01You are looking at land outside the sewer area
Land around Braselton is in demand, and much of the Jackson County land outside the Town and county sewer areas depends on septic. Whether a lot can carry a septic system is decided by the soil and by local rules, and the Jackson County Board of Health has adopted a minimum lot size ordinance for on-site sewage systems. Buyers who skip this step can end up with a lot that cannot be permitted for the house they planned.
This page summarizes the ordinance as posted by the Northeast Health District. It applies in Jackson County; Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall have their own rules, and the Barrow ordinance is described in the Barrow guide.
02The minimum lot sizes
The ordinance amends the Jackson County Board of Health's on-site sewage rules, approved in 2014 and amended in 2018, under Georgia law that allows county boards of health to set minimum lot sizes. For a typical three- or four-bedroom home with a driveway, a minimum number of trees and a water line, the minimum lot is 0.6 acres containing 25,500 square feet of usable soil area when the lot is on public water, and 1.5 acres containing the same usable soil area when it is on a non-public water supply such as a well.
If larger homes, swimming pools, tennis courts or outbuildings are planned, or trees would interfere with the system, the Board of Health will require larger lots. It may also require larger lots when slopes exceed 5 percent, percolation rates exceed 45 minutes per inch, subsurface drainage is needed, or foundations require cutting and filling.
| Item | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum lot, public water | 0.6 acres containing 25,500 square feet of usable soil area | Jackson County Lot Size Ordinance |
| Minimum lot, non-public water (well) | 1.5 acres containing 25,500 square feet of usable soil area | Jackson County Lot Size Ordinance |
| Basis | Typical 3 or 4 bedroom home with driveway, minimum trees and water line; larger homes, pools or outbuildings may need larger lots | Jackson County Lot Size Ordinance |
| Minimum width | 100 feet (public water) or 150 feet (non-public water) where the system and replacement system go | Jackson County Lot Size Ordinance |
| Maximum daily sewage flow | 600 gallons per acre (non-public water) or 1,200 gallons per acre (public water) | Jackson County Lot Size Ordinance |
| Excluded land | Road rights-of-way, excluding easements, slopes over 25%, water bodies, land within 50 feet of a lake, river, stream or wetland, flood plains | Jackson County Lot Size Ordinance |
The minimum lot size as established herein shall be 0.6 acres, containing 25,500 square feet of usable soil area ... with public water and 1.5 acres containing 25,500 square feet of usable soil area with non-public water.
Jackson County Board of Health: Lot Size Ordinance (PDF)
03What counts as usable soil
The ordinance defines usable soil area at a 100-foot lot width on public water or 150 feet with non-public water, with soil suitable for installing and repairing a system. It excludes soils coded F or D, a 20-foot buffer from unusable soils, areas within setbacks or easements, graded or fill soil, and areas too small for a complete system or for a drain line run of at least 50 feet.
Each lot must have an unobstructed area for the system and an equal area for a replacement system, including room for site modifications, while still meeting county zoning setbacks. That replacement area is why a lot that looks large can still fall short.
04Flow limits and multi-unit lots
The ordinance caps the maximum daily sewage flow at 600 gallons per acre per day on a non-public water system and 1,200 gallons per acre per day on public water. Lot sizing for multi-family dwellings, commercial structures and mobile homes in commercial parks follows the same rules in multiples of the number of units. Large homes and commercial uses therefore need proportionally more land.
05Questions for the seller and the county
Ask the seller whether a soil report was ever done for the lot, whether the lot has been graded or filled, and whether public water reaches the road. Ask the county whether the lot is in a recorded subdivision and whether any lot review is on file. Ask whether easements, slopes or streams on the lot reduce the usable area. If you plan a pool, an outbuilding or a larger home, say so early, because the ordinance allows the Board of Health to require a larger lot.
06A short checklist
Confirm the county on your tax bill. Find the Environmental Health office for that county in the table on this page. Ask what kind of permit or evaluation your job needs and what documents the office requires. Ask whether a soil report is required and whether one is already on file. Get written quotes for the private work, including pumping, soil reports and repair labor. Make sure the contractor you hire is certified by the Georgia Department of Public Health, using the state's certification lists. Keep the permit, the inspection result and every receipt together. If anything is unclear, ask the office to confirm in writing by email. When the work is finished, file the paperwork where the next owner of the house will find it, since a buyer's inspector or lender may ask for it years from now.
07Checking a lot before you buy
Ask the seller for any soil report on file, and ask Jackson County Environmental Health whether it has one for a lot in a recorded subdivision. The office's permit application requires an original red-stamped Level 3 soil report from a state certified soil classifier and staked building corners, and a site plan or Level 4 report may be required; see the Jackson permit guide. The fees for lot and plan reviews are below.
If the lot is inside Braselton town limits and near a Town sewer line, septic may not be allowed at all; see the Town sewer guide. The Free Quote Request on this page sends your details to an independent septic provider who works around Braselton.
| Residential item | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Septic tank inspection (new system permit) | $375.00 | Jackson County EH fee schedule |
| Septic tank inspection, 5 or more bedrooms | $425.00 | Jackson County EH fee schedule |
| Septic tank inspection re-inspection | $200.00 | Jackson County EH fee schedule |
| Septic tank evaluation (existing system) | $150.00 | Jackson County EH fee schedule |
| Septic system location plan review | $50.00 | Jackson County EH fee schedule |
| Septic system site plan review | $75.00 | Jackson County EH fee schedule |
| Repair permit | $200.00 | Jackson County EH fee schedule |
| Addition/modification inspection | $150.00 | Jackson County EH fee schedule |
| Expedited service (residential) | $75.00 | Jackson County EH fee schedule |
| Pump truck inspection (septage removal) | $200.00 | Jackson County EH fee schedule |
Sources for this article: Jackson County Board of Health: Lot Size Ordinance (PDF); Northeast Health District: Sewage/Septic Systems; Jackson County EH: Application Requirements for Residential Septic System Permits (PDF); Jackson County EH Fees, effective October 1, 2024 (Northeast Health District, PDF); Barrow County Board of Health: Lot Size Ordinance (PDF); Town of Braselton Code, Chapter 20: Water and Sewer Ordinance (PDF). Checked 2026-10-26.
Reader questions
What is the minimum lot size for septic in Jackson County, GA?
For a typical 3-4 bedroom home, 0.6 acres with 25,500 square feet of usable soil on public water, or 1.5 acres with the same usable soil on a well.
Can Jackson County require a bigger lot?
Yes. The ordinance allows larger lots for larger homes, pools or outbuildings, and for slopes over 5 percent, slow percolation, drainage needs or cut-and-fill foundations.
Does the lot need room for a second drain field?
Yes. The ordinance requires an unobstructed area for the system and an equal area for a replacement system.