeville (478-445-1591), issues the septic approval the building and moving permit applications require.

Short-term rentals: before a home is offered as a short-term vacation rental, the owner needs a County STR certificate. The application must be signed and notarised and comes with a letter of intent, a sample rental agreement, proof of ownership and homeowner’s insurance, a parking plan, a docking plan where boats tie up, SAVE and E-Verify affidavits and the $500 annual fee.

Land-use rules: the County’s Land Use Code covers subdivisions, manufactured home parks, flood damage prevention, soil erosion and sedimentation, and special use restrictions; a renovation and demolition (asbestos) notice and a logging permit application are posted on the same page.

Georgia building code

Georgia's State Minimum Standard Codes apply statewide: the 2024 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, with Georgia Amendments, in force since 1 January 2026; the energy code is still the 2015 IECC with Georgia supplements. The Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes

Baldwin County permit search and official resources

County forms and pages for permits in unincorporated Baldwin County:

• Baldwin County — Building Permit Application
• Baldwin County — Online Submittal
• Baldwin County — Planning & Development
• Baldwin County — Building Inspections & Permits
• Baldwin County — Moving Permit Application
• Baldwin County — Homeowner Affidavit (Building)
• Baldwin County — Homeowner Affidavit (Building and Trades)
• Baldwin County — LDA Land Disturbance Permit Application
• Baldwin County — Driveway Permit Application
• Baldwin County — Fire Marshal Fee Schedule
• Baldwin County — Short-Term Rental Certificate Application
• Baldwin County — Land Use Code Regulations
• North Central Health District — County Environmental Health Offices

Baldwin County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Baldwin County?

Baldwin County Planning & Development, 1601 N. Columbia Street, Suite 200, Milledgeville, for unincorporated Baldwin County. Inside Milledgeville, the City’s Planning & Zoning department issues permits.

Can I apply for a Baldwin County building permit online?

Yes, by email. Send the completed form to permits@baldwincountyga.com; the reply approves or denies it and gives the total due, which you can pay by card over the phone.

Can I get a building permit the same day?

No. The County no longer issues building permits on the same day, because residential and commercial applications get a structural plan review.

When do I need a permit?

For any work valued at over $1,000 or that needs an inspection, and before building, altering or moving a structure or changing the use of land or buildings.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Baldwin County?

Yes, as the owner-occupant of a residential property, with a notarised homeowner affidavit. Trade permits go to the homeowner only if they do that work themselves, after meeting the Building Official.

How long does an inspection take to happen?

The County allows 24 to 48 hours from your phone request.

How much is a driveway permit in Baldwin County?

$35, from the Planning & Development office.

Simplify Baldwin County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Georgia. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Baldwin County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.