---
title: HB 1388. Buildings; traffic impact analysis required to obtain a building permit be completed within 36 months of the project's substantial completion; require
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1388
cite_as: HB 1388, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1388
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1388.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1388/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73425
date: 2026-02-24
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1388.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1388
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-19
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Mary Ann Santos
- Dale Washburn
- Jordan Ridley
- Billy Mitchell
- Mike Cameron
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1388/2025
upstream_id: 2120642
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- building permits
- traffic impact studies
- local government regulation
- real estate development
---
# HB 1388. Buildings; traffic impact analysis required to obtain a building permit be completed within 36 months of the project's substantial completion; require
## Text
House Bill 1388
By: Representatives Santos of the 117th, Washburn of the 144th, Ridley of the 22nd, Mitchell
of the 88th, and Cameron of the 1st
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 2 of Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 8 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to state building, plumbing, and electrical codes, so as to require that any
traffic impact analysis required to obtain a building permit be completed within 36 months
of the project's substantial completion; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Part 2 of Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to state building, plumbing, and electrical codes, is amended in Code Section 8-2-26, relating
to local enforcement, inspectors, and building permits, by adding a new subsection to read
as follows:
"(h)(1) As used in this subsection, the term:
(A) 'Substantial completion' means the date when construction is sufficiently
completed, in accordance with the contract as modified by any change order agreed to
by the parties, so that the owner can occupy the project for the use for which it was
intended.
(B) 'Traffic impact analysis' means an assessment of how a proposed development will
affect transportation.
(2) Beginning January 1, 2027, any county or municipality requiring a traffic impact
analysis for the issuance of a permit shall require that such analysis be completed no
more than 36 months from substantial completion. In the event that a project is not
substantially completed within 36 months of the traffic impact analysis required for its
permit, the developer shall be required to complete a new traffic impact analysis and
substantially complete construction within 36 months of such analysis."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would require that traffic impact analyses used to obtain building permits be completed within 36 months of a project's substantial completion, starting January 1, 2027.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia counties and cities can require developers to complete a traffic impact analysis, a study of how a new project will affect roads and traffic, before issuing a building permit. Currently there is no state rule tying the timing of that analysis to when construction actually finishes.
This bill amends Georgia's building code law (O.C.G.A. § 8-2-26) to add a new rule. Starting January 1, 2027, any local government that requires a traffic impact analysis for a permit must make sure that analysis is completed no more than 36 months before the project reaches substantial completion, meaning the point where construction is finished enough for the owner to use it as intended. If a project takes longer than 36 months to reach that point after its traffic study, the developer must redo the traffic impact analysis and then finish construction within another 36 months of that new study.
### What it does
- Adds a new subsection to Georgia's building code law (O.C.G.A. § 8-2-26) governing local building permits.
- Requires that any traffic impact analysis a county or city requires for a permit be completed within 36 months of the project's substantial completion.
- Forces developers to redo the traffic impact analysis if construction is not substantially completed within 36 months of the original study.
- Sets an effective start date of January 1, 2027 for the new requirement.
- Defines 'substantial completion' and 'traffic impact analysis' for purposes of this rule.
### Who it affects
Real estate developers seeking building permits, county and municipal governments that require traffic impact studies as part of permitting, and local planning and building departments that enforce permit requirements would all be affected by this change.
### Why it matters
Developers would face a firmer deadline linking traffic studies to actual construction timelines, potentially forcing costly repeat studies on delayed projects. Local governments would need to track and enforce this 36-month window when reviewing permits that require traffic impact analyses.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds subsection (h) to O.C.G.A. § 8-2-26, defining 'substantial completion' as when construction is finished enough for the owner to occupy and use the project as intended.
- Section 1 defines 'traffic impact analysis' as an assessment of how a proposed development will affect transportation.
- Section 1 requires that beginning January 1, 2027, any county or municipality requiring a traffic impact analysis for a permit must ensure it is completed no more than 36 months before substantial completion.
- Section 1 requires a developer to complete a new traffic impact analysis if the project is not substantially completed within 36 months of the original analysis.
- Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-19)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-02-24)
- Sponsors: Mary Ann Santos, Dale Washburn, Jordan Ridley, Billy Mitchell, Mike Cameron
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73425
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1388.md?full=1