In unincorporated Oglethorpe County, building permits come from the County Building Official at 341 West Main Street, Lexington, and most are applied for in the County’s iWorQ online portal. A new home up to 2,500 sq ft costs $400–$500 depending on the foundation, and the County allows 2–7 business days for permit and inspection requests, with no same-day service.
What requires a building permit in Oglethorpe County?
The County’s January 2026 permit fee schedule lists the work it permits in the unincorporated county:
Residential and agricultural
- New single-family homes, priced by size and foundation
- Additions and accessory structures
- Renovations and remodels
- Pools
- Mechanical, electrical and plumbing work
- Moving a manufactured home into or within the county
- Barns, pole barns, sheds and shops
- Chicken houses, hog houses and other intensive agricultural buildings
Commercial and general
- New commercial buildings, additions and accessory structures
- Commercial trade permits and fire suppression systems
- Temporary construction offices
- Driveways
- Signs
- Demolition
- Fences over 6 ft and retaining walls over 4 ft
- New and existing cell towers
Under the County’s commercial checklist, a change of use in an existing building needs a new Certificate of Occupancy even when no structural or mechanical work is planned. Timber harvests need a Notice of Timber Harvest, which carries no fee.
Who handles permitting in Oglethorpe County?
The Oglethorpe County Building Official reviews building plans, issues building permits and inspects structural, life-safety, accessibility, electrical, plumbing, fuel gas and heating and air-conditioning work. The Planning & Zoning office at the same address handles rezoning, variances and subdivision plats.
| Item | Oglethorpe County |
|---|---|
| Office | Building Permits and Inspections, 341 West Main Street, Lexington, GA 30648 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 67, Lexington, GA 30648 |
| Phone | 706-743-5270 (Planning direct line 706-405-2436) |
| permits@oglethorpecountyga.gov | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–5 p.m. |
| Apply | iWorQ online permit portal; commercial building permits in office only |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →The County’s Unified Development Code covers the unincorporated county. The City of Lexington publishes its own residential, commercial, demolition, plumbing, HVAC, electrical and sign permit applications and its own building permit fee schedule, so work inside Lexington city limits is permitted by the City.
Maxeys: the City’s code requires an Oglethorpe County building permit application for all new construction, renovation or rehabilitation inside Maxeys, with inspections requested from the County and fees paid to the County. The City first approves an Application for Building/Construction Permit Approval ($20, with the recorded plat and septic approval attached) and forwards it to the County. Arnoldsville and Crawford: no County or city source published online says who issues building permits inside these cities; contact the city hall before applying.
Permit costs and fees in Oglethorpe County
Fees come from the County’s permit fee schedule last updated in January 2026. Home permits are flat fees by size; commercial permits add a plan review fee.
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| New home up to 2,500 sq ft, crawl space | $400 |
| New home up to 2,500 sq ft, slab | $450 |
| New home up to 2,500 sq ft, basement | $500 |
| Each additional 500 sq ft | $100 |
| Certificate of Occupancy | $50 |
| Addition or accessory structure up to 499 sq ft | $75 |
| Addition or accessory structure over 500 sq ft | $100 |
| Renovation or remodel | $50 |
| Pool | $50 |
| Mechanical, electrical or plumbing permit | $50 each |
| Manufactured home movement (all-inclusive) | $500 |
| Re-inspection | $100 |
| Barn, pole barn, shed or shop (agricultural) | $50 |
| Intensive agricultural building | $150 plan review plus $300 per structure |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Commercial plan review | $150 |
| Commercial building up to 2,499 sq ft | $450 |
| Commercial building 2,500–4,999 sq ft | $600 |
| Commercial building over 5,000 sq ft | $600 plus $0.10 per sq ft |
| Commercial mechanical, electrical or plumbing permit | $100 each |
| Fire suppression system | $25 plus $1 per sprinkler head |
| Temporary construction office | $50 |
| Driveway permit | $50 |
| Sign permit | $50 |
| Fence over 6 ft or retaining wall over 4 ft | $25 |
| Demolition permit | No charge |
For example, a new 2,400 sq ft home on a slab is $450 for the building permit and $50 for the Certificate of Occupancy, plus $50 for each mechanical, electrical and plumbing permit.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Oglethorpe County
The Building Official issues and inspects mechanical, electrical and plumbing work along with the building permit. Each trade permit is $50 for residential and agricultural work and $100 for commercial work. A manufactured home movement permit already includes the electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits.
Fuel gas piping is part of the rough-in inspection. Work that connects or disconnects utility service must always be inspected, even where an owner has signed an inspection waiver.
Application documents
New home
- Online application in the iWorQ portal
- Site plan, following the County’s example site plan for new single-family homes
- Driveway permit for the new entrance
- A new street address, requested through the County’s address request link
- ADU Affidavit, recorded and returned to the Board of Commissioners, for an accessory dwelling unit
Commercial
- Commercial Building Permit Application, completed in the office
- One set of plans drawn to scale and stamped by a state licensed design professional, with floor plan, elevations and each trade’s work
- Recorded plat from the Clerk of Court
- Septic permit from the Health Department (706-743-7201), where it applies
- Pre-permit approval from the Planning Department
- Georgia DOT access letter for a new driveway onto a state highway
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →The commercial checklist requires stamped plans for assembly, educational and institutional buildings, buildings three or more stories high and buildings of 5,000 sq ft or more (single-family homes excepted). The builder must be licensed and registered with Oglethorpe County before the permit is issued.
A manufactured home movement permit needs a bill of sale, proof of taxes paid (or a Tax Commissioner exemption form for a new home), the installer and hauler details and an approved septic permit or certificate of inspection from the Health Department, which must be in place before the movement permit is issued.
How to apply: 6-step Oglethorpe County process
Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Oglethorpe County, not the City of Lexington, and that the use is allowed in its zoning district. Rezoning, conditional use and variance requests need a pre-application meeting with Planning staff first.
Apply for the $50 driveway permit and request a street address; the house cannot get its Certificate of Occupancy until the driveway passes its final inspection.
File residential and other permits in the iWorQ portal. Commercial building permits are completed in the office at 341 West Main Street.
The County does not issue same-day permits. Questions go to permits@oglethorpecountyga.gov or 706-743-5270.
In the portal, choose Search or Pay Existing Permits, open your permit and request the inspection, or call 706-743-5270 with the permit number ready.
Finish the building, trade, driveway, house number, landscaping and erosion items so the County can issue the Certificate of Occupancy.
Rather not deal with the Oglethorpe County building department?
Get a free quote →Oglethorpe County inspections
Request inspections through the iWorQ portal from the permit record, or by phone at 706-743-5270. Inspections cannot be requested until a permit has been submitted, and there are no same-day inspections; allow 2–7 business days. While the County moves to its new portal, the Permitting Coordinator (706-405-2436) helps if a permit cannot be found online.
The usual sequence for a new home is:
- Footing, plus any plumbing or electrical under a slab before concrete is poured
- Rough-in: framing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC and gas before drywall
- Temp to Perm, required before permanent power is connected
- Final: building and trade work plus the driveway and culvert pipe, house number, landscaping and soil erosion measures
A failed inspection that has to be repeated costs $100. The Certificate of Occupancy is issued when the structure meets all the applicable standards, and not before the driveway has passed its own final inspection.
Local Oglethorpe County details that matter
Owner inspection waiver: the County’s Request for Inspections Waiver lets the owner-occupant of a one- or two-family dwelling waive inspections on permitted work, and a landowner do the same for an accessory structure. Inspections cannot be waived for buildings under the International Building Code, manufactured homes, rented or leased dwellings, or work that connects or disconnects utilities. The form is witnessed by a County official, the owner must tell the Board of Commissioners within 5 business days of finishing, and no Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
Driveways: culvert pipe must be at least 15 inches in diameter and 20 ft long, with flared end sections and 1 ft of cover. The driveway must pass final inspection within one year of the permit.
Accessory dwelling units: one ADU is allowed per R1, AR, A2 or A1 lot, the owner must live on the property, a detached ADU must have 450–800 sq ft of living area, and an ADU may have one bedroom and two occupants.
Manufactured homes: a pre-inspection of a pre-owned home costs $50 inside the county and starts at $188 for a 2-hour minimum plus mileage outside it. Haulers need a DOT oversize permit.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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
Oglethorpe County 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
- Oglethorpe County — Planning & Zoning
- Oglethorpe County — Building Permits & Inspections
- Oglethorpe County iWorQ permit and inspection portal
- Oglethorpe County permit fee schedule (January 2026)
- Oglethorpe County commercial permit checklist
- Oglethorpe County driveway permit checklist
- Oglethorpe County Request for Inspections Waiver
- Oglethorpe County manufactured home movement checklist
- Oglethorpe County Unified Development Code
- City of Lexington permit forms
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Oglethorpe County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Oglethorpe County?
The County Building Official issues building and trade permits and inspects the work in the unincorporated county. The County also issues the permits for Maxeys after the City’s approval. The City of Lexington has its own permit applications and fee schedule.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Oglethorpe County?
Up to 2,500 sq ft it is $400 on a crawl space, $450 on a slab or $500 on a basement, plus $100 for each extra 500 sq ft, $50 for the Certificate of Occupancy and $50 per trade permit.
How long does a permit take?
The County asks applicants to allow 2–7 business days for all requests and does not issue same-day permits or inspections.
Can I apply for a commercial permit online?
No. Commercial building permits are filled in at the office and need plan review, which costs $150.
Do I need a permit for a fence or shed?
Fences over 6 ft and retaining walls over 4 ft need a $25 permit. An accessory structure up to 499 sq ft is $75, and agricultural barns, sheds and shops are $50.
Can a homeowner skip inspections?
An owner-occupant can sign the County’s inspection waiver for permitted work on their own one- or two-family home, but some work can never be waived and no Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
How do I schedule an inspection?
Open your permit in the iWorQ portal and request the inspection, or call 706-743-5270 with your permit number.
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More Georgia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Oglethorpe County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.