Lilburn, Georgia Building Permit Guide

In Lilburn, building and trade permits are issued by the City’s Business Services Department at 340 Main Street, and applications, plans and payments go through the City’s online Permit Submittal Portal. Under the FY2026–2027 fee schedule most building and trade permits cost $7 per $1,000 of valuation plus a 2% art fee, and inspection requests made before 3:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day.

What requires a permit in Lilburn?

Lilburn’s Building & Trade Permits page lists the common projects that need a permit:

The City asks applicants to call Business Services at 770-921-2210 before starting a project to find out whether a permit is required. A certificate of occupancy or approval is needed for a new tenant, a new use or a change of business name or ownership.

Lilburn building department: who handles permitting

Business Services issues building and trade permits and certificates of occupancy, and building inspections are coordinated by SAFEbuilt for the City. The Planning Department handles land disturbance, site development, zoning and the BMP, site, stormwater and post-demolition inspections. Gwinnett County approvals (Fire Marshal, water and sewer, and Environmental Health for septic) are collected on the City’s Project Route Sheet before the City permit is issued.

Lilburn permit types and filing

The City’s Permit Application Guide is a flow chart that sends each project to the right checklist: new buildings and trades, alterations and renovations, interior finish, demolition, certificate of occupancy or compliance, land disturbance and site development, signs and temporary uses. A licensed contractor or the owner must apply, unless a notarized permit authorization is provided.

Forms the City publishes:

• Building Permit/Compliance Inspection Application, with the parcel number, zoning, setbacks, use, estimated construction cost and owner and contractor details.
• Subcontractor Affidavit, one for each trade, filed by the general contractor.
• Homeowner Affidavit, for an owner building on a home they live in or will live in. The owner may not sell or lease it for 12 months, must not have used an owner affidavit elsewhere in the past 6 months or sold a self-built building in the past 24 months, and must still use licensed contractors for HVAC, electrical and plumbing work.
• Building Demolition Inspection Application with its checklist, and the Project Route Sheet for Gwinnett County sign-offs.
• Land Disturbance and Site Development Application and Erosion Control Affidavit for site work.

Permit costs and fees in Lilburn

Fees come from the City’s FY2026–2027 Fee Schedule. A 2% art fee is added to most permit fees unless the schedule says otherwise, and a certificate of occupancy or approval fee is charged on top of the building permit.

Building plan review for a new building or addition is $300 up to 20,000 sq ft, $500 up to 100,000 sq ft and $1,000 above that; reviews of shells, interior finishes, renovations and alterations are $100 per trade, and an engineered retaining wall review is $400. Re-inspections cost $50, then $100, then $150, and a same-day special inspection is $65. Work started before the permit is issued carries a 100% penalty.

For example, an addition valued at $100,000 has a permit fee of $700 plus a $14 art fee, before plan review and the certificate fee.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work

Lilburn requires a separate permit for subcontractors such as plumbers and electricians. The subcontractor affidavit must be submitted before work begins and at least 24 hours before an inspection is requested.

For each trade permit, the City requires proof of a current occupational tax certificate or business licence, state trade licence, $100,000 property-damage liability insurance, and a driver’s licence or other photo ID. Even under a Homeowner Affidavit, HVAC, electrical and plumbing work must be done by licensed trade contractors.

Plumbing design must meet the City’s own plumbing and water efficiency code adopted in 2024 (Chapter 105), and food service businesses need a safe waste system and Gwinnett County grease trap details.

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

Application documents and plan review

Every building application gives the scope of work, total square footage and cost, with copies of the contractor’s business licence, trade licence, insurance and photo ID.

A Georgia architect must seal plans for non-residential assembly, educational and institutional buildings and for R-1 and R-2 buildings over 5,000 sq ft or more than one floor. A Georgia engineer must seal plans for projects costing $100,000 or more, residential buildings of 3 or more floors and walls 4 feet or taller. One approved set stays on site, and a revised PDF set goes to the City Planner before a certificate is requested.

For site work, a pre-submittal conference with planning staff is recommended, and a Site Development review costs $950.

How to apply: 6-step Lilburn process

Lilburn inspections

Request each building inspection with the City’s online Inspection Request form, using the permit number issued by Business Services. Requests made before 3:00 p.m. go on the next business day’s schedule; you can name a preferred weekday and ask for a call ahead. Questions and rescheduling go to the Inspection Coordinator at SAFEbuilt, named on the form.

BMP, site, stormwater and post-demolition inspections are requested from the Planning Department directly. Sites disturbing more than 240 sq ft must show erosion control BMPs, and larger or stream-side sites need stamped erosion control plans.

A failed inspection that has to be repeated costs $50 the first time, rising to $100 and then $150.

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

Lilburn 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
• Lilburn Land Development
• Lilburn building inspection request form
• Lilburn Building & Trade Permits
• Lilburn FY2026–2027 fee schedule
• Lilburn Permit Submittal Portal
• Lilburn Permit Application Guide
• Lilburn new building or addition checklist
• Lilburn alterations and renovations checklist
• Lilburn building plan submittal requirements
• Lilburn Homeowner Affidavit

Lilburn permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Lilburn?

$7 per $1,000 of valuation for new construction and additions, plus a 2% art fee, with a $100 residential or $200 commercial minimum. Plan review and the certificate of occupancy are charged separately.

How are Lilburn permit applications submitted?

The City accepts applications, plans and payments digitally through its Permit Submittal Portal.

Do I need a permit for a fence or shed in Lilburn?

Fences over 4 feet high and sheds over 120 sq ft are on the City’s list of work that needs a permit.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

Yes, with the Homeowner Affidavit for a home you live in or will live in, but HVAC, electrical and plumbing work must still be done by licensed trade contractors.

What is Lilburn’s inspection cutoff?

Building inspection requests must be submitted before 3:00 p.m. to be placed on the next business day’s schedule.

What does Lilburn require for a trade permit?

The subcontractor affidavit, plus proof of a business licence, state trade licence, $100,000 property-damage liability insurance and photo ID.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

The fee schedule adds a 100% penalty for construction or installation started before the permit is issued.

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