Burke County, Georgia Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Burke County, building and trade permits come from the Planning Department’s Permits and Inspections office (706-554-8758), led by Building Official Scott Lee, and applications are filed through the County’s iWorQ online portal. A permit is needed for construction work over $1,500 and for any manufactured home or change of use; review of a new home or addition can take up to 5 business days, and no general building permit is issued on the same day.

What requires a permit in Burke County?

The Land Development Code requires a permit from the building official when building, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a structure, or installing or changing electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, costs more than $1,500. Installing a manufactured home or changing the use of a building or land needs a permit regardless of cost.

Who handles permitting in Burke County?

The Land Development Code creates the Department of Planning, Permits and Inspections, headed by the building official, who reports to the Board of Commissioners and also serves as secretary of the Planning Commission. The same office answers zoning questions; Burke County does not issue business licences. The code applies only to unincorporated Burke County, so it does not govern the Cities of Blythe, Keysville, Midville, Vidette and Waynesboro or the Towns of Girard and Sardis.

Applying online in Burke County

Permit requests are filed in the County’s iWorQ citizen portal, which lists project types for residential and commercial buildings, storage buildings, additions and renovations, manufactured homes and the manufactured home bond, swimming pools, demolition, electrical, low-voltage, mechanical and plumbing work, utility towers, RV parks, portable storage buildings, permit extensions, subdivision plats and variances. Each request needs the owner’s name and cell phone, the parcel number and the project address.

The County’s paper permit application asks for the conditioned square footage on each floor, the area under roof, slab or crawl space, ceiling heights, siding and roof covering, and the name, Georgia licence number and signature of each contractor and subcontractor. Contractor, electrician, plumber, mechanical, low-voltage and manufactured-home installer affidavits are posted on the Permits and Inspections page, along with the Owner Building Permit Affidavit.

Permit costs in Burke County

Under the Land Development Code, construction, gas, mechanical and plumbing permit fees follow the appendix of the applicable code, while electrical, manufactured home, change-of-use and demolition fees follow the County’s schedule of fees and charges; that schedule is not posted online. Manufactured home permit fees are based on the home’s fair market appraisal value.

• Starting work before getting a permit brings a penalty of 100% of the usual permit fee, on top of the permit fee.
• A manufactured home also needs a $1,000 refundable bond (cash, cashier’s check or money order only), which is separate from the permit fee.
• Before a permit is approved, the applicant must show at least $100,000 of general liability insurance, unless the permit is for a change of use or the owner is working on their own residence.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits

Permits and Inspections issues electrical, low-voltage, mechanical, fuel gas and plumbing permits. Work that needs a state licence, including electrical, low-voltage, plumbing, mechanical and manufactured-home installation, may only be done by licensed contractors, who each sign a County affidavit. The owner of a residence, but not of a manufactured home, may do this work on their own home, subject to permits and inspections.

In an emergency, when County offices are closed, a state-licensed plumber, electrician or conditioned-air contractor may go ahead with repairs to a water heater, leaking plumbing, damaged electrical service or mechanical equipment, as long as the permit is obtained within 72 hours.

Application documents and review time

For a new site-built home or addition, the County’s Permitting Requirements list:

• Scaled 11 by 17 inch working plans with the owner’s contact details, all dimensions, window and door sizes and room areas, the footing and foundation plan, elevations, and an electrical plan showing smoke alarms and GFI outlets (a design professional’s seal is needed only when the construction is not covered by the state minimum code)
• A REScheck energy calculation
• Proof that current-year property taxes are paid
• A copy of the recorded plat
• A septic tank permit or waiver letter from the Health Department
• Copies of the state licences of the residential, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and low-voltage contractors, with a signed affidavit from each

Review and approval can take up to 5 business days, and missing items delay the permit. Before the certificate of occupancy, the County needs a duct blaster and blower door test report, with a photo of the manometer readings, from a certified DET verifier or BPI analyst, and a copy of the Georgia energy compliance certificate.

How to apply: 6-step Burke County process

Burke County inspections and occupancy

No land or building with a building permit may be occupied until the building official issues a certificate of occupancy. Where the site uses a septic system, the certificate can only be issued after the county health officer approves the installation in writing. The Permits and Inspections office is reached at 706-554-8758.

For manufactured homes, the address must be posted on the mailbox or a treated post at the driveway, in numbers at least 3 inches high, before any inspection is made or the power is turned on.

Manufactured homes and local rules

Manufactured homes: a home moved into or within Burke County must meet the County’s minimum standards and federal HUD standards. Homes already in the county are inspected on site; homes coming from another county are reviewed from photos of the exterior, HUD labels, underside, roof, doors, kitchen, baths, utility areas, windows, ceilings and panel box. The permit also needs the $1,000 refundable bond, the County’s letters of condition, responsibility, permission and home acceptance, the installer’s and electrician’s licence numbers, a Health Department permit or acceptance letter for an existing tank, and the relocation certificate and current tax decal from the Tax Commissioner. Skirting is required and vinyl skirting is prohibited.

Planning Commission: meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m.; the building official serves as its secretary.

Flood zones: the Planning Department links to FEMA flood maps for Burke County, and floodplain management is part of the County’s development regulations.

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

Burke County permit search and official resources

County pages, forms and code for permits in unincorporated Burke County:

• Burke County — Official Government Website
• Burke County — Manufactured Home Standards
• Burke County — Code of Ordinances, Building Permits
• Burke County — Permits and Inspections
• Burke County — Planning Department
• Burke County — iWorQ online permitting portal
• Burke County — Permitting Requirements (new homes and additions)
• Burke County — Permit Application
• Burke County — Manufactured Home Permitting Requirements
• Burke County — Owner Building Permit Affidavit
• Burke County Land Development Code

Burke County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Burke County?

The Planning Department’s Permits and Inspections office (706-554-8758) for unincorporated Burke County. Scott Lee is the Building Official.

When do I need a building permit in Burke County?

For construction work costing more than $1,500, other than ordinary repairs, and always for a manufactured home or a change of use. Barns, farm outbuildings and storage buildings also need permits; storage buildings under 200 sq ft may be exempt.

Can I get a building permit online?

Yes, through the County’s iWorQ citizen portal. General building permits are not issued on the same day.

How long does review take for a new house?

Up to 5 business days once all the required documents are in.

Can a homeowner do their own work?

Yes, on their own residence, with the Owner Building Permit Affidavit; this does not extend to manufactured homes, which need a licensed installer.

What does a manufactured home permit cost?

The fee is based on the home’s fair market appraisal value, and a separate $1,000 refundable bond is required.

What energy tests are needed before move-in?

A duct blaster and blower door test by a certified DET verifier or BPI analyst, with a photo of the manometer readings, plus the Georgia energy compliance certificate.

Simplify Burke 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 Burke County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.