Building permits and zoning in Augusta

Last checked Oct. 6, 2026. Facts on this page come from Augusta Planning & Development’s permit and zoning pages.

Building permits and zoning in Augusta are handled by one department, Augusta Planning & Development, part of the consolidated Augusta-Richmond County government. Permits and inspections are issued from its office on Marvin Griffin Road; zoning, rezoning and variance cases are handled downtown at the Municipal Building.

Who to call

• Building permits and inspections: Construction, Permitting and Licensing, 706-312-5050, 1803 Marvin Griffin Road, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays
• Zoning, rezoning, variances: Planning Division, 706-821-1796, 535 Telfair St., Suite 300
• Schedule an inspection: online inspection request
• Apply online: CityView portal

When you need a permit

Augusta requires a permit if the materials for a project cost more than $500, or if the work needs an inspection under the county’s construction codes, according to the city’s when permits are required page. A building permit is required for:

• New homes and commercial buildings
• Renovations and additions
• Reroofing
• Signs
• Swimming pools
• Utility and storage buildings

Electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical work over $500 needs its own permit, and all new installation and repair work needs one. The building official can allow minor repairs without a permit. Get the permit before work starts to avoid penalties. A permit is treated as abandoned if work has not begun within six months of filing.

Georgia adopted the 2024 editions of the International Code Council codes on Jan. 1, 2026, and the city says permits that expired before that date can no longer be extended.

Who can pull a permit

From the city’s permit information page:

• Single-family homes: permits go to contractors, or to the homeowner if the owner will own and live in the house.
• Commercial and other construction: a licensed contractor only.
• Electrical, plumbing and mechanical: a certificate of competency from the Georgia State Industry Licensing Board.

Residential and general contractors must be licensed by the state. Before you hire one, check the license with the Georgia Secretary of State and ask for a current Augusta business license and proof of insurance, as the department advises on its building and construction page.

Applying

Download the application from the city’s building permits page: the residential and commercial permit requirements, the new residential packet and the plan review checklists are all there. Three kinds of permit can be filed online through the CityView portal after you register:

• Reroofing, vinyl siding, windows and gutters
• Mechanical service change-outs
• Electrical service changes

Once an online application is approved, you get an email telling you to pay the fee online.

Fees

The city publishes its permit fees and a full fee schedule (PDF). For a new house:

Plan review adds 66% of the permit fee on other projects; one- and two-family homes are exempt. Fees are paid when the permit is issued.

Zoning and rezoning

The Zoning & Rezoning page holds the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, the rezoning application, the special exception application and the BZA variance application. The owner’s signature must be notarized, only complete applications are accepted and the department says submittal deadlines are strictly enforced. The county’s GIS map shows the zoning of any parcel, and the current cases map shows pending Planning Commission and BZA cases.

Both meet in the Commission Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 535 Telfair St. The Planning Commission is advisory: it hears rezoning petitions, plats and site plans and sends recommendations to the Augusta Commission, which makes the final decision. The BZA decides variances, appeals of staff decisions and home occupation requests. The dates in the table follow each board’s regular schedule; check the agenda before you go.

The zoning rewrite

Augusta is replacing its zoning ordinance, which the city says dates to the 1960s. Planning & Development released the draft rewrite on Sept. 22, 2026, held a public meeting Sept. 24 and is taking answers to a 10-question survey through Nov. 1, 2026, according to its announcement. Background and the separate data center ordinance are on the zoning rewrite page.

What this means for you

• Anything over $500 in materials, or anything that needs inspecting, needs a permit first.
• You can pull your own permit for a house you live in; trade work needs a licensed trade.
• Roofs, siding, windows and service change-outs can be done online.
• If you care how your street can be developed, the rewrite survey closes Nov. 1.

Related: property taxes and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit in Augusta?

Yes, if the materials cost more than $500 or the work needs an inspection under the county’s codes. New homes, additions, renovations, reroofing, signs, pools and storage buildings all need a building permit.

Where do I get a building permit in Augusta?

From the Construction, Permitting and Licensing divisions at 1803 Marvin Griffin Road, 706-312-5050, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Reroofing, siding, windows, gutters and service change-outs can be applied for online through the CityView portal.

Can a homeowner pull their own permit in Augusta?

Yes, for a single-family house the owner will own and live in. Otherwise permits go only to contractors licensed under Georgia law, and electrical, plumbing and mechanical work needs a state certificate of competency.

When does the Augusta Planning Commission meet?

At 3 p.m. on the first Monday of each month in the Commission Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 535 Telfair St. Its next meeting is Monday, Nov. 2.

Is Augusta rewriting its zoning ordinance?

Yes. The city released a draft rewrite on Sept. 22, 2026, its first full update since 1963, and is taking survey comments through Nov. 1, 2026.