Do You Need a Permit to Replace a Garage Door in Henry County?
Updated 2026-10 · McDonough, GA
The short answer
For repairs, almost never. Springs, cables, rollers, openers and sections are maintenance. For a new door the same size as the old one, in the same opening, usually not, though it is worth asking. For anything that changes the opening, the header or the wall around it, yes: that is structural work and needs a building permit from whoever has jurisdiction over your address.
We are not a contractor and cannot tell you what applies to your property, so treat this page as the questions to ask rather than the answer. We looked for a published rule specific to garage door replacement from the City of McDonough and from Henry County and did not find one, which is exactly why the call to the right office matters.
Which office: city or county
This is the part people get wrong. A McDonough mailing address does not mean you are inside the City of McDonough. Kelleytown, Ola and many subdivisions with McDonough addresses are unincorporated Henry County.
- Inside McDonough city limits: the City of McDonough Building and Inspections Division, on Keys Ferry Street
- Unincorporated Henry County: the Henry County Building Department on Henry Parkway, which takes applications through its online permit portal
- Stockbridge and Locust Grove: each city handles permits inside its own limits
- Lovejoy, Griffin and Stonecrest: their own cities, or Clayton, Spalding or DeKalb County outside them
If you are not sure which side of the line you are on, the county's property records or your tax bill will say whether you pay city taxes.
What makes it structural
Widening a single opening to fit a double door. Raising the opening for a taller door. Replacing or adding a header. Converting a garage, or building a new one. Each of those changes what holds the house up, and each is a permit conversation. The City of McDonough's residential permit application notes that work started before a permit is issued attracts penalty fees, so the order matters: permit first, work second.
HOA approval is a separate question
Many McDonough subdivisions have covenants governing garage door style, colour and windows, and some require an approval form before any exterior change. That is a private contract between you and the HOA, not a government permit, and the city and county do not enforce it. The HOA does, and a door that breaks the rules can mean a fine or a demand to change it.
If you are planning a new door and are unsure what is needed, call. A local company that installs doors in Henry County every week will usually know what your street's HOA has approved before, and whether the job is a straight swap.
Licensing, briefly
Georgia has no separate licence for garage door work. The state licenses residential and general contractors, with a dollar threshold and specific exemptions for specialty and repair work, and most jurisdictions also require a local business licence. Whether a particular job falls inside the state requirement is a question for the company and the state board, not for us. Ask any company what licences and insurance it holds, and check before work starts.
Where to go next
Common questions
Does a garage door opener replacement need a permit?
Not normally. It plugs into an existing outlet. If a new outlet or circuit has to be run, that electrical work may need a permit and an electrician.
Who pulls the permit, me or the company?
Usually the company doing the work, as part of the job. Ask who is responsible before signing, and ask to see the permit before structural work starts.
What happens if work is done without a needed permit?
The City of McDonough states that penalty fees are assessed on work performed before a permit is obtained, and unpermitted structural work can cause problems when the house is sold.