Building permits in Gwinnett County, Georgia
Of the 9 common home projects we have verified in Gwinnett County, 3 need a permit outright and 6 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Gwinnett County
Gwinnett County Department of Planning and Development, Building Division
- Innovation Square, 446 West Crogan Street, Suite 300, Lawrenceville, GA 30046
- Phone: 678-518-6020
- Email: P&D-BuildingPermits@GwinnettCounty.com
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Gwinnett County
Gwinnett County permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history by address or permit number online.
What needs a permit in Gwinnett County
Of the 9 common home projects we have verified in Gwinnett County, 3 need a permit outright and 6 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
Planning and Development Fee Schedule, "Building Permit Fees (Effective July 1, 2024)", footer "Revised 05/23/2024", for every permit type below. The fee column shows what differs by project.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Any size | "Other Building Permit Fees: Minor Renovation Projects (valued less than $75,000) |... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Before erecting, installing, enlarging, altering, repairing, removing, converting or... | ...lists a combined "Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing" application type at "$0.006 x... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | height of a fence; masonry and concrete fence walls follow a separate 4 foot limit | See schedule |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Before installing, altering, repairing, removing, converting or replacing a fixed... | ...a combined "Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing" application type priced at "$0.006 x... |
| Patio Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | Before installing, altering, repairing, removing, converting or replacing a plumbing... | ...lists a combined "Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing" application type at "$0.006 x... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | prefabricated pools installed entirely above ground that also hold no more than 5,000 gallons | ..."Regulatory Requirements for Residential Permits" still prices this work at "$0.006... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | "Other Building Permit Fees: Minor Renovation Projects (valued less than $75,000) |... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | floor area of a one-story detached accessory structure that contains no electrical or plumbing system | ..."Regulatory Requirements for Residential Permits" still prices this work at "$0.006... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Permit Fees table, where "Minor Renovation Projects (valued less than $75,000) |... |
Planning a project in Gwinnett County?
Hire it out
Sponsored
Licensed contractors usually pull the permit as part of the job. Comparing a few local quotes before you commit is the useful next step.
Compare local contractor quotes on Angi
Sponsored link. PermitNotebook may earn a fee if you request quotes through it. Partners never influence our permit data.
Planning several things at once? Check your whole project
Gwinnett County permit fees compared with nearby Georgia localities
| Georgia locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gwinnett County | ...Minor Renovation Projects (valued less than $75,000)... | ...Plumbing" application type priced at "$0.006 x Value... | ...Electrical, Plumbing" application type at "$0.006 x... |
| Atlanta | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Cobb County | Decks are subject to a $100 site plan review fee in... | HVAC and mechanical work is billed as an $80 trade permit... | Electrical work is billed as an $80 trade permit under the... |
| DeKalb County | ...(revised 01/01/2025): "Total Minimum Fees $245 ($195... | ...(revised 07/09/2025): "Fee Schedule: MINIMUM FEE... | ...(revised 07/09/2025): "Fee Schedule: MINIMUM FEE $120... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Georgia jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Gwinnett County penalty for work started without a permit
Gwinnett County publishes what it charges when work begins before the permit, quoted here from the schedule or permit page we verified.
-
The schedule also states "Building permit fees include Plan Review and Building Inspections" and prices reinspections at "First Follow-up Inspection $0", "Second Follow-up Inspection $50", "Third and each Subsequent Follow-up Inspection $100", with "Penalty for Construction Prior to Issuance of Permit 100% of the Permit Fee".
Gwinnett County deck permit page · last checked
The Georgia statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit: building without a permit in Georgia.
Gwinnett County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Gwinnett County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Gwinnett County, 3 always require a permit (for example a deck permit), 6 depend on size or scope (an electrical permit, for instance). Each Gwinnett County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Gwinnett County?
- Gwinnett County publishes a fee for 9 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by Gwinnett County Department of Planning and Development, Building Division; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Gwinnett County?
- Gwinnett County Department of Planning and Development, Building Division issues permits in Gwinnett County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 678-518-6020. The Gwinnett County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
- What is the penalty for building without a permit in Gwinnett County?
- Gwinnett County publishes its own charge for work started before the permit: The schedule also states "Building permit fees include Plan Review and Building Inspections" and prices reinspections at "First Follow-up Inspection $0", "Second Follow-up Inspection $50", "Third and each Subsequent Follow-up Inspection $100", with "Penalty for Construction Prior to Issuance of Permit 100% of the Permit Fee". That is the local bill; the Georgia statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit are on the Georgia building-without-a-permit page.
How the Gwinnett County pages were verified. 10 permit types, 5 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Gwinnett County Department of Planning and Development, Building Division or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Gwinnett County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.