Kennesaw, Georgia Building Permit Guide

Kennesaw’s Building Services department, at the Dale Burrell Government Complex, 3080 Moon Station Road, issues building and trade permits for property inside the City, and every application is filed online in iWorQ. Under Resolution 2026-54, a new home over $75,000 in construction cost is charged $6 per $1,000, trade permits are $80, and inspections requested before 7:00 p.m. are done the next business day.

What requires a building permit in Kennesaw?

Kennesaw’s Building Services FAQ states that a permit is required when an owner, agent or contractor wants to construct, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a structure, or alter, repair, remove or replace regulated electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems.

If you are unsure whether a permit is needed, or whether the property is inside city limits, call Building Services at 770-429-4554 or email permits@kennesaw-ga.gov before filing.

Kennesaw building department: who handles permitting

Building Services is at the Dale Burrell Government Complex, 3080 Moon Station Road, where Community Development moved in March 2024.

Some related reviews are outside Building Services. The City specifically directs applicants to Kennesaw Planning & Zoning, Kennesaw Public Works, Cobb County Fire Marshal, Cobb County Water System and Cobb & Douglas Public Health when those agencies apply.

Kennesaw permit types and iWorQ filing

All Kennesaw permits must be applied for online, through the City's iWorQ portal.

Land-disturbance permits are separate from building permits. A site review is required before applying for a land-disturbance permit, and Public Works decides how many land-disturbance permits the project gets.

The City publishes a Certificate of Occupancy process checklist and a homeowner affidavit for homeowner permits.

Permit costs and fees in Kennesaw

Permit fees are set in Kennesaw’s Master Fee Schedule, adopted as Resolution 2026-54 and posted on October 6, 2026. For new construction, the City works out the construction cost from the latest ICC Building Valuation Data: for homes, unheated square footage at $31.50 per sq ft plus heated square footage at the ICC rate for the construction type.

For example, a house with an estimated construction cost of $300,000 has a $1,800 permit fee. Every permit also carries a technology fee of 1% of the permit, with a $10 minimum, and new homes pay a $699 residential impact fee; impact fees apply only to new development.

Commercial remodels are charged on the calculated construction cost times 0.5 for Type I-A or I-B buildings and 0.75 for other types. Building before the permit is issued doubles the permit fee, up to $1,000, and reactivating an expired permit costs the same as a new one.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire coordination

Electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing work regulated by the technical codes needs a permit from Building Services.

Mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits are $80 each; in multi-family buildings, trade-only permits are $25 per unit for each trade. Low voltage systems (phone, data, security, fire alarm, cable) and EV chargers have an $80 minimum. Since January 1, 2024, new water conservation rules apply to all new faucets, toilets and landscape irrigation systems, with different standards for homes and businesses.

Fire review can involve Cobb County. Building Services lists the Cobb County Fire Marshal’s Office (770-528-8000) as an outside agency, and the City’s business licence guidance tells new businesses to take two copies of the floor plan to the Fire Marshal for approval.

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

Application documents and plan review

Required documents depend on the project type. Building Services provides the Certificate of Occupancy process checklist, the homeowner affidavit and development submittal procedures on its page.

For a new business, the City’s Certificate of Occupancy checklist sets the order:

Food service, salon and medical uses must also clear Cobb & Douglas Public Health. CO and business licence applications that make no progress for 90 days are withdrawn automatically.

For development projects, the Plan Review Committee (Building Services, Planning and Zoning, Public Works and Economic Development) meets on Thursdays by appointment in 30-minute slots at City Hall. Book through Building Services (770-429-4554) or Planning and Zoning (770-590-8268) at least 3 business days before the meeting.

How to apply: 6-step Kennesaw process

Kennesaw inspections

Kennesaw requires all inspections to be scheduled through the City’s online portal. The City states that the permit number and contractor code are required to schedule an inspection.

Requests for the next business day must be in before 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Inspections are carried out by the City's Community Development Department.

For land-disturbance permits, contact Building Services (770-429-4554) or Public Works (770-421-8582).

Local Kennesaw details that matter

Land disturbance: the permit is issued only with Plan Review Committee approval and costs $250 for 1 to 4.9 disturbed acres or $500 for 5 acres or more; a miscellaneous land disturbance permit for small sites is $50. Public Works construction document review is $500 under 5 acres, $750 for 5 to 15 acres and $1,000 above that.

Historic district: demolition in the historic district must be approved by the Historic Preservation Commission; a Certificate of Appropriateness costs $50, plus $150 for a demolition.

Trees: a tree removal permit and inspection costs $25, or $50 on a historic property.

Short-term rentals: each short-term rental needs an $80 inspection permit under the City 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

Kennesaw 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
• Kennesaw iWorQ portal
• Kennesaw permitting FAQs
• Kennesaw Master Fee Schedule
• Kennesaw Building Services
• Kennesaw Certificate of Occupancy process checklist
• Kennesaw homeowners affidavit
• Community Development office move
• Kennesaw business licence guidance

Kennesaw permit FAQs

Does Kennesaw issue its own building permits?

Yes. City Building Services administers permitting and inspections for buildings within Kennesaw.

How much is a building permit for a new house in Kennesaw?

For a construction cost over $75,000 it is $6 per $1,000, so $1,800 on $300,000, plus a 1% technology fee and the $699 residential impact fee.

Are permit applications online?

Yes. The City states that all permits must be applied for online.

What is the next-day inspection cutoff?

The current Building Services page sets the cutoff before 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

What does a reinspection cost?

$50 for the first, $75 for the second and $100 for each one after that.

How long does a CO take for a new business?

The City processes the CO within 5 business days of the last approved inspection, after zoning verification and Cobb County Fire Marshal approval.

Who handles land-disturbance permits?

Apply for a site review first, then for the land-disturbance permit, both through the City portal. Public Works decides how many land-disturbance permits the project needs.

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