Bolthole Index

Carroll County, Georgia

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Carrollton, Georgia

Carrollton, Georgia issues city building permits and administers its own zoning; start with the city Building Permit Office and Community Development Department.12 Inside Carrollton in Carroll County, septic construction permits come from the County Health Department under Georgia rules.34 Citywide permission to live in an RV or tiny home remains unconfirmed; ask Community Development about the specific parcel.2

At a glance

Building permits
City Building Permit Office issues building and trade permits1
Zoning
Carrollton administers its own zoning districts and use standards5
Septic permits
County Health Department construction permit and final approval required36
RV living
Flood-hazard RV standards are confirmed; general residential permission is unconfirmed—ask city Community Development72
Tiny homes
Site-built and modular homes need local siting approval; ask city Community Development about the parcel82
Owner-builder
Georgia exempts building your own home from contractor licensure; city requirements still apply9
Water service
Subdivision and development lots must receive public water when available or under bid or contract within 1,000 feet10

Who to call

Building permits

City of Carrollton Building Permit Office

City building and trade permits, building application forms and permit records

770-830-2000

315 Bradley Street Carrollton, GA 30117

Zoning

City of Carrollton Community Development Department

City planning and zoning information, site and subdivision plan review, and rezoning and special-use applications

770-830-2000

315 Bradley Street Carrollton, GA 30117

Septic permits

Carroll County Health Department

Published Vital Records customer service line; ask for Environmental Health for septic permitting and private-well questions

(770) 836-4740

1004 Newnan Road Carrollton, GA 30116

Roads & driveways

City of Carrollton Engineering Department

Engineering assistance for transportation and public utilities, and site, development and subdivision plan review; ask about access and flood-map review

770-830-2000

315 Bradley Street Carrollton, GA 30117

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Carrollton means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in Carrollton, GA?

Carrollton operates a city building-permit program covering building, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, gas and pool work.1 Start a home project with the city Building Permit Office: the municipal page links building permit applications, plan-review and land-disturbance applications, and records of building permits issued in the current and prior years.1 Ask the office which applications, inspections and fees apply to your proposed work.1

Georgia’s mandatory construction codes apply statewide even where a local government does not enforce them.11 An owner building the owner’s own home has a state contractor-license exemption, but that exemption does not waive Carrollton’s building permits, zoning or inspections.9

Who issues building permits in Carrollton, and how do you reach the office?

Reach Carrollton’s Building Permit Office at 770-830-2000; City Hall is at 315 Bradley Street Carrollton, GA 30117.1 Use the city’s building application links to identify the paperwork for the proposed work and request the applicable fee before budgeting construction.1

Carrollton’s published instructions say building permits must be picked up in person by the State Card Holder, and payment at pickup can be by card, check or cash.1 Owner-builders should ask the office how that pickup instruction applies to their state licensing exemption.19 We could not confirm the general certificate-of-occupancy requirement for a new home in Carrollton; ask the city Building Permit Office what must be completed before moving in.1

Does Carrollton have zoning, and what does it mean for a home site?

Carrollton has its own zoning districts and use standards under the Unified Development Ordinance.5 The city Community Development Department provides zoning information and reviews site and subdivision plans; the Planning Commission evaluates rezoning and special-use applications.2 Ask Community Development for the parcel’s district, permitted dwelling type, setbacks, minimum lot area and minimum dwelling size before committing to a house design.2

Accessory dwellings are permissible in ER-1 and ER-3, subject to district and supplemental standards.12 That permission does not establish approval for every tiny-home proposal: Georgia requires local siting approval for site-built and modular tiny homes.8 We could not confirm Carrollton’s principal residential lot-size or dwelling-size thresholds; request the applicable district standards from Community Development.2

How do septic permits work inside Carrollton?

For a Carrollton property using onsite sewage disposal, the County Health Department issues the septic construction permit; Georgia requires the County Board of Health to find the site suitable before issuing that permit.34 Georgia also requires permits and inspections for repairs, replacements and additions to existing septic systems.4 Final inspection and written approval must come before backfilling or using the system.6

Sewer availability can change the plan: Georgia requires connection when public or community sewer is available within 200 feet of the property line or in an abutting public right-of-way.13 Ask county Environmental Health to resolve septic suitability alongside the city’s utility review.1410 The listed Health Department phone is a Vital Records customer service line; ask to be connected to Environmental Health.15

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on land in Carrollton?

We could not confirm general permission for residential RV occupancy on a private Carrollton lot; ask city Community Development about the intended use, including living onsite during construction.2 Carrollton’s confirmed RV rule applies in Areas of Special Flood Hazard: an RV must be onsite fewer than 180 consecutive days, be fully licensed and ready for highway use, or comply with new-construction anchoring and elevation requirements.7 That flood-hazard standard does not establish a citywide residential permission.7

Carrollton separately permits temporary rental or lease of lots for transient campers and RVs in approved M-H-P mobile-home parks or subdivisions, subject to district and supplemental standards.16 Site-built and modular tiny homes must meet applicable Georgia building codes and obtain local siting approval; Carrollton’s specific tiny-home occupancy rule remains unconfirmed, so take the dwelling type and parcel to Community Development.82

Building a home in Carrollton: what are the steps, in order?

  1. Ask city Community Development to confirm zoning and the proposed use; use the city’s zoning and utility-and-flood maps to frame the site review.2
  2. Resolve water and sewer service with the city: Carrollton requires public water for subdivisions and developments when available or under bid or contract within 1,000 feet.10
  3. If onsite sewage is proposed, obtain county health approval of the site and a septic construction permit before physical development where the system will be used.17
  4. Work with the city Building Permit Office on building, trade and applicable land-disturbance applications, then follow the city’s pickup instructions.1
  5. Arrange county septic final inspection and written approval before backfill or use; ask the city Building Permit Office about building inspections and occupancy clearance before moving in.61

What stays with Carroll County, and what should you check before buying in Carrollton?

County health officials remain the contact for onsite sewage permits and local septic procedures inside Carrollton.314 For a private well, Georgia requires a licensed water-well contractor and advance notification to the county health department; we could not confirm a separate well-construction permit requirement for a Carrollton address, so ask Environmental Health before drilling.18

Carrollton’s public-water requirement for qualifying subdivisions and developments can affect a plan to rely on a well.10 Ask city Engineering about access and utilities, and review the city’s utility-and-flood map before choosing a building site.19 For land outside city limits, use the Carroll County guide: county zoning authority generally applies to unincorporated territory, while Carrollton administers its own zoning.205

Watch-outs

  • Carrollton’s flood-hazard RV rule does not establish permission to live in an RV elsewhere in the city; ask city Community Development about residential occupancy.72
  • A state owner-builder licensing exemption does not waive Carrollton building permits or zoning approval.9
  • We could not confirm an agricultural construction exemption or general new-home occupancy-clearance rule in Carrollton; ask the city Building Permit Office before relying on either.1

Sources

  1. City of Carrollton Building Permit Office (carrolltonga.com)
  2. City of Carrollton Community Development Department (carrolltonga.com)
  3. Conventional Home Permit Application Packet / Residential Change of Use Permit Application Packet, quoted and re-checked
  4. Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. UDO § 2.04.04 Accessory Dwellings (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  6. Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. library.municode.com (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  8. Georgia Tiny House Fact Sheet (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Residential and Commercial General Contractors Frequently Asked Questions (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. UDO § 6.14.00 Water Supply (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  11. Mandatory and Permissive State Codes (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. UDO § 2.04.04 Accessory Dwellings (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  13. GA DPH Onsite Sewage Manual (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Onsite Sewage (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Carroll County Health Department (dph.georgia.gov)
  16. UDO § 2.04.07 Mobile Home Parks (Carrollton), quoted and re-checked
  17. Conventional Home Permit Application Packet / Residential Change of Use Permit Application Packet, quoted and re-checked
  18. Well Water, quoted and re-checked
  19. City of Carrollton Engineering Department (carrolltonga.com)
  20. Georgia Zoning Statutes Compilation (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Carrollton

Carrollton’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedPartial

    The city has expressly adopted the International Property Maintenance Code; this claim does not establish adoption of every Georgia construction code.

    • The cited provision adopts the 2012 International Property Maintenance Code by reference and allows later editions as required by the Georgia Uniform Codes Act.
    “Pursuant to the Georgia Uniform Codes Act, O.C.G.A. § 8-2-25(b), the International Property Maintenance Code (2012 Edition) is hereby adopted by reference as the official code of the city and may be amended for later editions as required by the Georgia Uniform Codes Act.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Multi-family rental properties inside Carrollton city.

    • Interior and exterior evaluations address the latest adopted International Property Maintenance Code, Life Safety Code, International Fire Code, and referenced standards.
    “Interior evaluations will be conducted to ensure compliance with the latest adopted edition of the International Property Maintenance Code, the Life Safety Code and the International Fire Code and other referenced standards contained herein.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Carrollton city limits; Carrollton administers a Unified Development Ordinance with zoning districts and use standards.

    “Accessory dwellings are permissible in the ER-1 and ER-3 zoning districts, subject to the standards of the zoning districts and the supplemental standards set forth in this section.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Carrollton city zoning districts, including ER-1, ER-3, and M-H-P referenced in the UDO.

    • Use permissions remain subject to the standards of each zoning district and supplemental standards.
    “Accessory dwellings are permissible in the ER-1 and ER-3 zoning districts, subject to the standards of the zoning districts and the supplemental standards set forth in this section.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Parsonage lots serving religious facilities inside Carrollton city.

    • The parsonage lot is a dwelling-unit lot and must be used exclusively for the dwelling unit.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent

    “The maximum lot coverage for the parsonage lot shall be thirty-five (35) percent.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Parsonage lots serving religious facilities inside Carrollton city.

    • The height limit applies to the parsonage lot under the religious-use standards.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet

    “The maximum building height on the parsonage lot shall be thirty-five (35) feet.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles placed on sites in flood-hazard areas inside Carrollton city.

    • An RV must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days, fully licensed and ready for highway use, or comply with new-construction anchoring and elevation requirements.
    • The cited rule applies in Areas of Special Flood Hazard.

    maximum site duration under one alternative: < 180 consecutive days (other alternatives are full licensing/readiness or new-construction compliance)

    “All recreational vehicles placed on sites must either: i. Be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days. ii. Be fully licensed and ready for highway use”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Temporary rental or lease of lots for transient campers, trailers, motor homes, or recreational vehicles in an approved M-H-P district.

    • The use is listed as permitted within an approved mobile-home park or subdivision and remains subject to district and supplemental standards.
    “Trailer parks for the temporary rental or lease of lots for transient campers, trailers, motor homes or recreational vehicles.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Subdivision and development lots inside Carrollton city.

    • Public water service is required when available or under bid or contract within 1,000 feet.
    • A public sewer connection requires a written permit from the designated city representative; the cited section does not state a universal distance-to-sewer connection mandate.

    public water availability distance: <= 1000 feet (applies when public water is available or under bid or contract to be available)

    “Public water service shall be provided to every lot in every subdivision and to every development for both domestic use and fire protection if public water is available or under bid or contract to be available within 1,000 feet of the subdivision or development.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Carrollton or Carroll County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for construction inside Carrollton city.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate-of-occupancy requirements for ordinary new residential construction inside Carrollton city.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Carrollton city residential and agricultural districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in Carrollton city residential and agricultural districts.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Carrollton city.
4 more unanswered
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Carrollton publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Carroll County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Carroll County: county rules, score and offices