Outside Metter city limits, Candler County issues building permits through the Zoning Administrator of the Board of Commissioners, under the County Zoning Ordinance adopted on September 23, 2024. You file a written application at 1075 East Hiawatha Street, Suite A, in Metter. A residential or commercial building permit is a flat $250 and a separate County electrical permit is $35; building permits expire 180 days after issue.
What requires a permit in Candler County?
The County Zoning Ordinance says no building may be built, no sign erected, no manufactured or mobile home placed and no change made to the use of a building or land until the Zoning Administrator has issued a permit. The County’s FAQ applies this to every structure placed on a parcel; a tiny home’s permit must be issued before the home is placed.
County permits
- New homes and commercial, agricultural or mixed-use buildings
- Renovations and alterations
- Manufactured and mobile homes (location permit)
- Tiny homes
- Signs
- Electrical service to a building, service upgrades and wiring extended to another building
- Land-disturbing activities
- Development plans
Board approval first
- Uses that need a conditional use
- Projects that need a variance
- Rezonings
Work that needs a conditional use or variance gets its permit only after the Board of Commissioners orders it, following review by the Planning & Zoning Board.
Who handles permitting in Candler County?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Issuing office | Candler County Board of Commissioners, Zoning Administrator |
| Address | 1075 East Hiawatha Street, Suite A, Metter, GA 30439 |
| Phone | 912-685-2835 (fax 912-685-4823) |
| Fees paid to | County Clerk, when you apply |
| City of Metter | Building Official at City Hall, 49 South Rountree Street, 912-685-2527 |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →The Zoning Administrator, or a designee, issues permits for construction, manufactured and industrialized homes and signs in unincorporated Candler County, checks each project against the zoning ordinance and can issue stop-work orders. The County’s electrical permit ordinance applies to all unincorporated land.
The City of Metter runs its own Building & Zoning office: its Building Official issues building permits and carries out building inspections inside city limits, and the City publishes its own building, carport and utility building, electrical, fence, mobile home and driveway permit applications. Teresa Concannon, AICP, is Metter’s Director of Planning.
The published sources do not say who issues building permits in the Town of Pulaski, and the County zoning ordinance covers only unincorporated land; contact Pulaski’s town hall before applying.
Permit costs and fees in Candler County
Fees come from the Schedule of Fees the Board of Commissioners adopted on September 23, 2024, and are collected by the County Clerk when you apply.
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building permit, residential or commercial | $250 |
| Building permit extension | $100 |
| Mobile home location permit | $250 |
| Mobile home location permit extension | $100 |
| Electrical permit | $35 |
| Electrical work without a permit | The permit fee plus $100 |
| Development plan review (all zones) | $350 |
| Land-disturbing activities permit | $75, plus $5 per acre for each acre over 5 in the plan |
| Sign on Interstate 16 | $500 |
| Sign elsewhere | $100 |
| Variance, conditional use or rezoning application | $300 each, plus advertising and signage costs |
| Plat review | $35 |
| Telecommunications tower application | $750 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The building permit fee is flat: it does not change with the size or cost of the project.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work
Candler County has its own electrical permit ordinance. A utility may not connect electrical service (a drop or lateral) to any building until the County has approved an electrical permit, a service that was disconnected for an upgrade may not be reconnected without one, and wiring may not be run from one building to another by feeder, branch circuit or extension cord without a permit. The permit costs $35, is issued after a County official has inspected the building for compliance with County ordinances, and is valid for 180 days.
The owner or the owner’s agent applies, giving the landowner and building owner, the parcel number, the type and use of the building and the electric utility. For a residential or commercial building, the application also needs a copy of the septic tank approval from the county health inspector and a receipt showing the current year’s County user fees are paid; a mobile home also needs its location permit and the installer’s set-up certification.
The County building permit form asks for the general contractor’s and electrical contractor’s state licence numbers. The County does not publish separate plumbing or mechanical permits or fees.
Application documents
The Building Permit Application Requirements sheet, taken from Section 802 of the zoning ordinance, asks for:
- The County’s building permit application with every field completed: 911 address, parcel number, contractors and their state licence numbers, project and structure type, square footage and estimated cost
- A detailed statement of the proposed use of the building or land
- A plat or drawing showing the exact size, shape and location of the building, with exact distances to property lines and street rights-of-way, plus a copy of the plans or design
- Any other information the Zoning Administrator needs to check compliance
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →For a house, the County also needs the name of a licensed contractor, stamped plans the County accepts, or the owner’s sworn affidavit that the house will be built to the required building codes. A development permit needs plans showing proposed improvements, landscaping and buffers, water supply, sewage disposal and storm drainage, and the surveyor or engineer who will stake the lines. Before a Certificate of Occupancy, the Zoning Administrator may ask for a certified as-built site plan.
How to apply: 6-step Candler County process
Confirm the parcel is outside Metter city limits, and check its zoning district and setbacks on the County zoning map and ordinance.
For a new home or building, get the septic permit and approval from the county health department; the electrical permit cannot be issued without it.
Draw the building on a plat with exact distances to property lines and road rights-of-way, and choose a licensed contractor, stamped plans or an owner-builder affidavit.
Hand in the building permit application at 1075 East Hiawatha Street, Suite A, and pay the County Clerk.
Apply for the County electrical permit before power is connected, and for a land-disturbing activities permit where the plan needs one.
Make progress before the permit expires, or pay $100 to have the Zoning Administrator renew it.
Rather not deal with the Candler County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections and closeout
The County does not publish an inspection schedule or booking system. Its electrical permit is issued only after a County official has inspected the building, and the utility will not connect power until that permit is approved. The building permit record has a final inspection date, and the Zoning Administrator may ask for a certified as-built site plan before issuing a Certificate of Occupancy.
A building permit expires 180 days after it is issued, and the zoning ordinance voids a permit if no substantial progress is made within 6 months. The Zoning Administrator can renew it for the $100 extension fee. Electrical permits are also valid for 180 days.
Local Candler County rules
One house per lot: the zoning ordinance allows one principal building per lot, so a second permanent house on the same parcel needs the land subdivided first. An owner living in a mobile home may stay in it while a new home is installed, but must move the old mobile home off within 30 days.
Lot size: the minimum lot in the AG-3 district is 3 acres. A landowner may deed a family member a lot of at least 1 acre for a single-family home, once per family member, as long as at least 3 acres remain.
Campers and tiny homes: nobody may live in a camper or RV in any zoning district, apart from registered pre-September 2024 residents. A tiny house (400 sq ft or less) needs a building permit, is allowed in the AG-3, R-1, R-22 and MHP districts, and needs at least 11,000 sq ft of lot, a permanent foundation and approved sewage, water and electrical connections.
Other ordinances: the County also enforces a flood damage prevention ordinance, a soil erosion and sedimentation control ordinance, an on-site sewage management ordinance and a solar collection facility ordinance.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Candler County permit search and official resources
- Georgia DCA — Current State Minimum Codes
- City of Metter — Staff Directory
- City of Metter / Candler Government Site
- Candler County Zoning & Ordinances
- Candler County Building Permit Application
- Candler County Building Permit Application Requirements
- Candler County Schedule of Fees (September 23, 2024)
- Candler County Electrical Permit Ordinance
- Candler County zoning and tiny home FAQs
- City of Metter Building & Zoning
Candler County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Candler County?
The County Zoning Administrator, for the Board of Commissioners, issues permits for unincorporated Candler County (912-685-2835). Inside Metter, the City’s Building Official issues them (912-685-2527). For the Town of Pulaski, ask the town hall first.
How much is a building permit in Candler County?
A flat $250 for a residential or commercial building, with $100 for an extension. A mobile home location permit is also $250, and an electrical permit is $35.
Can I build my own house in Candler County?
Yes, if you will live in it. You must give the County either a licensed contractor’s name, stamped plans the County accepts, or a sworn affidavit that you will build to the required codes.
Do I need a permit for a tiny home or mobile home?
Yes. A tiny home needs a building permit before it is placed on the parcel, and a mobile home needs a $250 location permit.
How long is a Candler County permit good for?
Building and electrical permits are valid for 180 days from issue. A building permit can be renewed for $100.
Can I live in a camper while I build?
No. The County does not allow anyone to live in a camper in any zoning district, except residents who registered a camper they were living in before September 23, 2024.
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More Georgia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Candler County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.