Permits by job in Texas
Early Texas guides. getPermit is California-first — these pages share what we've verified in Texas so far, and they don't mean getPermit covers Texas yet. Join the waitlist with your city to tell us where to go deeper.
Direct answers to “do I need a permit to {job} in Texas, and how does it work?” — general Texas code and process for the most common contractor jobs. City-specific fees and timelines are confirmed with the local building department on each job's page.
Electrical
Battery storage
Home battery storage in Texas is licensed electrical work, but city permitting is in flux: 2025 state laws limit how cities regulate residential backup power systems and create a third-party review path. Arlington's SB 1202 guidance covers energy storage alongside solar and generators. Confirm the city's current process — and the utility's interconnection rules if the battery runs in parallel with the grid.
EV charger install
A Level 2 EV charger's new 240-volt circuit is electrical work that needs a permit in Texas cities, pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor. Requirements vary: Arlington handles EV charging stations as a standalone electrical permit with plan review — an electrical site plan, product specifications, and a line diagram by a master electrician or professional engineer — while Dallas limits electrical permits to City-registered master electricians.
Panel upgrade
A panel replacement or service upgrade generally needs an electrical permit in Texas cities, pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor with a master electrician of record — and in Dallas, only master electricians registered with the City can obtain electrical permits. The utility controls the service connection: Oncor's service guidelines say it reconnects only after it's notified of approval by the proper authority, and contractors must call before pulling a self-contained meter.
Solar interconnection
Rooftop solar in Texas needs a city permit and the utility's interconnection approval. The Dallas–Fort Worth cities we've checked review solar plans in detail — Arlington requires a Solar Panel permit with a three-line diagram by a master electrician or professional engineer, Dallas's solar checklist calls for engineer-sealed construction documents, and Fort Worth lists solar panels among structures that need a building permit. Installers are TDLR-licensed electrical contractors.
Plumbing
Gas line
New or extended gas piping generally needs a permit in Texas cities, pulled by a TSBPE-licensed Responsible Master Plumber — gas piping is plumbing under Texas law. Before gas service comes back, the city tests and releases the line: Dallas requires a 3 psig pressure test held at least 15 minutes and witnessed by a City inspector before Atmos Energy restores service.
Repipe
Repiping a home needs a plumbing permit in Texas cities: state law exempts only small repairs, like fixing leaks and faucets, from the plumbing permit requirement, and Fort Worth and Plano list repairing plumbing and replacing water lines as permitted work. The permit is pulled by a TSBPE-licensed Responsible Master Plumber who meets the city's registration rules.
Sewer line replacement
Replacing a home's sewer line needs a plumbing permit in Texas cities — Plano lists replacing sewer lines as permitted work, and Fort Worth requires a plumbing permit for repairing plumbing — and sewer line work at a home is licensed plumbing work under state law. Connections to the city main or work in the right-of-way can bring the city's utility or public works staff into the job.
Water heater replacement
Replacing a water heater needs a plumbing permit in Texas cities: state law requires cities with more than 5,000 residents to regulate water heaters and require permits, and Fort Worth, Arlington, and Plano say so explicitly. The permit is pulled by a TSBPE-licensed Responsible Master Plumber who meets the city's registration rules, and gas units need the city's approval before service is restored.
HVAC
AC changeout
In Texas, replacing central air conditioning generally needs a mechanical permit — Dallas, Fort Worth, and Plano treat AC replacement as permitted work, and their guidance doesn't carve out like-for-like swaps. The contractor pulling it needs a TDLR air conditioning and refrigeration (ACR) contractor license and must meet the city's contractor registration rules. The work follows the mechanical code each city adopts.
Furnace replacement
Replacing a furnace generally needs a mechanical permit in Texas cities — Fort Worth and Plano list furnace replacement as permitted work — and gas furnaces add a gas safety step: Dallas requires a pressure test witnessed by a City inspector before gas service is released. The work is done by a TDLR-licensed ACR contractor; gas piping itself is plumbing work under Texas law.
Mini-split install
A new ductless mini-split in Texas is ACR work — TDLR doesn't exempt mini-splits from air conditioning licensing — and it adds a new electrical circuit, so expect mechanical and electrical permitting from the city. The contractor needs a TDLR ACR license and any required city registration; a new circuit from the panel may also need a licensed electrical contractor.
Roofing
Looking for the Texas city your project is in? Every job page links back to the city's issuing department and the general Texas rules. Start at the Texas city guides.
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