Norcross, Georgia Building Permit Guide

The City of Norcross handles building permits and inspections through its Community Development Department and Building Official, and every building and land disturbance permit is filed in the City’s ePlan Solutions portal. Building permits cost $8 per $1,000 of construction value, with a $100 residential minimum, and inspections are called in by 4:30 p.m. the day before.

What requires a permit in Norcross?

The Building Official’s staff review plans, issue building permits and inspect construction, including structural, accessibility, electrical, plumbing, fuel gas, heating and air-conditioning work. The City publishes separate commercial and residential building permit applications, demolition, utility construction and tree removal applications, and residential exterior, interior and solar panel checklists.

The fee schedule adds trade permits for electrical, gas, HVAC, low-voltage, plumbing and re-roof work, new fences, signs, tree removal, irrigation meters, power releases, changes of occupancy, demolition and deconstruction, and clearing, grubbing and grading. Residential work that expands the footprint or changes an exterior wall uses the additions and alterations application; changes inside the existing footprint use the interior remodel application.

Norcross building department: who handles permitting

The Building Official’s staff review plans, issue permits and inspect construction. The City names Craig Lokey as Building Official. Gwinnett County Fire issues the fire certificate of occupancy that commercial projects need before the City’s building CO.

Norcross permit types and filing workflow

All building permits and land disturbance permits are submitted through the online plan submittal portal. The portal lets applicants upload plans, follow the review, respond to comments, upload revisions and view permit records.

Changes of occupancy have their own Change of Occupancy/Business License forms.

Building forms on the City’s permit page:

• Residential and Commercial Building Permit Applications, with the exterior (additions and alterations), interior remodel and solar panel checklists.
• GC Affidavit and Subcontractor Affidavit for every contractor and sub, each with a state licence, local business licence and driver’s licence.
• Homeowner Waiver and Owner Affidavit for an owner who lives, or will live, in the home and acts as their own contractor; plumbing, electrical and HVAC must still be done by licensed subs with affidavits.
• Authorized Agent Affidavit for permit expediters, architects or engineers acting for the owner.
• Trade Permit Application, Power Activation and Request for Power Release, As Built Certification and Foundation Location Certificate.

Permit fees in Norcross

Fees come from the Community Development Department Fee Schedule, effective July 6, 2022 and updated December 2025. Construction value is based on the 2019 ICC Building Valuation Data.

For example, a $150,000 addition has a permit fee of $1,200 plus $50 for the certificate. Starting work without a permit doubles the fee, with a $50 minimum. Review fees are not refundable once review begins; permit fees can be refunded if no permit is issued or no work is done.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and other trade permits

The Building Official inspects electrical, plumbing, fuel gas and heating and air-conditioning work. The fee schedule lists separate trade permits; residential electrical, gas, HVAC, low-voltage, plumbing or re-roof upgrades and repairs are $30, and commercial ones $125. Trade contractors need a current Georgia licence.

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

Application documents and plan review

Combine the construction drawings into a single PDF, all in the same orientation, drawn to scale, with a cover sheet and sheet index. Give the square footage of the rooms affected and the valuation, meaning the total cost of materials and labor.

Upload revisions to the same record in the portal; the City also publishes a re-submittal checklist and an engineering checklist for land development.

How to apply: 6-step Norcross process

Norcross inspections

Call the department at 678-421-2027 or email inspections@norcrossga.net by 4:30 p.m. the day before you want the inspection; do not leave requests on voicemail. Inspections usually start at 8:00 a.m. and the inspector will not call ahead. Results are marked on the inspection sheet left on site and posted in the online portal.

For new construction and additions, the City’s required order is footing, slab, rough mechanical, plumbing and electrical, sheathing and house wrap, insulation, roofing and siding, final MEP and the overall final.

The permit must be posted where it can be seen from the street, and erosion control must be in place before any inspection. Work that is not ready or fails is charged a $75 re-inspection fee, payable before the next inspection is booked. Third-party inspections need the Building Inspector’s approval in advance, and copies of their reports go to Community Development. A certificate of occupancy is issued after the final passes and all fees are paid.

Local Norcross details that matter

New commercial buildings and commercial remodels must give Community Development the Gwinnett County Fire certificate of occupancy before the City issues its building certificate of occupancy. For a change of occupancy, the Gwinnett County Fire Marshal CO must be issued before the City inspection is booked.

Demolition: the demolition project in ePlan Solutions carries a $100 fee and needs contractor affidavits, an asbestos abatement report with the inspector’s certification, proof the report and fees went to the State of Georgia, proof of ownership, a site plan and a $1,000 cash bond.

Historic districts: for property in the national or local historic district, a demolition first goes to a public hearing before the Architectural Review Board or Historic Preservation Commission, with a $500 historic review fee and a Certificate of Appropriateness. New construction in the historic district is reviewed for $150, and minor residential changes for $25.

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

Norcross 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
• Norcross Community Development fee schedule
• Residential permit steps
• Norcross building inspection information sheet
• Norcross Building Official and inspections
• Norcross permit applications, forms and plan submittal
• Norcross residential additions and alterations checklist
• Norcross residential interior remodel checklist
• Norcross required inspections by project
• Norcross demolition and deconstruction checklist

Norcross permit FAQs

Does Norcross issue its own building permits?

Yes. The City’s Community Development Department and Building Official review plans, issue building permits and inspect work inside city limits.

How do I apply for a Norcross building permit?

Submit the application and plans through the City’s online plan submittal portal, using the residential or commercial building permit application.

What does a Norcross building permit cost?

$8.00 per $1,000 of construction value, with a $100 residential or $150 commercial minimum plus the certificate fee, under the City’s fee schedule updated December 2025.

How much is a re-roof or trade permit?

$30 for residential electrical, gas, HVAC, low-voltage, plumbing or re-roof work, and $125 for commercial.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

Yes, with the Homeowner Waiver if you live or will live in the home; licensed subcontractors with affidavits must do the plumbing, electrical and HVAC work.

How are Norcross inspections requested?

Call 678-421-2027 or email inspections@norcrossga.net by 4:30 p.m. the day before the inspection.

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