Georgia Building Codes

Important: Georgia has adopted statewide mandatory minimum codes through the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). The state currently uses the 2024 IRC (with Georgia amendments) for residential construction. Local jurisdictions must enforce the state minimum codes but may adopt more restrictive local amendments. The DCA is the state agency responsible for code adoption and maintains the list of Georgia amendments. All 159 counties are required to enforce the state minimum codes, though enforcement capacity varies significantly between urban and rural jurisdictions. Building permits are required statewide for most construction work.

Important: Georgia Code §33-24-61.1 prohibits assignment of benefits for residential property insurance claims. Contractors cannot take assignment of insurance proceeds or negotiate claims on behalf of policyholders. This means contractors must bill homeowners directly, and homeowners pay from insurance proceeds. Contractors who act as public adjusters without a license (advising on claims, negotiating settlements) violate GA Insurance Code §33-23-1. Georgia actively enforces these provisions — multiple contractors have been prosecuted for UPPA violations since 2020.

Important: Under Georgia's statewide mandatory codes (IRC 2018 as adopted), municipalities MAY exempt ordinary residential repairs from permit requirements. O.C.G.A. §8-2-26 defines ordinary repairs as maintenance work that does not alter structural components, reduce fire resistance, or change egress. Many GA counties exempt like-for-like re-roofing from permits (e.g., Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb in some cases). However, City of Atlanta, Savannah, and Augusta generally require permits for all roofing work. If work involves structural repair (deck boards, rafters, trusses), a permit is always required regardless of exemptions.