Telfair County, Georgia Building Permit Guide

The Telfair County 2020 Joint Comprehensive Plan states that only the City of McRae-Helena enforces building codes and that only McRae-Helena and Lumber City have zoning ordinances. Inside McRae-Helena, permits are applied for online through the City’s Cloudpermit portal; for unincorporated land, the contact is the Telfair County Board of Commissioners at 91 Telfair Avenue (229-868-5688).

What requires a permit in Telfair County?

The countywide rules that the 2020 plan lists are limited: a manufactured home ordinance, road acceptance and subdivision ordinances, and the Environmental Conservation, On-Site Sewage Management and Permit ordinances, which the plan says the County and its cities adopted in 1999.

Inside McRae-Helena, Sec. 8-88 of the City code requires a permit before building, altering or repairing a building or structure, or its mechanical, gas, plumbing, electrical or energy systems:

Who handles permitting in Telfair County?

The 2020 Joint Comprehensive Plan, written for the County and the cities of Jacksonville, Lumber City, McRae-Helena and Scotland, names McRae-Helena as the only government in the county with building code enforcement, and lists countywide construction code enforcement as a goal in its work program. In McRae-Helena, the City’s zoning and code enforcement division administers the building code, and its code enforcement officer interprets the adopted state codes.

Milan: the City of Milan lies partly in Telfair County but plans with Dodge County, so the 2020 plan does not cover it. The building inspection map in Dodge County’s 2021 service delivery strategy shows Dodge County serving all of Dodge County outside Eastman, which takes in the Dodge County side of Milan; no source says who issues permits on the Telfair County side, so contact Milan City Hall before applying there.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits

In McRae-Helena, electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical systems need a City permit just as buildings do. Fees for buildings and for each trade are set by the City Council; the City Clerk keeps the approved fee schedule, and the code enforcement officer holds a copy that the public can inspect. A permit is not valid until its fee is paid.

How to apply in McRae-Helena: 4 steps

For a project in unincorporated Telfair County, the County Board of Commissioners office at 91 Telfair Avenue is the point of contact.

Inspections and penalties

In McRae-Helena, anyone who starts work on a building or a mechanical, gas, plumbing or electrical system before getting the permit pays a penalty of 100% of the usual permit fee on top of the fee itself. The City code also lets the code enforcement officer issue stop work orders and sets out inspection and certificate of occupancy rules in Chapter 8.

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

Telfair 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
• Joint Comprehensive Plan for Telfair County and its cities (2020)
• City of McRae-Helena
• McRae-Helena Code, Chapter 8: Buildings and Building Regulations

Telfair County permit FAQs

Does Telfair County issue building permits?

The County’s 2020 Joint Comprehensive Plan says only the City of McRae-Helena enforces building codes in the county. For unincorporated land, contact the Board of Commissioners at 91 Telfair Avenue, McRae-Helena (229-868-5688).

Who issues building permits in McRae-Helena?

The City of McRae-Helena, through its zoning and code enforcement division. Applications are made online in Cloudpermit, and City Hall is at 25 S. First Avenue (229-868-6051).

How much is a building permit in McRae-Helena?

Fees for buildings and trade work are set by the City Council, and the City Clerk keeps the current schedule. Starting work without a permit adds a penalty equal to the permit fee.

Do I need a permit for a small repair in McRae-Helena?

Not for ordinary repairs to a single-family home with a wholesale cost of $500 or less. Other repairs, alterations and trade work need a permit.

Which Telfair County cities have zoning?

According to the 2020 plan, only McRae-Helena and Lumber City have zoning ordinances.

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