City of Duluth, Georgia

General Permitting & Cost Calculation

Building Plan Review and Permits

Construction for other than single family residential requires architectural plan review and approval by the City Building Inspector and Gwinnett County Fire Marshal (678-518-6100).

If there is food preparation, such as a restaurant, Gwinnett County Environmental Health (770-963-5132) must stamp your plans.

If the business will tie into the sewer system, the plans must be stamped by Gwinnett County Public Utilities (678-376-6800). Businesses included are restaurants, cafeterias, delis, ice cream parlors, markets, convenience stores, bakeries, churches, day care centers, photo labs, medical offices, dental offices, veterinary offices, and any business that uses petroleum products such as car washes, body shops, and auto repairs shops, as well as any type of manufacturing or processing operation. Grease traps and sand/oil/water separators must be sized by GCDPU.

Submit one hard copy set of stamped plans along with a digtal set of plans on disc (.TIF format) to the City and a completed Building Permit Application.  Your fees will be calculated at this time.  You are required to pay at a minimum any review fees at the time of submittal of plans, however, you can delay payment of permit fees until the permit is actually issued.  Building Plans shall include the following:

• Foundation plan
• Floor plan with dimensions and total square footage
• Exterior building elevations
• Wall sections and details
• Electrical, plumbing, mechanical
• Metal Building (pre-engineered)

Fees are based on the Valuation Data as published quarterly by International Code Council (ICC) to value construction by Type of Construction, occupancy type and square footage.

*These calculations are examples and are not based on actual fees.

If the project is located within the downtown (Central Business District or Core Preservation District), your plans must be reviewed by the Board prior to submittal. Please contact Alisa Williams for further information.  An application for review and permitting must be submitted.

Residential permitting requires a Building Permit Application, CABO 1&2 Family Energy Code Affidavit including trade off calculations or energy code system number, Residential Erosion Control Affidavit, tree density worksheet and House Location Plan. A House Plan approval is only required if the dwelling exceeds 3,000 square feet. Residential additions/alterations where the footprint of the dwelling is being expanded requires a current survey of the property showing the existing structure(s) and any planned expansion.

Non-residential and multi-family permitting requires site plan approval, building plan approval, building permit application, Georgia State Energy Code Application, and site stabilization. Building permits are NOT required for the following: retaining walls, monuments or other walls which do not exceed four feet in vertical height; tree houses,
playhouses and storage buildings which do not exceed 32 square feet and do not have electrical, mechanical or plumbing systems; fences which do not exceed eight feet in vertical height; stand alone basketball goals; driveways and parking lots; residential swimming pools containing 24 inches of water or less; portable appliances; roof replacement; regular maintenance; and construction valued at $300 or less. If you have any questions about permitting, please call the office at 770-476-1790 or e-mail staff. For a list of the building codes enforced by the department, click here. Download your Building Permit Application here.

Contractor Qualifications

The City requires residential and commercial building contractors and sub-contractors to pay the required regulatory fee of $50.00. All sub-contractors must also provide a copy of a valid trade license issued by the Secretary of State’s Office prior to issuance of any permit and local business license (issued somewhere in the State of Georgia).

Land Disturbance Permits

Site plans of any type including grading, site development, preliminary plats, final plats, etc., will only be accepted once per week on Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Plans will NOT be accepted any other day of the week.

Pre-Requisites for Certain Types of Land Disturbance Permits:

• Clearing Permit: a completed application for Clearing Permit; Tree Protection Plan (TPP), where applicable.
• Clearing & Grubbing Permit: a completed application for Clearing & Grubbing Permit; Concept Plan; TPP, where applicable; and soil erosion and sediment
  control plan approval (SSWCC or City Engineer)
• Grading Permit: (when requested prior to Development Permit; may include clearing and grubbing) a completed application for Grading Permit; Concept Plan;
  TPP, where applicable; soil erosion and sediment control plan approval.
• Grading Permit: (earth borrow sites; no planned construction) a completed application for Grading Permit; TPP, where applicable; soil erosion and sediment
  control approval; review of Hydrology Report by City Engineer of Record.
• Development Permit: (1 & 2 Family; subdivision) a completed application for Development Permit; Concept Plan; TPP, where applicable; Buffer and Landscape
  Plan (may included TPP); soil erosion and sediment control plan approval; Preliminary Plat; Hydrology Report reviewed by the City Engineer of Record; MRPA (Metropolitan River Protection Act) Certificate, if applicable.
• Development Permit: (multi-family, non-residential or non-subdivision) completed application for Development Permit; Concept Plan; TPP, where applicable; Buffer
  and Landscape Plan (may include TPP); soil erosion and sediment control plan approval; site plan; Hydrology Report reviewed by the City Engineer of Record; MRPA Certificate, if applicable.

Download your Land Disturbance Permit here.