Bolthole Index

Chatham County, Georgia

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Savannah, Georgia

Savannah, Georgia (Chatham County) requires a building permit from City of Savannah Development Services for construction inside city limits1. The city also administers its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 3 of its code2. Septic permits are a separate track: they run through the Chatham County Health Department's Environmental Health office, not the city3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside Savannah; issued by City Development Services1
Zoning
Savannah administers its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 3 of the city code)2
Owner-builder
Allowed by homeowner permit if you live in the home; not for rentals4
Online permitting
eTRAC portal for applications and tracking5
Septic
Chatham County Health Department Environmental Health permits septic systems3
Short-term rentals
Certificate required; per-ward cap in the historic districts6

Who to call

Building permits

City of Savannah Development Services Department

Building permits, plan review and permit tracking inside Savannah city limits

(912) 651-6510

20 Interchange Drive Savannah, GA 31415

Online permits →

Septic permits

Chatham County Health Department Environmental Health Office (Georgia Coastal Health District)

Septic (on-site sewage) permits and inspections in Chatham County under Georgia DPH rules

912-356-2160

1395 Eisenhower Dr. Savannah, GA 31406

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 17, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Savannah means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Savannah, GA have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. Savannah administers its own zoning ordinance for land inside city limits, Chapter 3 of the city code, labeled effective September 1, 2019, with amendments ongoing2. The ordinance sorts land into districts, including single-family residential (RSF), multi-family (RMF), office-institutional (OI), business, downtown, industrial and conservation districts7.

District standards decide lot size, setbacks and height, so look up the parcel's district before you plan anything. We could not confirm the rules for RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size or setbacks in Savannah's residential districts. Ask Savannah Development Services for the district standards on a specific parcel8.

Subdivision of land inside the city is regulated separately under Chapter 2 of the city code9.

Do you need a building permit in Savannah, and who issues it?

Yes. City of Savannah Development Services issues construction permits inside Savannah city limits, and every permit type needs a signed application and a complete application checklist18. Permits cannot be issued until all required information and outside approvals are submitted, reviewed and approved. Properties in historic districts or special flood hazard areas may face extra requirements1.

Savannah uses an online system called eTRAC for permit applications and tracking5. The city publishes a schedule of building permit and plan review fees, payable to the City of Savannah10.

These are the city's rules. Land outside Savannah's limits falls under Chatham County, which has its own building permit requirement for unincorporated areas11; see the Chatham County page.

Can you build your own house in Savannah as an owner-builder?

Sometimes. A Savannah homeowner may get a permit to perform construction on their own residence if the homeowner lives in the residence; the owner cannot self-perform on rental properties4. The homeowner also must not have applied for a permit at another address within two years, must hire Georgia-licensed contractors for any work they do not perform themselves, and must follow all codes and the inspection schedule4. Savannah requires a signed, notarized homeowner's affidavit and a copy of the driver's license with the application4.

How do septic permits work inside Savannah?

Septic permits in Chatham County are issued through the county health department, not the city's building office. The Chatham County Health Department's Environmental Health office, part of the Georgia Coastal Health District, handles on-site sewage system permits312. Georgia requires a permit for building, repairing or replacing an onsite sewage system13.

We could not confirm whether a given Savannah address must connect to city sewer or may use a septic system. Utility connection rules are in the city code, so ask Savannah Development Services and the Environmental Health office before assuming either. Wells were also not confirmed for property inside the city.

What stays with Chatham County, and what should you check before you buy in Savannah?

Septic permits come from the Chatham County Health Department for every address in the county, city or not3. For land outside Savannah's limits, the county's zoning and building rules apply instead of the city's, so confirm which side of the line a parcel sits on at the Chatham County page.

Three checks matter inside the city. First, ask whether the parcel sits in a historic district or special flood hazard area, which can add requirements1. Second, confirm the zoning district7. Third, if you plan a vacation rental, Savannah requires a certificate for rentals of 30 days or less, with a 20% per-ward cap on non-owner-occupied parcels in the Downtown and Victorian historic districts6.

Watch-outs

  • Historic district and special flood hazard area properties inside Savannah may have extra permit requirements, so ask Development Services before you buy1.
  • A Savannah short-term rental certificate is required, and many wards in the Downtown and Victorian historic districts have already reached the 20% cap6.
  • We could not confirm Savannah's rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, setbacks or minimum lot size; ask City of Savannah Development Services about the parcel's zoning district8.

Sources

  1. How to Apply for Residential Building Permits - City of Savannah (Savannah), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Savannah Code of Ordinances (EncodePlus) (Savannah), quoted and re-checked
  3. On-Site Sewage/Septic Systems - Georgia Coastal Health District, quoted and re-checked
  4. How to Apply for Residential Building Permits - City of Savannah (Savannah), quoted and re-checked
  5. How to Apply for Residential Building Permits - City of Savannah (Savannah), quoted and re-checked
  6. Short-term Vacation Rental Regulations - City of Savannah (Savannah), quoted and re-checked
  7. City of Savannah Code of Ordinances (EncodePlus) (Savannah), quoted and re-checked
  8. City of Savannah Development Services Department (savannahga.gov)
  9. City of Savannah Code of Ordinances (EncodePlus) (Savannah), quoted and re-checked
  10. How to Apply for Residential Building Permits - City of Savannah (Savannah), quoted and re-checked
  11. When are Building Permits Required, quoted and re-checked
  12. Chatham County Health Department Environmental Health Office (Georgia Coastal Health District) (coastalhealthdistrict.org)
  13. Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 17, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Savannah

Savannah’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction permits issued by City of Savannah Development Services inside city limits

    • Permits cannot be issued until all required information and outside approvals are submitted, reviewed and approved.
    • Historic district and special flood hazard area properties may have extra requirements.
    “a signed application and a complete application checklist must be submitted for all permit types.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Homeowner permit to build on own residence inside Savannah city

    • Owner must live in the residence; cannot self-perform on rental properties.
    • No permit applied for at another address within two years.
    • Must hire Georgia-licensed contractors for work not performed by the owner.
    • Must follow all codes and the inspection schedule.
    • Signed, notarized homeowner's affidavit plus copy of driver's license required.
    “a homeowner may get a permit to perform construction on his/her own residence if the homeowner: lives in the residence (the owner cannot self-perform for rental properties);”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Savannah city limits; the city administers its own Chapter 3 zoning ordinance (NewZO)

    • Chapter 3 is labeled effective September 1, 2019 in the city code index.
    • Amendments are pending/ongoing.
    “chapter 3. - zoning (effective september 1, 2019)”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Savannah city (RSF-E/30/20/10/6/5/4, TR, RMF, OI, business, downtown, industrial, etc.)

    • Code site offers regulations by district; district standards not individually reviewed here.
    “regulations by district agricultural agricultural conservation conservation conservation conservation - marsh conservation - park downtown”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land subdivision inside Savannah city

    • Chapter 2 text not opened; standards and approval process not reviewed.
    “chapter 2. - subdivision regulations chapter 3. - zoning (effective september 1, 2019)”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term vacation rentals (entire dwelling, 30 days or less) inside Savannah city

    • Certificate required (city code sec. 8-11012; non-transferable).
    • 20% per-ward cap on non-owner-occupied parcels in the Downtown and Victorian historic districts; many wards have reached the cap.
    • In the Streetcar district, TN-2 parcels need two or more dwelling units, one owner-occupied.
    • Zoning confirmation letter available for $50 request fee.

    per-ward cap non-owner-occupied: 20 percent (Downtown and Victorian historic districts only)

    “a 20% per-ward cap is applicable to non-owner occupied parcels in the savannah downtown historic district as indicated in figure 7.5-1 and the victorian historic district as indicated in figure 7.5-2.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Building permit and plan review fees, City of Savannah

    • Fee amounts are in a linked document not opened.
    “for a schedule of plan review and permit fees (payable to the city of savannah) - click here for the building permit and plan review fees document.”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building permit application process, City of Savannah

    • Incomplete applications may be accepted but permits cannot issue until all documents and outside approvals are approved.
    “the city of savannah uses a website called etrac https://etrac.savannahga.gov for online permit tracking.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Savannah or Chatham County directly.

  • Building code adopted — Building codes inside Savannah city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Savannah city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Savannah city
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size, main single-family district (RSF) inside Savannah city
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size, RSF districts inside Savannah city
16 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Savannah publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Chatham County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Chatham County: county rules, score and offices