McDonough, Georgia Building Permit Guide

The City of McDonough Building & Inspection Division is the local permitting and inspection authority for construction inside City limits. The division is located at 136 Keys Ferry Street, 3rd Floor, McDonough, GA 30253, with office hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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 Building & Inspection Division provides plan review, permit issuance and inspections for construction activities inside McDonough.

Who issues permits in McDonough?

Inside city limits, the City’s own Building & Inspection Division issues permits, not Henry County.

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.

Permit costs and fees in McDonough

McDonough publishes a Permit Fee Schedule, an Impact Fee Schedule and a 2026–2027 Building Valuation Data Table on its Building & Inspection page.

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 publishes separate commercial and residential permit packets and checklists. It also provides LDP checklists, NPDES forms, stormwater certification and maintenance documents, water/sewer applications and specialty requirements such as solar-roof material.

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.

The City also states there is no additional permit-expediting process. Permits are reviewed for code compliance and processed as quickly as possible.

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, which should be used for the applicable project rather than relying on a generic inspection list.

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

Official McDonough permitting 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 permit FAQs

Who issues permits inside McDonough?

The City of McDonough Building & Inspection Division.

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.

Are trade permits separate?

Yes. The City publishes separate electrical, HVAC/mechanical, low-voltage and plumbing permit applications.

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.