Driveway and concrete permits around Lake Lanier
Whether your job needs a permit depends mostly on where the driveway meets the road, and on which county or city covers your address. Here is what we check before we dig, from Georgia 811 marks to the Corps shoreline on lake lots.
Where the driveway meets the road
For a driveway, the permit question depends on where it meets the road. If it ties into a county road or state highway, we check whether the apron needs a permit. Hall County requires a permit for work in a county road right-of-way, and a connection to a state highway goes through the Georgia Department of Transportation. Either way, the connection must meet that road's specs.
Hall County lists its residential driveway permit fee at $50, and the concrete cost guide lists permits among the things that push a price up. Other counties and cities set their own. See driveway installation for the full job.
County and city rules
In Gainesville, driveway work that reaches a county road needs a Hall County Public Works permit, while the city handles its own streets. In Buford, which county's driveway rules apply depends on your side of the Gwinnett and Hall county line, and the City of Buford has its own. In Dawsonville, Dawson County and the city each have their own driveway permits, and the county's rules cover culverts where a driveway crosses a roadside ditch.
We confirm which office covers your address at the quote and tell you whether your job needs a permit.
Patios, slabs, and other pours
A small shed pad often doesn't need a permit, but it depends on the county, the size, and what goes on it. A slab for a garage or other building usually falls under that building's permit. We'll flag it at the quote, and the county has the final say. See concrete slabs for how we size a pad.
Georgia 811 before any digging
Every job starts with Georgia 811 utility marks before any digging. We request the marks, and the dig-out waits until they're in.
HOA approval
If your neighborhood has an HOA, we'll give you the size, finish, and color details the approval form asks for. The Cumming page covers the newer subdivisions on both sides of GA-400.
Lakefront lots and the Corps shoreline
The shoreline around Lake Lanier is public land managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. On lakefront lots, the strip along the water is Corps land, and you can't build a patio on it. Steps or a path toward the water need a Corps permit first.
Check your property line before you plan the layout. We lay out patios and paths from your survey, not from the shoreline. The Flowery Branch page has more on lake lots.
Questions homeowners ask
Do I need a permit for a new driveway?
It depends on where the driveway meets the road. Work in a Hall County road right-of-way needs a county permit, and a state highway connection goes through the Georgia Department of Transportation. Other counties and cities set their own rules.
How much is a driveway permit?
Hall County lists its residential driveway permit fee at $50. Other counties and cities set their own.
Can I pour a patio down by the lake?
Only on your own land. The strip along the water is Corps of Engineers land, and steps or a path toward the water need a Corps permit first.
Does a shed pad need a permit?
Often not for a small one, but it depends on the county, the size, and what goes on it. The county has the final say.