In Pierce County, a building/development permit from the Code Inspector at Pierce County Planning & Codes (312 Nichols Street, Blackshear) is needed before any building is built, moved, demolished or altered. Trade work needs its own permit, starting at $50 for electrical and $35 plus $2 per fixture for plumbing, and the permit lapses if work does not start within 6 months.
What requires a building permit in Pierce County?
The joint Zoning/Land Use Ordinance requires a building/development permit from the Code Inspector before construction, erection, moving, demolition or alteration of any building or structure. Planning & Codes publishes these applications:
Building and trade
- Building permits, including new homes, additions, remodels, repairs, pole barns, storage buildings and shelters, single-family, multi-family and commercial
- Electrical permits, including new and temporary services, panel changes, rewiring and irrigation pivots
- Plumbing permits
- Mechanical (heating and air) permits
- Demolition permits
- Sign permits
Manufactured homes and land use
- Move On permits for manufactured homes
- 10-year inspection permits for homes over 10 years old
- Building moving and routing permits
- Conditional use permits
- Septic tank and well permits (Health Department applications)
A Certificate of Occupancy from the Code Inspector is required before using a new building, or an existing building altered so that its height or footprint changes.
Who handles permitting in Pierce County?
Pierce County Planning & Codes handles permits and code enforcement. Under the Zoning/Land Use Ordinance, which Pierce County and the Cities of Blackshear, Offerman and Patterson adopted together, the Code Inspector issues building/development permits and Certificates of Occupancy, and a Zoning/Land Use Administrator appointed jointly by the four governments administers the ordinance. The department also handles annexation and rezoning requests and subdivision and site plan reviews for all four.
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Get a free quote →| Item | Pierce County |
|---|---|
| Office | Pierce County Planning & Codes, 312 Nichols Street, Suite 5, Blackshear, GA 31516 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 679, Blackshear, GA 31516 |
| Code Inspector | Chris Bond, 912-449-2037 (fax 912-449-2224) |
| County office | 912-449-2022 (fax 912-449-2024) |
| Apply | PDF applications on the County’s Permits & Applications page |
If a permit is refused, the Code Inspector gives the reasons in writing within 10 days of the applicant’s request. Appeals of the Code Inspector’s or Zoning Administrator’s decisions go to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Waycross: the city lies mainly in Ware County and is not part of the joint ordinance. The City of Waycross handles its own building permits, planning and zoning; its Building Department is at City Hall, 417 Pendleton Street, Waycross (912-287-2944).
Permit costs and fees in Pierce County
The County prints its trade and manufactured home fees on its 2026 application forms and requirement sheets. The building permit application asks for a project valuation and heated and unheated square footage, and the fee is set by Planning & Codes when the permit is issued.
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical permit | $50 basic fee |
| Plumbing permit | $35 plus $2 per fixture |
| Mechanical permit | Based on tonnage (heated sq ft ÷ 400) |
| Manufactured home Move On, new to 4 years old | $450 |
| Manufactured home Move On, 5–9 years old | $350 |
| Manufactured home Move On, 10 years or older | $150 |
| 10-year inspection permit | $100 |
| Septic tank permit, new | $110 |
| Septic tank permit, existing system | $40 |
| Well permit | $45 |
| Advertising sign | $50 each |
| Directional or private sign | $25 each |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →A manufactured home Move On permit also needs the $50 electrical permit. All required fees must be paid before the Code Inspector issues the Certificate of Occupancy.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Pierce County
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work each need a separate Planning & Codes permit, and the building permit application lists the electrical, plumbing and heating/air contractors for the job. Each trade application becomes part of the building permit once its fees are paid. The electrical application covers new residential and commercial wiring, rewiring, panel and service changes, temporary and relocated services, mobile homes and irrigation pivots, and asks whether Georgia Power or Satilla REA serves the site. Plumbing is priced per fixture; mechanical permits are priced on system tonnage, counted as heated square feet divided by 400.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Application documents
Building permit
- Building Permit Application with valuation, heated and unheated square footage and contractor licence number
- 2 copies of a scaled plat or plan showing lot dimensions, the building’s size and location, setbacks and the number of units
- Certificate that the lot is a lot of record
- Road Department approval, including any new culvert
- Septic tank and well permits from the Health Department, where needed
- Authorized Permit Agent Application when someone files for the contractor
Manufactured home Move On
- Tax receipt showing taxes paid on the land and on a used home
- Title for a used home, or dealer’s statement and manufacturer’s statement of origin for a new one
- Property record card from the Tax Assessors
- Copy of the state-licensed installer’s install permit
- Landowner’s permission letter if the land is in someone else’s name
- Passed 10-year inspection for a home over 10 years old
Any change from the approved site plan needs the Zoning Administrator’s approval, and an unapproved deviation stops the Code Inspector from issuing the Certificate of Occupancy.
How to apply: 6-step Pierce County process
Planning & Codes checks the parcel’s zoning and the groundwater recharge, flood hazard and wetlands maps before any permit is issued.
Apply for the septic tank and well permits where the site needs them.
Complete the building permit application and the electrical, plumbing and mechanical applications, with 2 scaled copies of the site plan.
The Road Department reviews drainage and decides whether a culvert is needed before the building permit is issued; a new culvert is permitted through the County Commission office.
Pay the permit fees and begin work within 6 months; the Code Inspector can extend in writing by up to 6 months at a time.
Finish the work to the approved site plan, install any required culvert and pay all fees; the Code Inspector then issues the Certificate of Occupancy.
Rather not deal with the Pierce County building department?
Get a free quote →Pierce County inspections
Inspection questions go to Planning & Codes at 912-449-2037. A new culvert must be in place by the Certificate of Occupancy inspection, and the Certificate is issued once the building substantially matches the approved plan and all fees are paid.
For manufactured homes, the inspection is made after set-up is complete, and the home cannot be occupied or have power connected until every Move On requirement is met: a landing of at least 3 x 3 ft with guard rails and handrails at every door, smoke detectors in every bedroom and hallway, address numbers at least 3 inches tall on the outside and a utility account set up with the power company before the final.
Local Pierce County details that matter
Manufactured homes: mobile homes built before June 15, 1976 are not allowed anywhere in the county or its cities, and manufactured homes are not permitted inside Blackshear city limits.
Water resource districts: groundwater recharge areas, flood hazard districts and wetlands are mapped for the county and its three cities, and their rules are enforced as part of the permit when a project falls within one.
Large developments: projects that meet the state’s Development of Regional Impact thresholds go to the South Georgia Regional Commission for review before a local building permit or utility tap is issued.
Demolition: the applicant states whether they own the property or have a contract to remove the building, and the site must be left raked clean.
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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
Pierce 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.
- Pierce County — Code of Ordinances / Permit Administration
- Pierce County — Zoning/Land Use Ordinance
- Pierce County — Official Website
- Pierce County Permits & Applications
- Pierce County Building Permit Application (2026)
- Pierce County Requirements for Manufactured Homes
- Pierce County Planning & Codes contacts
Pierce County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Pierce County?
The Pierce County Code Inspector at Planning & Codes, 312 Nichols Street, Blackshear, under the zoning ordinance shared by the County and the Cities of Blackshear, Offerman and Patterson. Property inside Waycross city limits is permitted by the City of Waycross.
When do I need a building permit in Pierce County?
Before you build, move, demolish or alter any building or structure. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work each need their own permit as well.
How much are trade permits in Pierce County?
Electrical permits have a $50 basic fee, plumbing permits are $35 plus $2 per fixture, and mechanical permits are priced on system tonnage.
What does it cost to move a manufactured home into Pierce County?
The Move On permit is $450 for a home up to 4 years old, $350 for 5–9 years and $150 for 10 years or older, plus a $50 electrical permit. Homes over 10 years old also need a $100 10-year inspection.
How long is a building permit good for?
It becomes void if work does not start within 6 months or stops for 6 months, unless the Code Inspector extends it in writing.
Can I put a manufactured home in Blackshear?
No. The ordinance does not permit manufactured homes inside Blackshear city limits.
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More Georgia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Pierce County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.