Official Georgia City and County Regulations for Retaining Wall Building Permits and Engineering Requirements
Below is an information table of Georgia counties and cities with the height of a retaining wall that requires permitting and engineering. We have also included the telephone number for each city or county, and in some cases, the building inspector. We make every effort to ensure this information is accurate, however, as codes and regulations change over time, always verify the information with the appropriate city or county personnel in which you plan to build a retaining wall.
Crosstie, Wood & Landscape Timber Retaining Walls
Most Georgia cities and counties have banned the use of railroad crossties altogether as well as specialty wood and landscape timbers for retaining walls over three feet in height.
Poured Concrete & Modular Block Retaining Walls
Poured concrete and modular block retaining walls may be approved when the wall cannot be seen from the street.
Concrete Masonry Retaining Walls
When visible from the street, the preferred material is concrete masonry retaining walls which feature painted stucco, brick or stacked stone. Unlike the other retaining wall materials, concrete masonry retaining walls actually enhance beauty and add value to your property.
N/A = Not Applicable
M = Mandatory
County City |
Requires Permitting | Requires Engineering | Contact Information |
---|---|---|---|
Appling | N/A | N/A | (912) 367-8100 |
Atkinson | 3 Ft. | N/A | (912) 422-3391 |
Baker | N/A | N/A | (229) 734-3000 |
Baldwin | 4 Ft. | 4 Ft. | (478) 445-4791 |
Banks | N/A | N/A | (706) 677-6200 |
Barrow | N/A | 4 Ft. | (770) 307-3005 |
Bartow | 3 Ft. | 3 Ft. | (770) 387-5030 |
Ben Hill | N/A | N/A | (229) 426-5100 |
Berrien | N/A | N/A | (229) 686-5421 |
Bryan | N/A | N/A | (912) 653-3837 |
Camden | N/A | N/A | (912) 576-5651 |
Chattooga | N/A | N/A | (706) 857-0700 |
Cherokee Canton Woodstock |
3 Ft. 4 Ft. 4 Ft. |
4 Ft. (including the footing) 4 Ft. 4 Ft. |
(678) 493-6000 (770) 704-1500 (770) 592-6000 |
Clinch | N/A | N/A | (912) 487-2667 |
Cobb Acworth Kennesaw Marietta Smyrna |
3 Ft. 3 Ft. M 4 Ft. 4 Ft. |
3 Ft. 3 Ft. 2 Ft. 4 Ft. 4 Ft. |
(770) 528-2018 (770) 974-3112 (770) 424-8274 (770) 794-5530 (770) 434-6600 |
Columbia | 4 Ft. | 2-4 Ft. | (706) 312-7388 |
Crisp | N/A | N/A | (229) 276-2672 |
Dawson | 4 Ft. | 6 Ft. | (706) 344-3501 |
Decatur | 4 Ft. | N/A | (229) 248-3030 |
DeKalb Brookhaven Dunwoody |
M 4 Ft. 4 Ft. |
M 4 Ft. 4 Ft. |
(404) 371-2000 (678) 382-6700 |
Dodge | N/A | 5-6 Ft. | (478) 374-4361 |
Echols | N/A | N/A | (229) 559-6538 |
Effingham | M | M | (912) 754-2123 |
Elbert | N/A | N/A | (706) 212-1000 |
Evans | N/A | N/A | (912) 739-1141 |
Fannin | N/A | N/A | (706) 632-2203 |
Floyd | 4 Ft. | 4 Ft. | (706) 291-5110 |
Forsyth Cumming |
6 Ft. 4 Ft. |
6 Ft. 4 Ft. |
(770) 781-2101 (770) 781-2010 |
Franklin | N/A | N/A | (706) 384-2483 |
Fulton Alpharetta Atlanta Johns Creek Milton Roswell Sandy Springs South Fulton |
4 Ft. 4 Ft. M 4 Ft. 4 Ft. 3 Ft. 4 Ft. 4 Ft. |
6 Ft. 4 Ft. 4 Ft. 4 Ft. 4 Ft. 4 Ft. (including the footing) 6 Ft. 6 Ft. |
(404) 612-4000 (678) 297-6000 (404) 330-6000 (678) 512-3200 (678) 242-2500 (770) 641-3727 (770) 730-5600 (470) 809-7205 |
Glascock | N/A | N/A | (706) 598-2863 |
Glynn | N/A | N/A | (912) 554-7400 |
Greene | 4 Ft. | N/A | (706) 453-7716 |
Gwinnett Buford Duluth Norcross Sugar Hill Suwanee |
4 Ft. M 3 Ft. 4 Ft. M 4 Ft. |
6 Ft. 4 Ft. 3 Ft. 4 Ft. 4 Ft. 4 Ft. |
(678) 518-6000 (770) 945-6761 (770) 476-3434 (770) 448-2122 (770) 945-6716 (770) 945-8996 |
Habersham | N/A | 9 Ft. | (706) 754-1739 |
Hall Gainesville |
4 Ft. M |
4 Ft. 4 Ft. |
(770) 535-8288 (770) 535-6865 |
Hancock | N/A | N/A | (706) 444-5746 |
Haralson | N/A | 10 Ft. | (770) 646-2002 |
Heard | 4 Ft. | 4 Ft. | (706) 675-3700 |
Houston | N/A | N/A | (478) 542-2018 |
Jackson | 4 Ft. | 8 Ft. | (706) 367-6312 |
Lumpkin Dahlonega |
5 Ft. 4 Ft. |
10 Ft. 8 Ft. |
(706) 864-3742 (706) 864-6133 |