McDonough, Georgia Building Permit Guide

Inside McDonough city limits, building and trade permits are issued by the City’s Building & Inspection Division at 136 Keys Ferry Street, not Henry County. A new home is charged $0.30 per square foot under roof, with a $300 minimum, plus at least $75 for each trade permit, and the City says permits take from the same day for a simple deck to up to 4 weeks for a complex commercial building.

What requires a building permit in McDonough?

McDonough states that a permit is required before constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a building or structure, and before installing, enlarging, altering or replacing regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing or sprinkler systems. The City’s fee schedule lists these permit types:

McDonough building department: who handles permitting

Inside city limits, the City’s own Building & Inspection Division issues permits, not Henry County. Its staff review plans, issue permits and inspect the work, and the City names Ayiende Toby as Building Official.

McDonough permit types and application packages

McDonough publishes separate application groups for building and development permits, trade permits, land-development permits, commercial building permits, residential building permits, water and sewer taps and other project-specific records.

Use the City packet and checklist that matches the project type. The Building & Inspection page currently links residential and commercial final-inspection checklists, residential slab inspection material, solar-roof requirements, LDP documents and separate electrical, HVAC, low-voltage and plumbing applications.

On a residential job, each sub-contractor pulls their own trade permit. If the general contractor pulls them instead, each electrical, plumbing and HVAC application must be signed by the licence holder and come with copies of their business licence, state licence and driver’s licence. The residential checklist also lists an Authorized Permit Agent Form and a Homeowner/Builders Affidavit where they apply.

Permit costs and fees in McDonough

Fees come from Appendix A of the City code, the Schedule of Permit Fees adopted by Ordinance 23-09-18 (effective June 19, 2023). Commercial valuations use the ICC building valuation data, and the City posts its 2026–2027 table.

For example, a new home with 2,500 sq ft under roof has a building permit fee of $750, before trade permits and impact fees. The first re-inspection costs $35 and each further re-inspection for the same problem $50. Certificate of occupancy processing is $25, and the building and fire inspections for an occupational tax certificate or CO are $50 each. If work starts before the permit is issued, the fees are doubled.

Separate trade permits in McDonough

McDonough expressly requires separate permits for regulated plumbing, electrical, low-voltage, heating-air-conditioning and utility work, and its Building & Inspection page publishes separate trade-permit applications.

The City’s FAQ cites O.C.G.A. 43-14, which requires anyone doing plumbing, electrical, low-voltage, heating and air-conditioning or utility work for hire to hold a current Georgia licence for that work. The City says its permit requirement also applies to homeowners doing the work themselves.

Application documents and plan review

The City’s residential permit checklist asks for:

• House location plan (2 copies) and the original building permit application
• Water meter receipt if served by Henry County, or the City water and sewer application if served by McDonough
• NOI with the EPD receipt and a copy of the Level 1A certified personnel card
• Completed inspection affidavit
• Georgia general contractor’s licence, current occupational tax licence and the contractor’s driver’s licence
• Recorded plat if the lot is not in a subdivision
• 2 sets of legible plans at least 11 x 17 inches with elevations, foundation plan and floor plan with square footage

Commercial work uses the Commercial Permit Application Packet, and land development uses the LDP packet and checklist with NPDES, erosion bond and stormwater facility forms. Solar roof permits must be mailed or hand-delivered with 2 sets of engineer-stamped 11 x 17 plans and a structural letter, and take about 14 business days to review.

McDonough’s FAQ says review time depends on project complexity, from same-day issuance for a simple residential deck to up to four weeks for a complicated commercial structure. There is no additional expediting process.

How to apply: 6-step McDonough process

McDonough inspections

McDonough publishes a specific inspection schedule rule: call 678-782-6217 before 4:00 p.m. for a next-day inspection. Requests received after 4:00 p.m. are scheduled 2 days out. Friday or holiday requests made before 4:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next working day.

The City also publishes residential and commercial final-inspection checklists and a residential slab inspection checklist. For solar roofs, a post-installation engineer’s letter approving the work must be emailed to the permit coordinator before the final inspection is booked.

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

McDonough 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
• McDonough permit FAQs
• McDonough Building & Inspection Division
• McDonough Schedule of Permit Fees
• McDonough Impact Fee Schedule
• McDonough residential permit packet
• McDonough solar roof permit requirements

McDonough permit FAQs

Who issues permits inside McDonough?

The City of McDonough Building & Inspection Division.

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

$0.30 per square foot under roof with a $300 minimum, plus at least $75 per trade permit. The single-family impact fee is $2,209.16.

How much does a commercial permit cost?

$3.70 per $1,000 of estimated construction cost, plus a plan review fee of 25% of the permit fee.

What is the next-day inspection cutoff?

Call the City inspection request line before 4:00 p.m. Requests after 4:00 p.m. are scheduled 2 days out.

Does McDonough offer paid permit expediting?

No. The City FAQ says there is not an additional expediting process.

Can a homeowner do their own trade work?

The City says its permit and licensing requirement for plumbing, electrical, low-voltage, HVAC and utility work also applies to homeowners doing the work themselves.

How long does it take to get a permit?

The City says complexity controls timing and gives examples ranging from same-day issuance for a simple residential deck up to 4 weeks for a complicated commercial structure.

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