Jones County, Georgia Building Permit Guide

Jones County Planning & Zoning, at 166 Industrial Boulevard in Gray, issues building, trade, land disturbing and sign permits for both unincorporated Jones County and the City of Gray, with applications through the County’s iWorQ online portal. The posted fee schedule charges a new home $0.16 per heated square foot, $0.06 per unheated square foot and $12 per bathroom.

What requires a permit in Jones County?

County code requires a permit from the building official before anyone builds, enlarges, alters, repairs, moves or demolishes a building, changes its occupancy, or installs or alters electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems. The fee schedule adds that no building permit is needed when construction costs less than $1,000, unless an inspection is needed.

Who handles permitting in Jones County?

Planning & Zoning handles building permits and inspections, zoning, land disturbing permits, signs, stormwater management and floodplain management. It serves the City of Gray as well as the unincorporated county, and keeps separate City forms for rezoning, variances, conditional uses and design review in Gray.

Online portal and forms

The iWorQ Citizen Portal lets you apply for a building permit, search an existing permit and make payments; contractors fill in property and contractor details using the search bars at the top of the application. Paper forms on the Planning & Zoning page include:

• Residential permit application, covering new homes, additions, renovations, accessory buildings, pools, single trade permits and safety inspection requests.
• Commercial building permit application.
• Authorized Permit Agent Form: an original is required when the applicant is not the licensed general contractor or a homeowner acting as their own contractor.
• Subcontractor affidavit.
• Mobile home permit application and the affidavit for a used mobile home.
• Demolition, sign, driveway and site plan forms.

Permit costs and fees in Jones County

The Permit Fee Schedule posted by Planning & Zoning, which covers both the County and the City of Gray, is dated December 1, 2017.

For example, a home with 2,000 sq ft heated, a 500 sq ft garage and porch area, and two full baths and one half bath comes to $320 plus $30 plus $36: $386. Fees are rounded to the nearest dollar and are not refundable, and they double if you apply after construction has started. Inspecting a building whose permit has expired, to issue a Certificate of Occupancy, costs $100. The schedule states that impact fees are not collected. Driveway permits now cost $35 under the County’s 2025 driveway application.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits

Planning & Zoning issues single trade permits for electrical, plumbing or HVAC work at $30 each. Property owners and renters may do their own work, but any hired electrical, plumbing or HVAC contractor must hold a valid Georgia contractor’s licence. On a new home, affidavits from every paid electrical, plumbing and HVAC subcontractor are required before the Certificate of Occupancy is issued; for a pool, the electrician’s affidavit is due before the first (bonding) inspection.

Application documents

The commercial application also asks for the flood zone designation and whether the project is a Development of Regional Impact.

How to apply: 6-step Jones County process

Jones County inspections

County code makes the permit holder responsible for notifying the inspector when work is ready. The typical inspections are the footing inspection (after groundwork, before concrete), the framing inspection (after electrical, plumbing and mechanical rough-ins and before anything is covered) and the final inspection when the building is ready to occupy. A failed inspection costs $100 to re-inspect.

Manufactured homes need two or more inspections before power is connected: a health and safety inspection for used homes, a footing inspection for block underpinning, a setup inspection with the home tied down and hookups complete (before underpinning), and a final. Call Planning & Zoning 24 hours ahead, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; once the home passes, the office authorises the power company to connect it.

Local Jones County details

Manufactured homes: they are allowed in four county zones (Ag-1, R-R, R-MH and C-1) and only in the R-3 zone in Gray. Only double-wides are allowed in R-R and Gray’s R-3, and those homes need masonry underpinning. A used home also needs photos, a signed compliance affidavit and a $750 letter of credit or cash deposit, refunded when the Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

Pools: a pool must be enclosed by a fence 4 feet high in the county and 5 feet high inside Gray before it is used.

Water and sewer: the County and the City of Gray each run water service; sewer taps are bought at Gray City Hall.

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

Jones County permit search and official resources

• Jones County — Official Website
• Jones County — Permit Fee Schedule
• Jones County — Planning and Zoning
• Jones County iWorQ online permitting portal
• Jones County residential permit application (PDF)
• Jones County commercial building permit application (PDF)
• Parking a manufactured home in Jones County (PDF)
• Jones County manufactured home inspections (PDF)
• Jones County driveway permit application (PDF)

Jones County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Jones County and Gray?

Jones County Planning & Zoning, 166 Industrial Blvd., Gray (478-986-5117), for both the unincorporated county and the City of Gray.

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

$0.16 per heated square foot, $0.06 per unheated square foot and $12 per full or half bath. A 2,000 sq ft home with 500 sq ft unheated and 2.5 baths comes to $386.

Can I apply online?

Yes, through the County’s iWorQ Citizen Portal, which also lets you look up permits and pay.

Do small projects need a permit?

Not if the construction cost is under $1,000, unless an inspection is needed.

Can a homeowner do their own electrical or plumbing work?

Yes. Owners and renters may do their own work; any hired electrician, plumber or HVAC contractor must hold a valid Georgia licence.

What happens if I build before getting a permit?

The permit fee doubles.

How much is a mobile home permit?

$0.15 per square foot, not counting the tongue, with a $100 minimum.

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