Building permits, zoning and land rules in Rockdale County, Georgia

Yes. Rockdale County requires a permit for new construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair or demolition of a structure, and electrical, mechanical and plumbing work may also require permits¹. New construction and major renovation permits operate as master permits, so separate permits for every covered activity are not required¹. Georgia's mandatory construction codes apply to construction in Rockdale County whether or not each code is locally enforced⁹. An owner building the owner's own home may qualify for Georgia's contractor-license exemption, but the owner must still comply with local building codes and regulations⁴. Residential construction covered by Rockdale County's rule must receive a certificate of occupancy showing that the building, lot and occupancy comply with the building code and county land-use rules¹⁰.

Rockdale County Planning & Development is the starting point for county building applications at 1117 West Avenue SW, Conyers, GA 30012, phone (770) 278-7100¹. A residential application needs a structure-location plan, and an applicable land-disturbance permit must precede the building permit¹¹. The fee schedule revised in 2025 calculates residential building permit fees using the current ICC Building Valuation Table: construction cost multiplied by 0.0065, with a $100 minimum⁵. Ask Planning & Development to confirm the valuation and total charges for your project⁵. Rockdale County Code Enforcement is the contact for existing violations or complaints at 2570 Old Covington Highway, Conyers, GA 30012, phone 770-278-7103¹.

Rockdale County’s Unified Development Ordinance applies throughout unincorporated Rockdale County; uses must conform to the ordinance, and incorporated municipalities may administer separate rules². Planning & Development maintains the official zoning map, with districts including AR, PV, CRS and R-1². Ask Planning & Development to identify the parcel’s district and confirm allowed uses, setbacks and siting standards before choosing a house design^2,12. In Rockdale County’s CRS collaborative residential subdivision district, dwelling units must have at least 1,800 square feet of heated floor area; that requirement is district-specific⁷. We could not confirm a complete accessory-dwelling or local manufactured-home occupancy rule; ask Planning & Development about the proposed use¹.

Rockdale Environmental Health, a state-run agency that partners with the county, issues permits and inspects onsite sewage systems in Rockdale County¹³. Reach the office at 1329 Portman Drive, Suite F, Conyers, GA 30094, phone 770.278.7340¹⁴. A residential permit application for a property using septic must include an Environmental Health approval letter; a property using sewer must instead provide proof of connection³. The site must be found suitable before an onsite sewage construction permit is issued, and the permit remains valid for no more than 12 months¹⁵. Environmental Health must complete the final inspection and give written approval before the system is backfilled or used¹⁶. About 77% of Rockdale County soils are rated “not limited” for a conventional drain field, but the lot still needs individual approval^8,15.

In Rockdale County residential districts, an RV must be parked in a garage, carport, back yard or side yard, never the front yard, and must have current tags and registration¹⁷. Those parking restrictions do not establish permission to live in an RV; we could not confirm residential RV occupancy or temporary-camping rules, so ask Planning & Development before using an RV as housing^1,17. Site-built and modular tiny homes in Georgia need applicable building-code compliance and local siting approval¹⁸. Rockdale County’s CRS district requires at least 1,800 square feet of heated dwelling floor area, so confirm the district before planning a tiny home^2,7. Manufactured homes require a state installation permit obtained by a licensed installer, plus applicable local zoning and siting approval⁶.

1. Ask Planning & Development to confirm the zoning district and applicable siting rules, then prepare the required structure-location plan^2,11.
2. Obtain an Environmental Health approval letter for septic or proof of sewer connection, and obtain the required water-meter receipt³.
3. If applicable, secure the land-disturbance permit before building-permit approval¹¹.
4. Submit the house plans and structure-location plan for zoning and plan review; after approval and the required erosion-and-sediment-control inspection, the building permit may be issued¹¹.
5. If the site is in a floodplain, provide the flood-elevation certificate before the framing inspection can be approved³.
6. Complete the required building and septic inspections; Environmental Health must approve the septic system before backfilling or use¹⁶.
7. Obtain the required certificate of occupancy before occupying the completed residence¹⁰.

Ask Planning & Development to verify the zoning district and proposed use before making an offer^1,2. For a septic lot, obtain Environmental Health's view of site suitability rather than treating the countywide soil figure as approval for an individual parcel^8,15. A residential structure-location plan must identify the 100-year floodplain, wetlands, streams and applicable buffers or special setbacks, and a flood-elevation certificate can hold up framing approval on affected sites³. Ask Stormwater Management about drainage and floodplain conditions¹⁹. We could not confirm a countywide private-well permit rule, so ask Environmental Health before drilling¹⁴. Confirm county-road access with the Department of Transportation; the countywide driveway rule remains unconfirmed²⁰. Rockdale County's effective property-tax rate is about 0.7%, and the median annual bill is about $1,843⁸.