Dooly County, Georgia Building Permit Guide

The Dooly County Building Department in Vienna issues building permits and carries out inspections for unincorporated Dooly County and the cities of Dooling, Lilly and Pinehurst. You can apply online through the County’s CityReporter permit portal or on a PDF form, and under the fee schedule approved on March 19, 2026, a new house is $0.60 per heated square foot plus a $100 plan review fee.

What requires a building permit in Dooly County?

The County’s 2026 fee schedule says most building projects need a permit and lists these as projects that do:

Plumbing, mechanical (HVAC) and electrical work needs its own permits. The fee schedule also covers demolition, house moving, signs, cell towers, solar roof panels, generators, floodplain permits and zoning applications.

Who issues permits in Dooly County?

The Dooly County Building Department provides building permits and inspection services for the unincorporated county and for Dooling, Lilly and Pinehurst. Byromville, Vienna and Unadilla are not on that list, and the published sources do not say who issues building permits in Byromville, so contact the town hall there before applying. The same office answers zoning questions and runs the County’s zoning and floodplain applications.

Dooly County building permit fees

Fees come from the 2026 Permit Fee Schedule approved on March 19, 2026. Area-based fees are charged per square foot of heated or unheated space.

For example, a new house with 2,000 sq ft of heated space is $1,200 for the building permit plus $100 for plan review, before the separate trade permits.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Dooly County

The building permit can be bought by the owner or the general contractor, but plumbing, mechanical (HVAC) and electrical permits must be bought by the specialty contractor licensed for that trade. The 2026 rates:

What to submit with a Dooly County permit

The application agreement every applicant signs lists what the County needs for a permit:

• A septic permit from the Dooly County Health Department, or approval from the public sewer office
• Proof of water provision from the Dooly County Health Department
• Names, phone numbers and licence numbers of the general, plumbing, electrical and HVAC contractors
• Number of bedrooms, bathrooms and laundry rooms, and the heated and unheated square footage
• A floor plan and a site plan showing setbacks, each at least 8.5 x 11 inches
• Electrical, plumbing and HVAC plans for the project

Owners doing the work themselves sign an owner-builder declaration that they will occupy the building and not offer it for sale within 24 months.

How to apply for a Dooly County building permit

Dooly County inspections

Inspections are requested through the permit portal or by calling the Building Department at 229-268-4228. Allow 24 hours’ notice for scheduling and completing an inspection.

For new construction and additions, the County’s application agreement lists these inspections: foundation (after trenches are dug and forms set, before pouring), under-slab, framing, insulation before drywall and a final once the building is ready for occupancy. Plumbing drain lines must be water-filled and supply lines air-tested for 24 hours before the rough plumbing inspection. Mechanical work has a rough and a final inspection, and temporary power poles and manufactured home set-ups have their own checklists.

When the electrical inspection is approved, the Building Department notifies the utility company to connect service. A failed or not-ready inspection costs $65, and each further failed inspection on the same project costs $100.

Local Dooly County rules

Home setbacks: the County’s application agreement places the front of a home, or of its front deck, 90 feet from the center of the road, with 20-foot side and 25-foot rear setbacks.

Floodplain: no work, including grading, may start in a flood hazard area until a floodplain development permit is issued. The permit lapses if work does not start within six months and expires two years after issue, and the development cannot be used until a Certificate of Compliance is issued.

Zoning fees: rezoning, variance and conditional use applications are $100 each.

Decks: the Building Department page links deck design guides for builders who want to build decks to code.

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

Dooly County 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 State Minimum Codes
• Dooly County — Official Website
• Dooly County — Zoning & Floodplain Department
• Dooly County — Building Department
• Dooly County 2026 Permit Fee Schedule
• Dooly County CityReporter permit portal
• Dooly County Building Permit Application (PDF)
• Dooly County sample application agreement and inspection requirements
• Dooly County Floodplain Development Permit Application
• Dooly County Planning & Zoning 2026 meeting and cut-off dates

Dooly County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Dooly County?

The Dooly County Building Department, for the unincorporated county and the cities of Dooling, Lilly and Pinehurst; Byromville is not on its list. Its office is in the County Commissioners Office at 113 North Third Street, Vienna.

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

$0.60 per square foot of heated space and $0.40 per square foot of unheated space, plus a $100 plan review fee. A house with 2,000 sq ft of heated space is $1,300 before the trade permits.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof, siding or windows?

Yes. The County’s fee schedule lists roofing, re-roofing, siding, window and door replacement among the projects that need a building permit.

Can a homeowner pull the electrical or plumbing permit?

The fee schedule says plumbing, HVAC and electrical permits must be bought by the specialty contractor licensed for that trade. The owner or general contractor can buy the building permit.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Request it in the CityReporter permit portal or call 229-268-4228, and allow 24 hours’ notice.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

The fee schedule adds a 50% penalty to the permit fee.

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