Bolthole Index

Coweta County, Georgia

Building permits, zoning and septic in Town of Sharpsburg, Georgia

Town of Sharpsburg, Georgia requires a building permit before locating, erecting, moving, adding to or structurally altering a building or structure.1 Sharpsburg administers its own zoning inside town limits; septic permits come from Coweta County Health Department and must accompany a town building-permit application when private sewerage is proposed.23

At a glance

Building permits
Required for construction, structural changes, roof replacement and heating or air-conditioning work1
Zoning
Town zoning ordinance and map apply inside town limits2
Septic permits
Coweta County Health Department; include septic permit with town building application43
Rural residential lots
R1 Rural Residential minimum lot size: 1.5 acres5
Occupancy
Town certificate of occupancy required before covered use or occupancy6
Owner-builder
State contractor-license exemption does not waive town building permits or zoning7

Who to call

Building permits

Sharpsburg Town Office / Town Clerk

Town planning and zoning inquiries; ask for the building official and current building-permit forms.

(770) 251-4171

[email protected]

105 Main Street, Sharpsburg, GA 30277

Septic permits

Coweta County Environmental Health Office (District 4 Public Health)

Residential septic permit and repair applications, wastewater management, well water and other environmental-health matters

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 Town of Sharpsburg 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 Town of Sharpsburg, GA?

Sharpsburg requires a building permit before a building or structure is located, erected, moved, enlarged or structurally altered, and also for roof replacement and heating or air-conditioning installation or replacement.1 Ordinary minor repairs need building-official approval to proceed without a permit and must still comply with technical codes.1

Georgia’s mandatory construction codes apply statewide, including inside Sharpsburg, whether or not locally enforced.8 A Georgia owner-builder contractor-license exemption does not waive local building permits, inspections or zoning; ask the town building official how to apply as an owner.7

Who handles building permits in Town of Sharpsburg?

Start with the Sharpsburg Town Clerk for planning and zoning information at (770) 251-4171; ask the clerk to connect you with the town building official for the building-permit application.9 Sharpsburg’s ordinance calls for an application on a town-furnished form, describing the work, location and proposed occupancy, with the required fee.10

The published town fee schedule lists residential new construction at $5 per $1,000 of construction cost, plus $75 for the certificate of occupancy, with a minimum building-permit fee of $100 plus the occupancy charge.11 Ask the town to confirm the current schedule before budgeting.

Does Town of Sharpsburg have zoning and minimum lot sizes?

Town of Sharpsburg has its own zoning ordinance and zoning map for land inside town limits.2 Sharpsburg’s district table includes R1 Rural Residential, R1A Single-Family Residential and R2 Single-Family Residential, among other districts; identify the parcel’s district before choosing a house site.12

In Sharpsburg’s R1 Rural Residential district, the published minimum lot size is 1.5 acres.5 That district-specific minimum is not a town-wide standard.5 Ask the Town Clerk for the parcel’s applicable yard and height standards and any zoning-map amendments before drawing the site plan.9

How do septic permits work inside Town of Sharpsburg?

For a private sewerage system inside Sharpsburg, a Coweta County Health Department septic permit must accompany the town building-permit application.4 District 4 Environmental Health administers onsite sewage permits and inspections and directs applicants to their county Environmental Health Office.13

Georgia requires the County Board of Health to find the site suitable before issuing a septic construction permit.14 Georgia also requires final inspection and written approval before the system is backfilled or used, including repairs, replacements and additions.15 Arrange septic approval before submitting the Sharpsburg building application so the required supporting permit is ready.4

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Town of Sharpsburg?

We could not confirm permission for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy or an accessory dwelling inside Sharpsburg; ask the Town Clerk to obtain a parcel-specific answer from the zoning and building officials.9

Georgia treats site-built and modular tiny dwellings as subject to applicable building codes and requires local siting approval; that framework does not establish permission for an RV-based tiny home.16 Sharpsburg also requires a certificate of occupancy for covered uses, newly erected or altered buildings and changes in use, so building approval alone does not complete the occupancy process.6

Building a home in Town of Sharpsburg: what are the steps?

  1. Ask the Town Clerk to confirm the parcel’s zoning district and applicable town standards.912
  2. For private sewerage, obtain the Coweta County Health Department septic permit to submit with the town application.4
  3. Submit the town building-permit form, work description, location, proposed occupancy, required plans, land-plat copies and fee.10
  4. Wait for the building permit before beginning construction; Sharpsburg’s ordinance provides for action on the application within 10 working days.10
  5. Arrange required inspections and obtain the town certificate of occupancy before covered occupancy.176

For property outside town limits, use the Coweta County guide for the county building-permit and zoning answers; county zoning authority generally covers unincorporated land.18

Watch-outs

  • Starting construction before applying for the Sharpsburg building permit can trigger a $100-per-day fine in addition to building-permit fees.10
  • Sharpsburg’s published fee schedule doubles building-permit fees when work starts before a permit, without excusing compliance or other penalties.11
  • We could not confirm Sharpsburg’s private-well permit requirement; ask Coweta County Environmental Health about site review and local well-construction procedures.19
  • We could not confirm Sharpsburg’s operative floodplain-development or general driveway-access rules; ask the Town Clerk which official reviews the parcel and road entrance.9

Sources

  1. Zoning Ordinance, Adopted October 2, 2006 (Town of Sharpsburg), quoted and re-checked
  2. Planning & Zoning (Town of Sharpsburg), quoted and re-checked
  3. sharpsburg-ga.gov (Town of Sharpsburg), quoted and re-checked
  4. sharpsburg-ga.gov (Town of Sharpsburg), quoted and re-checked
  5. sharpsburg-ga.gov (Town of Sharpsburg), quoted and re-checked
  6. Zoning Ordinance, Adopted October 2, 2006 (Town of Sharpsburg), quoted and re-checked
  7. Residential and Commercial General Contractors Frequently Asked Questions (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Mandatory and Permissive State Codes (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Sharpsburg Town Office / Town Clerk (sharpsburg-ga.gov)
  10. sharpsburg-ga.gov (Town of Sharpsburg), quoted and re-checked
  11. Building Permit Fee Summary, Town of Sharpsburg (Town of Sharpsburg), quoted and re-checked
  12. Planning & Zoning (Town of Sharpsburg), quoted and re-checked
  13. Coweta County Environmental Health Office (District 4 Public Health) (district4health.org)
  14. Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Georgia Tiny House Fact Sheet (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Building Permit Fee Summary, Town of Sharpsburg (Town of Sharpsburg), quoted and re-checked
  18. Georgia Zoning Statutes Compilation (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Water Well Standards (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 Town of Sharpsburg

Town of Sharpsburg’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings and structures inside Sharpsburg town limits.

    • A permit is required before locating, erecting, moving, adding to, or structurally altering a building or other structure.
    • Permits are also required for roof replacement and replacement or installation of heating and air-conditioning systems.
    • Ordinary minor repairs may proceed without a permit only with building-official approval and only if they do not violate technical codes.
    • Repairs or modernization that do not increase floor area may be exempt if they do not encroach into required yards and do not include new roofing or heating and air-conditioning work.
    “No building or other structure shall be located, erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a building permit”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction inside Sharpsburg town limits.

    • The town ordinance page lists a 2015 Building & Construction Code and a December 2019 amendment.
    • The zoning ordinance also requires compliance with technical codes, state law, and applicable Georgia Building and Fire Codes.
    “Building & Construction Code 2015 Building & Construction Code Amendment 12/2019”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Occupancy and compliance inspections for construction inside Sharpsburg town limits.

    • The fee schedule identifies occupancy, compliance, special, miscellaneous, and re-inspection services.
    • The zoning ordinance authorizes inspections when necessary to enforce the ordinance or investigate unsafe or hazardous conditions.

    compliance inspection fee: 150 USD (occupancy inspection with Fire Marshall) · first re-inspection fee: 100 USD (code deficiencies upon inspection)

    “Compliance Inspections $150 Occupancy inspection with Fire Marshall.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or occupancy of lots and buildings inside Sharpsburg town limits.

    • A certificate of occupancy is required before use or occupancy of any lot or change in use, a newly erected or altered building or change in use of an existing building, and changed, extended, altered, or rebuilt nonconforming uses.
    • Issuance requires compliance with the zoning ordinance, other town ordinances, and applicable state and county laws and regulations.
    • The fee schedule lists a $75 certificate-of-occupancy charge for new residential construction, with a $100 minimum permit fee plus the $75 CO charge.

    certificate of occupancy fee: 75 USD (new residential construction; minimum permit fee is $100 plus $75 for CO)

    “A Certificate of Occupancy is required in advance of the use or occupancy”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Sharpsburg town limits.

    • The town publishes and administers a Zoning Ordinance and zoning map.
    • The ordinance was adopted October 2, 2006; later amendments may apply.
    “This Ordinance seeks to encourage development of land within the Town of Sharpsburg”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts and zoning-map administration inside Sharpsburg town limits.

    • The zoning ordinance identifies R1 Rural Residential, R1A Single-Family Residential, R2 Single-Family Residential, TND, PCD, TMF, TC, TNC, THC, and LI districts in its district standards table.
    • The town planning page links the zoning ordinance and zoning map.
    “Table 5.1: Zoning District Area Yard and Height Requirements”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R1 Rural Residential district inside Sharpsburg town limits.

    • The table lists the minimum lot size as 1.5 acres and tract size as 1.5 acres.

    minimum lot size: 1.5 acres

    “R1 RURAL RESIDENTIAL 1.5 ACRES/1.5 ACRES”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Private sewerage systems serving property inside Sharpsburg town limits; the permitting authority identified by the town is the Coweta County Health Department.

    • The county health department septic permit must accompany the town building-permit application when a private sewerage system is used.
    “issued by the Coweta County Health Department”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Private sewerage systems proposed inside Sharpsburg town limits.

    • A Coweta County Health Department septic permit is required as supporting documentation for the town building-permit application when private sewerage is used.
    “Where private sewerage systems are used, a copy of the permit for the septic system”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building and related permits inside Sharpsburg town limits.

    • The fee schedule is labeled Building Permit Fee Summary, Town of Sharpsburg.
    • Residential new construction is charged $5 per $1,000 of construction cost plus $75 for the certificate of occupancy; minimum is $100 plus $75 for CO.
    • Plan review is $150 per hour; site-plan review is $300 plus $20 per lot or acre.
    • Where work started before a permit, fees are doubled, without relieving compliance or other penalties.

    residential new-construction permit fee: per 5 USD per $1,000 construction cost (plus $75 CO; minimum $100 plus $75 CO) · plan review fee: 150 USD per hour (due upon submission of construction requiring a permit or plan review) · site plan review: 300 USD plus $20 per lot or acre (prior to rezoning case or submission of construction documents)

    “Residential (New One Family, Two Family & Townhouse Dwellings) $5 per $1000 of construction cost”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permit applications inside Sharpsburg town limits.

    • Applications must be filed on a town-furnished form with a general description, location, proposed occupancy, and required fee.
    • For construction or enlargement greater than 200 square feet, plans drawn to scale are required as determined by the Town Council.
    • Two copies of the Coweta County Tax Assessors land plat are required.
    • Private sewerage requires a Coweta County Health Department septic permit copy.
    • The building official acts within ten working days; nonconforming applications must be refused in writing within ten working days.
    • Work begun before permits is subject to a $100-per-day fine plus permit fees.

    application decision period: 10 working days (from filing; written refusal must be postmarked no later than ten working days) · pre-permit construction penalty: 100 USD per day (from beginning of construction until permit application is received)

    “The building official shall act upon an application for a permit within ten working days”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Sharpsburg or Coweta County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Sharpsburg town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family and rural-residential dwellings inside Sharpsburg town limits.
  • Lot coverage — Residential development inside Sharpsburg town limits.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term or residential RV occupancy inside Sharpsburg town limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Sharpsburg town limits.
10 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Town of Sharpsburg publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Coweta County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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