Building permits in Putnam County, including inside the City of Eatonton, come from Putnam County Planning and Development at 117 Putnam Drive, Suite B, Eatonton (706-485-2776), and most applications are filed online in GeoPermits. Contractors attach their state licence and Occupational Tax Certificate to every permit, and work started without a permit pays double the fee.
What requires a building permit in Putnam County?
The County requires a building permit for any agricultural, residential or commercial construction. Its code lists separate building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits:
Permit required
- New construction, additions and remodels
- Storage buildings, carports, barns and detached garages
- Swimming pools, above or in ground
- Manufactured homes, DCA modular homes and relocated homes
- Moving or demolishing a building
- Signs
- Electrical, plumbing, gas, HVAC, fire sprinkler and elevator work
- A new business or tenant moving into an existing non-residential building (inspection before the business licence)
No permit
- Ordinary minor repairs that do not break the building codes
- Repairing leaks, unstopping drains, replacing faucets or toilets, repairing valves and cleaning septic tanks (no plumbing permit)
Building permits are issued only on legal lots of record, and not to anyone with an open violation or stop-work order.
Who handles permitting in Putnam County?
Putnam County Planning and Development issues building, sign, site plan and land disturbance permits, zoning compliance and occupational licences. Under the service delivery strategy agreement it also handles permitting for the City of Eatonton, and the County’s commercial permit application has a box for each. Lisa Jackson is the Director of Planning & Development.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Item | Putnam County |
|---|---|
| Office | Planning & Development, 117 Putnam Drive, Suite B, Eatonton, GA 31024 |
| Phone | 706-485-2776 (fax 706-485-0552) |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., except holidays |
| Apply | GeoPermits online portal |
| Manual submittals | pdsubmittals@putnamcountyga.us or hand delivery |
Putnam County permit applications and online filing
Most permits are applied for in GeoPermits. Sign up on the GeoPermits home page, confirm the account from the email you receive, log in, and choose Georgia and then Putnam County, Georgia to see every application category. Fields and uploads marked with an asterisk are required.
These applications are not in GeoPermits and must be emailed to pdsubmittals@putnamcountyga.us or hand delivered: rezoning, variance, administrative variance and conditional use packets; preliminary, final and minor plats; county site-civil plans; land disturbance and minor buffer disturbance; notices of timber harvesting; telecommunication permits and registrations; media production; appeals; and the Authorized Agent Form.
Permit costs and fees in Putnam County
The amounts are kept in the schedule of fees at the Planning and Development office. Under the County code, building fees are charged per square foot of gross outside floor area, with separate rates for heated residential space, garages, storage buildings and barns, open sheds and commercial space. Manufactured homes pay one fee that includes a 200-amp electrical permit, pools pay one fee that includes the fence, and electrical, plumbing (base fee plus per fixture) and mechanical (per ton of cooling and per 20,000 BTU of heat) are charged separately.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →- Work started without a permit: twice the regular permit fee. Work that was covered before inspection must be certified by an independent engineer.
- Re-inspections: charged for a wrong address, work not ready, corrections not made on time, missed inspections or work added after an inspection.
- Refunds: 85% of the fee if no work has been done and you ask in writing within six months of issue; plan review fees are not refunded.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Putnam County
Electrical permits cover any wiring, fixtures, conduit or equipment that uses electrical energy. Plumbing permits cover water supply and distribution, fixtures, sanitary and storm sewers and waste piping. Mechanical permits cover boilers, furnaces and heating appliances, air conditioning and refrigeration, ventilation and ductwork, gas piping, elevators and lifts, spray booths and fire sprinkler and standpipe systems.
Permits are issued only to contractors qualified for the type of work. Contractors register an occupational licence with Planning and Development, and contractors who are not state licensed must carry a $25,000 licence bond naming the department.
Application documents and plan review
Every building permit
- Site plan or dimensional sketch signed by the owner, with lot boundaries from a licensed surveyor, the size and location of existing and proposed buildings, easements and watercourses
- Recorded plat
- Tax map and parcel number
- Septic permit from the Health Department, if on septic
- Sewer and water tap approvals for an existing lot outside an approved subdivision
- Driveway permit from GDOT or Putnam County, where needed
- Contractor’s State Contractor’s License and Occupational Tax Certificate
Commercial and multi-family
- 2 sets of plans and specifications
- Foundations, wall sections, floor and roof plans, elevations and a plot plan with parking and loading spaces
- Complete structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical plans
- Architect or engineer seal for educational, institutional and assembly buildings, buildings three or more stories and buildings over 5,000 sq ft
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Accessory buildings in residential and agricultural districts need no site plan, but the application must certify that the building meets the setbacks. Plans are examined in the order received; rejected applications are returned with the reasons in writing.
How to apply: 6-step Putnam County process
Make sure the parcel is a legal lot of record and the use fits its zoning; rezonings and variances go to the Planning Commission first.
Obtain the septic permit or water and sewer taps, and a driveway or culvert permit from the County road department or GDOT.
Register, confirm your email and select Georgia, then Putnam County, Georgia.
Choose the application, upload the site plan, plat, plans and contractor licence and Occupational Tax Certificate, and pay the fees.
The permit expires if construction has not begun six months after issue, and permits run one year unless extended.
Request inspections as the work progresses and finish before the permit expires, so the building is not left without a Certificate of Occupancy.
Rather not deal with the Putnam County building department?
Get a free quote →Putnam County inspections
Field inspections check that the work matches the approved site plan and permit, and are made as soon as practicable after the developer requests them. When a violation is found, a notice of violation is posted on the site.
A structure left partly built with no real progress for more than six months is a nuisance under the County code, as is an unfinished building left without a Certificate of Occupancy more than 30 days after its permit expires. The director can cite the owner or builder and seek abatement in court.
Local Putnam County details that matter
Docks and bulkheads: docks, ramps and bulkheads within Georgia Power’s jurisdiction need a permit from Georgia Power’s land department as well as the County’s approval.
Pools: every pool must be enclosed by a wall or fence at least 4 ft high with a self-closing gate, installed before the pool is filled. Public pools also need Health Department plan approval.
Owner-builders: an owner can permit and build a home or farm building for their own use, not for sale or public use, but receives no more than one new-dwelling permit in any 12 months.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Putnam 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.
- Putnam County — Official Website
- Putnam County — Planning & Development
- Putnam County — Permit Information / Contacts
- Putnam County — Applications and Forms
- Putnam County GeoPermits portal
- Putnam County pool requirements
- Putnam County Code of Ordinances (Chapter 18, building permits)
Putnam County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Putnam County?
Putnam County Planning and Development, for both the unincorporated county and the City of Eatonton.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Can I apply for a building permit online?
Yes. Most applications are filed in GeoPermits; zoning, plat, land disturbance and some other applications go by email to pdsubmittals@putnamcountyga.us or by hand.
Do I need a permit for a shed, carport or pool?
Yes. The County requires permits for accessory structures including storage buildings, carports, barns, detached garages and swimming pools.
Can a homeowner pull a building permit?
Yes, for a home or farm building for the owner’s own use and not for sale, with no more than one new-house permit in 12 months.
How long is a Putnam County building permit valid?
It expires after six months if construction has not begun or has been abandoned, and permits run one year from issue unless extended.
What happens if I build without a permit?
The permit fee doubles, and covered work may need an independent engineer’s certification.
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More Georgia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Putnam County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.