Arlington, Texas Building Permit Guide

Building permits in Arlington — the 7th largest city in Texas, at the centre of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex — are issued by the city’s Planning & Development Services department, which runs the One Start Center on the second floor of City Hall, 101 W. Abram Street (817-459-6502). Arlington enforces the 2021 International Building Code and International Residential Code with local amendments.

This guide covers what requires a permit, the Arlington Permits portal, fees, trade permits, and inspections — so your Arlington project stays on track.

What requires a building permit in Arlington?

Under the 2021 IBC/IRC as adopted by Arlington, a permit is required for most construction activities:

Who handles permitting in Arlington?

Planning & Development Services handles plan review, permit issuance, and construction inspections. Permits are applied for, paid and scheduled through the city’s ArlingtonPermits.com portal, or in person at the One Start Center at City Hall.

In 2025, building permits issued in Arlington authorized 1,576 new privately owned housing units, 532 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.

Arlington permit types

A building permit is one record among many. Planning & Development Services issues work under separate record types inside the Arlington Permits portal. Arlington adds a gate ahead of the record type: contractors must be registered with the city before a permit can be pulled, and the plan review fee is due and non-refundable at submittal rather than at issuance — an application is not considered received until it is paid.

Residential permit types

Commercial permit types

Roofing permits in Arlington

Arlington sits in North Texas hail country in Tarrant County, roughly 105 mph ultimate design wind speed under the adopted code and far outside any coastal windstorm requirement. Hail is the loss driver here, not wind: reroof volume in Arlington spikes after spring storm events, and the practical constraints are contractor registration, permit throughput, and insurance documentation rather than product certification.

Texas has no single statewide building code and no general contractor licence: state law sets base codes and each city adopts its own edition and amendments, while most counties issue no building permits for homes outside city limits. The statewide solar, HOA and roofing rules are on the Texas page. Texas rules

Arlington building permit cost

Arlington charges new homes, additions, alterations, garage conversions, remodels and repairs on one- and two-family dwellings from a square-foot fee table. Detached garages, accessory buildings over 320 sq ft, boat docks and retaining walls are valued at $75.00 per square foot and charged from the valuation table, and commercial work is charged on declared valuation. The plan review fee is 35% of the building permit fee (non-refundable, due at submittal). The current fee schedule took effect October 1, 2025 (Resolution 25-258).

Arlington trade permits

Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work needs its own permit and a state-licensed contractor registered with the City of Arlington.

Electrical permits

Required for service installations, panel upgrades, solar PV, EV chargers, and most wiring alterations — performed by a TDLR-licensed electrician registered with the city.

Plumbing permits

Required for new plumbing, repipes, water heater changeouts, fixtures, backflow, and sewer connections — performed by a TSBPE-licensed plumber.

Mechanical (HVAC) permits

Required for HVAC installations, changeouts, ductwork changes, and venting modifications — performed by a TDLR-licensed mechanical contractor.

Miscellaneous & specialty

Fencing, pools, decks, sheds, and patio covers may require special permits depending on size and utility hookups. Demolition, sign, and right-of-way permits follow separate tracks.

How to get a building permit in Arlington

Inspections in Arlington

Schedule inspections through the Arlington Permits portal. Standard checkpoints include foundation, framing, rough-in MEP, insulation, and final. Post the permit card on-site and maintain approved plans. A final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy are required before legal occupancy.

Address correction notices before requesting a re-inspection; a final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy are required before legal occupancy or use.

Official Arlington permitting resources

• 🏛️ City of Arlington — Permits
• 💻 Arlington Permits portal (ArlingtonPermits.com)
• 🪪 TX TDLR — licensing & regulation
• 🪪 TX TSBPE — plumbing board
• 📋 Arlington issued permits data

Frequently asked questions

Who issues building permits in Arlington?

The City of Arlington’s Planning & Development Services department issues building permits inside Arlington, through ArlingtonPermits.com and the One Start Center at City Hall, 101 W. Abram Street (817-459-6502).

How do I get a building permit in Arlington?

Submit your application through ArlingtonPermits.com, include required plans and documentation, pay the plan review fee at submittal and the rest of the permit fee after approval, and schedule inspections.

What codes does Arlington follow?

Texas does not have a mandatory statewide building code — jurisdictions adopt and enforce their own codes, typically based on the International Codes (IBC/IRC). Arlington adopted the 2021 International Codes (building, residential, existing building, energy, swimming pool and spa, mechanical, plumbing, fuel gas and fire) with local amendments and the 2020 National Electrical Code on November 1, 2022; permit applications have had to comply since January 1, 2023.

How long does plan review take in Arlington?

The city does not publish a fixed review time; it depends on the scope and how complete the submittal is. An application is not considered received until the plan review fee is paid. Ask Planning & Development Services (817-459-6502) for current review times before building a schedule around them.

How are Arlington residential permit fees calculated?

For one- and two-family homes, Arlington charges new construction, additions, alterations, garage conversions, remodels and repairs from a square-foot fee table rather than from a declared contract price, so the fee is largely predictable from the plans. Plan review is assessed at 35 percent of the building permit fee and is due at submittal and non-refundable. Confirm current figures in the fee schedule before filing.

Does an Arlington mailing address mean Arlington permitting?

Not necessarily. Arlington sits in Tarrant County alongside Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, Mansfield, Kennedale, and Pantego, and mailing addresses cross city limits routinely across the metroplex. Tarrant County itself does not issue building permits or enforce building codes in its unincorporated areas, so the question is which city has jurisdiction rather than whether the county does. Confirm the parcel before filing.

Do I need a permit to install solar panels in Arlington?

Yes. Photovoltaic installations in Arlington are permitted under a dedicated solar record type reviewed on both a structural and an electrical track. Solar thermal — passive water and pool heating — is a separate record. Under Tex. Prop. Code §202.010, a homeowners' association cannot ban a solar energy device outright, but it may still require prior architectural approval and impose reasonable placement conditions, so run the HOA submittal alongside the permit. Utility interconnection and Permission to Operate run in parallel with the permit.

Does a roof replacement require a permit in Arlington?

Yes, in most cases. A roof covering replacement requires a permit in most Texas municipalities including Arlington, though minor repairs can fall below the local threshold. Texas has no statewide product approval system and no central product listing, so compliance runs against the locally adopted code edition and its local amendments. Hail rather than wind is the governing risk inland, and Tex. Prop. Code §202.011 bars an HOA from prohibiting wind or hail resistant shingles.

What is the difference between a residential and a commercial permit in Arlington?

Residential work is generally a single-discipline review filed as a master permit with trades filed against it. Commercial work in Arlington runs concurrent review across building, fire, and zoning, requires signed and sealed plans for every affected discipline, and can carry impact fees on top of permit fees. Change of use adds accessibility and life-safety review.

Do trade permits need to be pulled separately in Arlington?

Yes in most cases. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work is permitted separately by the licensed contractor for each trade and filed against the master building permit. Each trade permit carries its own fee and its own inspection sequence.

What happens if I file under the wrong permit type in Arlington?

Expect delay. The application usually has to be corrected or refiled under the right permit type, which costs review time, and the plan review fee already paid is non-refundable. Confirm the permit type with Planning & Development Services (817-459-6502) before filing.

Can I apply for all Arlington permit types online?

Yes for most work. Register a user account on the Arlington Permits portal, start the application, upload the required documents — site plan, construction drawings, energy code compliance, and TAS documentation where applicable — and pay the plan review fee at submittal. The permit card prints from the portal and must be posted on site before work begins. Contractor registration must be current before any of it will process.

Simplify Arlington permitting with Alliance Permitting

Arlington's Accela portal, tiered valuation fees, contractor registration requirements, and DFW metroplex development pace reward applicants who prepare complete packages from the start. Alliance Permitting is a permit expediter for Arlington — our permit expediting services in Texas pair AI-driven document review with experts who know the Planning & Development Services process, so your Arlington submissions move faster.

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Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Arlington because we deliver:

• Local expertise — we know Arlington Planning & Development Services, the ArlingtonPermits.com portal, and the 2021 IBC/IRC with Arlington amendments.
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Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company: we prepare your paperwork, file it correctly, and coordinate with the building department through issuance — including preparing private-provider documentation where that option is available. We are not a contractor and do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general informational purposes and reflects publicly available information believed accurate as of July 2026. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change; always confirm current details with the City of Arlington Planning & Development Services before filing. This is not legal advice.