Do You Need a Permit to Remodel in Alpharetta? Kitchens, Baths and Basements
Updated: Oct 20
Short answer: In Alpharetta, finishing a basement needs a building permit. So does any kitchen or bathroom remodel that moves plumbing, adds electrical circuits or changes framing. Painting, tile, flooring and swapping a fixture in the same spot usually don't.
Which remodels need a building permit in Alpharetta?
Anything that changes what's inside the walls needs one. That means framing, drywall, plumbing lines, wiring and ductwork. Surface work usually doesn't. Alpharetta has its own application for interior remodels and basement finishes, plus separate plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits for the trade work.
The work | Permit? |
Finishing a basement (framing, drywall, a new room) | Yes, a building permit, plus plumbing, electrical and HVAC permits for that work |
Moving a sink, toilet, shower or tub | Yes, a plumbing permit |
New circuits, a new panel, added lighting | Yes, an electrical permit |
New HVAC zone or ductwork | Yes, a mechanical permit |
Replacing a toilet or faucet in the same spot | Usually no |
Paint, tile, flooring, trim | Usually no |
New cabinets and counters, nothing moved | Often treated as finish work. Ask the permit desk first |
The "usually no" rows follow the exemption list Johns Creek publishes on its do I need a permit page. Alpharetta's lines sit in similar places, but every city writes its own rules. A short call to the permit desk settles it.
Do you need a permit to remodel a bathroom?
Only if something moves. Pulling out an old vanity and setting a new one where the old one stood, with the same drain and the same outlet, usually doesn't need a permit. Moving the toilet, turning a tub into a walk-in shower with a new drain location, or adding a heated floor on a new circuit does. Most full bathroom remodels end up in the second group.
Do you need a permit to finish a basement in Alpharetta?
Yes. Framing walls and hanging drywall in a basement counts as an interior remodel, so it needs a building permit before any trade permits come into play. Two details catch people out.
A room you plan to call a bedroom needs an emergency escape window, sized to code. Cutting one in after the walls are framed costs far more than planning it from the start.
Check for a plumbing stub-out before you price a bathroom. Plenty of basements have drain lines roughed in under the slab that were never used, and that single detail is the biggest swing in our basement remodeling cost guide.
Which office issues your permit?
City limits decide it, not your mailing address. The unincorporated parts of Fulton County are gone, so every North Fulton home sits inside a city, and that city issues the permit.
Alpharetta: City of Alpharetta Community Development.
Johns Creek: Johns Creek Building and Permitting.
Milton, Roswell, Sandy Springs: each runs its own building department.
Atlanta: homes inside the city limits go through the City of Atlanta's Office of Buildings. Our Atlanta basement remodeling page explains why an Atlanta mailing address doesn't always mean you're inside the city.
Cumming: homes inside Cumming city limits go through the City of Cumming. A lot of homes with a Cumming mailing address are really in unincorporated Forsyth County, and those go through Forsyth County Building and Licensing.
Not sure which side of a line you're on? Look at your property tax bill. If it lists a city tax, you're inside that city.
What does a permit get you?
It gets you an inspector who works for the city, not for your contractor. On a basement finish, that inspector sees the plumbing, wiring and framing before the drywall goes up. It's the only moment anyone can check that work without cutting open finished walls.
We recommend treating that inspector as your neutral third party. Their job is to make sure your home is protected from faulty work.
We saw what that inspection catches on a basement we took over from another contractor. Most of the framing had to be redone, and the reworked framing, the new wiring and the new HVAC all had to pass the city's inspection before we insulated a single wall.
Here's where it bites you if you skip it. When you sell, the buyer's agent pulls the permit history, or the appraiser sees finished square footage the city has no record of. Now you're choosing between a price cut and opening walls for an inspection after the fact.
FAQ
The previous owner finished the basement. How do I know if it was permitted?
Ask your city's building department for the permit history on your address. If the finish isn't on record, have a contractor look at it before you build anything on top of it. Our home renovation checklist covers what else to check in your first month after buying.
Is Fulton County my permit office?
Not for a North Fulton home. Every part of North Fulton is inside a city now, so the permit comes from Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, Johns Creek or Sandy Springs.
Planning a remodel in Alpharetta?
On a walkthrough we'll tell you which permits your project needs before you sign anything. See what's included at each tier for basements, kitchens and bathrooms.
Gregory "Caesar" Erving owns Husky Cara Fine Homes in Alpharetta, founded in 2016. The company has won Best of Houzz for Service six years running, 2021 through 2026, and is OSHA certified.
Comments