In unincorporated Polk County, building permits come from Polk County Building Inspection at 5 Warehouse Street, Cedartown (770-749-2104), and every application must be handed in and paid for in person. Under the County’s 2025 fee schedule a new home costs $0.44 per heated sq ft and $0.22 per unheated sq ft, with electrical, plumbing and HVAC permitted separately.
What requires a building permit in Polk County?
Polk County Building Inspection publishes applications and fees for these projects in the unincorporated county:
Residential
- New single-family homes (at least 1,200 heated sq ft)
- Additions, remodels, outbuildings and garages
- Enclosed barns, storage buildings and pole barns
- Mobile home placement and electrical hookup
- Metal roofs and roofing
- In-ground pools and above-ground pools 3 ft or taller
- Demolition and moving a house
- Electrical, plumbing, gas line and HVAC work
Commercial and site
- Commercial, industrial and multi-family buildings
- Greenhouses and poultry barns
- Cell towers and antenna co-locations
- Signs
- Driveways onto county roads
- Grading and development permits
- Fences and walls 6 ft and taller
A temporary power pole is not allowed without an approved building permit, except where the County grants an exception for a well, a gate operator or another approved structure.
Who handles permitting in Polk County?
Polk County Building Inspection issues permits and inspects residential and commercial buildings in the unincorporated county. Brian McCray is the Chief Building Inspector. The department also assigns street addresses, but only to commercial businesses and lived-in homes on official county roads.
| Item | Polk County |
|---|---|
| Office | Polk County Building Inspection, 5 Warehouse Street, Cedartown, GA 30125 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 268, Cedartown, GA 30125 |
| Phone | 770-749-2104, option 1 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Apply and pay | In person only; commercial packets can also be mailed, but emailed applications are not processed |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →The Cities of Cedartown and Rockmart handle building permits inside their own limits; Rockmart’s Building Official reviews city applications, and contractors must file a city Regulatory Application to work there. Aragon’s city code also has its own building inspector issue building permits and certificates of occupancy, with permit fees kept by the city clerk; Aragon City Hall is at 2814 Rome Highway (770-684-6563). Braswell and Taylorsville lie partly in Polk County, and neither the County nor those towns publish who issues permits there; contact the town hall before applying.
Permit costs and fees in Polk County
Building fees are set by resolution of the Board of Commissioners and published in the County’s fee schedule, last updated in 2025.
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| New home or addition, heated space | $0.44 per sq ft ($50 minimum) |
| New home or addition, unheated space | $0.22 per sq ft ($50 minimum) |
| Remodel under 400 sq ft | $150 |
| Remodel 401–600 sq ft | $225 |
| Remodel over 600 sq ft | $375 |
| Enclosed barn, garage or storage building | $0.22 per sq ft ($50 minimum) |
| Pole barn under 1,000 sq ft / over 1,000 sq ft | $150 / $200 |
| Residential roofing | $80 |
| In-ground pool / above-ground pool 3 ft or taller | $275 / $75 |
| Mobile home | $600 |
| Residential demolition | $85 |
| Commercial new construction or addition, heated | $0.54 per sq ft ($100 minimum) |
| Commercial, unheated | $0.32 per sq ft ($100 minimum) |
| Poultry barn | $1,100 per house |
| Residential / commercial inspection or re-inspection | $60 / $85 |
| Permit renewal, up to 12 months (residential / commercial) | $75 / $100 |
| Driveway permit | $150 |
| Fence or wall 6 ft and taller | $50 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →For example, a home with 2,000 sq ft of heated space and 500 sq ft of unheated garage and porch has a building permit fee of $880 plus $110, or $990, before the trade permits. The Building Inspection page and the August 2026 residential packet still quote a $50 re-inspection fee, so ask which figure applies before you budget. A County culvert pipe is charged at twice the pipe cost, installed.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Polk County
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC are separate permits, applied for on the County’s Electrical Application and HVAC and Plumbing Application. Each must carry the original signature of the licence holder (or homeowner), a copy of the current state licence and picture ID; new builds need an HVAC load calculation.
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential electrical, up to 200 A / over 200 A | $160 / $210 |
| Commercial electrical, up to 200 A / over 200 A | $260 / $310 |
| Temporary pole, solar, generator, well pump, pool or service upgrade | $60 residential / $85 commercial |
| Residential plumbing, up to 12 fixtures | $90 |
| Commercial plumbing, up to 6 fixtures | $115 |
| Gas line pressure test, up to 4 outlets / more than 4 | $60–$85 / $100–$115 |
| Residential HVAC, electric, up to 4 tons / over 4 tons | $110 / $160 |
| Residential HVAC, gas, up to 4 tons / over 4 tons | $160 / $210 |
A temporary pole is inspected only after the footing inspection and must be disconnected once permanent power is approved.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Application documents
New home
- Completed and signed Single Family Residential Building Packet (all 8 pages)
- Parcel number from the Tax Assessors (770-749-2108)
- Recorded warranty deed and recorded plat
- Surveyor’s plat showing the house location, setbacks and any access easement
- Water availability letter from the Polk County Water Authority or a hydrologist
- House plan of at least 1,200 heated sq ft
- Septic approval letter from the Health Department (770-749-2270)
- Driveway Certification from the Road Department, with the culvert paid for
- Contractor’s state licence and picture ID, or the owner’s driver’s licence
Commercial, industrial, multi-family
- Recorded deed and plat with a survey overlay of setbacks, building, parking, stormwater ponds and flood areas
- Soil and sedimentation plans with a flood plain report
- Hydrology report and County Engineer approval where more than 0.4 acre is disturbed
- GDOT clearance letter
- Septic permit or city sewer tap authorization
- One set of engineer-stamped architectural drawings
- Water availability letter and driveway certification
- Planning and zoning approval letter, if required
Incomplete packets are not processed. Owners building their own home sign the notarised Owner Building Permit Affidavit in the residential packet.
Rather not deal with the Polk County building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply: 6-step Polk County process
Make sure the parcel is outside Cedartown, Rockmart and Aragon and that the house fits the A-1, R-1 or R-2 setbacks printed in the packet.
Get the water availability letter, the Health Department septic approval and the parcel number from the Tax Assessors.
Stake the driveway in the ditch and call Public Works (770-749-2132) to size and price the culvert; pay for it before you apply.
Bring the complete packet and the trade applications to 5 Warehouse Street and pay there.
Lay a 12 x 50 ft #3 stone construction entrance, place a portable toilet and a 20-cubic-yard dumpster, and install erosion controls.
The general contractor calls in each inspection; after temp-to-perm power and the final, the County issues the Certificate of Occupancy.
Polk County inspections
Inspections must be called in to the office by the general contractor, and each item on the County’s Required Inspection Checklist must be done before the inspector comes. A re-inspection fee is charged when work is not ready on arrival, but not when a problem is found in a valid inspection. A $50 site inspection can be bought before a permit is issued to check a lot meets County requirements.
Power and final: a $50 temp-to-perm electrical service can be bought once the house is at least 85% complete. Temp-to-perm needs all rough inspections passed, the electrical service complete, an active breaker and GFI receptacle, and the sheetrock up. Once permanent power is approved, the Certificate of Occupancy must follow within 60 days or the power is disconnected (one extension can be requested). Call for the final only when the house is 100% complete with appliances installed, and submit a termite letter before the CO.
Permit life: all permits expire 6 months after issue if no inspection has passed, and each passed inspection extends the permit by 12 months. An expired permit has to be bought again, with no refunds or credits.
Local Polk County details that matter
Driveways: every driveway is inspected by the Road Department and needs a concrete (4 inches) or asphalt (2 inches) apron. For a house, the finished driveway must be paved at least 25 ft from the road and 12 ft wide, with a 20 ft flare at the shoulder; multi-family and commercial driveways are 24 ft wide and industrial ones 30 ft. State highway driveways need a GDOT permit.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Pools: in-ground pools and above-ground pools with fixed ladders need a 4 ft fence, self-latching gates, audible alarms and a passed final inspection before any water goes in.
Addresses: the County assigns addresses only to inhabited homes and businesses, not vacant land, farms without a house or outbuildings, and only on roads the County has accepted.
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
Polk 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.
- Polk County — Staff Directory
- Polk County — Building Inspection
- Polk County fee schedule (2025 update)
- Polk County Single Family Residential Building Packet (August 2026)
- Polk County commercial, industrial and multi-family application
- Polk County Driveway & Culvert Certification
- City of Rockmart building permits
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Polk County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Polk County?
Polk County Building Inspection at 5 Warehouse Street, Cedartown, for the unincorporated county. Cedartown, Rockmart and Aragon issue permits inside their city limits.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Polk County?
$0.44 per heated square foot and $0.22 per unheated square foot under the 2025 fee schedule, plus separate electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits.
Can I apply online?
No. Forms must be returned and paid for in person, and the County cannot take payment by phone or email.
What is the smallest house I can build?
The residential and mobile home packets require at least 1,200 heated square feet.
How long is a permit good for?
Six months if no inspection is passed; each passed inspection extends it by 12 months.
Can I get temporary power before I have a permit?
No. A T-pole needs an approved building permit, apart from exceptions for wells, gate operators and other approved structures.
Who schedules inspections?
The general contractor calls each inspection in to the Building Inspection office.
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More Georgia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Polk County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.