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# Cobb County Permit Site Plans: What Homeowners and Contractors Should Know

Cobb County is one of the friendlier places in metro Atlanta to get a small residential permit moving. Marietta exempts fences from permits outright. Acworth doesn't require a permit for sheds under 120 square feet. And Cobb County's parcel data is already built into SitePlans.ai, so you can pull up your actual property lines and start building a site plan right now, without waiting on anyone.

That said, it's not the same rulebook everywhere in the county — unincorporated Cobb runs stricter than its cities, especially once land disturbance enters the picture. Here's what actually applies to your project.

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Do You Need a Site Plan for a Small Permit in Cobb County?

In most cases, yes — but Cobb County gives you more breathing room than a lot of its neighbors. Whether you're in Marietta, Acworth, unincorporated Cobb, or one of the smaller cities, your building department wants to see a drawing showing your property lines, existing structures, and where your project sits on the lot before they'll review your permit.

Here's what makes Cobb stand out:

• Marietta

exempts fences from permits entirely — no site plan needed, though zoning rules on height and placement still apply. Marietta also lets homeowners act as their own contractor with a notarized affidavit.

• Acworth

doesn't require a permit for unconditioned sheds under 120 square feet. Setbacks still apply — 5 feet minimum from property lines.

• Unincorporated Cobb County is the strictest part of the county. Any land-disturbing activity — grading, clearing, site work, not just building — triggers a Land Disturbance Permit (LDP), and LDPs require a sealed plan with a professional stamp.**
• Smyrna and Kennesaw generally follow Cobb County's standards with their own zoning overlays layered on top.
• Powder Springs is on the stricter end for commercial work, requiring a contractor's state license, local business license, and a $25,000 code compliance bond.

The short version: if your project is in Marietta or Acworth and it's small, there's a real chance you can handle this yourself. If it's in unincorporated Cobb and involves any land disturbance, plan on a licensed professional being part of the process.

Who Runs Into This

• Homeowners in Marietta or Acworth adding a fence, shed, deck, or pool
• Fence contractors who can skip the permit step entirely on Marietta jobs
• Small GCs and remodelers handling additions or accessory structures across Cobb's cities
• Owner-builders in Marietta acting as their own contractor
• ADU contractors working within Cobb's accessory structure size limits
• Small builders working single-family lots in unincorporated Cobb, where the LDP process adds real complexity

If you've ever wondered why your last permit was easy in Marietta but a headache in unincorporated Cobb, this is why — they're genuinely different processes.

What Typically Needs a Site Plan

Fence — Exempt from permits entirely in Marietta, though zoning still governs height and placement. In unincorporated Cobb, a site plan may be required once a fence exceeds 6 feet.

Shed — No permit needed in Acworth for sheds under 120 square feet, provided the 5-foot setback is met. In unincorporated Cobb, a permit — and typically a site plan — is required for sheds 120 square feet and up.

Deck — Requires a permit in Marietta, with a site plan needed for exterior work involving land disturbance.

Patio — Site plan required where the work involves land disturbance, and it can trigger impervious surface limits depending on your lot coverage.

Pool or spa — Marietta follows the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with Georgia Amendments. A site plan showing pool location, equipment, and barriers is required.

Garage — Needs a building permit and a site plan showing footprint, setbacks, and driveway access.

ADU — Accessory structures must stay subordinate to the main house — capped at 50% of the principal building's size. Site plan needs footprint, setbacks, and parking shown.

Driveway — Requires authorization from Cobb DOT if it connects to a county road, plus a site plan showing location and right-of-way.

Home addition — Needs a building permit and a site plan showing the expanded footprint, setbacks, and lot coverage.

Why This Trips People Up

Assuming an exemption means no rules apply. Marietta's fence exemption and Acworth's shed exemption are real, but they're exemptions from the permit, not from zoning. Setbacks, height limits, and placement rules still apply even when you don't need to file paperwork.

Missing the Land Disturbance Permit trigger. In unincorporated Cobb, it's not just "am I building something" — it's "am I disturbing the ground to do it." Grading, clearing, and site prep all count, and all of it needs an LDP with a sealed plan.

Treating GIS parcel lines as a legal survey. Cobb County's GIS portal shows property lines, but those are approximate county records, not a boundary determination. If your lines are unclear or disputed, that's a job for a licensed surveyor.

Forgetting the emergency contact requirement. Cobb County's official site plan checklist requires a 24-hour emergency contact name and number on the cover sheet, in bold, 20 pt minimum. It's a small detail that gets plans bounced back when it's missing.

Not confirming whether your city or the county has jurisdiction. Cobb's cities each run their own building department. Get this wrong and you've built your plan for the wrong reviewer entirely.

City-by-City Notes

Marietta — Fences are exempt from permits outright, and homeowners can act as their own contractor with a notarized affidavit. A site plan is required for exterior work involving land disturbance. Permit fees run $5 per $1,000 of construction cost, $50 minimum, and everything goes through the SagesGov portal — online only, no fax, email, or paper submissions.

Acworth — No permit required for unconditioned sheds under 120 square feet, as long as the structure sits at least 5 feet from property lines. Permitted accessory structures need a site plan and elevation plan. Fees run $80 base plus $150 for plan review, plus $6 per $1,000 of construction value.

Unincorporated Cobb County — The strictest tier. Any land-disturbing activity requires a Land Disturbance Permit, and the site plan needs a closed property boundary with bearings and distances, zoning information, easements, and buffers — sealed by a Georgia-registered professional.

Smyrna and Kennesaw — Generally follow Cobb County's baseline standards, with their own zoning overlays. Confirm specifics with each city directly.

Powder Springs — Stricter on commercial work, requiring a contractor's state license, a local business license, and a $25,000 code compliance bond.

See Georgia's statewide site plan overview

How SitePlans.ai Handles This

Cobb County parcel data is already integrated, which means your property lines, bearings, and distances load directly from county records the moment you enter your address:

1. Enter your property address. Your Cobb County parcel is pulled automatically.
2. Review your property lines and site context, already populated from county data.
3. Add your project — fence, shed, deck, patio, pool, garage, driveway, ADU, or addition — and place it on the lot.
4. Add setbacks, easements, and labels matching what your specific city or the county expects to see.
5. Export a clean, title-block-style PDF ready to attach to your permit application.

must save project so that work done is not lost

read Full tutorials

Fix Property lines lables

create Dimensions from property lines to structures

create enterance driveway

draw fencing

add and place patio

generate road by selecting frontage of your lot

Manage layers to handle the clean drawing

add proposed deck

put shed in right place

place existing trees by looking at aerial image

must save project so that work done is not lost

pick front of the lot and click generate button to generate the right of way

must read full tutorial guide from our support desk

For Marietta and Acworth, this is often all you need for a smaller project. For unincorporated Cobb, this is a strong starting draft — but if your project involves land disturbance, you'll still need a sealed plan from a licensed professional before final submission.

must read full tutorial guide from our support desk

Where SitePlans.ai Fits — and Where It Doesn't

Strong fit for:

• Fence and small shed permits in Marietta or Acworth, where unsealed plans are commonly accepted
• Deck, patio, and small addition planning in cities that don't require a sealed survey for smaller work
• Early-stage layout before you talk to a professional
• A clear draft to hand off to a surveyor or engineer if your project turns out to need one

Go straight to a licensed professional or SitePlans.us if:

• Your project is in unincorporated Cobb and involves any land disturbance — an LDP requires a sealed plan
• Your property touches a floodplain or stream buffer
• You're doing structural or engineered work
• Your city reviewer has already flagged your plan for missing a required stamp

What This Doesn't Replace

SitePlans.ai produces a preliminary, conceptual site plan for permit prep. It is not:

• A legal boundary survey
• A sealed survey drawing
• A Georgia-registered engineer's, architect's, or surveyor's stamp
• A FEMA Elevation Certificate
• A Land Disturbance Permit
• A guarantee that your permit gets approved

Unincorporated Cobb County requires sealed plans for Land Disturbance Permits. SitePlans.ai doesn't provide that seal. If your project needs one, you'll need to bring in a Georgia-licensed professional directly.

If your city or the county requires a floodplain study, an LDP, or an engineered drawing, that requirement doesn't go away. Final acceptance always comes down to your specific building department, and in some cases your HOA.

Comparing Your Options

How It Works, Step by Step

1. Enter your Cobb County property address.
2. Review the property lines shown, and check against the Cobb County GIS Portal if anything looks off.
3. Add your project — fence, shed, deck, pool, garage, addition — and position it on the lot.
4. Add setbacks, easements, and right-of-way lines, and label what needs labeling.
5. Check the title block — name, address, project description, date, and emergency contact if your jurisdiction requires one.
6. Export the PDF.
7. Confirm with your city or Cobb County Community Development whether a sealed plan is required before you submit.
8. If your project needs an LDP, a sealed plan, or already hit a rejection, hand it to SitePlans.us for a human-reviewed version.

Common Mistakes That Delay Cobb County Permits

• Assuming an exemption (Marietta fences, Acworth small sheds) means zoning rules don't apply too
• Missing the Land Disturbance Permit trigger on a project involving grading or clearing
• Submitting an unsealed plan where unincorporated Cobb required a stamp
• Leaving off bearings and distances on the property boundary
• No north arrow, no scale, or scale smaller than the required 1"=100' for county plans
• Missing the 24-hour emergency contact on the cover sheet
• Submitting a single-line sketch a reviewer can't actually read

Support While You Work

A guided walkthrough runs inside the tool. If you get stuck, support is available at support@siteplans.ai, and SitePlans.ai support has answers to the questions that come up most.

Local Resources Worth Bookmarking

• Cobb County Community Development — permits, inspections, zoning
• Cobb County GIS Portal — parcel viewer, zoning maps
• City of Marietta Building Permits — Marietta permits, SagesGov portal
• City of Acworth — Acworth permits and shed exemption details
• Georgia 811 — call before digging; most permits ask for the confirmation number
• Your specific city's building department — Cobb County has multiple permit authorities operating within it

FAQ

Do I need a site plan for a shed permit in Cobb County?

Depends where you are. Acworth doesn't require a permit for unconditioned sheds under 120 square feet, as long as it's set back 5 feet from property lines. In unincorporated Cobb, sheds 120 square feet and up need a permit, typically with a site plan.

Do I need a fence permit in Marietta?

No — fences are exempt from permits in Marietta. Height, location, and configuration still have to meet zoning rules, so it's worth confirming those before you install.

Can I use SitePlans.ai for a fence permit in Cobb County?

Yes, for planning. In Marietta, you likely won't need a permit at all. In unincorporated Cobb, a site plan may be required once your fence exceeds 6 feet — confirm with your local building department.

Does Cobb County require a survey for a deck?

It depends on jurisdiction. Marietta requires a site plan for exterior work involving land disturbance. Unincorporated Cobb may require a sealed plan if the project triggers a Land Disturbance Permit.

What is a Land Disturbance Permit, and when do I need one?

An LDP is required for any land-disturbing activity in unincorporated Cobb County — grading, clearing, and site work all count, not just the structure itself. LDPs require sealed plans with a professional stamp.

Can a homeowner prepare their own site plan in Cobb County?

Yes, for smaller projects in Marietta and Acworth — Marietta explicitly allows homeowners to act as their own contractor. Unincorporated Cobb requires sealed plans for anything triggering an LDP.

What if my property is in a floodplain?

You'll likely need a floodplain development permit in addition to your building permit, and Cobb County requires floodplain information on the site plan itself. SitePlans.ai doesn't provide elevation certificates.

What if my permit reviewer asks for revisions?

Revise it in SitePlans.ai and export a new PDF for straightforward fixes. If the reviewer specifically requires a sealed plan or the revision touches an LDP, the done-for-you option through SitePlans.us is the more reliable path.

Will SitePlans.ai guarantee my permit gets approved?

No. SitePlans.ai helps you prepare the drawing. Approval depends entirely on your city or county's building department, zoning office, and project scope.

When should I use SitePlans.us instead?

When your project needs a Land Disturbance Permit, a sealed plan, floodplain engineering, or you've already been rejected once and want a professional to take it from here.

Can contractors use this for client work across Cobb County?

Yes — Contractor Pro and Builder plans are built for exactly that: multiple jobs, multiple addresses, branded output, even as requirements shift between Marietta, Acworth, and unincorporated Cobb.

What if my property lines don't look right in the tool?

Parcel data quality can vary. Cross-check against the Cobb County GIS Portal or the county tax assessor's records before relying on it.

What actually needs to be on a Cobb County site plan?

A closed property boundary with bearings and distances, zoning information, easements and buffers, north arrow, a minimum scale of 1"=100' for county-level plans, a title block, and — for county plans — a 24-hour emergency contact in bold, 20 pt minimum.

How long does permit review take in Cobb County?

Cobb County runs a digital permitting process, and review times vary by project complexity. Contact Community Development at (770) 528-2147 for current timelines specific to your project.

Start With Your Address

Cobb County parcel data is already loaded — check your address and see exactly where you stand.

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