Georgia § 43-15-24 - Construction of structures jeopardizing health, safety, or welfare; exceptions; record of building permits.

§ 43-15-24. Construction of structures jeopardizing health, safety, or welfare; exceptions; record of building permits.

It shall be unlawful for this state or any of its political subdivisions such as a county, municipality, or school district, or agencies thereof, or for any private or commercial entity to engage in the construction of any work or structures involving professional engineering or structural engineering which by the nature of their function or existence could adversely affect or jeopardize the health, safety, or welfare of the public unless the plans and specifications have been prepared under the direct supervision or review of and bear the seal of, and the construction is executed under the direct supervision of or review by, a professional engineer or architect or professional structural engineer. Nothing in this Code section shall be held to apply to any construction, including alterations, of which the completed cost is less than $100,000.00 or which is used exclusively for private or noncommercial purposes, or to private residences, or to noncommercial farm buildings, or to residence buildings not exceeding two stories in height, excluding basements. Any county, municipality, or other governing body in this state that issues building permits is required to maintain a permanent record of the permit application and issuance thereon indicating the name of the professional engineer or architect or professional structural engineer, if any, who has sealed the plans, specifications, plats, or reports pursuant to which said building permit is issued. Such record shall include details on the size, type of building or structure, use for said building or structure, and estimated cost of construction. (Ga. L. 1937, p. 294, § 19; Ga. L. 1945, p. 294, § 30; Ga. L. 1972, p. 222, § 11; Code 1933, § 84-2124, enacted by Ga. L. 1975, p. 1048, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 2483, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 43; Ga. L. 2018, p. 583, § 1/SB 425; Ga. L. 2020, p. 642, § 9/SB 310.) The 2018 amendment, effective July 1, 2018, deleted "registered" preceding "professional" near the end of subsection (a); and, in subsection (c), substituted "thereon indicating the name of the professional engineer or architect, if any, who has sealed the plans, specifications, plats, or reports pursuant to which said building permit is issued. Such record shall" for "thereon, which record shall indicate the name of the professional engineer or architect, if any, that has sealed the plans, specifications, plats, or reports pursuant to which said building permit is issued, said record to". The 2020 amendment, effective January 1, 2021, inserted "or structural engineering" in subsection (a) and added "or professional structural engineer" at the end of subsection (a) and in the middle of the first sentence of subsection (c). Cross references. - Provisions regarding approval of plans and specifications by registered architects, §§ 43-4-14 , 43-4-15 .