You need a permit for an urgent repair and want to know the fee
Permit fees are one of the few plumbing costs in Pickens County that are actually published. Labor and materials vary from job to job and no public office lists them, but the City of Jasper and Pickens County both post the fees they charge to permit plumbing work. Knowing them helps you read a plumber's estimate, because a legitimate quote for permitted work should either include the permit or list it separately.
Which table applies depends on where the property is. Inside the City of Jasper limits, the city's Building Department fee table applies. In unincorporated Pickens County, Planning & Development's fee schedule applies. If you are not sure, the plumbing permit guide explains how to tell. The tables on this page are copied from each office's published schedule and are not plumber prices.
City of Jasper: the base fee plus the administrative fee
The city's building page says a $50 administrative fee is charged on all permits and on the re-issuance of permits, as a base fee collected in addition to the permit fee. The permit fee itself follows a valuation table that starts at a $75.00 minimum for work valued up to $2,000.00. Above that, the fee is $69.25 for the first $2,000.00 plus $14.00 for each additional $1,000.00 up to $25,000.00, and the table continues upward for larger projects.
For the most common emergency replacement, the city lists a flat fee: furnace, air conditioner or water heater replacement is $50.00 per unit. Other trade permits not specifically addressed are $75.00. A re-inspection is $50.00, and a residential certificate of occupancy is $50.00. The page notes that the administrative fee does not apply to the items it marks with an asterisk, including re-inspections and certificates of occupancy, so check the table when adding up a total.
Starting work without a permit is expensive: the city charges 200% of the calculated fee. The city's page also says that for separate trade permits on the same commercial structure, valuation is based on 15% of calculated valuation, with a cap on the fee; that rule is aimed at commercial projects rather than household repairs.
| Item | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Valuation up to $2,000.00 | $75.00 (minimum permit fee) | City of Jasper Building Department |
| $2,001.00 to $25,000.00 | $69.25 for the first $2,000.00 plus $14.00 for each additional $1,000.00 | City of Jasper Building Department |
| $25,001.00 to $50,000.00 | $391.25 for the first $25,000.00 plus $10.10 for each additional $1,000.00 | City of Jasper Building Department |
| $50,001.00 to $100,000.00 | $643.75 for the first $50,000.00 plus $7.00 for each additional $1,000.00 | City of Jasper Building Department |
| Administrative fee, all permits and re-issued permits | $50 | City of Jasper Building Department |
| Furnace / air conditioner / water heater replacement | $50.00 per unit | City of Jasper Building Department |
| Other trade permits not specifically addressed | $75.00 | City of Jasper Building Department |
| Re-inspection fee | $50.00 | City of Jasper Building Department |
| Residential certificate of occupancy | $50.00 | City of Jasper Building Department |
| Work started without a permit | 200% of calculated fee | City of Jasper Building Department |
Pickens County: square-foot fees and flat charges
The county's Planning and Development fee schedule, effective December 1, 2020 and adopted by the Board of Commissioners on November 19, 2020, prices most building permits by square foot rather than by valuation. New single residential houses are $ .22 per square foot of heated space and $ .15 per square foot of non-heated space, with a $100.00 minimum. Remodeling and additions fall under the miscellaneous category at $ .20 per square foot, with a $50.00 miscellaneous minimum. A renewal of an unexpired permit is $100.00, and re-inspections are $50.00 per visit.
The county schedule does not list a separate flat fee for a stand-alone plumbing repair or water heater replacement. Ask Planning & Development at 706-253-8850 how a repair-only plumbing permit is priced before you assume a figure. The county also requires plumbing affidavits with copies of the contractor's licenses, described in the permit guide.
| Item | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Single residential houses: heated space | $ .22 per square foot (minimum $100.00) | Pickens County Master Fee Schedule |
| Single residential houses: non-heated space | $ .15 per square foot | Pickens County Master Fee Schedule |
| Miscellaneous: remodeling, additions | $ .20 per square foot (miscellaneous minimum $50.00) | Pickens County Master Fee Schedule |
| No permit penalty | Double permit fees | Pickens County Master Fee Schedule |
| Renewal permit fee (unexpired only) | $100.00 | Pickens County Master Fee Schedule |
| Re-inspection fee, each visit | $50.00 | Pickens County Master Fee Schedule |
| Residential certificate of occupancy, up through 1999 square feet | $150.00 | Pickens County Residential CO Fee Schedule |
| Residential CO, 2000 through 2499 square feet | $175.00 | Pickens County Residential CO Fee Schedule |
Water still moving? Close your own shutoff valve first, then send a Free Quote Request.
Free Quote RequestPenalties for skipping the permit
Both offices make unpermitted work cost more than permitted work. The City of Jasper charges 200% of the calculated fee when work starts without a permit. Pickens County's schedule lists the no-permit penalty as double permit fees. On top of the fee, unpermitted plumbing can surface during a home sale, an insurance claim or a later inspection, and correcting it may mean opening finished walls.
A plumber who offers to skip the permit to save money is shifting that risk to you. The county's subcontractor affidavit asks the plumber to name the state license being used for the job; see how to check a Georgia plumber's license.
Reading a quote against these tables
When a plumber's quote includes a permit, ask which office it is for and what fee line it is based on. For a city water heater swap, the published per-unit fee and administrative fee are easy to check. For larger work priced by valuation or by square foot, ask how the valuation or area was calculated. A permit line that seems far above the published fee may include the plumber's time to apply and wait for inspections, which is reasonable to ask about. A quote with no permit for work that needs one is a warning sign rather than a saving.
Fees that are not permit fees
Utility charges are separate from permit fees. A new water meter or sewer tap is priced by the utility, not the building office, and the City of Jasper is not reviewing new connections during its suspension; see the tap and meter fee page. Septic repairs are permitted by Pickens County Environmental Health, which publishes its own application, covered in the sewer backup and septic guide. For the water heater case specifically, the water heater replacement guide puts the fee in context.
Where these facts come from: City of Jasper: Building Department (2026 codes, permit fees, inspections); Pickens County Planning and Development Fee Schedule, effective 12/01/2020 (Master Fee Schedule, PDF); Pickens County: Certificate of Occupancy Residential Fee Schedule (PDF); Pickens County, GA: Planning & Development (permits, inspections, affidavits); Pickens County Planning & Development: Plumbing / HVAC Subcontractor Affidavit, updated 2/15/2023 (PDF). Checked 2026-10-26.
Describe the problem once. Independent plumbers who work in Pickens County can follow up.
Free Quote RequestQuestions Pickens County homeowners ask
What is the City of Jasper permit fee for replacing a water heater?
The Building Department lists $50.00 per unit for furnace, air conditioner or water heater replacement, and a $50 administrative fee applies to all permits.
What happens if plumbing work starts without a permit in Jasper?
The City of Jasper charges 200% of the calculated fee; Pickens County's schedule lists double permit fees.
How are Pickens County building permits priced?
Mostly by square foot under the schedule effective 12/01/2020, for example $ .20 per square foot for remodeling and additions with a $50.00 minimum.