Building permits in Houston, Texas
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Houston, 6 need a permit outright and 4 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 Houston
Houston Permitting Center
- 1002 Washington Ave., Houston, TX 77002
- Phone: 832.394.8820
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Houston
Houston permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history online.
What needs a permit in Houston
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Houston, 6 need a permit outright and 4 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 | It depends | deck not exceeding 200 sq ft and not more than 30 in above grade and not attached to dwelling and not serving required exit door is exempt from permit | ...Addition Permit, valuation based per the city fee schedule, plus a $33.56... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | Minimum electrical permit fee is $91.06 plus the $33.56 administrative fee, with... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | fences over 8 ft above grade require a permit; masonry or concrete fences require a permit regardless of height | Fences cost $73.85 for the first 100 lineal feet plus $11.41 per additional 100 lineal... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | 2% of total job cost plus $47.00 base fee plus administrative fee of $33.56 |
| Patio Permit | It depends | patio covers and enclosed patios require a permit; unroofed ground-level concrete slabs generally do not; impervious cover limits may trigger additional review | ...Addition Permit, valuation based per the city fee schedule, plus a $33.56... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | Minimum plumbing permit fee is $97.56 plus the $33.56 administrative fee, with itemized... |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Any size | Residential pool plan review costs $94 plus a $127.56 plan review fee and $33.56 admin... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Any size | Valuation based per the city fee schedule with a $33.56 administrative fee printed on... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | one-story detached accessory structure under 120 sq ft does not require a permit | ...Construction Permit, valuation based per the city fee schedule, plus a $33.56... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | Solar panel permit fee is $91.06 plus the $33.56 administrative fee, with plan review... |
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Schedule an inspection in Houston
Permitted work is not finished until it passes inspection. The Structural Inspections page lists scheduling requirements and contacts, with parallel pages for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing.
Schedule or request a Houston inspection
When the portal will not take the date you need, the office still books by phone: 832.394.8820.
Checked . If the office has changed its process, report it.
Houston permit fees compared with nearby Texas localities
| Texas locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | ...based per the city fee schedule, plus a $33.56... | 2% of total job cost plus $47.00 base fee plus... | Minimum electrical permit fee is $91.06 plus the $33.56... |
| 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.
Houston permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Houston?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Houston, 6 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 4 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Houston permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Houston?
- Houston publishes a fee for 10 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 Houston Permitting Center; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Houston?
- Houston Permitting Center issues permits in Houston, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 832.394.8820. The Houston official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Houston pages were verified. 10 permit types, 8 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Houston Permitting Center or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Houston is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.
Permitting activity in Houston
In 2025, Houston authorized permits for 11,878 new residential housing units (4,774 single-family, 7,104 in multi-family buildings), valued at $2.8B , down from 11,898 the year before. That works out to about 5.2 permits per 1,000 residents. It is a useful gauge of how busy the local permit office is.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual data · population 2,268,194.
About Houston
Houston has about 1,023,112 housing units. The median home is valued at $253,400, against a median household income of $62,894. About 42% of homes are owner-occupied, and the typical home was built around 1981. Older housing stock usually means more renovation, electrical, and plumbing permits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year.