Residential permit rules in Texas
Representative cities: Houston, Dallas, Austin. Covers 16 common home projects.
| 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). |