Cook County, Georgia Building Permit Guide

Cook County Building and Zoning in Adel issues building permits, inspects construction and runs zoning for the unincorporated county, and the City of Adel sends its building permits, sign permits, inspections and zoning questions to the same office. Permits are applied for on the County’s GeoPermits website; a permit is void if work does not start within 6 months, and nothing may be occupied until the Zoning Administrator issues a Certificate of Occupancy.

What requires a permit in Cook County?

The County zoning ordinance requires a building/development permit from the Zoning Administrator before anyone builds, erects, moves, demolishes or alters any building, structure or sign in unincorporated Cook County.

Who handles permitting in Cook County?

Building and Zoning issues building permits and business licences, administers the zoning ordinance, processes zoning and rezoning applications and inspects subdivision applications. Under the County code, the building and zoning official is the chief enforcing officer for the construction codes and inspects buildings and premises. The same office looks after County buildings and enforces County ordinances on illegal dumping and junked cars and appliances.

The City of Adel does not run its own building department: its Building & Zoning page sends building and sign permits, building inspections and zoning questions to Cook County Building and Zoning at 229-896-2266.

The City of Lenox says it is not responsible for building permits and inspections and sends residential and commercial applicants to Cook County Building and Zoning (Lenox City Hall, 229-546-4252). The published sources do not say who issues building permits in Sparks or Cecil; contact the town hall before applying.

Applying through GeoPermits

The County’s home page directs everyone applying for a permit or business licence to its GeoPermits website, and the Building and Zoning page links to it as “Apply for a Permit Online”. The permit and inspection fee schedule is set by the Board of Commissioners and kept on file with the County Clerk and the building/zoning official; it is not posted online.

If a permit is refused, the Zoning Administrator must give the reasons in writing within 10 days of your request. Appeals of the Zoning Administrator’s decisions go to the Board of County Commissioners.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work

The County code adopts electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing codes alongside the building code, and makes the building and zoning official the chief enforcing officer for all of them. Building and Zoning does not publish separate trade permits or trade fees online.

Application documents

Under Section 12-3 of the zoning ordinance, every building/development permit application needs:

• Two site plans drawn to scale, showing the lot’s dimensions, size and location, the number of dwelling units, the building setback lines and the easements
• The location and size of the driveway or entrance
• Construction documents (building plans) and anything else Building and Zoning asks for
• A certificate that the lot is a lot of record; a lot that is too narrow or small must be shown to have been a lot of record before the ordinance, with a copy of the recorded deed

Projects other than single-family homes, duplexes and agricultural buildings must also show existing and proposed topography, drainage plans, water mains and services, and fire hydrants and meters. Applications are checked against the County’s erosion and sedimentation control ordinance, its groundwater recharge, river corridor and wetland maps, and the FEMA flood maps.

How to apply: 5-step Cook County process

Inspections and closeout

Building and Zoning carries out building inspections for the unincorporated county and the cities of Adel and Lenox; call 229-896-2266 to arrange them, as the County does not publish an inspection schedule.

A Certificate of Occupancy from the Zoning Administrator is needed before anyone occupies a new building, a building altered in a way that changes its height or yards, or a building or premises whose use changes. It is issued once all fees are paid and the finished building substantially matches the approved plans; any unapproved change from the site plan means no certificate.

A permit becomes void if work has not started within 6 months of issue, or stops for 6 months. Extensions of up to 6 months at a time may be granted in writing.

Local Cook County rules

Pre-owned manufactured homes: a home moved into or within the county must carry a HUD label. The relocation permit needs a signed affidavit that the home meets the County’s health and safety standards, interior and exterior photographs, and the permit and inspection fee. The home may be moved onto a properly zoned site, but it must pass inspection before it is installed, and the Certificate of Occupancy follows installation.

Flood zones: permits on land in a FEMA flood hazard area are reviewed with Health Department staff and the County Engineer, and elevation or flood-proofing certificates are kept with the permit file.

Large developments: projects that meet the state’s Development of Regional Impact thresholds are reviewed by the regional commission before any County permit or utility tap.

Job sites: builders must provide sanitary toilet facilities for construction workers.

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

Cook County permit search and official resources

• Cook County — Official Website / GeoPermits Notice
• Cook County — Building and Zoning
• Cook County GeoPermits
• City of Adel Building & Zoning (served by Cook County)
• Cook County Zoning Ordinance, Section 12: permits and certificates of occupancy
• Cook County Code, Chapter 18: Buildings and Building Regulations

Cook County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Cook County?

Cook County Building and Zoning, 1200 South Hutchinson Avenue, Adel (229-896-2266). It also handles building permits and inspections for the cities of Adel and Lenox.

Can I apply for a Cook County permit online?

Yes. The County sends permit and business licence applicants to its GeoPermits website.

How much is a building permit in Cook County?

The fee schedule is set by the Board of Commissioners and kept at the County Clerk’s office and Building and Zoning; it is not published online.

How long is a Cook County building permit valid?

It becomes void if work does not start within 6 months or stops for 6 months. Extensions of up to 6 months can be granted in writing.

Do I need a permit to place a manufactured home?

Yes. Installing a manufactured home needs a building permit, and a pre-owned home needs a relocation permit and must pass inspection before installation.

What are Building and Zoning’s hours?

Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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