Fees, valuation & enforcement
Permit fees are a project input. Enforcement exposure is a project risk. Use the official schedule where available, then confirm valuation, trade permits, plan review, and inspection charges with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
Official fee pathway
The final charge may depend on declared construction value, occupancy classification, square footage, plan review, state surcharges, trade permits, technology fees, and inspection activity. Do not use a neighboring city’s fee table as a substitute for this jurisdiction.
Fee desk contact
678-518-6020; 24-hour inspection requests: 678-518-6277
Ask the counter to confirm current charges before submitting a project with multiple trades or a change of use.
Financial exposure
Plan for building, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, energy, zoning, septic, right-of-way, or other reviews that the project scope triggers. The lowest initial permit fee is not always the lowest project cost.
Enforcement exposure
When work begins without authorization, the agency may halt the site, require corrective plans, impose additional fees, withhold inspection release, or require concealed work to be exposed for review.
Closeout exposure
A missing final inspection or certificate can complicate occupancy, refinancing, sale, insurance, and utility connection. Preserve the approved plans and signed inspection record through closeout.
Professional field note
Even when a cosmetic or minor project does not require a building permit, zoning, floodplain, shoreline, historic, utility, fire, or right-of-way controls may still apply. Confirm the full jurisdictional picture before work starts.
Source trail
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Gwinnett County Department of Planning and Development, Building Division is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 678-518-6020; 24-hour inspection requests: 678-518-6277.
N/A; the County does not publish a dependable general building-plan review completion time. Its permit-report page's five-to-seven-business-day period concerns processing and uploading weekly issued-permit reports, not application review.
Schedule inspections online through the Gwinnett ZIP Portal using the permit case number, or use the 24-hour inspection-request line at 678-518-6277. The fee schedule lists no charge for the first follow-up inspection, $50 for the second, and $100 for the third and each subsequent follow-up. Eligible remote inspections must be submitted through the County's Remote Inspection Web App; email photo submissions are no longer accepted.
Effective January 1, 2026: 2024 International Building Code with 2026 Georgia amendments; 2023 National Electrical Code with 2026 amendments; 2024 International Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing, Residential, and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes with 2026 amendments (plus Gwinnett amendments to the Plumbing Code); 2015 International Energy Conservation Code with 2020, 2022, and 2023 amendments; 2018 International Existing Building Code with 2021 amendments; 2015 Gwinnett County Construction Code; 2024 NFPA 101 and International Fire Code; current adopted NFPA standards; applicable state fire law and 2010 ADA Standards. No permit is required for replacing a switch, fan, light fixture, or similar item without altering the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing system; cosmetic painting, flooring, cabinets, vinyl siding, and similar finish work; storage buildings of 120 square feet or less; concrete driveways, sidewalks, and basketball slabs that do not exceed 35% front-yard coverage; or fences eight feet or lower. Brick columns and front-yard fences require consultation with Planning and Development, and zoning requirements still apply.
Why permit costs vary
Building departments commonly calculate charges from valuation, occupancy, floor area, project type, plan review effort, trade scope, state surcharges, and inspection activity. A remodel that appears small on paper may still trigger structural, energy, fire, or utility review. Ask the permit counter which disciplines apply before you finalize the construction budget.
The same discipline applies to enforcement. Correcting unpermitted work after finishes are installed can require demolition, revised plans, additional inspections, and schedule disruption. Authorization is usually the less expensive project-management decision.