College Park, Georgia Building Permit Guide

Inside College Park, building, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, roofing and sign permits are issued by the City’s Department of Building & Inspections at 3667 Main Street, and applications, plan review and inspections run through SagesGov. The City Code is strict on timing: work must start within 30 days of the permit being issued, and a business cannot get its occupation tax certificate until its building has a Certificate of Occupancy.

What requires a permit in College Park?

Under Sec. 5-12 of the City Code, an owner, agent or contractor needs a permit before constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a building, changing its occupancy, or installing or changing an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. Building & Inspections issues:

Ordinary minor repairs can be made without a permit if the Building Official approves them. Starting work before the permit is issued adds a penalty of 100% of the usual permit fee.

College Park building department: who handles permitting

The Department of Building & Inspections, under the Building Official, reviews plans, issues permits and inspects construction. Electrical permits are applied for to the city electrician, and electrical contractors must hold a City business licence before working in College Park.

The City uses SagesGov for electronic plan review, online permitting and mobile inspections. Private inspections are accepted only from a registered professional engineer the City has prequalified.

College Park permit types and filing path

Each trade has its own permit type: electrical, HVAC and plumbing are issued separately from the building permit, as are roofing and sign permits. Each application is filed with its fee on the City’s form, describes the work and its location, states the occupancy of every part of the building and lot, and is signed by the owner or an authorised agent.

Demolition and major exterior changes: removing, relocating or demolishing a structure, or a substantial exterior renovation that could significantly expand it, needs an extra application fee, a detailed proposal with the owner’s intent and timing, and a public hearing run by the building inspector at City Hall. A notice-of-intent sign goes up on the property at least 20 days before the hearing.

Permit fees in College Park

College Park sets its permit fees by resolution of the Mayor and Council, and they are paid when the application is filed; the City’s fee schedule is not reproduced in the City Code. Key rules from Sec. 5-12:

• A permit is not issued until the fees are paid, and an amendment that raises the estimated cost is not released until the extra fee is paid.
• The Building Official can refuse a permit if the stated valuation looks too low, unless you provide detailed estimates.
• Work begun before the permit carries a penalty of 100% of the usual permit fee on top of the permit fee.
• A permit extension requires a performance bond of at least the estimated cost to complete the work.

Commercial Certificate of Occupancy inspections carry a fee set by resolution; one additional inspection is free, and later re-inspections are charged. Engineering review fees are set by a separate schedule kept by the City Clerk.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work

College Park issues separate electrical, HVAC and plumbing permits. Before wiring a new building, the electrician submits a satisfactory layout or blueprint to the city electrician, who may accept a detailed application instead. Any later change or increase in electrical load needs its own permit, and temporary service applications must state how long the service is needed and why. Electrical fees are set by Council resolution.

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

Application documents and plan review

Plans are submitted electronically through SagesGov. A typical package includes the application, a scope description, a site plan, construction drawings and contractor information. Drawings for assembly, educational and institutional buildings, buildings of three or more stories and buildings of 5,000 sq ft or more must carry a Georgia architect’s or engineer’s seal.

An application that has not produced a permit within 3 months is treated as abandoned, unless the Building Official grants a 90-day extension on written request. Once approved, the plans are stamped; one set stays with the City and the other must be kept on site. Varying materially from the approved plans without an approved amendment is unlawful.

If you already have a SagesGov account with another jurisdiction, the City publishes instructions for requesting access to the College Park SagesGov account.

How to apply: 6-step College Park process

College Park inspections

The City uses SagesGov for mobile inspections. Do not cover regulated work before the required inspection has been completed; for electrical work, wiring may not be concealed and current may not be turned on until the city electrician has issued its certificate.

Every commercial building needs its own inspection and Certificate of Occupancy, even when several sit on one parcel, and high-risk properties must be re-inspected for a new Certificate of Occupancy every year.

Local College Park details that matter

Short permit clock: a permit becomes invalid if work does not start within 30 days or stops for a total of 30 days. One 90-day extension is possible, but only after posting a performance bond, which is forfeited if work is still stalled when the extension ends. Separately, permits in residential zones expire one year after issue and those in non-residential zones after two years.

Business occupancy: no occupation tax certificate or other business licence is issued until the building has its own Certificate of Occupancy from the building inspector.

Demolition hearings: demolishing, relocating or substantially altering a structure goes to a public hearing at City Hall, with a notice sign on the property for at least 20 days beforehand.

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

College Park 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.

• Georgia state codes
• City website
• Building & Inspections
• College Park City Code, Chapter 5: buildings and construction

College Park permit FAQs

Who handles building permits in College Park?

The City of College Park Department of Building & Inspections handles permits and inspections inside the city.

Where should I submit a College Park permit?

Online through the City’s SagesGov permitting platform.

How soon must work start after a permit is issued?

Within 30 days, and work cannot stop for more than 30 days in total; a 90-day extension needs a performance bond.

Are trade permits separate?

Yes. The City issues electrical, HVAC and plumbing permits separately from the building permit, and electrical contractors need a City business licence.

Does a new business need a Certificate of Occupancy?

Yes. Each commercial building needs its own Certificate of Occupancy before the business can get its occupation tax certificate.

What does it cost to start work without a permit?

A penalty of 100% of the usual permit fee, on top of the permit fee itself.

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