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Columbia County

Columbia County Planning Services

In short

Columbia County Planning Services issues 4 permits we publish for Columbia County, last verified 2026-10-31. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Temporary Use Authorizationonly if it applies to youColumbia County Planning Services$35 per authorization, as published in the Planning Services Fee Schedule linked from the county's Fees & Deadlines pageper authorization2026-10-31
Provisional Home Occupationonly if it applies to youColumbia County Planning Services$35 per application, as published in the Planning Services Fee Schedule linked from the county's Fees & Deadlines pagenot stated in the Planning Services Fee Schedule2026-10-31
Sign Permit (temporary and permanent signs)only if it applies to youColumbia County Planning ServicesTemporary sign or banner $25. Permanent sign: 8 to 50 square feet $50; 51 to 300 square feet $100; 300 square feet and above $400.per sign2026-10-31
Non-Residential Site Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youColumbia County Planning ServicesClearing and grading $200; minor scope of work $250; up to 5 acres $500; over 5 acres $500 plus $100 per acre or fraction thereof in excess of 5 acres.per project2026-10-31

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Temporary Use Authorization

Planning Services issues temporary use authorizations in unincorporated Columbia County. The $35 amount is as published in the Planning Services Fee Schedule linked as the county's current schedule from its Fees & Deadlines page, which states that all fees are nonrefundable. A food truck or retail seller planning a temporary use should confirm with Planning Services at 706-868-3400 whether its activity needs this authorization. A business inside Grovetown applies to the city's own Planning and Community Development Department instead.

Provisional Home Occupation

This record applies only as a scope consequence: a business run from a home in unincorporated Columbia County, rather than from a commercial location, falls under the county's home occupation rules, and a business at a commercial location is outside it. The county's Occupational Tax page states that businesses that do not operate from a commercial location, including mobile businesses, are considered home occupations, and the county's application form requires a signed home occupations compliance form for home-based or mobile businesses. The $35 Provisional Home Occupation amount is as published in the Planning Services Fee Schedule linked as the county's current schedule from its Fees & Deadlines page. Contact Planning Services at 706-868-3400.

Sign Permit (temporary and permanent signs)

A business installing a temporary banner or a permanent sign in unincorporated Columbia County pays the Planning Services sign fee by sign type and size. The amounts above are as published in the Planning Services Fee Schedule linked as the county's current schedule from its Fees & Deadlines page, which states that all fees are nonrefundable. Planning Services administers zoning in unincorporated Columbia County; the county's Zoning page directs readers to Chapter 90 of the Columbia County Code. Contact Planning Services at 706-868-3400 before ordering a sign. A business inside Grovetown follows the city's own sign and zoning process.

Non-Residential Site Plan Review

A business developing a new non-residential site in unincorporated Columbia County submits a site plan to Planning Services. The amounts above are as published in the Planning Services Fee Schedule linked as the county's current schedule from its Fees & Deadlines page, which states that all fees are nonrefundable; the same schedule lists a $1,000 development plan resubmittal fee after the third review and a $250 development plan revision fee. The Fire Marshal's page states that site plans are reviewed during submittal to Planning Services. A business moving into an existing building with no site work is outside site plan review. Contact Planning Services at 706-868-3400.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Columbia County
Phone
706-868-3400

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Fee Schedule — Planning ServicesColumbia County Board of Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  2. Fees & DeadlinesColumbia County Planning Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  3. Occupational Tax (Business License)Columbia County, Georgia · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  4. ZoningCity of Grovetown, Georgia · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31
  5. ZoningColumbia County, Georgia · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-31

Other offices serving Columbia County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

Georgia jurisdictions

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.