Colquitt County, Georgia Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Colquitt County, building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits come from the County’s Compliance Office in the Courthouse Annex, Moultrie, which also inspects the work and handles zoning. You file the County Construction Permit Application with a copy of the plans and Health Department approval of the septic and water. Under the fee schedule effective July 1, 2024, a new home costs $0.30 per heated and $0.10 per unheated square foot, and every fee doubles if work starts before the permit is issued.

What requires a permit in Colquitt County?

The County zoning ordinance requires a building permit before anyone starts excavating for or building any building or structure, to physically move an existing building, and to change a building to a different type of use. The Compliance Office fee schedule lists these permits:

Plumbing, electrical and drainage permits are issued only once the building official has found that the plans and proposed use meet the zoning ordinance.

Who handles permitting in Colquitt County?

The Compliance Office inspects construction, handles zoning, issues manufactured home relocation permits and driveway permits, and assigns E-911 addresses. It also provides construction inspection for the small municipalities of Colquitt County.

The City of Moultrie runs its own permitting: its Community Enhancement Department and Building Division issue permits and inspect construction inside city limits.

The smaller towns are handled differently:

• Berlin has its own Building Permits and Inspections Department, which issues building permits, reviews plans and inspects; the application goes back to City Hall, 283 Langford Street (229-324-2444).
• Doerun’s city code makes the city manager the building official; ask the city manager for a permit at least five days before work starts (City Hall, 223 West Broad Avenue, 229-782-5444).
• Omega lies partly in Colquitt County, and Tift County’s Community Development Services lists the City of Omega among the areas it permits, plan-reviews and inspects.
• Ellenton, Funston and Norman Park: the published sources do not say who issues building permits there; Ellenton’s code only gives enforcement to a building official the city designates. Contact the town hall before applying (Norman Park Municipal Building, 154 East Broad Street, 229-769-3611).

Permit costs and fees in Colquitt County

Fees come from the Compliance Office fee schedule effective July 1, 2024. New buildings are charged by the heated and unheated square footage shown on the plans.

For example, a house with 2,000 sq ft of heated space and a 500 sq ft unheated garage and porch has a building permit fee of $650 ($600 plus $50), before trade permits. Every permit fee is doubled if the permit is not obtained before work starts, and moving a home without a permit carries a $250 fine on top of the $125 fee.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits

The Compliance Office issues trade permits at flat fees:

On a contractor-built project, the primary contractor files one notarised Sub Contractor Affidavit naming the electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors, signed by each licence holder or authorised agent, before construction permits are issued. A change of subcontractor needs written notice to the Compliance Office first.

Utilities may not provide a temporary electrical, water or gas connection until a construction permit has been issued, or a permanent connection until the certificate of occupancy has been issued. Power to a mobile home site also needs a building permit or certificate of occupancy first.

Application documents

The 2024 Construction Permit Application checklist asks for:

• The fully completed permit application, with heated and unheated square footage and the power supplier (Georgia Power or Colquitt EMC)
• One printed or digital copy of the building plans
• Health Department approval of the septic system and water supply; the Colquitt County Health Department is at 214 West Central Avenue, Moultrie (229-589-8464)
• A driveway permit, if needed ($45)
• The plat and deed of the property
• The Sub Contractor Affidavit, or the Homeowner Affidavit for an owner-builder

For a change of use or occupancy, the zoning ordinance also asks for written statements and plans or plats in duplicate, at a scale of at least 1 inch to 50 feet, showing the lot, existing and new buildings, their uses and the existing and proposed grades. Nothing in the application may be changed later, including contractors, without a revised application approved by the Chief Compliance Officer.

How to apply: 6-step Colquitt County process

Inspections and closeout

The Compliance Office carries out construction inspections in the unincorporated county. The County does not publish an online booking system or inspection cut-off times; the office number is 229-616-7417.

No land, building or structure that needed a building permit may be used until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy confirming the zoning ordinance and building code have been met. The certificate is also withheld until the Board of Health has approved the finished water supply and sewage disposal system, and utilities cannot make permanent electrical, water or gas connections without it.

Local Colquitt County details

Owner-builders: the Compliance Office issues permits only to a state-licensed contractor or to the owner-occupant of a residential property. An owner-occupant files the notarised Homeowner Affidavit with a copy of the deed, listing whether they are responsible for the electrical, plumbing and gas, building and framing, or mechanical work.

Manufactured homes: moving a manufactured home or house needs a $125 relocation permit, and utilities cannot power a mobile home site until a building permit or certificate of occupancy has been issued.

Zoning fees: minor and major subdivision applications are $200, planned unit developments, rezonings, variances and special use permits $250, and ordinance amendments $275.

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

Colquitt County permit search and official resources

• Colquitt County — Zoning Ordinance General Provisions
• Colquitt County — Code of Ordinances / Permit Enforcement
• Colquitt County — Zoning Department
• Colquitt County — Official Website
• Colquitt County Compliance Office and fee schedule
• Colquitt County Construction Permit Application (2024)
• Colquitt County Homeowner Affidavit (2024)
• Colquitt County Code, Chapter 10: Buildings and Building Regulations

Colquitt County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Colquitt County?

The Colquitt County Compliance Office at the Courthouse Annex, 101 East Central Avenue, Office 109, Moultrie (229-616-7417). Moultrie, Berlin and Doerun run their own permitting, and Tift County permits in Omega.

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

$0.30 per square foot of heated space and $0.10 per square foot of unheated space. A house with 2,000 heated and 500 unheated square feet pays $650 before trade permits.

How much are electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits?

$100 each for residential work and $250 each for commercial work.

Do I need a permit for a new roof in Colquitt County?

Yes. A residential or commercial re-roof permit is $100.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Colquitt County?

Yes, if you own and occupy the residential property. File the notarised Homeowner Affidavit with a copy of your deed.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

All permit fees are doubled. Moving a manufactured home without a permit costs a $250 fine plus the $125 permit fee.

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