Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Camden County, Georgia

Camden County requires a building permit before construction, erection, moving or alteration of a building or structure begins in the unincorporated county¹. Access must be established first, and a building permit cannot be issued before final plat approval; projects using individual water or on-site sewage also need Health Department approval¹. Since January 1, 2026, Camden County has used the newly adopted Georgia state minimum construction codes, including the 2024 International Residential Code with Georgia amendments¹². A new single-family permit costs $0.70 per square foot of heated space plus an impact fee, and the re-inspection fee is $100^2,10. Georgia's owner-builder exemption concerns contractor licensing only; county permits, inspections and zoning still apply⁷.

Camden County Planning & Development handles building permits, inspections, zoning and land-use applications for the unincorporated county². Reach the department at 912-729-5603 or at 135 Gross Road, Kingsland, GA 31548². The online portal accepts building, electrical, manufactured-home, accessory-structure, pool and demolition permit applications, as well as planning and zoning applications^13,14. The Building Official checks an application for completeness within 5 working days and acts on complete plans within 2 weeks¹⁵. New construction requires building and fire/life-safety inspections before occupancy; schedule the 80% and 100% completion inspections before reaching those stages¹⁶. Occupancy cannot begin before the county issues a certificate of occupancy¹. Inside Kingsland, the city handles building permits, including a permit for each tiny house in a Tiny House Neighborhood; septic permits remain with Camden County Environmental Health^3,17.

Camden County zones all unincorporated property through its official zoning map; district rules determine allowed uses and which uses need special approval^4,18. Minimum lot size depends on the district and development type, setbacks depend on district and use, and lot-coverage and height limits follow the applicable district standards^4,5,6. In a conventional subdivision, the zoning-district setback applies unless the Health Department requires more¹⁹. An accessory building under 200 square feet generally must be at least 5 feet from side and rear property lines and outside the front yard¹⁸. Camden County regulates conventional, open-space and planned-development subdivisions, with requirements varying by type; final plat approval precedes building permits^1,4. Inside Kingsland, the city administers its own zoning, while septic permits remain with Camden County Environmental Health^3,20. Confirm the parcel's district and standards with Planning & Development at 912-729-5603²¹.

The Georgia Coastal Health District's Camden County Environmental Health Office permits and inspects on-site sewage systems³. A construction permit is required before building, repairing, replacing or adding to a septic system²². The system cannot be backfilled or used until the County Board of Health completes its final inspection and issues written approval²³. None of Camden County's mapped soils are rated free of severe limits for a conventional septic drain field, so obtain a site evaluation before assuming a standard system will work²⁴. Reach Environmental Health at 101 Winding Road, Kingsland, GA 31548, or (912) 729-6012²⁵. Georgia generally requires a public or community sewer connection when service is available within 200 feet of the property line or in an abutting public right-of-way²².

Camden County treats an RV as a vehicle, not a residence, and prohibits using one as a dwelling outside a designated RV park in the unincorporated county⁸. Inside a county-regulated RV park, occupancy is limited to 180 days in one space or 270 cumulative days in different spaces during a 12-month period, with a stated extension condition⁵. A tiny home that qualifies as an on-site-built or industrialized single-family or two-family dwelling must meet the county's dwelling standards and the rules of its zoning district⁹. Single-family, two-family and manufactured homes must have at least 320 square feet of heated floor area and comply with the remaining county design standards⁹. For a manufactured home, obtain zoning approval and a FEMA zone permit, then a septic tank location permit from county health before applying for the building permit; affix the tax location and building permit stickers before final inspection¹⁵.

1. Confirm the zoning district, allowed use, lot size, setbacks, height and lot-coverage limits with Planning & Development at 912-729-5603^4,18,19,21.
2. Establish legal access; work tying into or altering a county-maintained road needs Road Department approval⁸.
3. Obtain Environmental Health approval for individual water and on-site sewage plans, including the septic construction permit^1,3.
4. Check flood status and obtain any required county-road or state-highway access approval^8,26,27.
5. Apply through the county portal with the plans and published fees; incomplete applications are returned^2,14,15.
6. Schedule required construction and fire/life-safety inspections, then obtain final septic approval^16,23.
7. Obtain the certificate of occupancy; permanent electric and water service must wait for final inspection approval and county authorization¹.

A conventional subdivision's minimum lot size follows the applicable zoning district or the Health Department's larger requirement¹⁹. Planned developments must use public or community water, while open-space subdivisions must do so except in the A-F district¹⁹. For a private well, use a licensed water-well contractor who notifies county health before drilling¹¹. Check the floodplain rules before grading, filling or building because the county regulates those activities and related water and sanitary facilities¹⁸. Verify road ownership and access before closing; single-family and two-family lots in a planned development through-road corridor cannot take driveway access from that road¹⁹.