Upson County Building & Zoning, 106 E. Lee Street, Suite 210, Thomaston (706-647-1297), issues building permits for the county and runs the building inspections program for both Upson County and the City of Thomaston. Applications are emailed, faxed or mailed, but construction plans must be delivered on paper. Under the County code a new house is valued at $90 per sq ft of heated space, so a 2,000 sq ft house carries a $705 permit fee plus a $352.50 plan-check fee.
What requires a permit in Upson County?
Building & Zoning publishes applications and requirement sheets for these permits:
Building permits
- New homes
- General building permits for commercial, residential and accessory work
- Manufactured homes
- Swimming pools, in-ground and above-ground pools 24 inches or higher
- Demolition and moving a building
- Signs
Trade and site permits
- Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work
- Land disturbance permit, needed first when clearing one acre or more
- Driveway certificate of compliance from the Road Department, or a Georgia DOT permit on Highways 19, 36, 74 or 80
- Blasting permits, filed with the County building inspector
Under the County fee code, work valued at $2,000 or less pays no permit fee unless an inspection is needed, and repairs after storms or other natural disasters are permitted at no charge once the building inspector confirms the damage.
Who handles permitting in Upson County?
| Item | Upson County Building & Zoning |
|---|---|
| Office | R. E. Lee Building, 106 E. Lee Street, Suite 210, Thomaston, GA 30286 |
| Phone | 706-647-1297 |
| Permit email | garagon@upsoncountyga.org |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Building Official | Thomas E. Keyt, C.B.O., 706-975-1786 |
| Building & Zoning Director | Jeremy Gilbert |
| Septic and well permits | Environmental Health, 706-647-5749 |
| New addresses | E-911 Director, 706-646-7997 |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →The department handles building permits, planning and zoning under the Unified Development Ordinance, and code enforcement. A Building Official and a Building Inspector run the inspections program, which by tradition covers both Upson County and the City of Thomaston.
Yatesville: the department’s page names only the county and Thomaston for its inspections program, and no County or city source says who issues building permits inside Yatesville; contact Yatesville City Hall before applying.
Who pulls the permit: a state-licensed contractor must pull the permit, unless the owner pulls it for an owner-occupied home. Contractors and subcontractors give copies of their state licences and occupational tax certificates and sign the permit before their trade’s work begins.
Upson County permit fees
Fees are set in Sec. 22-64 of the County code (last amended in 2007). For homes, the job is valued at $90 per sq ft of heated living area, $35 per sq ft of garage and $30 per sq ft of unfinished basement, porch, terrace or carport; commercial and industrial work is valued at $85 per sq ft. The permit fee then follows the valuation:
| Valuation | Fee |
|---|---|
| $2,000 or less | No fee, unless an inspection is needed ($25 per inspection) |
| $2,001–$50,000 | $20 for the first $1,000 + $5 per additional $1,000 |
| $50,001–$100,000 | $264 for the first $50,000 + $4 per additional $1,000 |
| $100,000–$500,000 | $465 for the first $100,000 + $3 per additional $1,000 |
| Over $500,000 | $1,660 for the first $500,000 + $2 per additional $1,000 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Commercial, $500–$3,000 valuation | $50 |
| Commercial, $3,001–$50,000 | $50 + $6 per additional $1,000 |
| Commercial, $50,001–$100,000 | $332 + $5 per additional $1,000 |
| Commercial, $100,001–$500,000 | $582 + $4 per additional $1,000 |
| Commercial, over $500,000 | $2,182 + $3 per additional $1,000 |
| Plan check (valuation over $2,000) | Half the building permit fee, on top of it |
| Re-inspection: 1st / 2nd / 3rd / each later | $35 / $50 / $75 / $100 |
| Moving a structure | $100 |
| Demolition | 1% of the assessed value, minimum $50 |
| Work started without a permit | Permit fee doubled |
For example, a house with 2,000 sq ft of heated space and no garage or porch is valued at $180,000: $465 for the first $100,000 plus 80 × $3 = $705, and the plan-check fee is half that, $352.50. An older section of the code (Sec. 22-122, 1991) sets a lower plan-check threshold and credits the fee against the permit; the 2006 schedule above makes it an addition.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits
The new home application lists the electrical, mechanical and plumbing work separately, with each contractor’s state licence and occupation tax certificate. Trade fees in Sec. 22-64:
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical, residential | $45 for the first 200 A + $15 per additional 200 A |
| Electrical, commercial and industrial | $55 for the first 200 A + $25 per additional 200 A |
| Plumbing, residential | $45 for the first 12 fixtures or traps + $5 each after |
| Plumbing, commercial and industrial | $55 + $5 per fixture or trap |
| HVAC, residential | $45 for the first 100,000 BTU or 5-ton heat pump + $20 per additional 50,000 BTU or 3 tons |
| HVAC, commercial and industrial | $55 + $5 per $1,000 of installation value |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →New home submittal checklist
- The completed building permit application: project value (materials plus labor), contractors and subcontractors, power company, map and parcel numbers, acreage, physical address, site plan, zoning and floodplain information (staff can provide the last two)
- Two sets of construction plans on paper, 11 by 17 inches or larger, and two copies of the site plan; plans need an architect’s or engineer’s stamp where state law requires it, with one- and two-family homes exempt
- Steel building plans and COMcheck, when they apply
- Erosion control plans and permit, when required
- The driveway certificate of compliance (Road Department, 706-647-2824), or a DOT driveway permit on Highways 19, 36, 74 or 80 (706-646-6900)
- The septic and well permits, or proof of city or county sewer and water
- For owner-builders: the homeowner inspection procedures checklist and homeowner’s permit affidavit
A manufactured home application adds the model, year, size and HUD numbers, the dealer’s and installer’s state IDs, the installer’s and electrician’s credentials, two floor plans, the purchase order, the yellow tax slip from the Tax Assessor signed off by the Tax Commissioner, and the PT-41 form from the dealer.
How to apply in Upson County: 6 steps
Call the E-911 Director for an address, and get the driveway certificate and septic or well permits.
Clearing one acre or more needs a Land Disturbance Permit before the building permit.
Email the building permit application and Land Owner Affidavit to garagon@upsoncountyga.org, or fax or mail them.
Bring or mail two sets of plans and site plans to 106 E. Lee Street, Suite 210; emailed plans are not accepted.
Pay the permit and plan-check fees; each trade contractor signs the permit before starting work.
Call the day before each inspection with the permit number, through to the certificate of occupancy.
Rather not deal with the Upson County building department?
Get a free quote →Upson County inspections
Call Building & Zoning the day before an inspection is needed, and give the permit number. The County’s residential inspection procedure runs:
- Temporary power: the pole is inspected before you call the power company.
- Footing: after the footings are dug and before they are poured.
- Rough-in: framing, electrical, HVAC and plumbing as the house is dried in, with all water lines and drains tested.
- House wrap and insulation.
- Semi-final, temporary to permanent power: as drywall goes up, with switches, outlets, fixtures, meter base and panel in place; permanent power follows a pass.
- Final: when the house is complete; the certificate of occupancy must be issued before move-in.
Work done without a required inspection may have to be removed. Re-inspections cost $35, then $50, $75 and $100, and must be paid before further inspections or a certificate of occupancy. The blue address sign, bought from any Upson County volunteer fire department except Lincoln Park, must be displayed before a new home gets its certificate of occupancy.
Local Upson County details
Pools: pools need a permit with a notarised affidavit, a drawing with measurements and, where there is a septic system, a state on-site sewage performance evaluation. The barrier or fence must be in place before the final inspection; above-ground pools need a locking ladder or a deck with a self-latching gate before the certificate of completion.
Zoning and subdivisions: Building & Zoning administers the Unified Development Ordinance and supports the Planning Commission on zoning matters. The County posted zoning (Appendix A) and subdivision (Chapter 78) amendments adopted in August 2026.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Fee waivers: projects financed with federal, state, county or city funds still need permits but pay no fee.
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
Upson 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.
- Upson County — New Construction Building Permit Requirements
- Upson County — Building & Zoning and Code Enforcement
- Upson County new home build permit application
- Upson County residential inspection procedures
- Upson County manufactured home permit requirements
- Upson County swimming pool permit requirements
- Upson County Code, Chapter 22: building permit fees
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Upson County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Upson County?
Upson County Building & Zoning, 106 E. Lee Street, Suite 210, Thomaston (706-647-1297). The department also runs the building inspections program for the City of Thomaston.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Upson County?
The house is valued at $90 per sq ft of heated space (less for garages and porches) and the fee follows the valuation bands. A 2,000 sq ft house valued at $180,000 pays $705, plus a plan-check fee of $352.50.
Can I email my construction plans?
No. The application can be emailed, but plans must be delivered or mailed on paper, 11 by 17 inches or larger.
Can a homeowner pull a permit?
Only for an owner-occupied home, with the homeowner’s permit affidavit and inspection checklist. Otherwise a state-licensed contractor must pull it.
Do I need a permit for an above-ground pool?
Yes, if it is 24 inches or higher, and it needs a locking ladder or a deck with a self-latching gate before the final.
What if I start work without a permit?
The permit fee is doubled, and you must still meet every code requirement.
How do I book an inspection?
Call 706-647-1297 the day before, with your permit number.
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More Georgia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Upson County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.