---
title: O.C.G.A. § 8-2-218. Change of portion of building to new use or occupancy.
collection: code
id: 8-2-218
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 8-2-218 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/8-2-218
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/8-2-218.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/8-2-218/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t7-t8-(v5)-2024-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=6386add7_0#page=958
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/8-2.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/8-2-217.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/8-2-219.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: BUILDINGS AND HOUSING / STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND ALTERATION OF BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES / APPLICATION OF BUILDING AND FIRE RELATED CODES TO EXISTING BUILDINGS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 8-2-218. Change of portion of building to new use or occupancy.

(a) If a portion of a building is changed to a new use or occupancy and that portion is separated from the remainder of the building with vertical or horizontal fire separations complying with applicable state or local rules, regulations, codes, or standards or with compliance alternatives, then the portion changed shall be made to comply to the applicable requirements for the new use or occupancy to the extent noted in Code Section 8-2-217.

(b) If a portion of the building is changed to a new use or occupancy and that portion is not separated from the remainder of the building as noted in subsection (a) of this Code section, then the provisions of the applicable state and local rules, regulations, codes, and standards applying to each use or occupancy of the building shall apply to the entire building to the extent noted in Code Section 8-2-217; provided, however, that, if there are conflicting provisions in requirements for the various uses or occupancies, the authorized enforcement authority shall apply the strictest requirements.

## History

Code 1981, § 8-2-218, enacted by Ga. L. 1984, p. 1160, § 1; Ga. L. 2020, p. 493, § 8/SB 429; Ga. L. 2024, p. 1052, § 1(b)(6)/SB 448, effective July 1, 2024.

## Amendments

The 2024 amendment, effective July 1, 2024, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, revised punctuation in subsection (b).