Which County Permits Your Septic System in Braselton, GA?

02How to confirm the county

The most reliable record is your property tax bill or assessment notice, which is issued by the county where the parcel sits. A county parcel search, a deed or a closing package will show the same thing. The Town of Braselton's addressing ordinance notes that county addressing administrators in Jackson, Hall, Gwinnett and Barrow counties assign road names and addresses within their portion of Braselton, which is another clue: the county that assigned the address is usually the county the lot is in.

Once you know the county, use the table below. If your property is inside town limits and near a Town sewer line, read the Town sewer guide as well, because Town rules on septic tanks apply on top of the county permit process.

03Jackson County: the largest share of town

Jackson County Environmental Health, part of the Northeast Health District, permits septic systems in the Jackson County portion of Braselton. The county's page lists the office at 341 Stan Evans Drive in Jefferson, phone 706-367-3643, with office hours Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. It says inspectors' office hours are generally 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. and recommends calling or emailing before visiting.

Jackson County's Board of Health has also adopted a lot size ordinance for septic lots, covered in the lot size guide. Permit steps and fees are in the Jackson County permit guide.

04Gwinnett, Hall and Barrow

The Gwinnett County portion of Braselton is served by GNR Public Health's Gwinnett Environmental Health office at 455 Grayson Highway, Suite 600, in Lawrenceville. GNR's locations page says applications are not accepted on Wednesdays, from 1 to 2 p.m., or after 4 p.m. on other weekdays, and that the inspector is not available on Wednesdays. GNR requires a Level 3 soil report for all septic permits, including repairs; see the Gwinnett guide.

The Hall County portion is permitted by Hall County Environmental Health at 2875 Browns Bridge Road in Gainesville, phone 770-531-3973; see the Hall guide. The Barrow County portion is served by Barrow County Environmental Health in the Northeast Health District. The district's septic page says Barrow fees and forms are being updated and asks people to call 770-307-3502 for current information; see the Barrow guide.

05Before you call the office

Have the property address, the parcel number from your tax bill and the owner's name ready. If you have the permit drawing, a soil report, a recent pump-out receipt or photos of the problem, keep them in one place so you can email or bring them. Write down the name of the person you speak with, the date and what they told you, especially any fee amounts or documents they say you need. Fee schedules and forms change, and a short note of the call can save a second trip. If a contractor is handling the permit for you, ask for a copy of the application and the permit number once it is issued, and keep the inspection approval with your house records. Offices around Braselton keep limited hours and some close at midday, so call ahead rather than driving to Jefferson, Lawrenceville or Gainesville on the chance that someone is free. Ask, too, whether the office prefers email, in-person or mailed applications, because the counties handle this differently.

06What stays the same everywhere

The four offices apply the same state rules, the Georgia Department of Public Health's Rules and Regulations for On-Site Sewage Management Systems, Chapter 511-3-1. Those rules require repairs, replacements and additions to existing systems to be permitted and inspected, and they require connection to a public sewer that is available within 200 feet of the property line. What differs is the paperwork, the fee schedule, local lot size rules and office hours.

Septic contractors, pumpers and soil classifiers are certified by the state, not by the county, so a certified company can work in any of the four counties. The state's certification page lists them. If you would rather not sort out the county yourself, the Free Quote Request on this page sends your details to an independent provider who works around Braselton.