Shorerock Loans, a small-business funding service in Marietta, Georgia, explains how Cobb County and Marietta businesses check zoning and building permits before a lease or build-out, and how permit timing shapes a funding request. Every rule and fee comes from the city or county.
At a glance
- Official sources
City of Marietta (mariettaga.gov) and Cobb County (cobbcounty.org), checked 2026-10-20
- Housing units permitted, Cobb County, GA
1,787 in 2025 (BPS)
- Construction employers, Cobb County, GA
1,990 (CBP 2023)
Scope of this zoning and permits guide
This guide explains where to look and what to ask. It does not state zoning rules, permit fees or review times; those come from the City of Marietta for city addresses and from Cobb County for unincorporated addresses.
Cobb County, GA Zoning Map: What to Check First
Find the property's zoning district on the county's or the city's zoning map, then read what uses that district allows. A medical office, a restaurant and a contractor's yard can fall under different rules even on the same road. Start at cobbcounty.org for unincorporated addresses and mariettaga.gov for city addresses.
Cobb County, GA Zoning Code: What to Check First
The zoning code defines each use and what a district permits, sometimes with conditions such as parking or signage. If the use is not permitted outright, ask whether it needs a special approval and how long that takes before you commit to a lease.
Cobb County, GA Zoning Ordinance and What Partners Ask For
A partner funding a build-out may ask for confirmation that the use is allowed, the lease, and the contractor's estimate. A written zoning confirmation or a permit application on file answers the first question.
Cobb County, GA Zoning Department: Where to Start
Call or visit the county's zoning staff with the parcel address and a one-line description of the planned use. Ask whether the use is permitted, what approvals it needs, and what the next step is.
Cobb County, GA Planning and Zoning: Records Partners Review
- The lease or letter of intent, with any contingency for permits
- Zoning confirmation or approval for the use
- The contractor's estimate and drawings
- The permit application or issued permit
- Dates from permit application to opening day
Marietta, GA Building Department: Steps and Timing
- Confirm the address is inside Marietta city limits.
- Check that the zoning district permits the planned use.
- Have plans drawn where the city requires them.
- Submit the permit application and pay fees.
- Schedule inspections as work proceeds.
- Obtain final approval before opening.
How permit timing changes a build-out request
Rent may start before the space can open. Illustration only, invented figures: a clinic signs a lease at $7,500 a month and permits plus construction take four months, so $30,000 of rent is paid before the first patient (our arithmetic). Put that in the request beside the build-out cost. The build-out itself suits a term loan, equipment suits equipment financing, and the county's 1,990 construction employers (CBP 2023) are the contractors who will quote it.
What to settle with a Cobb County, GA landlord before construction
- Who pays for which improvements, and is there an allowance?
- Does rent start at signing or at opening?
- Can the lease be ended if permits are refused?
- Who restores the space at the end of the lease?
County data is on the Marietta, GA page, and the other guides are on the guides page.
When a new tenant's use counts as a change of use
Moving a medical office into former retail space, or a restaurant into an office suite, can count as a change of use even with no construction. That can bring new requirements for parking, restrooms or fire protection. Ask the city or county early whether your plans count as a change of use.
What Cobb County, GA housing permit counts for 2023 to 2025 do and don't show
The Census Building Permits Survey counts new privately owned housing units authorized in Cobb County: 2,956 in 2023, 1,604 in 2024 and 1,787 in 2025. That is 183 more units in 2025 than in 2024 and 1,169 fewer than in 2023 (our arithmetic). These are new homes only; they say nothing about commercial permits or how long a tenant build-out takes in review, which is a question for the office handling your address.
A Marietta, GA build-out budget with a contingency line
Illustration only, invented figures: a contractor quotes $64,000 for the interior work, signs and an awning add $5,500, and exam or kitchen equipment adds $18,000. A 10% contingency on the construction quote is $6,400, so the request totals $93,900 (our arithmetic). Listing each part on its own line lets a partner see what is construction, what is equipment and what is cushion.
Keeping a Cobb County, GA build-out file current while permits move
- Save the permit application number and the date it went in.
- Log each inspection date and its result as the work proceeds.
- Ask the contractor for a revised estimate if plan review brings changes.
- Send the issued permit to whoever is reviewing your funding request once you have it.
Signs and exterior changes
New signs, awnings and exterior lighting may need their own permits or design approval, separate from the interior build-out. Include them in the project budget and the permit timeline so the funding request covers the whole job.
By Shorerock Loans · Updated