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Building Permit (New Construction / Additions) in San Antonio, Texas

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.

Reviewed 2026-09-06 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Verify zoning district allows the proposed use and that the property is platted
  • Site plan
  • Building plans (full plan review required for new construction, additions over 1,000 sq ft, and any 2-story addition)
  • Proof of ownership

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Residential new construction/addition/remodel, 0-500 sq ft, Total Basic Permit Fee (building + electrical + mechanical + plumbing + sewer + plan review)
$654
Residential new construction/addition/remodel, 1,751-2,000 sq ft, Total Basic Permit Fee
$1,448
Residential new construction/addition/remodel, 3,501-4,000 sq ft, Total Basic Permit Fee
$1,814
Residential new construction/addition/remodel, 7,501-7,750 sq ft, Total Basic Permit Fee
$3,382
Unfinished interior building plan review and permit fees
50% discount (e.g., a 1,500 sq ft unfinished-interior project is fee'd as 750 sq ft)
Remodels/additions plan review fee
Not assessed for projects under 1,000 sq ft
Commercial valuation-based permit fee, $0-$1,000
$100.00
Commercial valuation-based permit fee, $1,001-$200,000
$100.00 + $1.60 per $1,000 (or fraction) over $1,000
Commercial valuation-based permit fee, $200,001-$1,000,000
$418.40 + $1.50 per $1,000 (or fraction) over $200,000
Commercial valuation-based permit fee, $1,000,001-$5,000,000
$1,618.40 + $0.75 per $1,000 (or fraction) over $1,000,000
Commercial valuation-based permit fee, over $5,000,000
$4,618.40 + $0.50 per $1,000 (or fraction) over $5,000,000

Review timeline

Plan reviewSan Antonio’s published plan-review target
3–3 business days

How long did your Building Permit (New Construction / Additions) permit actually take in San Antonio?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Foundation

  2. 2

    Framing

  3. 3

    Electrical

  4. 4

    Mechanical

  5. 5

    Plumbing

  6. 6

    Third-party special inspections (where applicable)

See the full San Antonio inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • General repair and small remodel permits are issued over-the-counter at the One Stop office; only new homes, additions over 1,000 sq ft, and 2-story additions require full Plans Examiner review.
  • A single project may require multiple linked permits (e.g., a deck with a ceiling fan and sink needs building, electrical, and plumbing permits).
  • Every permit application and issued permit expires after 180 days without proof of work/progress; one or more 180-day extensions can be granted for a justifiable reason.

Frequently asked questions

San Antonio requires a building permit (new construction / additions) for: Verify zoning district allows the proposed use and that the property is platted; Site plan; Building plans (full plan review required for new construction, additions over 1,000 sq ft, and any 2-story addition); Proof of ownership. If your project isn't listed, confirm with Development Services Department (DSD), City of San Antonio at 210-207-1111 before starting work.

In San Antonio, the published Residential new construction/addition/remodel, 0-500 sq ft, Total Basic Permit Fee (building + electrical + mechanical + plumbing + sewer + plan review) is: $654. Additional published fees: Residential new construction/addition/remodel, 1,751-2,000 sq ft, Total Basic Permit Fee — $1,448; Residential new construction/addition/remodel, 3,501-4,000 sq ft, Total Basic Permit Fee — $1,814; Residential new construction/addition/remodel, 7,501-7,750 sq ft, Total Basic Permit Fee — $3,382; Unfinished interior building plan review and permit fees — 50% discount (e.g., a 1,500 sq ft unfinished-interior project is fee'd as 750 sq ft); Remodels/additions plan review fee — Not assessed for projects under 1,000 sq ft; Commercial valuation-based permit fee, $0-$1,000 — $100.00; Commercial valuation-based permit fee, $1,001-$200,000 — $100.00 + $1.60 per $1,000 (or fraction) over $1,000; Commercial valuation-based permit fee, $200,001-$1,000,000 — $418.40 + $1.50 per $1,000 (or fraction) over $200,000; Commercial valuation-based permit fee, $1,000,001-$5,000,000 — $1,618.40 + $0.75 per $1,000 (or fraction) over $1,000,000; Commercial valuation-based permit fee, over $5,000,000 — $4,618.40 + $0.50 per $1,000 (or fraction) over $5,000,000. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

San Antonio's published plan-review target for a building permit (new construction / additions) is 3–3 business days.

You'll need: Application for Residential Construction and Additions Over 1000 Square Feet & 2 Stories (IB 101); Sample Residential Building Permit Application (2025); Commercial Project Application and Guide. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

San Antonio requires 6 inspection(s) for a building permit (new construction / additions), in order: Foundation, Framing, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Third-party special inspections (where applicable). Schedule each through Development Services Department (DSD), City of San Antonio (210-207-1111).

Apply through Development Services Department (DSD), City of San Antonio at 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.. Official information: https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/DSD.

San Antonio, Texas has adopted: 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. Local amendments apply — see the San Antonio overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Key facts verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-06.

Fee schedules

Department & other records

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the San Antonio building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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.

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