Express permits: usually one business day
Austin's Residential Express Building Permits cover specific small projects on single-family, duplex, and two-family properties. Most are issued in one business day, though floodplain and historic district properties can take longer (City of Austin Express Permits). Qualifying work includes:
- Kitchen and bath remodels, including tub-to-shower conversions, as long as walls aren't moved or removed, plumbing fixtures aren't relocated or added, and only the tub, shower, or sink-surround drywall comes out.
- Roof repairs that replace decking over more than 128 square feet. In the Wildland-Urban Interface code area, replacing more than half the roofing also qualifies, with extra material rules.
- Siding added or removed over 128 square feet, brick added or removed, and windows replaced size for size.
- Foundation repair that doesn't add more than 128 square feet of impervious cover.
- Drywall repair, insulation, and exploratory removal of drywall for a structural evaluation.
- Fire and vehicle damage repair that keeps the existing floor plan, with an incident report, photos, and an engineer's report.
The catch: the express permit only covers work inside those limits. If the job grows, say you decide to move the sink or take out a wall, you need a full residential application and new fees, and the express fees aren't refunded (City of Austin). Decide the scope before you apply.
Stand-alone permits: retaining walls and trade-only work
For single-family properties, Austin issues stand-alone building permits for residential retaining walls, residential boat docks, and mobile homes, each with prerequisites. Stand-alone trade permits cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical, or irrigation work that isn't part of a building permit (City of Austin stand-alone permits). If trade work is tied to a larger construction project, it goes through Residential Plan Review instead.
Retaining walls are a big part of our work, from replacing failed walls to building new walls on hillside lots, and the engineering behind them is usually what the City's prerequisites ask for.
Full residential plan review: everything else
New homes, additions, interior remodels that move walls or plumbing, garage conversions, pools, decks, and demolition go through Residential Plan Review. The City's target review times range from 5 business days for interior remodels to 10 business days for new construction and additions (City of Austin Residential Plan Review). We cover that process in our step-by-step guide to Austin residential permits.
Who can pull the permit
A registered general contractor has to be linked to the building permit. In Texas anyone can be a general contractor, since no state license is required, and Austin lets homeowners register and act as the contractor for their own property (City of Austin Homeowner's Permit). Licensed electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work still goes to licensed trades. If you're not sure which path you're on, the City's free Development Process Team can walk you through it (Development Process Team), or you can call us.