The short version
File through the Houston Permitting Center: applications in iPermits, plan uploads in ProjectDox. Contractors register their license with the city before filing. Plan review runs on published checklists — build to the checklist and you clear; wing it and you correct. Current requirements at houstonpermittingcenter.org.
What needs a permit in Houston
Structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, additions, remodels beyond cosmetic work, and fire-protection systems. Houston famously has no zoning code, but building, fire, and trade permits still apply — "no zoning" doesn't mean "no permits." Verify your project with our free permit checker.
What you'll need to submit
- Application in iPermits — project description, valuation, contacts
- Plans in ProjectDox — built to the city's published checklist for your permit type
- Contractor license — registered with the city before filing (out-of-town shops: do this first)
- First-time Acknowledgement Form — one-time iPermits signup step
- Structural calculations — where framing or loads change
Houston publishes checklists per permit type. Find yours on the Permitting Center site and treat it as law — reviewers work from the same list.
The process, step by step
- Register your license with the city (contractors) and complete the iPermits Acknowledgement Form (first-timers).
- Build the package to the published checklist for your permit type.
- Apply in iPermits, upload in ProjectDox. Application and plans move together through the Permitting Center.
- Clear corrections in one pass. Answer everything completely — partial responses restart the clock.
- Issuance and inspections. Schedule inspections as work progresses; some permit types require the contractor present.
Mag-locks in Houston: the dedicated permit
Houston issues a dedicated "Electronic locks" permit (HPWCODE1110) — about $91.06 + $33.56 admin, valid 180 days, with its own published checklist (numbered doors, one-line diagram, wiring declaration, re-entry floors). It's the cleanest mag-lock filing in the country. Full breakdown: Mag-lock permits in Houston, TX. We file them for a flat $495/site.
Common Houston gotchas
- License registration first. The #1 out-of-town bounce: filing before your license is registered with the city.
- No zoning ≠ no rules. Setbacks, drainage, and deed restrictions still bite — especially on additions.
- Floodplain. Large parts of Houston sit in flood zones — elevation and floodplain development requirements can apply on top of the building permit.
- Permit expiration. Permits carry validity windows (the Electronic locks permit: 180 days) — line up the work, don't let them lapse.
We file Houston permits same-day.
We build your submittal to the city's checklist before it ever touches iPermits — so it clears instead of bouncing. Mag-lock sites: flat $495.
Based on publicly available City of Houston / Houston Permitting Center information and our filing research. Processes change — confirm current requirements at houstonpermittingcenter.org. Not legal advice.