Clarkston, Georgia Building Permit Guide

Inside Clarkston, building permits are issued and inspected by the City’s Planning & Development (Building & Plan Review) department at 736 Park North Boulevard, Suite 120, and all applications are filed in the City’s SagesGov portal. New accounts take up to 24 hours to be approved, fees are paid by card or e-check once the permit is approved, and inspections requested before 3 p.m. Monday to Thursday happen the next business day.

What requires a permit in Clarkston?

A building permit is generally required for new construction, temporary buildings and interior or exterior alterations. Under Sec. 5-16 of the City Code, the same applies to moving, demolishing or changing the occupancy of a building and to work on electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems. The City’s permit table lists common jobs:

Grading and other land-disturbing work needs a separate Land Disturbance Permit.

Clarkston building department: who handles permitting

Planning & Development carries out the City’s permitting and inspections. Plans are reviewed by the City’s contracted building inspector, the DeKalb County Fire Marshal, DeKalb County Watershed (water and sewer) and City of Clarkston Inspections, as applicable. Unincorporated DeKalb County rules do not apply inside Clarkston; DeKalb’s own Community Development department covers only unincorporated areas.

Clarkston permit types and SagesGov filing

All permitting has moved to SagesGov. The City’s instructions walk through it:

• Register: open SagesGov from the Permits and Inspections page and create a username and password. The Building Department approves new accounts, which takes up to 24 hours, and emails you when you can log in.
• Pick the permit: choose the application under Building & Plan Review. The City lists building, build/trade, demolition, land disturbance, plan review, permanent sign and tree removal applications.
• Work through the checklist: answer “Yes” for items you are submitting and “Not Applicable” for those that do not apply; answering “No” stops the application.
• Complete the form: fill in every field, especially total square footage and estimated cost of construction, and mark land disturbance N/A if none is involved.
• Pay and receive the permit: once the permit is approved, pay by card or e-check in the portal; the permit is then issued in SagesGov. Card processing fees are not refunded.

Permit costs and fees in Clarkston

Clarkston links its building permit fees and fee schedule from its Permits and Inspections and Planning & Development pages; they are published as online documents rather than on the web pages themselves. Under Sec. 5-16 of the City Code, fees set by the City Council are due before a permit is issued, extra fees are due if an amendment raises the estimated cost, and starting work without a permit adds a penalty of 100% of the usual permit fee.

DeKalb County Fire Marshal plan-review and inspection fees for new construction and renovations are paid directly to DeKalb County when plans are submitted, using the County’s own fee schedule and application.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work

The City publishes a Build/Trade Permit application for trade work. Under the City Code, a building, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing permit covers only the work shown on the plans filed with it; anything else needs a separate permit. Water heater replacement, HVAC installation or replacement, service change-outs, gas piping and fixtures that need piping changes all need permits.

Fire alarm, sprinkler and hood suppression systems need a permit and are also reviewed by the DeKalb County Fire Marshal. If your gas or electric provider requires a safety inspection or a gas line pressure test before connecting service, you need a City building permit for it.

Alliance handles electrical permit applications for contractors here. More on this: who pulls the electrical permit.

Application documents and plan review

Plans are required for all commercial and residential construction, submitted digitally and drawn to the International Building Code, the Georgia Fire Code and the City’s building code. The City Code adds:

• At least 2 sets of drawings and specifications when the Building Official asks for them, including floor plans showing each room’s layout and dimensions, signed by the designer
• Sealed drawings for assembly, educational and institutional buildings, buildings of three or more stories and buildings of 5,000 sq ft or more; single-family homes of any size need no architect or engineer
• A site drawing locating the new building and every existing structure, and a boundary survey if requested
• The occupancy of every part of the building and lot, and an owner or agent signature
• Land disturbance, tree removal or sign applications when the work needs them

An application that has not produced a permit within 6 months is treated as abandoned, unless the Building Official grants a 90-day extension on written request. The Building Official may also issue a foundation-only permit while the rest of the application is reviewed, at the applicant’s own risk.

How to apply: 6-step Clarkston process

Clarkston inspections

Inspection requests received before 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday are scheduled for the following business day; requests received after 3:00 p.m. on Friday are scheduled for the following Tuesday. No inspections take place on City holidays. Each request needs the permit number, the type of inspection, the address, a contact name and a contact number; missing information delays scheduling.

The permit card must be posted in a visible, weather-protected spot before work starts and stay there until the Certificate of Occupancy or Completion is issued. A permit becomes invalid if work does not start within 6 months of issue or stops for 6 months. DeKalb County Fire Marshal reviews and inspects fire and life-safety work, with fees paid to the County.

Local Clarkston details that matter

Pool barriers: pools, hot tubs and spas deeper than 24 inches must be fully fenced with a barrier at least 60 inches high, and gates must be self-closing, self-latching and open outward, away from the pool.

Utility connections: if your gas or electricity provider requires a safety inspection or gas line pressure test before connecting service, you need a building permit from the City for it.

County reviews: DeKalb County Fire Marshal and DeKalb Watershed review plans alongside the City, so their comments and fees are part of the timeline.

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

Clarkston permit search and official resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Clarkston SagesGov permitting
• Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes
• Clarkston Permits and Inspections
• Clarkston building permits: what needs a permit
• Clarkston SagesGov registration and application instructions
• Clarkston City Code, Chapter 5: buildings and construction

Clarkston permit FAQs

Does Clarkston issue its own building permits?

Yes. Clarkston Planning & Development issues building permits and carries out inspections inside the city.

How do I apply for a permit in Clarkston?

Register on SagesGov; the Building Department approves new accounts within 24 hours. Then pick the application, complete its checklist and upload digital plans.

How do I pay for a Clarkston permit?

By card or e-check in SagesGov once the permit is approved. DeKalb County Fire Marshal fees are paid separately to the County at plan submittal.

Do I need a permit to replace a water heater or HVAC unit?

Yes. Water heater replacement and new or replacement HVAC systems both need a permit.

Do I need a permit for a fence or retaining wall?

New fences and repairs involving posts need a permit; retaining walls need one at 4 feet or taller.

When will my inspection happen?

Requests before 3 p.m. Monday–Thursday are inspected the next business day; Friday requests after 3 p.m. go to Tuesday.

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