Bolthole Index

Paulding County, Georgia

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Hiram, Georgia

Hiram, Georgia zones its own land under the city's Unified Development Ordinance1. The city's planning page sends building permits to the Paulding County Development Division2. Septic permits run through county Environmental Health, which Hiram's code does not take over3. Hiram's A-1 agricultural district asks for five acres per lot4.

At a glance

Zoning
Hiram has its own zoning districts under its Unified Development Ordinance15
Building permit
Hiram's planning page sends building permits to the Paulding County Development Division2
Septic
County Board of Health approves the site before a septic construction permit; we could not confirm a separate Hiram process3
A-1 minimum lot
217,800 sq ft (five acres)4
A-1 minimum home size
1,100 sq ft of heated living area6
A-1 setbacks
50 ft front, 25 ft side, 30 ft rear7
Owner-builder
Georgia does not require a license to build your own home, but local codes and permits still apply8

Who to call

Zoning

City of Hiram Zoning Administrator

General questions about Hiram zoning and sign permits; the page directs rezoning, variances and special use permits to Paulding County Planning & Zoning and building permits to the Paulding County Development Division

770-943-3726

150 Oak Street Hiram, GA 30141

Building permits

Paulding County Building & Permitting Division

Building, electrical, heating/air-conditioning and plumbing permits and inspections for Paulding County

770-443-7571

[email protected]

240 Constitution Boulevard, First Floor, Dallas, GA 30132

Septic permits

Paulding County Environmental Health

Local Environmental Health contact for septic and well review

770-443-7877

240 Constitution Boulevard, Suite 1A, Dallas, GA 30132

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

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Does Hiram, GA have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Hiram divides the city into zoning districts under its Unified Development Ordinance1, including A-1, ER, R-1, R-2, R-3, MPR, OSRD, RD, MHP and R-55, plus business and industrial districts5. The city's planning page says Paulding County Planning & Zoning administers the city's zoning ordinance and processes rezonings, variances and special use permits2.

The district decides the numbers. In Hiram's A-1 Agricultural District the minimum lot is 217,800 square feet (five acres), with 30 feet of public road frontage and a 125-foot lot width at the building line4. Setbacks are 50 feet front, 25 feet side and 30 feet rear7, and buildings top out at 45 feet9. A single-family home in A-1 needs at least 1,100 square feet of heated living area6. In the R-55 active adult district, lots can be as small as 6,000 square feet and homes are limited to 30 feet109. Check your parcel's district on the city zoning map before you buy.

Do you need a building permit in Hiram, and who issues it?

Hiram's own planning page lists building permits among the items handled by the Paulding County Development Division, so a Hiram address starts at the county rather than at City Hall2. The county requires a Private Dwelling Permit, signed off by each department, before it issues a building permit for a new home11. The county's Building & Permitting Division issues building, electrical, heating/air and plumbing permits and conducts the inspections12.

Georgia does not require a license to build your own home, but you must still follow local codes and get the permits8. We could not confirm which building code edition, inspection schedule or certificate of occupancy procedure Hiram applies inside city limits, so ask the county Building & Permitting Division and Hiram City Hall which office handles your project.

How do septic permits work in Hiram?

Georgia requires a construction permit for any new septic system, and the County Board of Health must find the site suitable first3. The county's private dwelling process lists a septic tank permit from Environmental Health as part of getting a building permit13. Hiram's A-1 lot-size and setback rules are also subject to approval by the Office of Environmental Health4.

We could not confirm any section of Hiram's code that assigns septic permitting to the city, so plan on Paulding County Environmental Health14. Where public sewer is within 200 feet of the property line, Georgia requires connection15. In Hiram's manufactured home park district, public sewer is required in several listed service areas and private wells are not allowed16.

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

We could not confirm a Hiram rule on living in an RV on a private lot. The code does list RV parks and campgrounds as special use permit uses in A-117, and camping on city parks and public property is unlawful18; neither answers whether you can live in an RV on your own lot. Ask Hiram City Hall before you buy.

Georgia treats site-built or modular tiny homes as dwellings under the regular building codes, and the local government decides whether one may be sited19. For manufactured homes, Hiram allows them in its MHP district, where parks need at least 15 acres20. A guest house on a lot needs at least two acres in total and cannot be rented21.

Building a home in Hiram: the steps, in order

  1. Find your parcel's zoning district on the city zoning map and confirm the lot, setback and home-size rules above5.
  2. Ask Hiram's Zoning Administrator about the district, and take any rezoning, variance or special use permit to Paulding County Planning & Zoning2. A special use permit is advertised like a rezoning and needs a Planning Commission recommendation and a City Council decision22.
  3. Get Environmental Health approval for septic or well14.
  4. Complete the Private Dwelling Permit with each department, then apply for the building permit23.
  5. Schedule inspections through the Building & Permitting Division12.

What stays with Paulding County, and what to check before you buy in Hiram

Septic, wells and driveway permits on county roads sit with Paulding County offices, not Hiram City Hall. The county issues driveway permits through its transportation department24, and a driveway onto a state highway needs a Georgia DOT permit25. For land outside city limits, use the Paulding County page, because the county's rules apply only to unincorporated land.

Before buying, check floodplain status, which the county Development Division handles26. Paulding County's effective property tax rate is 0.8%27. Short-term rentals in Hiram are capped at 90 rental nights per license year28.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm which building code Hiram enforces, its inspection process, or its permit fees, so call the county Building & Permitting Division at the number above before you budget12.
  • A parcel with a Hiram mailing address may be outside city limits, where Paulding County's own zoning applies instead29.
  • Hiram's code does not clearly say whether RVs can be lived in on private lots, so confirm with City Hall before parking one18.

Sources

  1. Hiram UDO Sec. 200-40 Division of City into Zoning Districts (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Hiram Zoning Administrator (cityofhiramga.gov)
  3. Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  4. Hiram UDO Sec. 210-10 A-1 Agricultural District (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  5. Hiram UDO Sec. 200-40 Division of City into Zoning Districts (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  6. Hiram UDO Sec. 210-10 A-1 Agricultural District (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  7. Hiram UDO Sec. 210-10 A-1 Agricultural District (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  8. Residential and Commercial General Contractors Frequently Asked Questions (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Hiram UDO Sec. 210-10 A-1 Agricultural District (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  10. Hiram UDO Sec. 210-100 R-55 Active Adult Residential District (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  11. Private Dwelling Permit, quoted and re-checked
  12. Paulding County Building & Permitting Division (paulding.gov)
  13. Private Dwelling Permit, quoted and re-checked
  14. Paulding County Environmental Health (paulding.gov)
  15. GA DPH Onsite Sewage Manual (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Hiram UDO Sec. 210-90 MHP Manufactured Home Park District (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  17. Section 210-10. A-1 Agricultural District, quoted and re-checked
  18. Hiram Code Sec. 24-1 Camping on public property (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  19. Georgia Tiny House Fact Sheet (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Hiram UDO Sec. 210-90 MHP Manufactured Home Park District (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  21. Hiram UDO Sec. 230-40 Special Use Permits (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  22. Hiram UDO Sec. 230-40 Special Use Permits (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  23. Private Dwelling Permit, quoted and re-checked
  24. paulding.gov, quoted and re-checked
  25. Regulations for Driveway & Encroachment Control Manual (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  26. Development Division, quoted and re-checked
  27. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  28. Hiram Code Sec. 12-602 Short-term rental regulations (Hiram), quoted and re-checked
  29. Planning & Zoning Division, quoted and re-checked

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 Hiram

Hiram’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Hiram city limits

    • Zoning is in the city's Unified Development Ordinance; Paulding County Planning Commission studies special use permits before City Council approval.
    “For the purpose of this ordinance, the City of Hiram is divided into the following zoning districts designated as follows:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Hiram city

    • Districts include A-1, ER, R-1, R-2, R-3, MPR, OSRD, RD, MHP, R-55 and business, industrial and agricultural business districts.
    “For the purpose of this ordinance, the City of Hiram is divided into the following zoning districts designated as follows:”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the A-1 Agricultural District inside Hiram city

    • R-55 district also requires 1,100 sq ft.

    minimum heated living area: >= 1100 sq ft

    “Single-family Detached Dwellings, including Residential Industrialized Buildings, with a minimum 1,100 square feet of heated living area”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    A-1 Agricultural District inside Hiram city

    • Also subject to approval by the Office of Environmental Health.
    • Minimum 30 feet public road frontage; 125 feet lot width at building line.

    minimum lot size: >= 217800 sq ft

    “a. minimum lot size: 217,800 square feet (five acres) b. minimum public road frontage: 30 feet c. minimum lot width at building line: 125 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    A-1 Agricultural District inside Hiram city

    • Also subject to approval by the Office of Environmental Health.

    front yard setback: >= 50 feet · side yard setback: >= 25 feet · rear yard setback: >= 30 feet

    “d. minimum front yard setback: 50 feet e. minimum side yard setback: 25 feet f. minimum rear yard setback: 30 feet”
  • Building heightSpecified

    A-1 Agricultural District inside Hiram city

    • R-55 single-family detached limit is 30 feet.

    maximum building height: <= 45 feet

    “f. minimum rear yard setback: 30 feet g. maximum building height: 45 feet”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping on city parks and city-owned public property only inside Hiram city

    • Not shown to govern private land.
    • Exception for activities authorized by a special event permit under chapter 7.
    “it shall be unlawful for any person to camp within or upon a park or other public property.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes inside Hiram city, MHP District

    • Parks need at least 15 acres and 400 feet average width; spaces at least 50 feet wide and 6,000 sq ft; density at most five units per acre.
    • Public water required; public sewer required in listed service areas.

    minimum park area: >= 15 acres

    “no mhp district development shall be constructed or maintained on a lot or tract which has an average width of less than 400 feet or a total area of less than 15 acres.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Guest houses inside Hiram city (A-1 lists as special exception; Sec. 230-40 lists as Special Use Permit use)

    • One per lot; no manufactured, mobile or modular structures.
    • Minimum two acres total for primary residence and guest house.
    • Not rented or leased; not sold separately.
    • Must have sewer or approved septic system.

    minimum guest house heated floor area: >= 800 sq ft

    “guest house provided: 1. it is limited to one such structure per lot and will not include manufactured, mobile or modular structures; and 2. the minimum lot size requirement is two acres total for the primary residence and the guest house; and 3. it shall have a minimum heated floor area of 800 square feet; and”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Manufactured home parks (MHP District) inside Hiram city only

    • Public sewer connection required within the Coppermine WRF, Pumpkinvine WRF, Sweetwater Drainage Basin or Dallas Sewer District service areas.
    • Private wells are not allowed in the MHP District.
    • Rule for single-family homes in other districts not found.
    “a. within the coppermine wrf service area, the pumpkinvine wrf service area, the sweetwater drainage basin or the dallas sewer district, connection to the public sewer system is required.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Hiram city

    • Not permitted in accessory structures, RVs on a single-family lot, or non-single-family dwellings.
    • Maximum ten guests and two per bedroom; events limited to 12 persons.
    • STR placard and license required; 24-hour rental agent.
    • Maximum 30 consecutive nights.

    maximum rental nights per license year: <= 90 nights

    “(g) a short-term rental may only be used for a maximum of 30 consecutive rental nights and a total maximum of 90 rental nights per license year.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Special Use Permit applications inside Hiram city

    • Advertised and heard like rezoning; Planning Commission recommendation, then City Council decision; application fee set by City Council.
    “an application for a special use permit shall be submitted on forms provided by the community development department planning and zoning division as provided for in this udo, and shall be advertised in the same manner as applications for rezoning.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder rules inside Hiram city
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Hiram city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Hiram city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Hiram city
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Hiram city
12 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Permit fees

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 Hiram publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Paulding County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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