DeKalb County Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

DeKalb County’s Permits, Plan Review and Inspections Division reviews plans, issues permits, and conducts inspections for construction and development projects under county authority. DeKalb expressly states that an incorporated city handles primary permitting inside its city limits; the county may provide related services when the city routes a project to the county.

DeKalb County building permits and plan review

Residential services include new construction, additions, renovations, accessory structures, and trade permits. DeKalb treats single-family detached homes and duplexes as residential for permit review; other structures are classified as commercial. New commercial construction begins with a Land Development Permit, followed by the applicable building permit and supporting reviews. Plans and required documents are submitted through the county’s e-permitting and ProjectDox systems.

Inspections, code compliance, and certificates of occupancy

The county’s online services include permit applications, permit status, and inspection scheduling. Common inspections include rough and final inspections, and DeKalb identifies certificates of occupancy as part of the final compliance process. Once required inspections are complete, the county provides instructions for obtaining a certificate of occupancy. Zoning applications such as rezonings, variances, special land-use permits, and zoning certifications are handled by the Zoning Division.

Official contact information

DeKalb County lists the One-Stop location at 178 Sams Street, Decatur, Georgia, with permit information at (404) 371-2155, option 3. The county page lists One-Stop hours as 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Use the e-permitting portal for applications and inspection requests, but contact the relevant city if the property is inside an incorporated DeKalb municipality.