Building permits in El Paso, Texas
Of the 9 common home projects we have verified in El Paso, 4 need a permit outright and 5 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 1 official source
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in El Paso
City of El Paso Planning and Inspections Department (One Stop Shop)
- One Stop Shop, 811 Texas Avenue, El Paso, TX 79901
- Phone: 915-212-0104
- Email: OSSHelp@elpasotexas.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in El Paso
El Paso permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history by address or parcel number online.
What needs a permit in El Paso
Of the 9 common home projects we have verified in El Paso, 4 need a permit outright and 5 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Replacing a switch, receptacle, fuse, fan, light fixture, or similar equipment without altering the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing system is exempt. | (non-refundable)" is "$110 plus applicable technology fee," plus per-item charges such... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Masonry walls and fences are measured against 42 inches in height; chain link fences are measured against a separate and higher trigger of 6 feet in height. The material determines which of the two applies. | ...Fee List, Planning & Inspections, Building Permits: "building /fences" is "$110... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | (non-refundable)" is "$110 plus applicable technology fee," then per-item charges are... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | Concrete work more than 30 inches above grade, or concrete that will support a structure, requires a permit; a detached patio cover is permitted under the city's porches and canopies entry. | ...building-permit line items are "Permit which require only one inspection $110 plus... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | (non-refundable)" is "$110 plus applicable technology fee," plus per-fixture charges... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | Pools and ponds over 24 inches of depth require a permit, as do above ground pools containing 5,000 gallons of water or more. | ...Building Permits line "building/residential/swimming pool, spa" is "$160 plus... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | The 25 percent is a share of the residential roof covering being replaced, measured across the roof rather than as an area in square feet or a count of squares. | ...Fee List, Planning & Inspections, Building Permit line "Roofing Permit": "$118 plus... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | The exemption covers accessory storage buildings or structures of less than 200 square feet of floor area, and is limited to one such accessory structure per site. | ...building-permit line items are "Permit which require only one inspection $110 plus... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...solar across four trades: Building Permits "Solar Shingle per 100 sq. ft." is "$14... |
Planning a project in El Paso?
Hire it out
Sponsored
Licensed contractors usually pull the permit as part of the job. Comparing a few local quotes before you commit is the useful next step.
Compare local contractor quotes on Angi
Sponsored link. PermitNotebook may earn a fee if you request quotes through it. Partners never influence our permit data.
Planning several things at once? Check your whole project
El Paso permit fees compared with nearby Texas localities
| Texas locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso | Not published | (non-refundable)" is "$110 plus applicable technology... | (non-refundable)" is "$110 plus applicable technology... |
| Arlington | ...Cover, Screened Porch, Gazebo & Decks*... | ...and Residential New Construction Permits $100.00"... | ...and Residential New Construction Permits $100.00"... |
| Austin | ...under the Small Projects Plan Review fee of $132.86... | The Residential Change-Out Program charges $67.32 for the... | Electrical trade permit base fee is $166.99, per the... |
| Corpus Christi | ...New, Remodels, and Additions: Building Permit $0.461... | ...Fee Schedule, Mechanical Permits: Residential $0.075... | ...Fee Schedule, Electrical Permits: Residential $0.075... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Texas jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
El Paso penalty for work started without a permit
El Paso publishes what it charges when work begins before the permit, quoted here from the schedule or permit page we verified.
-
The handout separately lists "ELECTRICAL WORK" among the work requiring a permit, and Schedule C penalizes "Contractor starting work without a permit on a residential building, structure, electrical, gas, mechanical, irrigation, or plumbing system before obtaining the necessary permits" at triple the permit fee (double for a homeowner on his own residence).
El Paso electrical permit page · last checked
The Texas statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit: building without a permit in Texas.
El Paso permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in El Paso?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for El Paso, 4 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 5 depend on size or scope (a fence permit, for instance). Each El Paso permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in El Paso?
- El Paso publishes a fee for 9 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by City of El Paso Planning and Inspections Department (One Stop Shop); we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in El Paso?
- City of El Paso Planning and Inspections Department (One Stop Shop) issues permits in El Paso, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 915-212-0104. The El Paso official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
- What is the penalty for building without a permit in El Paso?
- El Paso publishes its own charge for work started before the permit: The handout separately lists "ELECTRICAL WORK" among the work requiring a permit, and Schedule C penalizes "Contractor starting work without a permit on a residential building, structure, electrical, gas, mechanical, irrigation, or plumbing system before obtaining the necessary permits" at triple the permit fee (double for a homeowner on his own residence). That is the local bill; the Texas statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit are on the Texas building-without-a-permit page.
How the El Paso pages were verified. 10 permit types, 3 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from City of El Paso Planning and Inspections Department (One Stop Shop) or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for El Paso is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.