Screven County, Georgia Building Permit Guide

In unincorporated Screven County, building permits come from the Screven County Zoning Office, 216 Mims Road, Sylvania (912-564-2951), where Randy Hagan is Zoning Administrator and Building Inspector. The County allows up to 5 business days to review a permit packet, and inspections are called in at least 24 hours ahead.

What requires a building permit in Screven County?

The County zoning ordinance requires a building permit before you excavate or fill a lot to build, put up, move, extend or enlarge a building, or install a manufactured or industrialized home, and no electrical service is provided to new construction until the permit is issued. The County’s building code section also requires permits for electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing work.

Who handles permitting in Screven County?

The Screven County Planning and Zoning Department reviews development and site plans, administers the zoning regulations and runs building permits and inspections through the Zoning Office. Randy Hagan is the Zoning Administrator and Building Inspector.

The City of Sylvania’s own code gives its city building inspector the job of issuing building permits and certificates of occupancy inside the city. The County’s zoning ordinance covers only the unincorporated county, and neither the County nor the towns publish who issues building permits in Hiltonia, Newington, Oliver or Rocky Ford; contact the town hall before applying (Newington Town Hall, 912-857-3115).

Permit costs and fees in Screven County

Permit fees are set by the Board of Commissioners and kept on file with the building official; the application records the estimated cost and the permit fee, and fees are paid before the permit is issued (for manufactured homes, when the packet is submitted). Starting work before the permit adds a penalty of 100% of the normal fee. Manufactured home re-inspections cost $50. The Tax Assessors Office also reviews each application for tax information.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Screven County

Every contractor on the job files an original, notarised affidavit with the building permit application. The packet includes separate sub-contractor affidavits for plumbing (Master Plumber Class I or II), electrical (Electrical Contractor Class I or II), mechanical (Conditioned Air Contractor Class I or II) and low-voltage work, each listing the state licence number and the business licence. Any plumbing, electrical or HVAC work other than an ordinary repair needs a permit; after an emergency such as a failed water heater or HVAC unit, the permit can be taken out within 48 hours of the installation.

No utility may connect energy, fuel or power to a permitted building until the building official releases it, although temporary connections can be authorized for testing.

Application documents

Single-family homes of any size need no architect or engineer. Sealed plans are required for assembly, educational and institutional buildings, buildings of three or more stories, and buildings of 5,000 sq ft or more or costing $100,000 or more.

How to apply: 6-step Screven County process

Screven County inspections

The person who signed the permit application is responsible for calling for inspections, by phone during business hours at least 24 hours ahead; licensed sub-contractors can arrange inspections of their own work. Someone must be present to let the inspector into an existing home. Work may not be covered until it has passed inspection.

Building inspections listed in the County code are foundation, subfloor, slab, frame, insulation and final, with underground, rough-in and final inspections for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, rough and final piping for gas, and energy inspections at the foundation, frame and final. In a flood hazard area, the lowest-floor elevation certificate is due before work goes higher.

Manufactured homes: request inspections by 4 p.m. the day before, by phone or at zone-sec@planters.net, with the permit number, address, inspection needed and your phone number. The inspections are pad (dirt mound), set-up and final (skirting); power is released after the final is approved and the Certificate of Occupancy follows. Re-inspections cost $50.

Local Screven County details that matter

Setbacks: on a local street, R-1 and R-2 lots need 40 ft at the front, 20 ft at the sides and 10 ft at the rear; AG-3 lots need 100 ft, 30 ft and 50 ft. Setbacks apply to every new structure, an accessory building must be at least 12 ft from the house and behind or beside it, and a replacement home can be no closer to the front line than the one it replaces.

Owner-builders: owners sign the Home Owner Permit Affidavit, agreeing to live in the home, and the Owner Building Permit Affidavit. An owner who sells within 24 months of the Certificate of Occupancy cannot pull another owner permit without a state licence.

Manufactured home set-up: homes must be installed by a licensed installer (an owner who will live in the home may install it), on piers set on 16 x 16 x 4 inch concrete bases or approved pads, with the site graded so water cannot run under the home.

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

Screven 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
• Screven County — Code of Ordinances
• Screven County — Staff Directory
• Screven County — Planning and Zoning
• Screven County Building Permit Application & Requirements
• Screven County Manufactured Home Placement Permit Application & Requirements
• City of Sylvania Code of Ordinances

Screven County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Screven County?

The Screven County Zoning Office at 216 Mims Road, Sylvania, for the unincorporated county. Inside Sylvania, the city’s building inspector issues permits.

How long does a Screven County building permit take?

The County allows up to 5 business days to review and approve a complete packet.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call the Zoning Office at 912-564-2951 at least 24 hours ahead. For manufactured homes, call or email zone-sec@planters.net by 4 p.m. the day before.

How long is a building permit good for?

Six months: it becomes invalid if work does not start, or stops, for six months, unless the building official grants a 90-day extension.

Can I pull my own permit as a homeowner?

Yes, if you will live in the home. Sign the Home Owner Permit Affidavit and the Owner Building Permit Affidavit, and hire licensed trade contractors for work you do not do yourself.

Do I need an architect for a new house?

No. Single-family homes of any size need neither an architect nor an engineer under the County code.

Simplify Screven County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Georgia. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Screven County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.