In unincorporated Rabun County, building permits come from the Planning & Zoning Office at 18 Old Raco High Drive, Suite 102, Clayton (706-782-1579). The fee is a flat $250 for a new home and $500 for new commercial construction, and the County will not issue a permit until you have a septic permit or Health Department evaluation, or a public sewer connection.
What requires a building permit in Rabun County?
The County code requires a building permit to construct, repair or alter any building, and no power company may connect temporary or permanent electricity to a new, repaired or relocated building until the permit is issued.
Permits from Planning & Zoning
- New homes and new commercial buildings
- Additions, remodels and other building work (including renewals)
- Manufactured homes
- Land disturbing activity (LDA) permits
- Signs and billboards
- Telecommunication towers (through the specific purpose zoning process)
- Rezoning, variances and specific purpose applications
No permit or no fee
- Ordinary minor repairs, with the administrative officer’s approval
- General maintenance such as painting, wallpapering or replacing windows, doors or a roof with similar material
- Building permits for work estimated under $2,500 carry no fee
Who handles permitting in Rabun County?
The Planning & Zoning Office issues building permits and land disturbing activity permits, processes rezoning, specific purpose and variance applications, and administers the zoning, soil erosion, sedimentation, pollution control and flood damage prevention sections of the County code. Under the code, the same department receives applications, issues permits and makes the inspections needed to enforce the building regulations.
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Get a free quote →| Item | Rabun County |
|---|---|
| Office | Planning & Zoning, 18 Old Raco High Drive, Suite 102, Clayton, GA 30525 |
| Phone | 706-782-1579 |
| planning@rabuncounty.ga.gov | |
| 911 addresses | Mapping Department, 706-782-7579, at the EMS building at the Clayton Fire Department |
| Planning Commission | Fourth Monday of the month, 6 p.m., Rabun County Courthouse |
The County’s June 2026 permit checklist starts by asking whether the property is in unincorporated Rabun County; if it is inside a city, the office’s administrative clerk gives further guidance.
- Sky Valley: building permit applications go to the City’s building code official, and the City’s own building inspection department reviews plans and inspects residential and commercial work; Building Inspector, 3444 Highway 246, 706-746-2204.
- Tallulah Falls (partly in Rabun County): the Town’s zoning administrative officer issues building permits, and detached accessory buildings of 200 sq ft or less need none; Town Hall, 255 Main Street, 706-754-6040.
- Tiger: the Town’s structures ordinance requires the lot owner to have the plans and specifications of any new structure approved by the Town Council before building; it does not name a permit office.
- Dillard and Mountain City: neither the County nor the cities publish who issues building permits there; contact City Hall before applying (Dillard City Clerk, 706-746-5891).
Permit costs and fees in Rabun County
Rabun County charges flat building permit fees under its fee schedule dated March 26, 2024.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| New construction, residential | $250 |
| New construction, commercial | $500 |
| Other building permits and renewals (listed as BH, R, A, MH) | $100 |
| Building permit for work under $2,500 estimated cost | $0 |
| Sign (other than billboard), up to 50 sq ft | $500 |
| Billboard up to 100 sq ft | $500, plus $10 per sq ft over 100 |
| Tower construction | $5,000 |
| Variance or specific purpose | $400 |
| Land disturbance, 10 acres or less | $100 |
| Land disturbance, over 10 up to 25 acres | $300 |
| Land disturbance, over 25 acres | $400 plus $10 per acre over 25 |
| NPDES (on top of the LDA fee) | $40 per disturbed acre |
Card payments carry a 3% service charge. LDA and NPDES fees are charged after the plans are approved by NRCS, and the permit is issued once they are paid. Starting work before the permit adds a penalty equal to 100% of the normal permit fee.
Electrical, plumbing and contractor requirements in Rabun County
The County’s published fee schedule and application cover a single building permit; the application asks about heating and air conditioning, and the code requires the electrical service equipment to meet the power supplier’s requirements before a permit is issued. Contractors must give the County their state licence number before a permit is issued, and the application asks for a copy of the licence.
A contractor pulling the permit needs a permission letter from the owner or authorized agent, and anyone using a contractor’s licence that is not in their own name needs a notarised statement from that contractor. Owners acting as their own contractor file the notarised Homeowner’s Affidavit.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Application documents
Building permit packet
- Original Building Permit Application, fully completed
- Owner’s permission letter if a contractor is applying
- Contractor’s licence information, or a notarised Homeowner’s Affidavit
- Recorded deed, with any covenants, conditions and restrictions
- Recorded plat
- Site plan showing the new and existing buildings, accurate lot dimensions, a readable scale and zoning compliance
- Floor plans, the same set given to the Health Department (and to Georgia Power for a Georgia Power lot)
- Current septic permit or Health Department inspection/evaluation
- Signed Set Back Application
- For remodels, a detailed scope of work and drawings if applicable
Also needed
- 911 address from the Mapping Department
- Driveway permit from the Board of Commissioners for a driveway onto a county road
- Soil erosion and sedimentation plan approved for more than 1 acre disturbed; a tertiary permit for less than 1 acre in a subdivision
- DNR variance to build within the 50 ft trout stream buffer
How to apply: 6-step Rabun County process
The County’s application is for unincorporated Rabun County; city properties get guidance from the administrative clerk.
Obtain the sewage system permit or evaluation from the Rabun County Health Department, using the same floor plans you will give the County.
Request the address from the Mapping Department and, for a county road, the driveway permit from the Board of Commissioners.
File the application, deed, plat, site plan, floor plans, licence or Homeowner’s Affidavit and the signed Set Back Application with Planning & Zoning, and pay the fee.
Post a copy of the permit where it can be seen near the work, or give the owner a copy within 10 days.
The permit lapses if work has not started within 12 months; written extensions of up to 360 days can be granted for justifiable cause.
Rather not deal with the Rabun County building department?
Get a free quote →Rabun County inspections and enforcement
Under the County code, inspections are made by the Planning & Zoning department, which can enter a site with proper credentials, order defective or illegal work stopped in writing and serve notices of violation. The office also gives free help preparing a site’s erosion control measures (706-782-1579).
Exposed soil must be stabilized with grass, straw, mulch or seed within seven days, and silt fences, hay bales or sediment basins must keep silt from running off.
Local Rabun County details that matter
Setbacks and height: the Set Back Application sets side and rear setbacks of 10 ft, a 25 ft front setback from road rights-of-way, 25 ft from state waters and 50 ft from trout waters. The highest living floor may not be more than 26 ft up and the overall building height is capped at 40 ft. The County’s older New Construction Checklist still shows 15 ft side and rear setbacks, so check which applies to your lot.
Minimum house size: a dwelling must have at least 672 sq ft of heated floor space, or as little as 400 sq ft on the main level if it is stick-built on site on a permanent foundation.
Living in an RV while building: allowed on your own land once the building permit is issued and septic or sewer and water are in place, for the life of the permit (12 months plus one renewal, 24 months in total).
Georgia Power lots: the application asks whether the land is leased from Georgia Power or owned outright, and Georgia Power lots send the same floor plans to Georgia Power.
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
Rabun 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.
- Rabun County — Forms
- Rabun County — Building Permit Packet Application
- Rabun County — Permits & Applications
- Rabun County — Planning & Zoning
- Rabun County Planning & Zoning fee schedule
- Rabun County New Construction Checklist
- Rabun County Code of Ordinances (Chapter 10, building permits)
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Rabun County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Rabun County?
The Rabun County Planning & Zoning Office, 18 Old Raco High Drive, Suite 102, Clayton, for property in unincorporated Rabun County.
How much is a building permit in Rabun County?
$250 for a new home, $500 for new commercial construction and $100 for other building permits and renewals. Work estimated under $2,500 has no fee.
Do I need a septic permit first?
Yes, unless the building will be on a city or county sewer system. Bring the Health Department permit or evaluation with your application.
Can I build my own house in Rabun County?
Yes. Owners acting as their own contractor submit a notarised Homeowner’s Affidavit with the permit packet.
What is the smallest house allowed?
672 sq ft of heated space, or 400 sq ft for a stick-built house on a permanent foundation.
How long is a Rabun County building permit valid?
Work must start within 12 months of issue; written extensions of up to 360 days each are possible.
Can I get power connected before the permit?
No. Power companies may not connect temporary or permanent electricity until the building permit is issued.
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More Georgia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Rabun County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.