DeKalb County, Georgia Building Department 2026: Permits, Inspections & Services

DeKalb County Building Permits, Inspections and Development Services

If you are building, remodeling, adding a room, replacing regulated electrical, plumbing or HVAC work, opening a commercial space, installing a pool, or changing a property in unincorporated DeKalb County, the main office is the DeKalb County Planning & Sustainability Department — Permits, Plan Review & Inspections Division.

The process is easier when you start in the right place. DeKalb County contains several incorporated cities, and those cities may issue their own permits. A Decatur, Atlanta, Stone Mountain, Tucker or other mailing address does not by itself tell you which permitting office controls the property.

DeKalb County Building Department Contact Information

Some older county PDFs still display previous office information. For a 2026 visit, use the current department page and the current address at 178 Sams Street.

Do You Need a DeKalb County Building Permit?

DeKalb County Code generally requires a permit before construction, alteration or repair of a building or structure and before regulated mechanical, gas, plumbing, electrical or energy-system work. The county code contains a narrow exception for ordinary repairs to a single-family residential building when the wholesale cost does not exceed $3,000.

How to Apply for a DeKalb County Building Permit

Documents Commonly Needed

Requirements vary by project, but preparing these items before submission can save a surprising amount of back-and-forth.

• Completed building permit application.
• Correct property address and owner information.
• Project description and proposed use.
• Site plan or survey when required.
• Building plans and elevations for applicable construction.
• Contractor name, state license information and business-license information when applicable.
• Authorized Permit Agent Form if someone applies on behalf of the licensed contractor.
• Homeowner’s Affidavit when an eligible owner is taking responsibility for work on the owner’s primary residence.
• Environmental, erosion-control and tree-related documents when applicable.
• Watershed or sewer-capacity approval for projects that trigger those reviews.
• Historic-preservation approval if the property is in a regulated historic district.
• Engineering letters or calculations for structural work when requested.

DeKalb County Building Permit Fees in 2026

The county’s current 2026 Development Services fee schedule was last updated June 8, 2026. The amount you actually owe can vary with project valuation, permit type, trade work and additional reviews.

For new construction, DeKalb’s schedule uses ICC Building Valuation Data to determine construction valuation and applies a factor of 0.0065. In practical terms, that is $6.50 per $1,000 of calculated construction valuation, subject to the county’s minimum and other applicable charges.

2026 Building Codes Used in DeKalb County

Georgia’s updated State Minimum Standard Codes took effect January 1, 2026. DeKalb County also published a transition notice explaining how the change affects older applications and projects.

DeKalb’s 2026 transition rules

• Georgia’s 2024 code family became effective January 1, 2026.
• LDP applications submitted before January 1, 2026 continue under the code editions applicable to those projects.
• Building-permit applications without an LDP submitted on or before February 28, 2026 could use the prior 2018 editions under the county’s published grace period.
• Applications without an LDP submitted on or after March 1, 2026 must comply with the 2024 code editions.
• Projects already in review or under construction remain under the code edition tied to the issued permit.

For the current statewide code list and downloadable Georgia amendments, use the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. If you are comparing requirements with nearby Atlanta, our Atlanta building code guide explains the same Georgia code family in a city-permitting context.

How DeKalb County Building Inspections Work

The most important inspection rule is simple: do not cover work that must be inspected. DeKalb’s residential and commercial inspection guides state that required inspections must be requested before concealment. County-approved plans and the permit card should remain at the jobsite.

Typical residential inspection order

1. Temporary power pole, when applicable.
2. Initial environmental inspection after erosion controls, construction drives and tree-save fencing are installed.
3. Footing/foundation inspection before concrete placement.
4. In-slab electrical, plumbing or HVAC inspections, when applicable.
5. Structural slab inspection.
6. Damp-proofing inspection before backfill where applicable.
7. Pre-cladding inspection after the weather-resistive components are installed but before exterior cladding.
8. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC rough inspections.
9. Building framing/insulation inspection after required rough inspections pass.
10. Environmental pre-grading inspection before permanent vegetation where required.
11. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC finals.
12. Fire Marshal final when applicable.
13. Environmental final with required as-built, water-quality or tree documents where applicable.
14. Final building inspection.
15. Certificate of Occupancy processing after required approvals are complete.

Inspections can be requested through the county’s e-Permitting system.

Certificate of Occupancy: What Happens at the End?

A Certificate of Occupancy is not simply issued because construction appears finished. Required building, trade, environmental and other applicable inspections must be completed first.

DeKalb County’s current permit page states that, once required inspections have been successfully completed, a CO may be obtained through DeKalb Development Services. The county instructs applicants to send a copy of the front and back of the permit to Developinspections@dekalbcountyga.gov.

For new homes and large additions, an as-built survey and other final land-development documents may also need to be completed before the permit card is submitted for the CO.

How to Check Permit Status or Find an Existing Permit

If you already applied, do not start another application just because the review is taking time. Start with your existing record number.

1. Open the e-Permitting portal.
2. Sign in with the account used for the application when applicable.
3. Open the existing permit or application record.
4. Review current status, outstanding fees, inspection information or available actions.
5. If plans are under review, use the ProjectDox status tools linked from the county permit page.
6. If you cannot identify the correct record, call 404-371-2155, option 3, with the property address and any permit/application number you have.

DeKalb GIS also directs residents to the county’s permit-tracking and e-Permitting tools for building, zoning and code-enforcement application updates.

Zoning, Land Development and Building Permits Are Different Reviews

One approval does not automatically replace another. A project can satisfy structural building rules but still conflict with zoning setbacks, a stream buffer, floodplain requirements, tree rules or land-development standards.

For land-development questions, DeKalb publishes Land Development guidance. For zoning questions, use the county’s Zoning Division page.

Construction Hours in DeKalb County

DeKalb County Code limits normal construction activity and deliveries to:

• Monday–Friday: 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• Sunday: no normal construction activity or deliveries.

The county code also identifies New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day as restricted days, except for emergency activity needed to prevent harm or loss.

Common Mistakes That Slow Down a DeKalb Permit

• Applying to DeKalb County when the property is actually inside an incorporated city.
• Submitting a building application before checking zoning and site restrictions.
• Uploading plans without all required supporting forms.
• Using an outdated code edition for a new 2026 application.
• Starting permit-required construction before the permit is issued.
• Covering electrical, plumbing, HVAC, framing or other work before the required inspection.
• Assuming a building permit also clears zoning, health, fire, watershed or land-development requirements.
• Ignoring review comments instead of resubmitting the corrected documents through the existing record.
• Requesting a final inspection before trade and environmental approvals are complete.

DeKalb County Building Department FAQs

Before You Submit

Nearby jurisdictions do not necessarily use the same portal, fees or application rules. For example, properties under City of Atlanta jurisdiction follow a different process, while counties such as Cherokee use their own local permit system. You can compare the Atlanta permit process or the Cherokee County building permit process when researching another Georgia property.

You can also browse additional local building department guides on USBuilding.org.

Information reviewed: October 24, 2026. USBuilding.org is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with DeKalb County or the State of Georgia. Permit requirements can depend on the exact property, scope and existing approvals. Official county and state requirements control.