Decatur, Georgia Building Permit Guide

The City of Decatur issues building and trade permits for property inside city limits through its Design, Environment and Construction division, with plan review and inspections staffed through SAFEbuilt. Every application is filed in CommunityCore, and a building permit costs $60 for the first $1,000 of value plus $7 for each additional $1,000.

What requires a permit in Decatur?

Decatur requires a building permit for constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing or changing the occupancy of a structure. The City also specifically requires a permit for repairs and maintenance valued at $1,000 or more.

Any roofing or structural work triggers a permit regardless of that $1,000 repair/maintenance threshold. Separate trade permits are required for drainage, sewer, gas, mechanical, electrical and plumbing work regardless of value.

Projects that affect zoning, disturb land, occur in a Local Historic District, or affect a sidewalk, street or other right-of-way require the related City review in addition to the construction permit path.

Residential and commercial packages differ by whether the work disturbs the site. Without site disturbance, the application goes in with two sets of construction drawings. With it, add three copies of a site plan, the Exempt Site Development Application for single-family lots under 4,058 sq ft or the Non-exempt application for larger lots, and either a No Tree Impact Statement with three photographs or three copies of a tree protection plan.

Decatur building department: who handles permitting

Depending on the project, review can involve permit technicians, plan reviewers, the City Planner, the City Arborist, Building, Engineering and the Fire Marshal.

Permit fees in Decatur

Fees come from the City’s Consolidated Schedule of Fees for FY 2025-26, adopted on June 16, 2025. A building permit costs a minimum of $60; work over $1,000 in value, or any roofing or structural work, costs $60 for the first $1,000 plus $7 for each additional $1,000 or fraction of it. A $200,000 addition therefore has a $1,453 building permit fee, before plan review and the $25 e-permitting fee.

Tree work has its own fees: a residential tree removal permit is $50 for the first tree and $15 for each additional one, a residential tree conservation plan is $165 for demolition and again for new construction, and a No Tree Impact Statement review is $60.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work

A building permit does not cover regulated trade work in Decatur. Electrical, plumbing, mechanical/HVAC and gas work each need their own permit record.

Electrical, HVAC and plumbing permits are filed in CommunityCore on the City’s trade forms with copies of the contractor’s business and state licences. Electrical fees are built up item by item, for example $19.20 for a 200 amp service and $1.20 per residential outlet, switch or light, above the $90 minimum.

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

Application documents

To get CommunityCore access, email permits@decaturga.com with the primary contact’s name, email, phone and mailing address, the state contractor’s licence and the business licence. CommunityCore then sends a sign-in invitation, and the same account is used for every later project.

Each application needs an uploaded plan set showing existing and proposed conditions, the size of the project, elevations with building height, existing and proposed floor area ratio, and building, framing and footing details. When lot coverage changes, add a site plan with the scope of work, tree protection, erosion control, existing and proposed impervious area, the construction entrance and setbacks.

Contractors include their business and state licences. Homeowners acting as their own contractor include the Homeowner as Contractor Affidavit, and the City also publishes a Homeowner Permit Letter of Indemnification Affidavit and an Authorized Permit Form.

How to apply: 6-step Decatur process

Decatur inspections

All inspections are requested through CommunityCore. Residential projects also upload a post-development (as-built) survey there for approval.

New buildings must meet Decatur’s High Performance Building Standard. Those inspections are done by an HPBS verifier, not City inspectors, and the City issues no Certificate of Occupancy until certification is achieved.

Request a Certificate of Occupancy or Completion by email to permits@decaturga.com once all fees are paid, all inspections and the as-built approval have passed, HPBS requirements are met and there are no holds, stop-work orders or citations.

Local Decatur details that matter

1. CommunityCore only. The City no longer accepts paper, emailed or posted applications; forms on its website are examples.
2. Arborist first. Any site, building, plumbing, pool or utility permit that removes trees or disturbs the root zone of a protected tree needs a pre-application meeting with the City Arborist (treepermits@decaturga.com).
3. Right of way. A dumpster, storage pod, driveway apron or other work in a street or sidewalk needs a Right of Way Permit: a $50 fee plus a refundable $500 deposit for small residential jobs, a site sketch, a traffic control plan if required and proof of liability cover.
4. Historic districts. Work in a Local Historic District needs a Certificate of Appropriateness ($35 review fee).

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

Decatur 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 DCA current codes
• FY 25-26 fee schedule
• Applications, forms & fees
• Permit requirements
• How to obtain a permit
• Georgia DCA enforcement
• Decatur Design, Environment and Construction contacts
• Decatur online permitting submittal checklist

Decatur permit FAQs

Can I email a permit application to Decatur?

No. Decatur states that applications must be submitted through CommunityCore.

What is Decatur’s repair-value trigger?

The City requires a permit for repairs and maintenance valued at $1,000 or more, while roofing and structural work require permits regardless of that threshold.

Are trade permits separate?

Yes. Decatur requires separate trade permits for regulated drainage, sewer, gas, mechanical, electrical and plumbing work regardless of value.

What happens when protected trees are affected?

For specified permit types that remove trees or disturb protected root zones, the City requires a pre-application meeting with the City Arborist before filing.

How is a CO or completion certificate requested?

Request it from the permitting office once fees are paid, inspections are passed and no holds, stop-work orders or citations remain.

How much is a building permit in Decatur?

$60 for the first $1,000 of value plus $7 for each additional $1,000, plus plan review (for example $420 for a new house up to 2,000 sq ft) and $25 per item for e-permitting.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Decatur?

Yes. Apply in CommunityCore and include the City’s Homeowner as Contractor Affidavit.

Who is Decatur’s building official?

The City lists Andy Brumbalow of SAFEbuilt as interim Building Official.

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