Building permits and zoning in Columbus

Last checked Oct. 6, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Columbus Consolidated Government’s Inspections and Code Department and Planning Department.

Building permits in Columbus come from the Inspections and Code Department, 706-225-4126, on the third floor at 1111 First Ave. Since Jan. 1, 2026, most plans must be filed through the city’s online self-service portal. Zoning, rezonings and the land use plan belong to the Planning Department. Columbus is a consolidated city-county, so the same offices cover all of Muscogee County.

Who to call

• Permits, inspections, Board of Zoning Appeals: Inspections and Code, 706-225-4126, inspections@columbusga.org; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday
• Zoning questions, rezonings, special exceptions: Morgan Shepard, principal planner and zoning administrator, 706-225-3940
• Historic district reviews: Claire Mitchell, historic preservation planner, 706-225-3941
• Planning Department director: Will Johnson, 706-225-3930
• Apply online: self-service permit portal

Filing a permit

The department posted this notice on its home page: from Jan. 1, 2026, it accepts only a few kinds of paperwork in person. Those are:

• Certificates of occupancy
• Short-term vacation rental applications
• Electrical, gas, plumbing and mechanical permits
• Residential alteration permits

Everything else, including new residential and commercial plans, goes through the online portal. Forms, checklists and flow charts for each permit type are on the permits and forms page, including the residential plan review checklist, the demolition process flow chart and the residential tree plan application.

The department enforces the Georgia State Minimum Construction Codes, based on the International Code Council’s building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical and property maintenance codes, and the city’s Unified Development Ordinance, which holds the zoning, environmental and subdivision rules.

What permits cost

From the city’s schedule of permit fees, effective July 1, 2024:

Zoning: check what is allowed

• Zoning map: the city’s interactive zoning map shows zoning, overlay districts, enterprise zones, land use and tax parcels.
• Uses by district: the Planning Department keeps a searchable board of permitted, special exception and prohibited uses for each zoning type.
• The rules in plain English: the zoning handbook.

How a rezoning works

The Planning Department says a rezoning takes about 60 to 90 days. The steps, from its zoning page:

1. File the application with a site plan, legal description, sign photos and fees.
2. Owners within 300 feet are mailed notice of a Planning Advisory Commission hearing.
3. The commission holds a public hearing and recommends approval, conditional approval or denial; planning staff make their own recommendation.
4. The case is advertised for 15 days before it goes to Columbus Council, and owners within 300 feet are notified again.
5. Council holds the public hearing at the first reading and votes at the second.

If staff recommend denial, the applicant must write to the Clerk of Council to keep the case moving. Some rezonings also need a change to the land use plan, which must be approved first. A special exception, for uses that need closer study, follows the same path, and Council must decide within 60 days of the application deadline.

Meeting dates for the rest of 2026

The Planning Advisory Commission has seven members and two alternates appointed by Council. It advises; it cannot decide a case. Agendas, minutes and recordings are posted on its public board.

The Board of Zoning Appeals has five members and decides variances and appeals of zoning decisions. Its hearings are at 2 p.m. in the Council Chambers, second floor, 3111 Citizens Way, and applications are due by 5 p.m. on the deadline date.

Board of Zoning Appeals dates are from its 2026 meeting calendar. The Planning Advisory Commission did not meet Oct. 7.

Historic districts

Exterior changes in the city’s historic districts go to the Board of Historic and Architectural Review; see the Planning Department’s historic preservation pages or call 706-225-3941 before you apply for a permit.

What this means for you

• Plan to file online; only trade, alteration, rental and occupancy paperwork is still taken at the counter.
• A small renovation permit starts at $100.
• Neighbors within 300 feet get mailed notice of a rezoning, twice.
• Check the zoning map before you buy a lot or start a home business.

Related: property taxes, who to call at City Hall and moving to Columbus.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I get a building permit in Columbus, Georgia?

From the Columbus Consolidated Government’s Inspections and Code Department, 706-225-4126. Since Jan. 1, 2026, new residential and commercial plans must be filed through the city’s online self-service portal.

How much is a building permit in Columbus?

Renovations under $25,000 cost $100, $25,000 to $50,000 cost $150, and $50,000 to $75,000 cost $250. Larger projects and new construction are charged by the square foot, under the fee schedule effective July 1, 2024.

How long does a rezoning take in Columbus?

About 60 to 90 days, according to the Planning Department. The case goes to a Planning Advisory Commission hearing and then two readings before Columbus Council.

When does the Columbus Board of Zoning Appeals meet?

At 2 p.m. on the first Wednesday of most months in the Council Chambers at 3111 Citizens Way. The next meetings are Oct. 7, Nov. 4 and Dec. 2, 2026.