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

Union County requires a building permit for dwellings, accessory structures larger than 150 square feet, footprint changes, projects needing water, sewer or electrical connections, land disturbance, and work in designated stream-buffer or flood-hazard areas¹. Mobile homes and RVs, tiny homes, yurts or other alternative habitable structures used as residences also require building permits¹. Obtain required permits and inspections before grading or starting the project; building permits expire after one year and then require renewal or a new permit¹. Georgia's mandatory construction codes apply in Union County, and the county inspects all phases of new residential and commercial construction^9,10. For permits dated January 1, 2026 or later, Union County lists the 2024 Residential Code, subject to Georgia amendments¹⁰. Georgia's owner-builder contractor-license exemption still requires compliance with local building codes and regulations⁷.

The Union County Building & Development Department issues building permits, conducts building inspections, issues land-disturbance permits and handles environmental enforcement². The office is at 46 Hughes Street Suite A in Blairsville; call 706-439-6045 or email ucpermit@uniongov.com². A building-permit application calls for project and property information, a recorded plat, a site plan showing setbacks from property lines and bodies of water, the deed, floor plans and applicable supporting approvals¹. Supporting material may include culvert or DOT driveway approval, an elevation certificate, engineering, a septic permit, state environmental paperwork or an erosion-control plan¹. Applications may be sent by email or fax¹. Published charges include $500 for the initial commercial plan review, $100 for each commercial revision and $50 for each Building Department inspection; the commercial figures are not a complete residential fee schedule¹. Ask Building & Development for the residential building-permit total for your project².

Union County has a Land Use ordinance identified for unincorporated areas, but we could not confirm the current scope of general zoning or a complete district map; ask Building & Development for the parcel's applicable ordinance and permitted uses^2,3. A county building-permit submission must include a recorded plat and site plan showing setbacks from property lines and bodies of water; the published application instructions do not specify the setback distances¹. We could not confirm minimum dwelling size, minimum lot size, accessory-dwelling occupancy, lot coverage or general building-height limits; request the applicable written standards from Building & Development before choosing a house plan². Site-built or modular tiny homes need local siting approval, and applicable local zoning may control dimensions, foundation and minimum lot or building size⁶.

Union County requires a County Health Department septic construction permit before physical development of a lot or structure that will use an onsite sewage system, as well as before system installation⁴. Apply on County Board of Health forms with property details, plans, proposed use, water supplies, bedrooms or persons served and soil information; a favorable site inspection is required before issuance⁴. Union County Environmental Health is the local contact at 46 Hughes Street, Suite B in Blairsville, phone 706-781-3824⁵. Septic permits last no more than 12 months, and repairs, replacements and additions also require permits and inspections; final written approval is required before backfilling or use⁴. These inspection rules do not establish periodic inspections for every existing system¹¹. Only 3.8% of Union County soils are rated not limited for conventional drain fields, so obtain a site evaluation; a low rating does not make septic impossible⁸. State rules require sewer connection when public or community sewer is available within 200 feet of the property line or in an abutting public right-of-way⁴.

Union County requires a building permit for an RV used as a part-time or full-time residence, but that requirement does not establish where an RV may be placed or how long occupancy may last¹. We could not confirm full RV-duration or private-land temporary-camping rules; ask Building & Development for a written parcel-specific answer before moving an RV onto the land². Residential tiny homes are allowed subject to county building permits and applicable codes, inspections, site and septic requirements; site-built or modular tiny homes also need local siting approval^1,6. Mobile or manufactured homes require county building permits, and used homes moved within or into Union County need county evaluation under the Manufactured Homes and Trailer Ordinance¹. A licensed installer must also obtain the Georgia manufactured-home installation permit¹². Alternative onsite sanitation remains subject to applicable health approvals and inspections⁴.

1. Ask Building & Development for the parcel's applicable land-use rules and setback distances; the site plan must show setbacks from property lines and water^1,2.

1. Apply through Union County Environmental Health for septic site review and obtain the septic construction permit before developing a lot that will use an onsite system^4,5.

1. Confirm access: a driveway itself does not need a county building permit, but a building application may need culvert or approved DOT driveway documentation¹. Ask the Road Department about county-road right-of-way at 706-439-6062¹³.

1. Submit the building application, recorded plat, site plan, deed, floor plans and applicable supporting approvals to Building & Development¹.

1. Obtain required building permits and inspections before grading or starting work, and renew the building permit or obtain a new one if the one-year term expires¹.

1. Complete building inspections and obtain final written septic approval before backfilling or using the system^4,10.

Start with septic feasibility: only 3.8% of Union County soils are rated not limited for a conventional drain field, so a parcel needs site evaluation⁸. Then check terrain, because only 14.3% of county land has a slope of 15% or less, while 88.6% is wooded⁸. Ask Building & Development whether the build area touches a designated flood-hazard area or stream buffer, because any structure or disturbance there requires a county building permit before grading or project start; an elevation certificate and other environmental approvals may also apply^1,2. For a state-highway entrance, driveway work within the state right-of-way requires an application through the appropriate Georgia DOT district office¹⁴. If rental income is part of the plan, unincorporated Union County caps short-term-rental licenses at 5% of housing units, and septic capacity helps determine allowed occupancy¹⁵. For a private well, use a licensed contractor; the contractor must notify the county health department before drilling, but the rule does not describe a separate homeowner permit¹⁶.