Building permits in Travis County, Texas
Find the right authority before you build. Travis County permitting follows Texas law — here is exactly who issues the permit and where to start.
County + cities (mixed)
Travis County Transportation & Natural Resources — Development Services
Travis County issues development and repair permits for unincorporated Travis County (outside city limits) via its Development Services / Permitting Center. Most residents live inside the City of Austin or other cities (Round Rock, Pflugerville, etc.), where the city building department issues the permit. Texas counties generally have no residential building-code authority in their ETJ.
Open the official permit portal →
Unincorporated-area permits are submitted through the county’s MyGovernmentOnline (MyPermitNow) permitting system. On-site sewage facility (OSSF / septic) permits are also handled by the county.
Permit cheat-sheet (Texas rules)
| Project | Permit? | Authority | Typical fee | Timeline | Go / No-Go | Key notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) | Permit required | city | Permit and plan-review fees set by the city. Verify with the local building department. | Varies by city; 2–8 weeks. | Restricted | Texas has no statewide ADU mandate; ADUs are allowed only where the local ordinance permits (e.g., Austin, Houston, Dallas). Zoning, size caps, and parking rules apply. Exempt: Allowed only where the local ordinance permits. |
| 🪵 Deck / Porch | Conditional | city | Set by the city — typically a flat plus valuation-based fee. Verify with the city building department. | 1–4 weeks. | Generally allowed | Attached decks or decks over 30 in above grade require a building permit. Exempt: Decks ≤30 in above grade are exempt (Houston IBC 105.2; Dallas same). |
| 🧱 Fence / Wall | Conditional | city | Houston: fee per city schedule where a permit is required. Verify locally. | Houston: ~10 days for fence permits. | Generally allowed | Height limits and front-yard rules are set by each city; HOA covenants may also apply. Exempt: Houston: fences >8 ft or any masonry/concrete fence require a permit. Dallas: >6 ft (or >4 ft in a front yard) require a permit. |
| 🛖 Shed / Outbuilding | Conditional | city | No fee under the exemption; a permit fee applies if over the threshold. | Same day / Over-the-Counter where required. | Generally allowed | Larger sheds or those with plumbing/electrical need a building permit. Exempt: Dallas: utility building <200 sq ft needs no permit; generally a one-story detached structure ≤120 sq ft is exempt under the IRC. |
| 🪜 Basement Finish | Permit required | city | Valuation-based building permit fee. Verify with the city building department. | 2–6 weeks. | Generally allowed | Uncommon in Texas; finishing a basement requires egress and permits. Exempt: N/A |
| 🚗 Garage / Carport | Permit required | city | Valuation-based fee. Verify with the city building department. | 2–8 weeks. | Generally allowed | A new garage requires a building permit; Austin reviews to the 2024 IRC with local amendments. Exempt: N/A |
| ☀️ Rooftop Solar PV | Permit required | city | Electrical permit fee set by the city. Verify with the city building department. | Often streamlined (1–3 days via SolarAPP+ where adopted); 2–4 weeks otherwise. | Generally allowed | Rooftop PV requires an electrical permit; many Texas cities use SolarAPP+ for streamlined review. Exempt: N/A |
| 🌡️ HVAC Replacement | Permit required | city | Mechanical permit fee set by the city. Verify with the city building department. | 1–2 weeks. | Generally allowed | Furnace, AC, or heat-pump replacement requires a mechanical permit and inspection. Exempt: N/A |
| 🍳 Kitchen Remodel | Permit required | city | Building + electrical + plumbing permit fees. Verify with the city building department. | 2–6 weeks. | Generally allowed | Moving plumbing/electrical or walls triggers permits. Exempt: N/A |
| 🛁 Bathroom Remodel | Permit required | city | Building + plumbing + electrical fees. Verify with the city building department. | 2–6 weeks. | Generally allowed | Plumbing/electrical relocation requires permits. Exempt: N/A |
| 🏗️ Room Addition | Permit required | city | Valuation-based building permit; impact fees may apply. Verify with the city building department. | 3–8 weeks. | Generally allowed | Expanding the footprint requires full plan review and zoning compliance. Exempt: N/A |
| 🪟 Window / Door Replacement | Conditional | city | Permit fee if changing the opening; in-kind swap is often exempt. | Same day / Over-the-Counter where required. | Generally allowed | Enlarging openings or adding egress windows requires a permit. Exempt: In-kind same-size replacement generally needs no permit. |
| 🏘️ Roof Replacement | Conditional | city | Roofing permit fee set by the city. Verify with the city building department. | 1–3 weeks. | Generally allowed | A full re-roof generally requires a roofing permit; structural deck damage requires a building permit. Exempt: Dallas: re-roof of a single-family/duplex dwelling if value ≤$500 needs no permit. |
| 🅿️ Driveway / Parking Pad | Conditional | city | Private flatwork generally needs no building permit; floodplain/curb-cut work may be fee-based. | Varies. | Generally allowed | Houston requires a floodplain development permit if the work is in a regulated floodplain (Chapter 19); a curb cut or right-of-way work needs a separate permit. Exempt: Driveway not over 30 in above grade and off the right-of-way is generally exempt (Dallas). |
| 🏊 Swimming Pool / Spa | Permit required | city | Building permit + electrical; fee set by the city. Verify with the city building department. | 3–8 weeks. | Generally allowed | In-ground and most above-ground pools need a permit and barrier/fencing per local code. Exempt: N/A |
| 🧱 Retaining Wall | Conditional | city | No fee under the exemption; a permit applies if over the threshold. | 2–4 weeks if required. | Generally allowed | Taller walls or walls supporting a surcharge (driveway, structure, slope above) require design and a permit. Exempt: Retaining walls not over 4 ft (bottom of footing to top) are exempt (Dallas; IRC 105.2). |