Bolthole Index

Oconee County, Georgia

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Bogart, Georgia

The Town of Bogart, Georgia requires a building permit for any new structure and for any structure altered by more than 100 sq. ft.1 Bogart sets its own zoning through the Bogart Unified Development Code2, and Oconee County inspects construction in town under contract3. Septic systems need approval from the Oconee County Health Department4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new structures and alterations over 100 sq. ft.1
Zoning
Town's own zoning under the Bogart Unified Development Code2
Inspections
Contracted to Oconee County3
Septic
Oconee County Health Department approval before construction4
Minimum lot, septic + public water
30,000 sq. ft. per dwelling5
Maximum height (R-1, AR)
40 ft, with fire-official certification above that6
Floodplain, buffers, recharge areas
Environmental areas review permit may be required7

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Bogart City Hall

Building permit applications and the zoning ordinance and zoning map for land inside Bogart

770-725-7386

125 Main Street P.O. Box 206 Bogart, GA 30622

Building permits

Oconee County Planning & Code Enforcement (town inspector)

Building inspections and permit review for Bogart under contract; also permits for unincorporated Oconee County

706-769-3907

ocbuilding@oconee.ga.us

Planning & Code Enforcement- First Floor, 7635 Macon Highway, Watkinsville, GA 30677

Online permits →

Septic permits

Oconee County Environmental Health

On-site sewage, septic systems and well-water programs in Oconee County

706-769-7060

oconee.eh@dph.ga.gov

Environmental Health- First Floor, 7635 Macon Highway, Watkinsville, GA 30677

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 Town of Bogart means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Bogart, GA have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Bogart adopted its own Unified Development Code, which replaced the town's earlier zoning, subdivision and manufactured housing ordinances2. The town's zoning districts are AR, AR-3, R-1, R-2, R-3, M-H, OIP, B-1, B-2, OBP, CBD and I, plus flood-protection and special overlays8. Zoning inside Bogart is the town's decision, not Oconee County's.

Rules differ by district. In R-1, principal buildings need a 10 ft side setback, a 40 ft rear setback and a 30 ft front setback from a minor street9. In AR, the side setback is 15 ft and the rear setback is 40 ft10. The height limit in R-1 and AR is 40 ft, and above that local fire officials must certify fire protection6.

A home on a septic system with public water needs at least 30,000 sq. ft. per dwelling, and the county health department can require more5. The town's district table sets the exact figures, so confirm them with Bogart City Hall before you buy11.

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

Yes. Bogart requires building permits for any new structure and for any structure altered by more than 100 sq. ft.1 Fees are based on square footage and the type of structure12. Contractors and subcontractors must hold a Georgia license, and the town asks for proof of the license before it issues any permit1.

Applications start at Bogart City Hall, where electrical, heating and air, and plumbing permit applications are also available13. The town's page also lists the Oconee County planning office as the body that issues building permits and enforces building codes for Bogart11. Inspections are contracted to Oconee County3, so call the county permitting line at 706-769-3907 about scheduling14.

We could not confirm whether Bogart has a separate owner-builder rule; ask City Hall. Georgia does not require an owner to hold a contractor license to build their own home, but local permits and codes still apply15.

How do septic permits work inside Bogart, GA?

Septic approval inside Bogart comes from the Oconee County Health Department, not from town hall. Bogart's code says no construction may proceed on a building or mobile home served by a septic tank until the Oconee County Health Department approves the installation16. The county's Environmental Health office handles septic and well-water programs17.

Oconee County's Environmental Services Division reviews and approves on-site sewage systems and inspects them during installation18. The town's code also names the Athens-Clarke health department for part of the town4, so ask Environmental Health which office covers your parcel.

We could not confirm Bogart-specific well rules or septic inspection steps beyond this; Environmental Health is the office to ask17. Oconee County's soil survey rates 81% of its soils as not limited for conventional drain fields, a county-wide figure, so a site evaluation on your lot still decides the answer19.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Bogart, GA?

We could not confirm Bogart's rules for RV living, tiny homes or temporary camping inside town limits. The town's use restrictions are in Article Three of its Unified Development Code, and City Hall is the office to ask before you park or place anything11.

For contrast, the county's rule applies only to unincorporated land: in unincorporated Oconee County a recreational vehicle cannot serve as a principal or accessory residence, and continuous occupancy beyond 90 days is prohibited20. Do not assume that rule, or any county rule, applies inside Bogart. See the Oconee County page for land outside town limits.

A tiny home built as a house would still face Bogart's district rules for lot size, setbacks and height5, and we could not confirm a minimum floor area in town.

Building a home in Bogart: the steps, in order

  1. Ask Bogart City Hall which zoning district your parcel is in, using the official zoning map kept at City Hall11.
  2. Check lot size, setbacks and height for that district in the town's Unified Development Code9.
  3. Call Oconee County Environmental Health for septic approval before construction starts16.
  4. Hire a Georgia-licensed contractor and subcontractors, and keep proof of license for the town1.
  5. Apply for the building permit at Bogart City Hall, with trade permit applications for electrical, heating and air, and plumbing13.
  6. Schedule inspections through Oconee County Planning & Code Enforcement3.
  7. Ask City Hall about a certificate of occupancy; we could not confirm the town's process, and Georgia lets only the local authority issue one21.

What to check before you buy land in Bogart

Floodplain, riparian buffers and groundwater recharge areas carry their own review. Bogart requires an environmental areas review permit for activity in those areas that meets set thresholds, including building permit work and 10 or more cubic yards of fill or excavation7. Farming is exempt from that review but must follow state best management practices22.

Subdividing a lot is regulated by Article Five of the town's code23. Property tax bills come from Oconee County; the county's effective property tax rate is 0.7%24.

For land outside the town limits, the rules are the county's: see the Oconee County page.

Watch-outs

  • Bogart's town page lists the Oconee County planning office as issuing building permits while also saying applications are available at city hall, so confirm with Bogart City Hall which office takes your application11.
  • We could not confirm Bogart's rules for RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, driveways or short-term rentals; ask Bogart City Hall before you rely on any county rule11.
  • Contractors and subcontractors must be licensed by the State of Georgia before the town issues permits1.
  • Septic approval is separate from the building permit and comes from the Oconee County Health Department4.

Sources

  1. City of Bogart Planning & Development (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Bogart Planning & Development (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  3. City of Bogart Planning & Development (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  4. Bogart Code Sec. 12-55 Land disturbing standards for significant groundwater recharge areas (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  5. Bogart Unified Development Code, Article 4 Lot and Building Standards (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  6. Bogart Unified Development Code, Article 4 Lot and Building Standards (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  7. Bogart Code Sec. 12-50 Environmental areas review permits (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  8. Bogart Unified Development Code, Article 2 Use of Land and Structures (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  9. Bogart Unified Development Code, Article 4 Lot and Building Standards (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  10. Bogart Unified Development Code, Article 4 Lot and Building Standards (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Bogart City Hall (cityofbogart.com)
  12. City of Bogart Planning & Development (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  13. City of Bogart Planning & Development (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  14. Oconee County Planning & Code Enforcement (town inspector) (oconeecountyga.gov)
  15. Residential and Commercial General Contractors Frequently Asked Questions (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Bogart Code Sec. 12-55 Land disturbing standards for significant groundwater recharge areas (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  17. Oconee County Environmental Health (oconeecountyga.gov)
  18. Article 14 - Administration and Enforcement, quoted and re-checked
  19. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Oconee County UDC § 329.10, Recreational vehicle parks and subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  21. dca.georgia.gov (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Bogart Code Sec. 12-50 Environmental areas review permits (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  23. City of Bogart Planning & Development (Town of Bogart), quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 Town of Bogart

Town of Bogart’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New structures and alterations inside Bogart town

    • Contractors and subcontractors must be licensed by the State of Georgia; proof of license required before permits issue.
    • Oconee County Planning and Development issues building permits for the town per the town page.

    alteration threshold: > 100 sq ft

    “building permits are required for any new structure or any structure that is altered over 100 sq. feet.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction inside Bogart town; inspections performed by Oconee County under contract

    • Inspections are contracted to Oconee County planning and code enforcement.
    “the city of bogart contracts all inspections with oconee county.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Bogart town limits

    • The UDC repeals the previously adopted zoning ordinance, subdivision ordinance and manufactured housing ordinance.
    “the bogart city council adopted the bogart unified development code at the august 12, 2024 meeting.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land inside Bogart town limits

    • Districts: AR, AR-3, R-1, R-2, R-3, M-H, OIP, B-1, B-2, OBP, CBD, I; overlays F-P and 78-316 special overlay.
    “for the purposes of these regulations, the city of bogart, georgia is divided into the following zoning districts and overlay districts:”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential lots by district; septic floor applies in all districts

    • Lot on a well is 51,000 sq ft per the continuation of the same sentence.
    • County health department may require larger lots.
    • District-specific values are in Table 4.1 (garbled in extraction).

    minimum lot area per dwelling on septic with public water: >= 30000 sq ft (larger if county health department requires)

    “the minimum lot area required per dwelling unit on an on-site sewage management system (septic tank) with public water supply is 30,000 square feet”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-1 single-family residential district, principal buildings

    • Column order is CBD, AR-3, AR, R-1, R-2, R-3, M-H, OIP, B-1, B-2, OBP, I; R-1 is the fourth value. Front from major thoroughfare 40 ft, minor street 30 ft.
    • Accessory structure setbacks are in Sec. 410.

    side setback: >= 10 ft · rear setback: >= 40 ft · front setback minor street: >= 30 ft

    “side 10 15 15 10 10 - 10 10 10 10 25 10 rear 10 40 40 40 40 15 40 10 10 10 40 10”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-1 and AR/AR-3 districts, principal buildings and structures

    • Column order CBD, AR-3, AR, R-1 ...: 55, 40, 40, 40.
    • Above 40 ft or beyond firefighting equipment capability, local fire officials must certify sprinkler/built-in protection.
    • Exemptions exist for spires, towers, silos and barns on farms, etc.

    maximum height R-1 and AR: <= 40 ft (exemptions in Sec. 412.02)

    “if the building height exceeds 40 feet and/or is above the capability of normal firefighting equipment, local fire officials shall certify that”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural production in floodplains, riparian buffers and recharge areas inside Bogart town (environmental review only)

    • Must follow state best management practices and not impair water quality; exemption is from the environmental areas review permit, not from building permits.
    “Agricultural production and management. Although not requiring an environmental areas review permit, all agricultural production and management shall comply with the best management practices”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Bogart town

    • Governed by UDC Article Five; minor subdivision lot sizes refer to UDC Sec. 503.
    “article four – lots article five – subdivisions article six – parking”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in floodplains, riparian buffers and recharge areas inside Bogart town

    • Thresholds include building permit work, 10 or more cubic yards of fill/excavation, change of use, road and utility construction.
    • Exemptions in Sec. 12-50(b) include ordinary maintenance and agriculture.
    “An environmental areas review permit is required for all activity which meets the following thresholds and which occurs, or is proposed to occur, within either the floodplains, riparian buffer areas”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building permits inside Bogart town

    • Amounts not read from an official schedule.
    “fees are based upon the square footage and the type of structure.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building trade permits inside Bogart town

    • Application forms are at city hall or downloadable; inspections by Oconee County.
    “applications for electrical permits, heating & air permits, and plumbing permits are available at city hall or can be downloaded and printed at home”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Bogart

Town of Bogart does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Septic systems inside Bogart town; Oconee County Health Department approves installations

    • UDC Article 2 (R-1 purpose) also names the Athens-Clarke health department for part of the town.
    • Quoted rule is in the groundwater recharge area article.
    “No construction may proceed on a building or mobile home to be served by a septic tank unless the Oconee County Health Department first approves the proposed septic tank installation”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New construction on septic inside Bogart town

    • Approval must meet the state DHR on-site sewage manual.
    • Section 12-55 applies to lands mapped as significant groundwater recharge areas.
    “No construction may proceed on a building or mobile home to be served by a septic tank unless the Oconee County Health Department first approves the proposed septic tank installation”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Bogart or Oconee County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permits inside Bogart town
  • Building code adopted — Building codes inside Bogart town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Bogart town
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage in R-1 and AR districts
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Bogart town
8 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

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 Town of Bogart publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Oconee County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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