Bolthole Index

Rockdale County, Georgia

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Conyers, Georgia

Conyers, Georgia sets its own zoning inside city limits through Chapter 7 of Title 8 of the city code1, and the city's Planning & Inspection Services office guides residential projects through planning, permitting and inspection2. Septic rules inside Conyers were not confirmed in the city code we reviewed; Georgia requires a permit for any onsite sewage system3, and Rockdale County's Environmental Health office is the one to call4.

At a glance

Zoning
City of Conyers zoning code, special uses approved by City Council1
Building permits and inspections
City Planning & Inspection Services2
Minimum house size (R-A and RS-20)
1,600 sq ft one story; 1,800 sq ft two story or split-level56
Minimum lot, R-A
1 acre for a single-family residence7
Septic
Georgia requires a permit; ask Rockdale Environmental Health34
Accessory dwelling
One per primary home, owner-occupied8

Who to call

Planning & zoning

City of Conyers Planning & Inspection Services

Planning, permitting and inspection for residential and commercial projects inside Conyers city limits, and zoning classification questions

770-929-4280

planning@conyersga.gov

901 O'Kelly Street, Conyers, GA 30012

Septic permits

Rockdale Environmental Health Department

Septic tank and drain field permits and inspections for Rockdale County

770.278.7340

1329 Portman Drive, Suite F, Conyers, GA 30094

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

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Does Conyers, Georgia have zoning, and what does it mean for lots and setbacks?

Yes. Conyers adopts its own zoning as Chapter 7 of Title 8 of the city code, and special uses are approved by City Council1. The rules differ by district, so check the district before you buy.

In the R-A Residential-Agriculture district, a single-family residence needs a lot of at least 1 acre, and a residence with private stables needs 3 acres7. Required yards are 75 feet in front, 50 feet in the rear and 30 feet on the sides9. Impervious coverage is capped at 25 percent of the lot10.

In the RS-20 Residential Single-Family district, the minimum lot is 20,000 square feet with sewer and 25,000 square feet with a septic tank11. Front yards are 40 feet and interior side yards 10 feet12. Both districts cap building height at 35 feet1314.

Both districts also set a minimum house size of 1,600 square feet for one story and 1,800 square feet for two story or split-level56, which rules out most tiny-home designs on those lots.

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

Conyers runs its own Planning & Inspection Services office, which describes itself as the starting point for any construction project, new or remodeling, inside the city, helping applicants through the planning, permitting and inspection stages2. We did not find the city's building permit chapter, its adopted building code or its owner-builder rules in the sections we reviewed, so call the office at 770-929-4280 to confirm what your project needs2.

A few permit rules are confirmed. Placing or moving a manufactured home in the city requires a completed permit application15. No driveway may be built onto a city-maintained road until the driveway permit is approved and issued16. Driveways onto state or federal highways need Georgia DOT permits16.

Georgia's owner-builder exemption covers contractor licensing only and does not waive local permits, inspections or zoning17.

How do septic permits work inside Conyers?

Georgia requires a permit to construct, repair or replace an onsite sewage management system3. Which office permits a septic system at a specific Conyers address was not confirmed in the city code we reviewed. In Rockdale County, septic permits and inspections run through the Rockdale Environmental Health Department4, so start there.

City zoning favors sewer. RS-20 is intended for lots served by public water and wastewater, and septic tanks are allowed only where sewer is not available18. A septic lot in RS-20 needs 25,000 square feet instead of 20,00011. Ask the city's Planning & Inspection Services office whether sewer reaches your parcel before you plan a septic system2.

Building a home in Conyers: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district with Conyers Planning & Inspection Services, which asks to verify zoning classification before business licenses and guides construction projects2.
  2. Check lot size, yards, height and minimum house size against the district rules1.
  3. Find out whether sewer is available; if not, contact Rockdale Environmental Health about a septic permit184.
  4. Check floodplain: new principal residential structures are restricted in the future-conditions floodplain19.
  5. Get the driveway permit before building onto a city-maintained road16.
  6. Apply for building permits and schedule inspections through the city's public portal2.

What stays with Rockdale County, and what should you check before you buy?

The county's rules apply outside city limits. Inside Conyers, the city's own codes govern zoning1. For land outside the city, see the Rockdale County page.

Septic permits are the main thing that comes from outside city hall: Rockdale County's Environmental Health office handles them4. Rockdale County's effective property tax rate is 0.7 percent, with a median bill of $1,843 a year2021.

In the future-conditions floodplain, the lowest floor must be at least three feet above base flood elevation or one foot above the future-conditions flood elevation, whichever is higher19.

Watch-outs

  • Minimum house sizes in Conyers's R-A and RS-20 districts are 1,600 square feet for one story and 1,800 for two story or split-level56.
  • We could not confirm whether RVs, tiny homes or camping are allowed on private lots in Conyers; ask Planning & Inspection Services at 770-929-42802.
  • Accessory dwellings require an owner-occupied primary home and 600 to 1,200 square feet of heated space8.

Sources

  1. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-31 R-A Residential-Agriculture District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Conyers Planning & Inspection Services (conyersga.com)
  3. Manual for On-Site Sewage Management Systems (Georgia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  4. Rockdale Environmental Health Department (gnrhealth.com)
  5. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-31 R-A Residential-Agriculture District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  6. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-32 RS-20 Residential Single-Family District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  7. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-31 R-A Residential-Agriculture District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  8. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-92.4 Ancillary residential units (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  9. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-31 R-A Residential-Agriculture District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  10. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-31 R-A Residential-Agriculture District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  11. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-32 RS-20 Residential Single-Family District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  12. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-32 RS-20 Residential Single-Family District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  13. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-31 R-A Residential-Agriculture District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  14. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-32 RS-20 Residential Single-Family District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  15. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-31 R-A Residential-Agriculture District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  16. Conyers Code Sec. 8-6-77 Driveway design standards (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  17. Residential and Commercial General Contractors Frequently Asked Questions (2026 county census)
  18. Conyers Code Sec. 8-7-32 RS-20 Residential Single-Family District (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  19. Conyers Code Sec. 8-4-20 Building standards within the future-conditions floodplain (Conyers), quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Median property tax bill: 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 Conyers

Conyers’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Conyers city limits

    • Zoning is Chapter 7 of Title 8 of the city code, with special uses approved by City Council.
    “The R-A District is intended to provide for transitional areas in outlying areas of the City where residential development can co-exist compatibly with an agricultural environment.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-A Residential-Agriculture district inside Conyers city

    • Heated floor area.

    minimum heated floor area, one story: >= 1600 sq ft · minimum heated floor area, two story or split-level: >= 1800 sq ft

    “Minimum house size (heated floor area): 1,600 square feet, one story; 1,800 square feet, two story or split-level.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-A Residential-Agriculture district inside Conyers city

    • Minimum lot width at building line 150 ft; minimum depth 250 ft.

    single-family residence: >= 1 acre · residence with private stables: >= 3 acre · agriculture and forestry: >= 5 acre

    “Minimum lot size: a. One acre for single-family residences; b. Three acres for residences with private stables; c. Five acres for agriculture and forestry uses.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-A Residential-Agriculture district inside Conyers city

    front yard: >= 75 ft · rear yard: >= 50 ft · interior side yard: >= 30 ft · corner side yard: >= 30 ft

    “Minimum yard requirements: a. Front: 75 feet. b. Rear: 50 feet. c. Side, interior lot: 30 feet. d. Side, corner lot: 30 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-A Residential-Agriculture district inside Conyers city

    • Measured as impervious coverage of gross lot area.

    maximum impervious coverage: <= 25 percent

    “Maximum building height: 35 feet. (7) Maximum impervious coverage: 25 percent of the gross area of the lot.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-A Residential-Agriculture district inside Conyers city

    maximum building height: <= 35 ft

    “Maximum building height: 35 feet. (7) Maximum impervious coverage: 25 percent of the gross area of the lot.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes in the R-A district inside Conyers city

    • Must meet dwelling design standards (24-foot minimum width, 4:12 roof pitch, permanent foundation, axles and tongues removed).
    • Placement requires a permit application; denial in writing within ten working days.
    • Use as accessory/temporary housing has separate limits (caretaker, 12-month temporary residence after disaster).
    “Placement or movement of a manufactured home in the city requires the applicant to submit a completed permit application form supplied by the department”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Ancillary residential units (accessory dwelling units) inside Conyers city

    • Primary dwelling must be owner-occupied.
    • Heated floor area 600 to 1,200 sq ft and no more than 50 percent of primary dwelling.
    • Separate building may not exceed height of primary building; one extra parking space required.

    ancillary units per primary dwelling: <= 1 unit · heated floor area: 600-1,200 sq ft

    “One ancillary residential unit shall be permitted per primary dwelling unit (single-family residence).”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Single-family lots in the RS-20 district inside Conyers city

    • RS-20 is intended for lots served by public water and wastewater; septic tanks allowed only where sewer is not available.
    • No explicit distance-based mandatory connection rule located.
    “Where sewer service is not available, single-family residences may be served by septic tanks.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveways abutting city-maintained roads inside Conyers city

    • Driveways abutting state or federal highways need GDOT permits.
    • Single-family driveways at least ten feet wide at the right-of-way line.
    “No driveway shall be constructed abutting a City-maintained road or street until all applicable driveway permits have been approved and issued by the Department.”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Development in the future-conditions floodplain inside Conyers city

    • Lowest floor at least three feet above base flood elevation or one foot above future-conditions flood elevation, whichever is higher.
    • RVs must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days and highway-ready, or meet residential substantial improvement standards.
    “New construction of principal residential structures shall not be allowed within the limits of the future-conditions floodplain unless all requirements of sections 8-4-15, 8-4-15, and 8-4-17 have been met.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — General building permits inside Conyers city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Conyers city
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Conyers city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Conyers city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Conyers city
12 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Conyers publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Rockdale County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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