FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

All plans get submitted electronically to the Developmental Service Center

Please take note: 

• If the building is in Cherokee and is under the jurisdiction of the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office the plans must still be submitted for review and approval to the Cherokee County Fire Marshal’s Office as well as the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office.

• The Cherokee County Fire Marshal’s Office will charge a review fee for all reviews as stated in the fee schedule on this website.

• All plans must follow the normal submittal process for Cherokee County Fire Marshal’s Office. 

• For all apartments, the Cherokee County Fire Marshal’s Office is enforcing the 2019 NFPA 72, section 26.2.4 Alarm Signal Content. Where required by the enforcing authority, governing laws, codes, or standards, alarm signals transmitted to a supervising station shall be by addressable device or zone identification.

 The following are submitted to the DSC:

The way the plans have been submitted the Cherokee County Fire Marshal’s Office has changed and the plans will now be submitted online through the https://cityview.cherokeega.com/cvprodportal/ under “apply for a building permit”.

A Fireworks stand will be applied for through the https://cityview.cherokeega.com/cvprodportal/ and is considered a Special Event:

How to obtain a Knox Box.

Knox-Box Information

A Knox Box is required for the construction of all buildings.

Construction Review Permits

When is a permit required?

A building permit is required for any construction activity except ordinary repair or routine maintenance. If in doubt as to whether or not a building permit is required, it would be advantageous to contact the Building Department (678-493-6226) and ask if a permit is required first before proceeding. Visit the http://www.cherokeecountyfire.org/fire-marshal/review/ and http://www.cherokeecountyfire.org/fire-marshal/permits/ for additional information requiring the permitting process.

When are plans required to be sealed by an architect?

Plans for assembly, educational, daycare, and institutional occupancies as well as buildings 5000 square feet or greater require stamped architectural drawings.

Do I need to submit my plans to the State Fire Marshal's Office for review as well?

The following commercial buildings are reviewed by the State Fire Marshal's Office as well as the Cherokee County Fire Marshal's Office as set forth by O.C.G.A Section 25-2-12(2):

 • Hospitals

• Nursing Homes

• Ambulatory Health Care Centers

• Structures owned and operated by the state

• Penal Institutions/Jails

What is your standard turnaround time for plan review?

Turn-around time for plan review may vary depending on the current plan submittal volume. Our target turnaround time for a typical set of plans is 1 week (5 business days). Larger and/or more complex commercial projects can take as long as 4 weeks (20 business days).

What is the fee for plans to be reviewed by the Fire Marshal's Office? 

The Fire Marshal's Office fees can be found on our http://www.cherokeecountyfire.org/fire-marshal/fee-schedule.cfm. Contact the http://www.cherokeecountyfire.org/sitebuilder/department-reviews.cfm involved in the permitting process to find out what additional fees they may require for their reviews and/or inspections.

How and when should I pay for fees due to the Fire Marshal's Office?

Some fees are charged directly when you apply for a permit, some fees are charged when you pick up a permit and some you are contacted directly by the Fire Marshal's Office on how to pay the fees online or by phone. All necessary payments must be made prior to picking up permits and job site plans from the http://www.cherokeega.com/DSC.

When does a permit expire? 

Permits expire six (6) months (180 days) after the issue date if no work has commenced. Permits also expire when work has started but are discontinued for twelve (12) months (365 days) from the last inspection date.

Construction Inspections

Do I need permitted plans prior to the start of related work?

Yes. If a permit is required for the type of work that is to be performed, a permit shall be issued prior to the start of that work. For example, if you plan to perform a tenant finish in a space that has never been occupied, plans of the tenant space must be reviewed and approved prior to permit issuance for that tenant to finish work. Along with the issuance of a permit, the stamped job-site copy of the approved plans must be picked up at the Development Services Center. This job-site copy shall always be available on the site during construction.

Once I obtain a permit to build, what should be my next steps?

Depending on the size of the project, a pre-construction meeting should be completed to assist in an uninterrupted flow of the project. Pre-construction meetings allow all parties to exchange information and ideas about the project. The coordination of construction schedules and inspection are typically discussed along with the details of what to expect at the different stages of the inspection process.

Who should attend the pre-construction meeting?

All stakeholders are always welcome to attend a pre-construction meeting. It is suggested that, at minimum, the project manager, superintendent, contractors, and sub-contractors attend.

How do I schedule a pre-construction meeting or inspection?

All building and fire prevention permits inspection are scheduled through the CityView portal. For all site/LDP’s, the pre-construction meeting should be scheduled through our main office number: 678-493-6290 All requests are processed and dispatched accordingly.

All inspections must be scheduled by 5:00 PM the prior business day we are open to receive the inspection the following day.

All systems which require a functional test must be pretested prior to the inspection appointment date.

What information do I give when I call to request an Inspection?

Your name, your company, your phone number, the inspection address, the type of inspection, the date requested, and the number of devices to be tested (if applicable)

The CityView permit number.

How soon after I call can I expect my Inspection?

Under normal business conditions, inspection requests are filled within 24 hours of the request. If an inspection request is received after 5:00 PM, the request is usually handled as though it was received the following day. Most of the time, the inspectors' schedules for the next business day are full by middle to late afternoon of the prior business day. However, if an inspection request is received, the project may receive the inspection immediately if an inspector is in proximity of the project. Projects should be ready to receive the inspection at the time of the request unless a specific time and date are being requested.

Who must be present during an inspection?

A representative, who is knowledgeable about the project and capable of performing the required tests, and capable of providing access to inspection areas must be present.

What if my system fails to pass inspection?

All systems must be pre-tested to prove they work correctly before inspectors perform their inspection. If a system fails to pass the original inspection, a fee will be charged for all subsequent reinspections.

What are the fees for inspections/reinspections? 

The cost of inspections is covered in the cost of plan review fees unless re-inspections are necessary. Re-inspection fees are assessed if needed during the construction process. If an inspection is not passed and the inspector has to make an additional visit to the site, the additional cost associated with the additional trip has to be recovered through a re-inspection fee. f the inspection fails there is a $150.00 reinspection fee, then after that, there will be a $200.00 reinspection, the fee is continued for each additional failed inspection afterward. For a complete list of FMO fees, please visit our http://www.cherokeecountyfire.org/fire-marshal/fee-schedule.cfm.