Outside the City of Waycross, building permits in Ware County come from the County’s Planning & Codes Department at 305 Oak Street, Suite 157, which also reviews plans and inspects the work. Applications are paper forms filed at the office (912-490-4379); a temporary electrical permit for a new house is $30 and a mobile home pays $35 each for its moving, electrical, plumbing and heating/air permits.
What requires a permit in Ware County?
Section 18-1 of the County code bars putting up any building, structure, dwelling or house, or making any modification or improvement, without a County building permit. The Planning & Codes forms show how that is split up in practice.
Building permits
- New one- and two-family homes (residential form)
- Commercial buildings and residential metal buildings (commercial form)
- Additions, alterations and repairs
- Swimming pools, residential and commercial
- Demolition of a building
- Moving a house or structure along County roads
- Signs: erecting, altering, repairing or moving
Related permits
- Temporary electrical service
- Mobile home placement, moving, electrical, plumbing and heating/air
- Septic systems and private wells
- New addresses
- Driveways and culverts in County rights-of-way
- Utility work in a right-of-way
- RV parks and campgrounds
Who handles permitting in Ware County?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Office | Ware County Planning & Codes Department |
| Address | 305 Oak Street, Suite 157, Waycross, GA 31501 |
| Phone / fax | 912-490-4379 / 912-490-2467 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. in person; phones answered until 5 p.m. |
| Area served | Unincorporated Ware County |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Planning & Codes reviews proposed residential, commercial and industrial development, and its Codes staff carry out building plan reviews and inspections of new and existing homes and commercial buildings. The County code says any reference in the adopted codes to an official means the Building Inspector of Ware County. On new commercial buildings the Codes staff work with the Planning side, and they bring in the Health Department on health and safety issues.
The City of Waycross issues its own building permits and handles its own zoning and code enforcement inside city limits, so a Waycross address does not go to the County office.
Ware County permit fees
Fees are printed on the individual County forms. Payment is accepted in the exact amount in cash, by check or money order, or by debit or credit card.
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Temporary electrical, site-built building | $30 |
| Temporary electrical, manufactured home, commercial/industrial or other | $35 |
| New residential pool | $50, plus small per-item charges for plumbing parts |
| New commercial pool | $60, plus per-item charges |
| Demolition | $50 |
| House moving | $100 |
| Mobile home moving, electrical, plumbing and heating/air permits | $35 each |
| Pre-inspection of a used mobile home in Ware County | $50 |
| Pre-inspection outside Ware County | $50 per hour plus $0.36 per mile round trip |
| New septic system, residential / non-residential | $135 / $260 |
| Existing septic inspection | $60 |
| Private well permit and water sample | $60 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The residential and commercial building permit forms record the total square footage, the value of construction and the permit fee, but the County website does not post the schedule used to price a building permit. Mobile home permits double in price if they are not bought before the home is moved.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Ware County
The County’s stand-alone electrical application covers temporary electrical service for homes and commercial property. The applicant names the power company account holder (Georgia Power, Satilla, Slash Pine or Okefenokee) and the electrician and licence number, and accepts that nobody may occupy the building on temporary power until the final inspections are passed.
For a new house the building permit form lists the building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors, the number of plumbing fixtures and the heating type and unit size. For mobile homes the moving, electrical, plumbing and heating/air permits are bought separately at $35 each, and all of that work must be done by licensed contractors when the home will be rented out or sold. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical alterations to pre-owned manufactured homes must be done by a Georgia-licensed contractor under Section 18-6 of the County code.
How to apply for a Ware County building permit
Confirm the parcel is outside Waycross city limits and look up its zoning and flood zone on the County GIS zoning, parcel and flood maps.
File an Address Request with a parcel map showing where the house and driveway entrance will be; addressing takes 3–5 business days.
On lots without public sewer, file the septic application at Planning & Codes with the house corners staked; septic permits can take up to 10 business days.
Use the residential form for a one- or two-family house, or the commercial form for commercial buildings and residential metal buildings, with a site plan drawn to scale.
Bring the form, site plan and contractor details to 305 Oak Street, Suite 157, and pay by cash, check, money order or card.
Request each inspection through the office on 912-490-4379 and do not cover work until it is approved.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Ware County inspections
Inspections are booked by calling Planning & Codes on 912-490-4379. County staff carry out the building plan reviews, building inspections and building-safety inspections for residential and commercial work. Footings on the residential form must reach at least 12 inches below natural ground.
- Pools: the grounding and bonding inspection comes before any concrete is poured, and the electrical inspection is made when the pump is installed.
- Demolition: call the office when the work is finished for a final inspection; debris goes to a legally operated landfill and burning needs a separate permit from the forestry office.
- Mobile homes: electrical and plumbing are inspected first, inside the home and underneath it, and the owner may move in once both pass. The heating/air and skirting inspection follows within 30 days.
- Septic: the house or mobile home corners must be staked and the four corners of an existing tank uncovered, or a $35 return-trip charge applies.
Power will not be connected to a new mobile home until the septic tank and the home have been approved by the Ware County Health Department and the building inspector.
Local Ware County details that matter
Mobile homes: any manufactured home more than 2 years old must be pre-inspected before it is moved into or within the county. The inside panel must be at least 100 amps, skirting goes on within 30 days of set-up, and no public utility may serve a mobile home that does not have its County permit. Porches, roofs or rooms attached to a mobile home need plans from an engineer or architect.
Rather not deal with the Ware County building department?
Get a free quote →Setbacks and corner lots: the County’s residential and commercial site plan sheets list the minimum setbacks for each zoning district. On a corner lot nothing that blocks a driver’s view between 3 and 10 feet high may stand within 25 feet of the corner, and special setbacks measured from the road centerline apply along stretches of US 82 West, US 84 East and Blackshear Avenue (for example 150 feet on US 82 West between GA 158 and the Atkinson County line).
Drainage and utilities: the building permit states that the County takes no responsibility for drainage or flooding on the property, for providing County water or sewer, or for how a septic tank performs. New driveways and culverts on County roads need a permit from the County public works department.
Planning Commission: rezonings go to the joint Waycross-Ware County Planning Commission, which meets on the second Thursday of each month; setback variances go to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Ware County permit search and official resources
- City of Waycross — Ware County Government Responsibilities
- Ware County — Departments
- Ware County — Planning & Codes
- Ware County Building Permit (residential, 2026)
- Ware County Building Permit for Commercial / Metal Buildings (2026)
- Ware County Electrical Permit Application (2026)
- Ware County Summary Checklist for Mobile Home Permits
- Ware County Septic Tank / Mobile Home Moving Permit Application
- Ware County Swimming Pool Permit Request
- Ware County Address Request Form
- Ware County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 18 (Municode)
Ware County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Ware County?
The Ware County Planning & Codes Department, 305 Oak Street, Suite 157, Waycross, for property outside Waycross city limits. Inside Waycross, the City issues its own permits.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How do I apply for a building permit in Ware County?
Fill in the County’s residential or commercial building permit form, add a site plan drawn to scale and the contractor details, and file it at Planning & Codes. The office takes cash, checks, money orders and cards.
How much does an electrical permit cost in Ware County?
The temporary electrical permit is $30 for a site-built building and $35 for a manufactured home or a commercial or industrial building.
What do I need to move a mobile home into Ware County?
A pre-inspection if the home is more than 2 years old ($50 inside the county), a septic permit, and moving, electrical, plumbing and heating/air permits at $35 each, bought before the move. The installer must send the state licence to the County first.
Do I need a permit for a pool in Ware County?
Yes. A new residential pool permit is $50 and a commercial one $60, and the bonding inspection must be passed before concrete is poured.
How long does it take to get an address?
The County says addressing may take 3–5 business days once it has the request form and a parcel map showing the house site and driveway.
How do I schedule an inspection?
Call Planning & Codes on 912-490-4379.
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More Georgia permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Ware County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.