Bolthole Index

Johnson County, Georgia

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Wrightsville, Georgia

Wrightsville, Georgia requires a building permit from the city building inspector before construction, building alterations or covered site work begins.1 Wrightsville sets its own zoning; the zoning map is available at the city clerk’s office.2 In Johnson County, septic questions go to county Environmental Health, and Wrightsville requires health-officer approval for septic work.34 Travel-trailer occupancy is limited to qualifying temporary uses with a special permit.5

At a glance

Building permits
Required before covered construction and site work; issued by the city building inspector1
Zoning
City zoning applies; inspect the zoning map at the city clerk’s office2
Septic permits
Health-officer permit and inspection required; contact Johnson County Environmental Health463
RV living
Qualifying temporary travel-trailer occupancy requires a special permit on a lot occupied by a permanent building5
Tiny homes
Site-built and modular tiny homes need local siting approval and must meet applicable Georgia building codes7
Owner-builder
State contractor-license exemption for building your own home does not waive local approvals8
Public sewer
When sewer becomes available to a property using private disposal, connection is required within 30 days after notice9

Who to call

Planning & zoning

Wrightsville City Clerk

Starting contact for the city zoning map, driveway applications and referral to the city building inspector; this payment page is not a verified building-permit application portal.

478-864-3303

8647 S. Marcus St Wrightsville, GA 31096

Septic permits

Johnson County Health Department — Environmental Health

Environmental Health contact for septic approvals and private-well questions.

478-864-3542

82 Hilton Holton Street Wrightsville, Georgia 31096

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 Wrightsville means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Wrightsville, GA?

Wrightsville requires the city building inspector to issue a building permit before excavation or filling for a building, construction, moving or alteration of a building, or the covered development of land begins.1 Georgia’s mandatory construction codes apply even where a local government does not enforce them.10 An owner building their own home may use Georgia’s contractor-license exemption, but that exemption does not waive Wrightsville’s building permits, zoning, inspections or other local requirements.8 Ask the city building inspector for the current residential fee schedule, required application documents, code editions, inspection stages and occupancy approval before budgeting or starting work.

Who issues building permits and zoning approvals in Wrightsville?

Wrightsville’s building inspector issues the city building permit, while the city clerk’s office keeps the zoning map available for public inspection during normal business hours.12 Reach the Wrightsville City Clerk at 478-864-3303 to request the map and a referral to the building inspector.11 Septic approval is a separate health-officer responsibility, with Johnson County Environmental Health as the local contact.43 For a parcel outside city limits, use the Johnson County guide and confirm jurisdiction before submitting a building application.

Does Wrightsville have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Wrightsville has city zoning, so ask the city clerk to identify the parcel’s mapped district before choosing a home design.2 For single-family dwellings, Wrightsville’s R-1 low-density district requires a 12,000-square-foot lot, and the R-2 medium-density district requires an 8,000-square-foot lot, subject to existing-lot relief.1213 In Wrightsville’s R-1 district, front setbacks are 75 feet from the centerline of major streets or 60 feet from other street centerlines; rear yards are 30 feet and side yards are 20 feet each.14 Those front setbacks use the street centerline rather than the property boundary.14 Ask the city building inspector to confirm street classification, corner-lot treatment and any existing-lot relief for your parcel.

How do septic permits and sewer connections work in Wrightsville?

Wrightsville requires a health-officer permit to construct, repair, alter or enlarge a septic tank, and the health officer may require site and location approval before issuing that permit.4 Wrightsville also requires approved plans and specifications and inspection before any part of the septic tank is covered.6 Contact Johnson County Health Department Environmental Health at 478-864-3542 for septic questions.15 Private subsurface disposal in Wrightsville is allowed only where public sewer is unavailable and the health officer approves the facilities.16 When public sewer becomes available to a Wrightsville property using private disposal, direct connection is required within 30 days after notice, followed by proper abandonment and securing of the septic facilities.9 Confirm sewer availability before paying for a septic design.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or manufactured home in Wrightsville?

Wrightsville allows a travel trailer on a lot occupied by a permanent building when necessary for construction-site preparation, completion of a construction project, or care of a sick or infirm resident; a special temporary-occupancy permit is required.5 Wrightsville’s temporary permit lasts no more than 1 year and cannot be renewed more than 2 consecutive times.5 That provision does not establish permission for indefinite RV living on a vacant lot.5 Georgia requires site-built and modular tiny homes to meet applicable building codes and receive local siting approval.7 We could not confirm Wrightsville’s tiny-home-specific occupancy or minimum dwelling floor-area rules; ask the city building inspector about your proposed design. Manufactured homes are permitted in Wrightsville’s R-3 and R-4 districts subject to the city’s requirements and compatibility review.17

Building a home in Wrightsville: what are the steps in order?

  1. Ask the Wrightsville City Clerk to confirm the parcel’s city jurisdiction and mapped zoning district; the zoning map is kept at the clerk’s office.2
  2. Confirm sewer availability with the city and obtain health-officer approval for septic where sewer is unavailable.164
  3. Obtain the city building inspector’s building permit before covered site work or construction starts.1
  4. Obtain the city clerk’s driveway permit before constructing, altering or grading a driveway or curb-cut on a public street; issuance requires public-works plan approval.18
  5. Arrange health-officer inspection before covering the septic tank, and ask the building inspector for the construction inspection schedule and occupancy requirements.6

What should you check before buying land in Wrightsville?

Treat the city zoning district and sewer availability as separate purchase checks: Wrightsville controls land use, while private wastewater disposal needs health-officer approval where sewer is unavailable.216 For a proposed private well, Georgia requires compliance with the Water Well Standards Act and advance contractor contact with the county health department for site review; ask Johnson County Environmental Health whether your Wrightsville project needs a well-construction permit.19 Johnson County’s soil data rates 22.1% of soils “not limited” for conventional septic drain fields; that countywide figure does not establish suitability of a Wrightsville lot or mean septic is impossible elsewhere.20 We could not confirm Wrightsville’s floodplain administrator or city-specific development rule; ask the city clerk who reviews floodplain work before committing to a parcel.

Watch-outs

  • Wrightsville’s temporary travel-trailer provision applies to a lot occupied by a permanent building and requires a qualifying purpose and special permit; ask the city building inspector before planning to live on a vacant lot during construction.5
  • Wrightsville’s residential front-yard setbacks are measured from the street centerline, so use the correct reference point when testing whether a house fits.14
  • Wrightsville’s mobile-home parks and each home in a park must use city water and sewer, with service connections the developer’s responsibility.21

Sources

  1. Sec. 8-1. - Building permit required (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  2. Sec. 1-4. - Zoning map (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  3. Georgia DPH - Onsite Sewage (2026 county census)
  4. Sec. 30-144. - Permit for septic tank required (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  5. Sec. 2-5. - Temporary occupancy (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sec. 30-144. - Permit for septic tank required (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  7. Georgia Tiny House Fact Sheet (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Residential and Commercial General Contractors Frequently Asked Questions (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Sec. 30-113. - Use of public sewer—Exception (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  10. Mandatory and Permissive State Codes (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Wrightsville City Clerk (wrightsvillega.governmentwindow.com)
  12. Sec. 5-2. - Residential district requirements (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  13. Sec. 5-2. - Residential district requirements (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  14. Sec. 5-2. - Residential district requirements (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  15. Johnson County Health Department — Environmental Health (johnsonco.org)
  16. Sec. 30-113. - Use of public sewer—Exception (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  17. Sec. 2-2. - Manufactured homes in residential zoning districts (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  18. Sec. 24-4. - Driveways and curbs (Wrightsville), quoted and re-checked
  19. Water Well Standards (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Sec. 5-67. - Minimum requirements for mobile home parks (Wrightsville), 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 Wrightsville

Wrightsville’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Excavation, filling, construction, moving, alteration of buildings, and development of land for uses not requiring a building permit inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • A building permit must be issued before the covered work begins.
    • The permit is issued by the building inspector.
    “It shall be unlawful to commence the excavation or filling of any lot for the construction of any building or to commence construction of any building or to commence the moving or alteration of any building or to commence the development of land for a use not requiring a building permit until the building inspector has issued a building permit for such work.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • The zoning map is maintained at the city clerk's office and is available for public inspection during normal business hours.
    “The location and boundaries of the zoning districts established by this appendix are defined and shown on the map entitled "Zoning Map of Wrightsville, Georgia," hereby made a specific part of this appendix adopted on May 19, 1997, and signed by the mayor and city council, as may be amended from time to time.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    The City of Wrightsville zoning map and districts.

    • The zoning districts are defined by the city's zoning map and code.
    • The listed districts are D-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, P-1, NC, C-1, C-2, I-1, and I-2.
    “For the purposes of this zoning code, the areas shown on the Zoning Map of the City of Wrightsville, Georgia are hereby divided into the following districts or zones: District Title D-1 Development district R-1 Single-family residential — low-density district R-2 Single-family residential — medium density district R-3 Multifamily residential district— high-density district R-4 Manufactured/mobile home park district P-1 Professional district NC Neighborhood commercial district C-1 Central business district C-2 General commercial district I-1 Light industrial district I-2 Heavy industrial district”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 Single-family residential—low-density district.

    • The table states a 12,000-square-foot minimum single-family lot size.
    • Existing-lot relief may reduce requirements, but no residential lot may be used below one-half of applicable minimum area and yard requirements.

    minimum single-family lot area: 12000 sq ft

    “Area, Yard and Height Requirements D-1 R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 Minimum lot size Total area (sq. ft.) Area per dwelling unit (sq. ft.) Single-family 20,000 12,000 8,000 5,000 4,000”
    3 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family dwellings in the R-2 Single-family residential—medium-density district.
      “Area, Yard and Height Requirements D-1 R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 Minimum lot size Total area (sq. ft.) Area per dwelling unit (sq. ft.) Single-family 20,000 12,000 8,000 5,000 4,000”
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family dwellings in the R-3 Multifamily residential—high-density district.
      “Area, Yard and Height Requirements D-1 R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 Minimum lot size Total area (sq. ft.) Area per dwelling unit (sq. ft.) Single-family 20,000 12,000 8,000 5,000 4,000”
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family dwellings in the R-4 Manufactured/mobile home park district.
      “Area, Yard and Height Requirements D-1 R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 Minimum lot size Total area (sq. ft.) Area per dwelling unit (sq. ft.) Single-family 20,000 12,000 8,000 5,000 4,000”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential districts D-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-4 inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • Front setbacks are measured from the street centerline.
    • Major-street front setbacks are 75, 75, 75, 65, and 75 feet for D-1 through R-4 respectively.
    • Other-street front setbacks are 60, 60, 60, 50, and 60 feet respectively.
    • Rear yards are 30, 30, 30, 30, and 20 feet respectively.
    • Side yards are 20 feet each side, 20 feet each side, 15 feet each side, 15 feet each side, and 10 feet each side respectively.
    • Corner lots have a street-facing side-yard setback of at least two-thirds of the front-yard setback.
    “Minimum front yard setback from centerline Major streets 75 75 75 65 75 All other streets 60 60 60 50 60 Minimum rear yard (depth in feet) 30 30 30 30 20 Minimum side yard (width in feet) 20 ft. each side 20 ft. each side 15 ft. each side 15 ft. each side 10 ft. each side”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential districts D-1, R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-4 inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • Maximum heights are 35, 35, 35, 50, and 15 feet for D-1 through R-4 respectively.
    • The code excludes certain structures such as church spires, belfries, cupolas, domes, similar towers, towers, chimneys, smokestacks, derricks, conveyors, flagpoles, and aerials, subject to the stated airport-vicinity exception.
    “Maximum height (in feet) 35 35 35 50 15 (Zoning Code 1997, § 11-1)”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Placement or occupancy of a travel trailer on a lot occupied by a permanent building inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • Placement must be necessary for construction-site preparation, completion of a construction project, or care of a sick or infirm resident.
    • A special permit is required.
    • The permit may last no more than one year.
    • The permit may not be renewed more than two consecutive times.

    maximum temporary permit period: 1 year · maximum consecutive renewals: 2 renewals

    “A mobile home/manufactured home or travel trailer may be placed on a lot occupied by a permanent building, where it is necessary to provide for the preparation of the construction site, the completion of a construction project, or the care of a sick or infirm resident on that lot. A special permit authorizing temporary occupancy shall be required. Such a temporary permit shall be issued for a period not exceeding one year. Such a temporary permit shall not be eligible for renewal more than two consecutive times.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured or mobile homes inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • Manufactured/mobile homes are permitted in R-3 and R-4 districts subject to zoning-code requirements and compatibility review.
    • The use table marks manufactured homes on individual lots prohibited in D-1, R-1, and R-2 and permitted in R-3 and R-4.
    • R-4 mobile-home parks have separate minimum-area, density, spacing, utility, and access requirements.
    “Manufactured homes and/or mobile homes shall be permitted in R-3 (Multifamily Residential District — High-Density) and R-4 (Manufactured/Mobile Home Park District) zoning districts, subject to the requirements and limitations set forth in this zoning code, including, but not limited to, minimum lots, yard and building spacing, percentage of lot coverage, off-street parking requirements, approved foundations as described herein, and upon a finding that the compatibility standard set forth below is met.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private wastewater disposal inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • Private septic or other subsurface disposal is allowed only where no public sewer is available.
    • Facilities must be approved by the health officer.
    • A direct public-sewer connection is required within 30 days after notice when public sewer becomes available.
    “provided that where no sewer is available, septic tanks or other private subsurface disposal facilities approved by the health officer may be used.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Plumbing fixtures and properties inside Wrightsville city limits when public sewer is available.

    • Specified plumbing fixtures must connect to public sewer.
    • Where no sewer is available, health-officer-approved septic tanks or other private subsurface disposal facilities may be used.
    • When public sewer becomes available to a property served by private wastewater disposal, direct connection is required within 30 days after notice.
    • Septic facilities must then be abandoned and secured according to acceptable practices.

    connection deadline after notice: 30 days

    “At such time as a public sewer becomes available to a property served by a private wastewater disposal system, a direct connection shall be made to the public sewer within 30 days after notice.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Water and sewer (with conditions) — Mobile home parks and each mobile/manufactured home within a park inside Wrightsville city limits.
      “Mobile home parks and each mobile home/manufactured home within the park shall be served by the city's water and sewerage system. The park developer shall be responsible for service connections.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Construction, reconstruction, repair, alteration, or grading of a driveway, curb, or curb-cut on a public street inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • A permit from the city clerk is required before work begins.
    • The city clerk issues the permit after public-works plan approval and findings regarding specifications, traffic, ingress/egress, and public health, safety, and welfare.
    • The city may require a bond.
    • A city-established fee applies.
    “No person shall begin to construct, reconstruct, repair, alter, or grade any driveway, curb, or curb-cut on any public streets without first obtaining a permit from the city clerk in the manner specified in this chapter.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Junkyard creation, expansion, or substantial modification inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • A permit is required for creation, expansion, or substantial modification of a junkyard.
    • Each permit application must include the stated fee.
    • Existing junkyards are exempt from the permit requirement but must register within 90 days of enactment.

    junkyard permit fee: 1000 USD

    “All permit applications shall include a $1,000.00 permit fee.”

Rules another office applies inside Wrightsville

Wrightsville does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Septic permitRequired

    Construction, repair, alteration, or enlargement of septic tanks inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • A valid permit issued by the health officer is required.
    • The health officer may withhold issuance pending site and location inspection and approval.
    • The system must be inspected and approved before it is covered.
    “No person shall construct, repair, alter, or enlarge any septic tank unless he shall hold a valid permit for such work issued by the health officer.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Septic tanks and private wastewater systems inside Wrightsville city limits.

    • Inspection and approval are required before covering the septic tank or any part of it.
    • Plans and specifications must be approved by the health officer.
    “Before any septic tank or any part thereof may be covered after it has been constructed, repaired, altered, or enlarged, it shall be inspected and approved by the health officer.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Wrightsville city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Construction inside Wrightsville city limits.
  • Inspections — Building construction inside Wrightsville city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Wrightsville city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Wrightsville city limits.
8 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Wrightsville publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Johnson County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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