Butts County, Georgia Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Butts County, building and trade permits are issued by the County’s Planning & Development Department in Jackson, and plan review and inspections are carried out by its contracted building department, Charles Abbott & Associates. Applications, plan resubmittals and inspection requests go through the County’s Customer Portal. A new wood-frame house is charged $0.62 per square foot, plus a 10% plan review fee and a $25 administrative fee.

What requires a building permit in Butts County?

The County requires a permit to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish any building or structure, and for any installation, alteration or improvement to an electrical, plumbing or mechanical system. Its 2025 permit packages and fee schedule cover these jobs:

Who handles permitting in Butts County?

Planning & Development runs the permitting process, checks projects against the County’s Unified Development Ordinance, does the zoning plan review and schedules inspections. The County’s building department is Charles Abbott & Associates, which handles building code compliance, building plan review and the inspections themselves; the County has also outsourced much of its zoning and planning work to the same firm. The County Fire Marshal’s Office reviews plans for fire code compliance.

The cities of Jackson, Flovilla and Jenkinsburg are outside the County’s permit area, although Planning & Development helps all three with zoning administration. The City of Jackson has its own building department at City Hall, 134 S Oak Street (770-775-7535), with its own building and trade permit applications, so a Jackson address is permitted by the City.

Butts County permit packages and forms

Planning & Development publishes a 2025 permit package for each kind of work: Residential, Commercial, Trade, Swimming Pool and Land Disturbance. Each package starts with a checklist and the County’s contact sheet. Applications are filed in the Customer Portal, where you also download returned plans and resubmit corrected ones.

• Homeowner’s Affidavit: the County issues permits only to a licensed contractor or to the owner-occupant of a residential property. An owner-occupant pulling their own permit signs this affidavit and has it notarised before the permit is issued.
• Authorized Permit Agent Form: the state licensing board’s form that lets a licensed contractor name someone else to pull permits. One form is needed for each project.
• Sub-Contractor Affidavits: one for each trade on a new home, addition or alteration.
• Property Owner Affidavit: a notarised form in the packages in which the owner gives a named contractor permission to apply for the permit.
• Proof of Taxes Paid: a 2025 form on the department’s page, handled with the Tax Commissioner’s Office.
• Emergency Conditions Temporary Living Quarters: a separate application for temporary living quarters under emergency conditions.

Permit costs and fees in Butts County

Fees come from the Planning & Development Department’s fee schedule (dated 2024, posted in October 2025). New buildings and extensive renovations are charged per square foot from a rate table based on the IBC occupancy group and construction type, and the County adjusts the table each year for inflation. A $25 administrative fee is added to permit fees, except on the items marked in the schedule. Fees are collected when the permit is issued, in cash or by check.

For example, a 2,000 sq ft wood-frame house is $1,240 at $0.62 per square foot, plus $124 for single-family plan review and the $25 administrative fee: $1,389 before trade, land disturbance and impact fees.

The same schedule lists impact fees of $1,020 per new home, $1,700 per 1,000 sq ft of retail or commercial space, $1,160 per 1,000 sq ft of industrial or warehouse space and $800 per 1,000 sq ft of office space. Land disturbance costs $720 for the first plan submittal and $360 for each resubmittal, plus engineering costs where they apply, and the permit is $40 per disturbed acre.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire review

Planning & Development issues electrical, plumbing, gas, mechanical and low-voltage permits in unincorporated Butts County, using the Trade Permit Package. A stand-alone trade permit needs the recorded deed or a property owner affidavit with proof of ownership, the Homeowner’s Affidavit or the contractor’s business and state licences, the Authorized Permit Agent Form if someone else is applying, and a detailed description of the work.

On a new home, addition or alteration, the application includes a sub-contractor affidavit for each trade. The Butts County Fire Marshal’s Office handles fire plan review, fire code compliance and fire inspections, and a commercial project starts with a pre-development meeting.

Application documents

The 2025 checklists list what to upload with each application. Several items come from other offices first: the recorded deed and plat from the Clerk of Superior Court (770-775-8215), the septic approval letter from Butts County Environmental Health (770-504-2230, ext. 3), water and sewer tap receipts from the Butts County Water & Sewer Authority (770-775-0042) and the driveway permit from Public Works.

A manufactured home also needs the bill of sale or title, installation instructions if new or a floor plan if used, a roof pitch certification showing at least 4:12, and front porch details. A demolition needs a site plan showing the building to be removed, an asbestos survey and a rodent control plan. Processing takes from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the project and how complete the application is.

How to apply: 6-step Butts County process

Inspections and closeout

Inspections are requested in the Customer Portal: open Projects, choose the address, click Request Inspection, read the scheduling instructions and submit the request. Only permits in Issued status show the Request Inspection button, and only people whose names and email addresses are recorded on that permit can book. The County asks for at least 24 hours’ notice.

Inspectors tell you at permit issuance how many inspections the job needs. A re-inspection costs $50, and an inspection outside normal business hours costs $250 per hour, paid in advance. A permit expires after 6 months if no inspections have been made; an extension costs 25% of the original permit fee.

The Certificate of Occupancy is issued on request, and only after the final inspection has passed. Request it through the Customer Portal or from Planning & Development.

Local Butts County details

Pre-construction meetings: besides pre-development meetings, Planning & Development schedules pre-construction meetings through its Planner.

Vacant structures: the County runs a vacant structure permit, at $50 for a residential and $150 for a commercial building.

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

Butts County permit search and official resources

• Butts County — Permits
• Butts County — Applications, Forms & Permits
• Butts County — Planning & Development
• Butts County — Building Permits & Inspections
• Butts County Planning & Development fee schedule
• Butts County Residential Permit Package (2025)
• Butts County Commercial Permit Package (2025)
• Butts County Trade Permit Package (2025)
• Butts County Homeowner Affidavit
• How to request inspections in the Customer Portal
• Butts County Customer Portal
• City of Jackson licences and permits

Butts County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Butts County?

Butts County Planning & Development issues permits for unincorporated Butts County, and its contracted building department, Charles Abbott & Associates, reviews the plans and inspects the work. The City of Jackson issues its own permits.

How much is a building permit for a new house in Butts County?

A wood-frame house (R-3, Type VB) is $0.62 per square foot, plus 10% for plan review and a $25 administrative fee. For 2,000 sq ft that is $1,389, before trade, land disturbance and impact fees.

Do I need a permit for a fence or a new roof in Butts County?

Not for a fence up to 6 feet high, and not for a residential re-roof. A commercial re-roof needs a $250 permit.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Butts County?

Yes, if you own and occupy the residential property. Sign and notarise the County’s Homeowner’s Affidavit and submit it before the permit is issued.

How long does permit processing take?

The County says processing takes from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the project and how complete the application is.

When does a Butts County permit expire?

After 6 months if no inspections have been made. An extension costs 25% of the original permit fee.

How do I book an inspection?

In the Customer Portal, once the permit is issued, at least 24 hours ahead. A failed inspection costs $50 to repeat.

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