Newnan, Georgia Building Permit Guide

Inside Newnan city limits, building and trade permits come from the City’s Building Department at 25 LaGrange Street, which takes applications, attachments and payment through its online forms portal. A new home costs $0.685 per square foot for the first 2,000 square feet, including the electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, plus a separate plan review fee that starts at $75.

What requires a permit in Newnan?

Newnan’s Building Department administers and enforces building, housing, plumbing, electrical, health and zoning codes. For new construction and alterations to existing facilities, the department issues permits, examines plans and checks compliance with building and zoning requirements.

The City publishes separate applications for commercial permits, new residential construction, residential improvements, minor repairs, decks, demolition, fences, land disturbance, mechanical/electrical/plumbing work, roofing, retaining walls, swimming pools, solar panels, signs, parking lots, sidewalks and driveways, site preparation and changes of occupancy.

Newnan building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department issues permits, examines plans and checks compliance with the building and zoning codes; the City names Bryan Partin as Chief Building Official. Coweta County runs a separate permitting system for unincorporated property. Check the parcel is inside Newnan city limits before filing.

Newnan permit types and filing documents

Newnan uses project-specific forms rather than one general application, and its forms portal lets you complete them, add attachments and pay online. The Building Permits page includes:

• New Residential Permit Checklist and Application, Residential Improvement Application, Minor Repair Application and Residential Master Plan Application for builders reusing an approved plan.
• Commercial Permit Application, Change of Occupancy, Fire Safety Application, Plans Transmittal and Special Inspections Packet.
• MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) Permit Application and the Electrical Contractor Affidavit to Reestablish Power.
• Specialty applications for decks, fences, pools (with pool barrier guidelines), roofing, retaining walls, solar panels, signs and banners, demolition, sidewalks and driveways, parking lots, site prep, land disturbance and small cell facilities.
• Authorized Permit Agent Form, Owner Builder Affidavit, Residential Subcontractor Affidavit and Address Assignment Verification Form.

Permit costs and fees in Newnan

Fees come from the City of Newnan Fee Schedule dated February 11, 2025, and building department fees are paid when the permit is issued, after City review.

For example, a new 2,400 sq ft house with no garage has a building permit fee of $1,528 (2,000 sq ft at $0.685 plus 400 sq ft at $0.395), plus $75 for plan review. For commercial plans, half the plan review fee is due at submittal as a non-refundable plans transmittal fee and is credited at issuance. Each re-inspection is $50, and work started before the permit is issued pays double.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits

Newnan publishes a dedicated MEP permit application and administers plumbing and electrical codes through the Building Department. On a new home or an addition of 600 sq ft or more, the trade permits are included in the square-foot building fee; for other work they are priced separately:

• Electrical: $75 up to 200 amps, plus $50 for each additional 100 amps, and $150 extra for three-phase service.
• Plumbing: $75 for up to 10 fixtures, plus $25 for each additional 10.
• Mechanical: $75 up to 60,000 BTU (5 tons), plus $15 per additional 12,000 BTU.
• Gas: $50 up to 100,000 BTU. Low voltage: $50 flat.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees are each capped at $3,000. The new residential checklist says HVAC, electrical and plumbing affidavits may be submitted before the certificate of occupancy is issued. Commercial fire sprinkler and fire alarm plans are reviewed by the Fire Marshal for $150 each.

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

Application documents and plan review

Every application needs a site plan, building plans, Manual J, COMcheck or another energy compliance report, the contractor’s licence or an affidavit, and the fees. For a new home the checklist adds:

House plans must be sealed by a licensed architect or come with a letter stating ownership, show footing, foundation, framing and truss details, and be no larger than 11 x 17 inches; electronic submission is encouraged.

How to apply: 6-step Newnan process

Newnan inspections

Newnan requires inspections throughout construction. Call the Building Department at 770-253-8433 to arrange them; the new residential application asks for an email address to send inspection results to. A failed inspection costs $50 to re-inspect.

For a new home, the City will not issue a certificate of occupancy until a tree preservation inspection and a Newnan Utilities water service and sewer line inspection are complete and every City department has signed off. If any part of the lot is in a floodplain, a Certificate of Elevation with the finished floor elevation is also required before the CO.

Local Newnan details that matter

Tree removal: companies removing trees for a fee need a tree permit ($15 on residential property). Homeowners removing their own trees pay nothing until they cut more than five at a time; tree removal under a land disturbance permit is not charged separately.

Historic and zoning approvals: a Certificate of Appropriateness is $150, a basic zoning certification letter $35 and a variance $350.

Right-of-way work: sidewalks, driveways and other work in the right-of-way need a $50 permit, and each retaining wall a $50 permit.

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

Newnan 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 State Minimum Codes
• City Engineer / land disturbance
• City fee schedule
• Building permit forms and applications
• City of Newnan Building Department
• New residential permit checklist
• Georgia DCA mandatory and permissive codes
• Newnan plan submittals / Architect’s Corner

Newnan permit FAQs

Does Newnan issue its own building permits?

Yes. The City of Newnan Building Department handles permits, plan review and code enforcement inside City jurisdiction.

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

$0.685 per square foot for the first 2,000 square feet ($500 minimum), then $0.395 per square foot, including MEP permits. A 2,400 sq ft house is $1,528 plus $75 plan review.

How much is a roof or fence permit?

A residential roof permit is $100 for up to 10,000 sq ft of roof. A fence is $35 plus $0.27 per linear foot, up to $200.

Does Newnan have project-specific applications?

Yes. The City publishes separate applications and checklists for many residential, commercial, trade and specialty permit types.

Who handles land-disturbance review?

The City. Newnan is a Local Issuing Authority for land disturbance and reviews erosion, sedimentation and pollution control plans locally under an agreement with the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission.

What has to happen before a Certificate of Occupancy?

All required final inspections and department sign-offs, including the tree preservation inspection and the Newnan Utilities water and sewer inspection, plus an elevation certificate for floodplain lots.

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