Patio Permit in Tulsa, Oklahoma
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Before building a covered patio, patio cover, carport or porch
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Tulsa's published patio rule attaches to covered patios. The Development Services Residential Building Guidelines treat carports, covered patios and porches as one project type and direct the applicant to apply online for Building (Residential): Building: Accessory Structure, or on paper for the Residential Building and Zoning Clearance Permit, with a site plan, structural cross-section, foundation plan and elevations. The city does not publish a separate answer for an uncovered, at-grade patio slab, and patios do not appear on either the city's short no-permit list or its list of residential zoning clearance only permits.
Typical threshold: covered patios, carports and porches.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
When a permit is usually needed
Before building a covered patio, patio cover, carport or porch
What a patio permit costs in Tulsa
How to apply in Tulsa
Applying for a patio permit means submitting a site plan and framing plans for a roofed patio cover, since a cover is treated as its own permitted structure regardless of size. A plain concrete or paver patio slab at or near grade is, by contrast, often exempt from that same building permit requirement.
What most patio permit applications include:
- Filing a permit application with the local building department, which only the property owner or an authorized agent may sign, since a patio cover is treated as its own permitted structure regardless of size (IRC R105.1).
- A scaled site plan showing the new patio cover's size and location relative to the house and other existing structures, with dimensioned distances to all property lines so required setbacks can be verified before the permit is approved (IRC R106.2).
- Construction documents such as a framing plan and elevation, showing rafter or beam sizes and spacing, the distance between supporting posts, and the method of attachment to the house, drawn with enough clarity for the building official to confirm the work will conform to the code (IRC R106.1).
- For the roof structure itself, plans showing compliance with the patio cover appendix's structural limits, such as adequate footing sizes for the applied post loads, since a shallow slab on grade may substitute for a deeper footing only in limited cases up to about 750 pounds of load per post (IRC Appendix AH, Section AH105.2).
- By contrast, an at grade concrete or paver patio that is not attached to the dwelling and stays within the code's small flatwork thresholds, similar to a sidewalk, driveway, or low deck under 200 square feet and 30 inches high, commonly needs no building permit at all, so none of the plan review steps above apply (IRC R105.2).
General submittal guidance from 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), Sections R105 and R106, with Appendix AH Patio Covers (named Appendix H in the 2012, 2015, and 2018 editions). Source. City of Tulsa Development Services Department, Permit Center sets the exact checklist for Tulsa.
Where to apply in Tulsa:
City of Tulsa Development Services Department, Permit Center
- 175 E. 2nd Street, 4th Floor, Tulsa, OK 74103
- Phone: (918) 596-9456
- Email: bldgandLic@cityoftulsa.org
Inspections and closing out your permit
A permitted patio cover follows the same footing, frame, and final inspection sequence used for any small accessory structure, since the posts and roof framing have to be checked before they are covered and again once the work is done. An at grade patio slab that qualifies as exempt flatwork usually needs no building inspection at all, because inspections only attach to work that required a permit in the first place.
- A footing inspection once the excavation, forms, and any reinforcing steel are in place but before concrete is poured, confirming the posts supporting a patio cover will bear on adequate footings (IRC R109.1.1).
- A frame inspection after the rafters, beams, posts, and any required rough in work are in place but before the roof sheathing or covering material conceals them, since a solid patio cover roof cannot be signed off once it is covered without this check (IRC R109.1.4).
- A final inspection once all permitted work, including roofing and post anchorage, is complete, which the code requires before the structure may be used (IRC R109.1.6).
- An at grade concrete or paver patio that qualifies as exempt flatwork under the permit rules is not subject to any of these inspection stages, since the inspection sequence only attaches to work that required a permit in the first place (IRC R105.2).
- Each inspection has to be requested by the permit holder rather than happening automatically, and the approved plans and permit card need to be on site and available when the inspector arrives (IRC R109.3).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Tulsa permit portal or by phone at (918) 596-9456.
Inspection sequence from 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), Section R109 (Inspections). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Patio Permit checklist for Tulsa
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Typical threshold: covered patios, carports and porches. Usually needed: Before building a covered patio, patio cover, carport or porch.
- Budget the fee. A carport permit fee is $98.00 under Title 49, Chapter 3, Section 304. A covered patio or porch is otherwise priced as a building permit from valuation: $64.00 application fee for $0 to $15,000.00 declared valuation (Section 301) plus a building permit fee of $133.00 for estimated valuation of $0 to $5,000.00 (Section 302), per Ord. No. 25351, 7-17-2024. Every permit also carries the general administrative fees in Title 49, Chapter 1: a $5.00 permit system maintenance surcharge on each permit (Section 103), a $4.00 Uniform Building Code Commission fee plus a $0.50 city administrative fee collected under 59 O.S. Section 1000.25 (Section 100), and a minimum fee of $80.00 on any permit (Section 107). Starting work before the permit is issued adds a penalty fee of $214.00 or three times the regular fee, whichever is greater (Section 105). All Title 49 figures are from Ord. No. 25351, 7-17-2024. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. Applying for a patio permit means submitting a site plan and framing plans for a roofed patio cover, since a cover is treated as its own permitted structure regardless of size. A plain concrete or paver patio slab at or near grade is, by contrast, often exempt from that same building permit requirement. Start at the Tulsa permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of Tulsa Development Services Department, Permit Center. Phone: (918) 596-9456. Address: 175 E. 2nd Street, 4th Floor, Tulsa, OK 74103.
- Plan for inspections. A permitted patio cover follows the same footing, frame, and final inspection sequence used for any small accessory structure, since the posts and roof framing have to be checked before they are covered and again once the work is done. An at grade patio slab that qualifies as exempt flatwork usually needs no building inspection at all, because inspections only attach to work that required a permit in the first place.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a patio permit in Tulsa?
- Tulsa's published patio rule attaches to covered patios. The Development Services Residential Building Guidelines treat carports, covered patios and porches as one project type and direct the applicant to apply online for Building (Residential): Building: Accessory Structure, or on paper for the Residential Building and Zoning Clearance Permit, with a site plan, structural cross-section, foundation plan and elevations. The city does not publish a separate answer for an uncovered, at-grade patio slab, and patios do not appear on either the city's short no-permit list or its list of residential zoning clearance only permits. Covered patios, carports and porches. Always confirm with the office before starting.
- How much does a patio permit cost in Tulsa?
- A carport permit fee is $98.00 under Title 49, Chapter 3, Section 304. A covered patio or porch is otherwise priced as a building permit from valuation: $64.00 application fee for $0 to $15,000.00 declared valuation (Section 301) plus a building permit fee of $133.00 for estimated valuation of $0 to $5,000.00 (Section 302), per Ord. No. 25351, 7-17-2024. Every permit also carries the general administrative fees in Title 49, Chapter 1: a $5.00 permit system maintenance surcharge on each permit (Section 103), a $4.00 Uniform Building Code Commission fee plus a $0.50 city administrative fee collected under 59 O.S. Section 1000.25 (Section 100), and a minimum fee of $80.00 on any permit (Section 107). Starting work before the permit is issued adds a penalty fee of $214.00 or three times the regular fee, whichever is greater (Section 105). All Title 49 figures are from Ord. No. 25351, 7-17-2024. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- How long does a patio permit take in Tulsa?
- Average time to first review, May 2026: 6.00 business days for the building review of a Building (Residential) Accessory Structure permit. Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
- Where do you apply for a patio permit in Tulsa?
- You can apply through the Tulsa permit portal or contact the City of Tulsa Development Services Department, Permit Center directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a patio permit themselves in Tulsa?
- Under Oklahoma law (11 O.S. 43-109.2(B); 59 O.S. 1692(B)(3), 1017(6), 1151.17(B), 1850.10(A) and (B)(1), 1693(A)): Oklahoma does not license general or residential contractors at the state level, which is unusual and was verified by reading the whole of Title 59: the state licenses plumbing (59 O.S. 1001 et seq.), electrical (59 O.S. 1680 through 1699), mechanical (59 O.S. 1850.1 et seq.), roofing by registration (59 O.S. 1151.1 et seq.) and building and construction inspectors (59 O.S. 1031 through 1046), and no chapter licenses a general contractor. A homeowner may pull their own permit and do their own work. 11 O.S. 43-109.2(B) exempts a person doing construction or remodeling on their own single-family or duplex structure on their own property from the insurance verification a permit office must otherwise obtain before issuing a residential building permit, and it applies even when the structure is a rental, but the exemption disappears the moment a general contractor or subcontractor performs the work and pulls the permit. The trade acts carry matching self-work exemptions: no state license is needed to do electrical work on your own property or residence (59 O.S. 1692(B)(3)) or plumbing work on your own property of residence (59 O.S. 1017(6)), and a person roofing their own property is exempt from roofing registration though they must still give the permit office the registration number of any roofing subcontractor (59 O.S. 1151.17(B)). Every one of those is a licensing exemption only, expressly subject to local ordinances in the electrical case, and none of them waives the city permit; 59 O.S. 1693(A) still bars electrical work in a city or town without a permit first being obtained. Mechanical work is the sharp exception: the property-owner exemption in 59 O.S. 1850.10(B)(1) reaches only minor repair, and 59 O.S. 1850.10(A) requires a mechanical or plumbing licensee to install, replace or repair gas piping, floor furnaces, wall heaters or radiant-floor heating with no owner carve-out. Oklahoma has no statewide owner-builder disclosure form and no sale restriction comparable to Florida's one-year rule; the term owner-builder appears nowhere in Title 11 or Title 59. Confirm how Tulsa applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Tulsa
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Priced as a building permit from valuation: the application fee is $64.00 for $0 to... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Not specified | Title 49, Chapter 4, Section 401 sets residential electrical permit fees for one- and... |
| Fence Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Residential zoning clearance permit fee is $75.50 under Tulsa Revised Ordinances Title... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Title 49, Chapter 5, Section 501 prices mechanical work by item: heating appliance, each... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Title 49, Chapter 8, Section 801 prices plumbing work by item: backflow prevention... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | prefabricated swimming pools | Priced as a building permit from declared valuation: application fee $64.00 for $0 to... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Priced as a building permit from valuation: $64.00 application fee for $0 to $15,000.00... |
| Shed Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Residential zoning clearance permit fee is $75.50 under Title 49, Chapter 3, Section... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Title 49 has no solar line item. |
Patio Permit in other Oklahoma localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Tulsa documents; the office above sets the local rules.
Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with City of Tulsa Development Services Department, Permit Center. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Patio Permit requirements across Oklahoma localities
Permit office
City of Tulsa Development Services Department, Permit Center
(918) 596-9456Permit portalCompare
Patio Permit across Oklahoma