San Antonio building permits
Department contacts, adopted codes, permit types, fees, and gotchas for San Antonio, Texas.
Last verified 2026-09-06 · Source · Embed this page’s badge · Version history
Building department
- Address
- Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center (One Stop), 1901 S. Alamo St., San Antonio, TX 78204
- Phone
- 210-207-1111
- Office hours
- Monday - Friday: 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- Website
- Official site
Inspection guide
See how inspections work in San Antonio — sequence, scheduling & re-inspection fees.
Codes adopted
Texas adopts the International Residential Code as it existed on May 1, 2012 as the municipal residential building code, by statute rather than through a state agency. A municipality may adopt local amendments that add, modify, or remove requirements set by that code, and may review and consider later International Code Council changes but is not obliged to. The statutory edition does not advance on a cycle.
- 2024 International Building Code (IBC) - International Code Council (ICC); adopted by San Antonio City Council effective January 30, 2025
- 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) - ICC
- 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) - ICC
- 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) - ICC
- 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) - ICC
- 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) - ICC
- 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) - ICC
- 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) - ICC
- 2024 National Electrical Code (NEC) - NFPA 70, adopted alongside the 2024 ICC code cycle
- 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) - ICC; excluded from the 2024 adoption cycle and still in effect (per DSD Codes & Ordinances page as of the 2024 update)
- 2024 San Antonio Property Maintenance Code (SAPMC) - City of San Antonio local code
Permit types & fees
Building Permit (New Construction / Additions)
Development Services issues residential and commercial building permits for construction within San Antonio city limits. New homes, room additions over 1,000 square feet, and any 2-story addition (regardless of size) require a full review by DSD Plans Examiners before a permit is issued; the plan review fee, building permit fee, and (for new residential construction) the electrical, mechanical, plumbing and sewer trade-permit fees are bundled and assessed together on the parent building permit.
From$654General Repairs & Remodel Permit
Covers residential room additions, accessory structures, decks, carports, patio covers, porch covers, foundation repairs, and minor repairs (windows, doors, walls, siding, floors) that do not rise to the level of new construction. Most of these are issued over-the-counter at DSD's One Stop office.
From$160.00Demolition Permit
Required to demolish a structure within City limits. DSD's IB 106 outlines the demolition process, checklist, and application. Trade/demolition contractors must hold a City demolition license to pull the permit on a property owner's behalf.
From$75.00Electrical Permit
Required for new electrical work, service changes, and related installations. Homeowners may not self-perform new electrical work on new construction; a State-licensed, City-registered electrical (trade) contractor must pull the permit. For new residential construction, the electrical permit must be linked to the parent building permit.
From$100Plumbing, Gas & Sewer Permit
Required for plumbing, gas, and sewer work. A homeowner may only pull a plumbing permit for an existing homestead where they will personally perform the work (per the Plumbing Homeowner Affidavit); all other plumbing work requires a licensed, City-registered plumbing trade contractor.
From$119Mechanical (Heating & Air Conditioning) Permit
Required for HVAC installation, replacement, and related mechanical work. For new residential construction, the mechanical permit fee is based on square footage and assessed on the parent building permit; the trade permit itself must still be pulled and linked to the parent.
From$80Re-Roof Permit
Required to re-roof a structure. A re-roof with no change in roof pitch is issued over the counter with proof of ownership; a re-roof that changes the pitch requires full plan review.
$25.00Fence Permit
Required to install a new fence. Issued over the counter with a site plan; ornamental-iron fences may qualify for a special exception procedure (IB 504).
$25.00Swimming Pool Permit
Required to install a residential swimming pool. Issued over the counter with a site plan and proof of ownership.
$360.00Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Permit
Per Information Bulletin 153 (jointly issued by DSD and CPS Energy), a solar PV installation requires a separate electrical permit application (the PV application is a subtype of the Electrical Permit in the BuildSA Customer Portal) in addition to CPS Energy's Distributed Energy Resource (DER)/interconnection process. The master electrician must be the applicant. Projects on a designated historic resource or in a historic district must first meet with the Historic Design and Review Commission.
See fee schedule
San Antonio's permit history isn't searchable here yet
This page covers what the permit requires. What we don't have for San Antonio yet is the record of permits actually issued — the history you'd search by street address. That is a gap in our coverage, not a statement about any particular property.
Your email, and the place — never an address. We only use it to tell you when San Antonio lands. Privacy.
New residential construction activity
New privately-owned residential construction onlyHousing units authorized by building permits for new privately-owned residential construction — this is not total permit volume (no commercial permits or remodels).
- Latest month (2026-07)
- 349units
345 buildings · $250,000 valuation
- Trailing 12 months
- 4,295units
12 of 12 months reported · #5 in Texas coverage by units
- Year to date (2026 YTD through 2026-07)
- 2,924units
2,553 buildings · $629.6M valuation
7 month(s) reported to Census
- Full year 2025
- 5,320units
3,998 buildings · $1,495.6M valuation
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (BPS), 2026-07 vintage. Census survey data — separate from the permit-requirements verification above. All Texas building activity
Tips & gotchas
- Every permit application and issued permit expires after 180 days without proof of work/progress; extensions of 180 days can be granted with a justifiable reason.
- Trade permits (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, flatwork, signs) can be canceled/refunded only if issued within 30 days and no inspections were performed; building permits, within 90 days with no plan review or inspection performed.
- Phone-in inspection scheduling carries a $3 per-inspection fee; online scheduling via BuildSA does not.
- The Development Services 'One Stop' office (Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center) now requires security screening (metal detector, bag check) -- arrive at least 15 minutes early.
- The 2024 ICC code adoption (effective January 30, 2025) left the IECC on the 2021 edition -- don't assume every code family in San Antonio is on the 2024 cycle.