Snellville, Georgia Building Permit Guide

In Snellville, the Building Department of the City’s Department of Planning & Development issues building and trade permits for property inside city limits. There is no online portal: packets are delivered in person to City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, or mailed. New construction is charged $6 per $1,000 of ICC construction value, and the City aims to finish plan review within 30 days.

What requires a permit in Snellville?

A permit is needed to build, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building, change its occupancy, or install or replace electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems. The City’s own table, which it says is not a complete list, sorts common home projects like this:

Snellville building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department within Planning & Development enforces the construction codes in Chapter 300 (Buildings) of the Snellville Unified Development Ordinance, reviews plans, issues permits and inspects the work. The same department handles civil site plans, final plats and land development permits.

Property in unincorporated Gwinnett County is permitted by Gwinnett County, not the City.

Snellville permit types and filing path

The City states that it does not have an online portal: every submittal is made in person or by mail, and incomplete submittals are not accepted. The Forms & Applications page carries the packets:

• Residential Single-family Permit Application Packet (revised September 2026), for new homes, additions and remodels: checklist, Building Plan Submittal Form, building permit application, subcontractor affidavit, Authorized Permit Agent Form and solid waste affidavit.
• Commercial Building Permit Application Packet, used with Gwinnett County Fire Marshal-approved plans.
• Residential Roofed Accessory Structure and Swimming Pool permit packets.
• Single-trade Electrical, HVAC and Plumbing permits, and Demo-Re-Roofing, Demolition and Moving, Driveway, Retaining Wall, Exterior Lighting and Temporary Construction Trailer permits.
• Contractor Registration, renewed every year with a current Georgia business licence, or the Affidavit of Homeowner Acting as General Contractor.
• Erosion & Sediment Control Affidavit, Indemnity Agreement, and the Accessory Dwelling Unit and In-Law Suite affidavits.

Permit costs and fees in Snellville

Fees come from the Planning & Development Fee Schedule approved on March 10, 2025 and effective April 1, 2025. New buildings are charged $6 per $1,000 of construction value, taken from the ICC Building Valuation Data for the construction type, occupancy and square footage; the City updates the figures each January 1, and shell-only buildings pay 50%. The permit fee includes building inspections but not plan review or re-inspections.

Re-inspections are charged separately: $50 for the first, $75 for the second, $100 for the third, $125 for the fourth and $150 for the fifth.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work

On a building permit, the electrical, low-voltage, heating and air and plumbing subcontractors each sign a subcontractor affidavit naming the class of state licence used, and send it with copies of their business licence, state licence and driver’s licence; they pay no separate permit fee. The general contractor must get every affidavit accepted before any inspection is scheduled. Work that is only a trade job, such as a water heater or HVAC replacement, uses the single-trade Electrical, HVAC or Plumbing permit at $50.

Snellville has adopted a local amendment to the plumbing code on water efficiency (July 22, 2024). A safety inspection to authorize a utility reconnection costs $50 for electric or gas alone and $100 for both. Walton EMC (770-972-2917) is listed among the City’s utility contacts.

Alliance handles electrical permit expediting for contractors here. More on this: who pulls the electrical permit.

Application documents and plan review

Under the plan review notice on the City’s submittal form, the City aims to complete review within 30 days of accepting the plans; if it sends a written deficiency notice, the clock stops until revisions arrive, then the City has the rest of the period plus five business days. Commercial plans are reviewed on Fridays, first come first served, and the City says review generally takes under two weeks but can take up to four.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit applications through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

How to apply: 6-step Snellville process

Snellville inspections

The general contractor calls in all inspections, at 770-985-3513 or 770-985-3514, at least 24 hours before the inspection is wanted. Inspections are carried out on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only.

No inspection is made until erosion control measures are installed and maintained and the licensed subcontractor affidavits have been accepted. The approved “Keep on Job Site” plans, stamped by the Fire Marshal and the City on commercial jobs, must stay on site.

A building may not be occupied until all inspections are passed, re-inspection fees and fines are paid, and the Certificate of Occupancy or Completion is issued by Planning & Development (and by Gwinnett County Fire & Emergency Services when it applies).

Local Snellville details that matter

Homeowner builders: an owner acting as general contractor must personally do the work or directly hire and pay each trade, list the subcontractors on the affidavit schedule, and may not hire an unlicensed person to manage the job. A homeowner building their own home (no more than one a year) does not need a business licence.

Fences: residential fences need no building permit, but walls and fences are limited to 4 feet in a front yard and 8 feet in side and rear yards, and within sight triangles at intersections no fence or wall that blocks the view may be higher than 30 inches.

Commercial taps: new commercial buildings need water and sewer tap receipts from Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources before the permit is issued; interior finish permits do not.

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

Snellville 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 State Minimum Standard Codes
• Snellville fee schedule
• Snellville Building & Development Permitting
• Snellville Building Permits & Inspections
• DCA effective-date memorandum
• Snellville Forms & Applications
• Snellville Residential Single-family Permit Packet (September 2026)
• Snellville Affidavit of Homeowner Acting as General Contractor
• Snellville Fences and Walls guidelines

Snellville permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Snellville?

New construction is $6 per $1,000 of construction value from the ICC Building Valuation Data, plus plan review ($100 per review for a new house). Renovations under $15,000 are $80 for a home and $100 for other buildings.

Can I apply for a Snellville permit online?

No. The City says it has no online portal, so packets are delivered in person to City Hall, 2342 Oak Road, 2nd Floor, or mailed.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Snellville?

Not for residential fencing, but fences may not exceed 4 feet in a front yard or 8 feet in side and rear yards.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Yes, if it is a roofed structure over 20 sq ft. A shed up to 120 sq ft costs $100, including plan review and the certificate of completion.

Do I need a permit to replace a water heater or HVAC system?

Yes. Water heater and furnace or HVAC replacements are on the City’s permit list; a single-trade permit is $50.

How long does plan review take in Snellville?

The City aims to finish within 30 days of accepting plans. Commercial plans are reviewed on Fridays and usually take under two weeks.

What days are inspections?

Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Call 770-985-3513 or 770-985-3514 at least 24 hours ahead.

Simplify Snellville 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 Snellville permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.