Bolthole Index

Liberty County, Georgia

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Midway, Georgia

Midway, Georgia (Liberty County) requires a building permit for houses, roofed structures and additions inside city limits1. Liberty County's Building & Licensing Department says it issues building permits for Midway as well2. Zoning for Midway could not be confirmed from the city's code, so ask the Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission3. Septic permits come from the health officer, not the city clerk4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside Midway for houses, roofed structures and additions1
Who issues it
City code names a building inspector and the city clerk; the county office also lists Midway among the cities it serves52
Zoning
Midway's own zoning ordinance was not located; the county planning commission administers a Unified Development Ordinance for the county and its municipalities6
Septic
Permit and inspection by the health officer; none where a public sewer is accessible47
Building code
2012 International Residential Code with Georgia amendments, as listed in Midway's code8
Flood zones
Lowest floor at least 1 foot above base flood elevation in most mapped zones9
Owner-builder
Georgia does not require a license to build your own home; local permits still apply10

Who to call

Also useful

City of Midway (City Hall)

City hall and city clerk; the city's contact page lists the county numbers for zoning and building inspection

(912) 884-3344

41 Charlie Butler Road Midway, Georgia 31320

Building permits

Liberty County Building & Licensing Department

Building permits and inspections; its page lists Midway among the municipalities it serves

912-876-8454

112 N. Main St., Room 1200, Hinesville, GA 31313

Planning & zoning

Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission

Planning and zoning questions

912-408-2030

205 E Court Street, Hinesville, GA 31313

Septic permits

Liberty County Environmental Health

Septic and well procedures through the Coastal Health District

(912) 368-5520

507 E. Oglethorpe Hwy., Hinesville, GA 31310

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Midway, Georgia?

Yes. Midway's city code bars anyone from starting to erect a building or structure inside the city without a permit1. The code covers houses, structures with a roof and additions, and the application goes in at least 5 days before work starts1. Each day of work without a permit counts as a separate offense1. Fees are set from time to time by the mayor and council, and we did not find a published fee schedule11.

Georgia does not require a license to build your own home, but that exemption does not waive local permits or inspections10. Midway's code adopts the 2012 International Residential Code with Georgia amendments, and its own conditions note the edition may lag current state codes8.

Who issues building permits in Midway, and how do you reach them?

Midway's code says the building inspector recommends approval or disapproval and the city clerk issues the permit; a disapproval is appealed to the planning and zoning commission5. In practice, the Liberty County Building & Licensing Department states that it issues building permits for the unincorporated area and for several municipalities, with Midway among those listed2. Midway's own contact page lists the county's zoning and building inspection numbers12.

Start with Midway City Hall at (912) 884-3344, 41 Charlie Butler Road12, and confirm whether your permit is handled there or at the county office in Hinesville at 912-876-84542. The county's rules for unincorporated land are on the Liberty County page; do not assume they apply inside Midway.

Does Midway, Georgia have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

We could not confirm Midway's zoning. The city's code sections we reviewed refer to a planning and zoning commission but contain no zoning ordinance text, and we found no official statement that the city has no zoning5. The Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission administers a Unified Development Ordinance that consolidates zoning, subdivision and land-use rules for Liberty County and its seven municipalities6. Call the commission at 912-408-20303 to learn which district a Midway parcel falls in.

Because the zoning ordinance was not located, we could not confirm Midway's rules on RV living, tiny homes, minimum house size, lot size or setbacks. Georgia leaves tiny-home siting to local zoning, and tiny homes follow the same building codes as other houses13. Get the answer in writing before you buy.

How do septic permits work in Midway?

Midway's code bars anyone from building, repairing, altering or enlarging a septic tank without a permit from the health officer, who may withhold it pending site inspection4. No permit is issued for a subsurface absorption system on a lot under 10,000 square feet4, and the health officer must inspect and approve the tank before it is covered14.

Septic is allowed only where no public sewer is available; connection is required when a public sewer lies within 200 feet of the property line, 30 days after official notice7. The city code does not name the agency behind the health officer. Statewide, the County Board of Health issues septic construction permits, valid for up to 12 months15. Call Liberty County Environmental Health at (912) 368-552016.

County-wide, only 0.2% of soils are rated not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system17.

Building a home in Midway: the steps, in order

  1. Call Midway City Hall at (912) 884-3344 to confirm who issues building permits and which zoning district applies12.
  2. Confirm zoning with the Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission at 912-408-20303.
  3. Ask whether a public sewer is within 200 feet; if so you must connect, and if not, apply for a septic permit through Liberty County Environmental Health716.
  4. Check the flood map: in most mapped flood zones the lowest floor must sit at least 1 foot above base flood elevation9.
  5. File the building permit application at least 5 days before work begins1.
  6. Have the septic tank inspected before it is covered14.

What stays with Liberty County, and what to check before you buy in Midway?

Septic and well oversight sit with the health district and state rules rather than the city clerk. Georgia says a well contractor must contact the county health department before drilling, and some county health departments require a well permit18. We did not find a Midway well rule.

For land outside city limits, the county's unincorporated rules apply instead; see the Liberty County page. Liberty County's effective property tax rate is 1.1%19, and the typical home value is about $248,80620.

Watch-outs

  • Midway's code says permits come from the city's building inspector and clerk, while the county Building & Licensing Department lists Midway among the cities it serves, so confirm which office takes your application52.
  • We could not locate Midway's zoning ordinance, so setbacks, lot size, RV and tiny-home rules inside the city are unconfirmed; ask the Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission3.
  • Midway's code lists the 2012 residential code edition, which may be out of date against current state codes, so ask which edition the inspector enforces8.
  • We did not find a certificate-of-occupancy, driveway or well rule in Midway's code; ask City Hall12.

Sources

  1. Midway Code Sec. 6-4. Building permits (Midway), quoted and re-checked
  2. Liberty County Building & Licensing Department (libertycountyga.gov)
  3. Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission (libertycountyga.gov)
  4. Midway Code Sec. 36-99. Private wastewater disposal (Midway), quoted and re-checked
  5. Midway Code Sec. 6-4. Building permits (Midway), quoted and re-checked
  6. Liberty County's Unified Development Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  7. Midway Code Sec. 36-98. Use of public sewers required (Midway), quoted and re-checked
  8. Midway Code Sec. 6-1. Construction codes adopted (Midway), quoted and re-checked
  9. Midway Code Sec. 12-87. Specific standards (flood hazard reduction) (Midway), quoted and re-checked
  10. Residential and Commercial General Contractors Frequently Asked Questions (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Midway Code Sec. 6-4. Building permits (Midway), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Midway (City Hall) (historicmidway.com)
  13. Georgia Tiny House Fact Sheet (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Midway Code Sec. 36-99. Private wastewater disposal (Midway), quoted and re-checked
  15. Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Liberty County Environmental Health (coastalhealthdistrict.org)
  17. 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
  18. Water Well Standards (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data

Written October 16, 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 Midway

Midway’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Houses, structures with a roof and additions inside Midway city

    • Apply to the building inspector at least five days before beginning work.
    • The application must be accompanied by fees fixed by the mayor and council.
    • Each day of work without a permit is a separate offense.

    advance application: >= 5 days

    “No person or corporation, contractor or builder shall begin the erection of any building structure within the city without a permit therefor as hereinbefore provided.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Midway city

    • The adopting text says the codes are adopted 'by the county', which looks like a drafting carryover in Midway's code.
    • The codes are adopted as supplemented and amended by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
    • The edition list is 2012 IBC/IRC with Georgia amendments, so it may be out of date against current state codes.

    International Residential Code edition: 2012 with 2014 and 2015 Georgia amendments

    “ICC International Residential Code, 2012 Edition, with 2014 and 2015 Georgia amendments.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Septic tank construction, repair, alteration or enlargement inside Midway city

    • The health officer may withhold the permit pending site inspection and approval.
    • No permit for subsurface soil absorption systems where the lot is under 10,000 square feet.
    • No septic system where a public sewer is accessible to the premises.

    minimum lot area for subsurface disposal: >= 10000 sq ft

    “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

    New, repaired, altered or enlarged septic tanks inside Midway city

    • Inspection and approval by the health officer are required before the tank is covered.
    “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.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private wastewater disposal inside Midway city

    • Private disposal is allowed only where no public sewer is available.
    • Septic tanks must be approved by the health officer.
    • Pit privies are barred where a public sewer is accessible, where the health officer deems them a menace, where they may pollute a water supply, or where they are out of keeping with adjacent sanitation standards.
    “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)

    Properties used for human occupancy abutting a street, alley or right-of-way with a public sanitary sewer, inside Midway city

    • Connection is required 30 days after official notice.
    • The public sewer must be within 200 feet of the property line.
    • Where no sewer is available, septic tanks approved by the health officer may be used.
    • The code excerpts provided contain no public-water connection mandate.

    sewer distance: <= 200 feet · connection deadline after notice: 30 days

    “provided that said public sewer is within 200 feet of the property line.”
  • Subdividing landLimited

    Subdivision and development proposals inside Midway city (flood-related standards only)

    • Only the flood-damage standards of Sec. 12-91 were found.
    • The general subdivision regulations were not located.
    • Floodplain subdivisions need base flood elevation data established under FEMA standards.
    “all subdivision and/or development proposals shall: (1) be consistent with the need to minimize flood damage.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in special flood hazard areas inside Midway city

    • The lowest floor must be at least one foot above base flood elevation in A1-30, AE, AH and A zones with an estimated BFE.
    • Encroachments in the regulatory floodway are prohibited unless engineering analysis shows no increase in flood levels.
    • Manufactured homes may not be placed in a floodway except in an existing manufactured home park or subdivision.

    freeboard above base flood elevation: >= 1 foot (A-zones without BFE data require 3 feet above highest adjacent grade (Sec. 12-88))

    “shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated no lower than one foot above the base flood elevation.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building permit fees inside Midway city

    • Fees are fixed from time to time by the mayor and council. No fee schedule was opened.
    “and if accompanied by such fees as fixed from time to time by the mayor and council.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permit process inside Midway city

    • The application states the owner, size, material, location and whether the work is done under contract.
    • The building inspector recommends approval or disapproval and the clerk issues the permit.
    • Disapproval is appealed to the planning and zoning commission.
    “If the building inspector approves the application, the clerk shall issue the permit; and if he disapproves, he shall give in writing the reasons therefor.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Midway city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Midway city
  • Local zoning — Zoning inside Midway city limits
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Midway city
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Midway city
14 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Midway publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Liberty County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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