The City Council is seeking to fill a vacancy for City Commissioner. For more information, go to: Notice of City Commissioner Vacancy / We express our gratitude to all of our dedicated and outstanding 9-1-1 operators/telecommunicators at the City of Effingham during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week! Thank you for all that you do to keep our residents, visitors, and first responders safe! National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

Building permits

We offer 2 types of building permits: 

  • Over-the-counter permits: simple permits you can usually get the same day.
  • Permits that require plans and review: permits for larger or more complicated projects.

Some projects don't require a permit, but you still need to follow all building codes and regulations.

Over-the-counter

These are simple permits you can apply for in-person at City Hall. Usually, you will get your permit the same day. There is no application form for over-the-counter permits. 

These include most types of:

To get an over-the-counter permit:

  • Visit the Building Official office at City Hall
  • Make sure you have:
    • Address of where the work will be done
    • Property owner’s name
  • Make sure the company doing the work is registered with the City
  • Bring any plans or drawings
  • Pay the permit fee by check, cash, or credit card

If plans and review are required

To get a building permit for most construction projects, we need to review your plans and application. Generally, you need to get a building permit if you do any of the following to a building or structure:

  • Change of use (example: office space changing into retail)
  • Construct
  • Enlarge
  • Alter
  • Repair
  • Move or remove
  • Improve
  • Convert
  • Demolish

This also includes swimming pools. Depending on the project, you may also need to apply for plumbing, electrical, or sewer tap permits.

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