Georgia Roofing Code for Ellijay, GA Homes: What Is Mandatory and What Is Optional

Who writes Georgia's building codes

Georgia sets statewide minimum construction codes through the Board of Community Affairs, and the Department of Community Affairs publishes the current list. Local governments, including Gilmer County and the City of Ellijay, enforce those codes through permits and inspections. The county's Planning & Zoning page states the Board of Commissioners' intent to enforce the latest edition of each technical code as adopted by DCA.

DCA's list of current mandatory codes includes the International Residential Code, 2024 edition, with Georgia Amendments 2026; the International Building Code, 2024 edition, with Georgia Amendments 2026; plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas codes in their 2024 editions with Georgia amendments; the 2023 National Electrical Code with Georgia amendments; and the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code with Georgia supplements and amendments.

For a house or cabin roof, the residential code is the one that matters most. Its roof assemblies chapter covers roof coverings, underlayment, flashing, ventilation-related requirements and re-roofing.

Mandatory versus permissive versus optional

DCA sorts codes into categories. Mandatory codes apply statewide. Permissive codes, such as the 2018 International Existing Building Code with Georgia Amendments 2021 and the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code, apply only where a local government adopts them. Optional appendices are pieces of a code that a local government can choose to adopt by ordinance.

That distinction matters when a roofer or an inspector cites a requirement. If it comes from the mandatory residential code, it applies everywhere in Georgia. If it comes from an optional appendix, it applies only where your county or city adopted it.

When in doubt, ask the permit office which codes and appendices it enforces. Gilmer County Planning & Zoning is at 706-635-3406; City of Ellijay Code Enforcement is at 706-972-4141.

Appendix U: Georgia's disaster-resilient construction option

In its 2026 amendment packet for the 2024 International Residential Code, DCA adopts Appendix U, Disaster Resilient Construction, as optional. The packet explains that the appendix came from a stakeholder task force looking for ways to reduce damage from hurricanes, floods and tornadoes, and that local jurisdictions may adopt the whole appendix or specific sections by local ordinance, filed with DCA. It includes a sample adoption ordinance.

The roofing section, AU408, describes a secondary water barrier: two layers of underlayment, or self-adhering modified bitumen tape over sheathing joints followed by felt, with an alternative of adhered underlayment meeting ASTM D 1970. It calls for underlayment fastened with cap nails having heads at least one inch across, shingle nails of minimum 12-gauge wire with 3/8-inch heads long enough to penetrate 3/4 inch into the deck, and not less than six fasteners per strip shingle or three per individual shingle.

Those are optional unless adopted, but they are a useful benchmark. A homeowner can ask a roofer to install to AU408 voluntarily, and some do.

What inspectors usually look at on a re-roof

Inspection practice varies by jurisdiction, so ask your permit office what it checks. In general, re-roof inspections look at the condition of the deck after tear-off, underlayment and flashing before the covering goes on, and the finished roof. That is why the roofer needs to schedule inspections at the right moments, not just at the end.

Flashing at walls, chimneys and valleys, drip edge, fastening patterns and ventilation are the details most often discussed. Manufacturer instructions carry weight because the code generally requires coverings to be installed according to them.

If an inspection fails, Gilmer County charges $50.00 per re-inspection under Section 66-40. Ask the roofer who pays for a failed inspection caused by their work.

Older roofs and layered roofs

Many older Ellijay houses have had more than one roof installed over the years. Whether a new roof can go over an existing one depends on the code's re-roofing rules, the condition of the existing roof, the material, and the manufacturer's instructions. Expect the permit office and the roofer to want to know how many layers are already there.

Tear-off to the deck is the cleaner option in most cases because it lets the roofer and the inspector see the decking, replace damaged sheathing and install new underlayment and flashing correctly.

If an overlay is proposed, ask the roofer to explain in writing why it is allowed and appropriate for your roof, and whether the manufacturer's warranty still applies over an existing layer.

Putting the code to work

You do not need to read the code to benefit from it. Ask your roofer three questions: which code edition will the permit office inspect to, will the installation follow the manufacturer's instructions, and will you voluntarily follow any of the Appendix U roofing provisions? The answers tell you a lot about how the roofer works.

The Gilmer County permit page and the City of Ellijay permit page explain the permit side, and the choosing a roofer page covers contracts and licensing.

When you are ready, the Free Quote Request form reaches an independent roofer who works in Gilmer County.

Figures on this page come from: Georgia Department of Community Affairs: Current State Minimum Codes for Construction; Georgia DCA: 2024 International Residential Code, Georgia Amendments 2026 packet (incl. optional Appendix U); Gilmer County, GA: Planning & Zoning (building permits, inspections, STR ordinance notice); City of Ellijay: Code Enforcement (building permits and inspections inside city limits); Gilmer County, GA Code of Ordinances, Sec. 66-40, Building permit fees (Municode). Checked 2026-10-30.