Inside Bay City limits, building permits come from the City’s Planning & Development Services Division (979-323-1173), and applications, plans and contractor documents are emailed to permits@cityofbaycity.org. Bureau Veritas carries out plan review and inspections for the City, inspection requests received by 3:30 p.m. are scheduled for the next day, and every contractor must register with the City before pulling a first permit.
What requires a permit in Bay City?
The City’s Simplified Building Permit Application covers new buildings, additions, alterations, repairs and replacements, accessory buildings, decks, swimming pools, foundations, re-roofs, demolition, miscellaneous work and Certificates of Occupancy, for homes and for commercial buildings. Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, energy and fire reviews are part of the permit process.
Plans required
- New homes and commercial buildings
- Additions and alterations
- Accessory buildings, decks and pools
- Foundation-only permits
- Driveway approaches and drainage culverts (engineered plans)
Permit, but no plans
- Roofing
- Siding
- Windows
- Alterations and repairs the Building Official decides are minor
A driveway onto a state highway also needs a TxDOT permit. Garage sales have needed no City permit since June 25, 2015.
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Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Bay City?
The Planning & Development Services Division issues building permits for property inside Bay City limits and registers contractors. Its permit application and construction packets give its address as 1217 Avenue J, the City’s Municipal Service Building; City Hall is at 1901 Fifth Street. Bureau Veritas, the City’s contracted firm, reviews plans and inspects the work, and the division’s staff includes a Certified Floodplain Manager. Property beyond the city limit belongs to Matagorda County’s unincorporated area.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Planning & Development Services, 1217 Avenue J, Bay City, TX 77414 |
| Phone | 979-323-1173 |
| Applications and inspection requests | permits@cityofbaycity.org |
| Water and sewer taps | Public Works, 1217 Avenue J, 979-323-1659 |
| Plan review and inspections | Bureau Veritas, for the City |
Applications, registration and forms
Bay City does not use an online permit portal. Fill in the PDF application and email it, with certificates of insurance, licences and plans, to permits@cityofbaycity.org. The City recommends digital plan sets; paper submittals need two sets.
- Simplified Building Permit Application: one form for the building permit, listing owner, contractor, design professional, construction type, floor area and cost of construction. The City’s web page says all trades can use it, while the form itself says electrical, plumbing and mechanical work each need a separate application.
- Contractor Registration Form: filed online once, before a contractor’s first permit, and updated only when the details change. The City publishes a list of registered general, electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors.
- Homeowner Affidavit: on the application, for an owner doing the work on a home that is their legal residence and homestead with the Matagorda County Appraisal District. An owner may not have held homeowner permits for three different addresses within two years.
- Water and sewer tap requests: both forms go in with the permit application.
- Commercial projects over $50,000 list their Texas Architectural Barriers Act project number on the application.
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Bay City’s website does not publish a building permit fee table. The application makes the applicant responsible for all fees and charges, and plans are submitted with the plan examination fee. Water and sewer taps are surveyed and quoted by Public Works, and the tap fees must be paid before the building permit is issued.
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits
Bureau Veritas reviews and inspects electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas and energy work for the City. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors must be registered with Bay City, and the application authorizes the City to check state licences with TDLR. Before any inspection is requested, every subcontractor on the job must have its own permit where one applies.
Bay City has adopted the 2021 International Building Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code.
What goes in a new home submittal
New residential checklist
- Completed building permit application
- Site plan with legal description, north arrow and scale, property lines, easements, all buildings, driveway and sidewalk dimensions and setbacks
- Residential energy code compliance report (REScheck, IC3 or Energy Star)
- Foundation plan: conventional rebar slab detail, or an engineered plan and letter for post-tension slabs designed for that lot’s soil
- House plans: floor plan, elevations, roof, mechanical, electrical and plumbing design, details and window and door schedule
- Engineered driveway approach and culvert plans
- Water and sewer tap request forms
Commercial projects
- Completed application and plan set
- Texas Architectural Barriers Act project number over $50,000
- Utility, grease trap, retaining wall and irrigation backflow details where they apply
- Windstorm documentation where required
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a building permit in Bay City
Submit the online Contractor Registration Form before the first permit.
Look at the City’s floodplain maps, and for tall structures, the airport zoning rules.
Use the new residential or commercial checklist, with engineered foundation, driveway and culvert plans where required.
Send the application, plans, licences, insurance and tap requests to permits@cityofbaycity.org.
Water and sewer tap fees are paid before the permit is issued.
Send them by 3:30 p.m. for next-day inspection, and keep the inspection record on site.
Inspections in Bay City
Email inspection requests to permits@cityofbaycity.org with the requestor’s name and contact details, company, project address, subdivision, permit number and date needed; requests received by 3:30 p.m. are inspected the next day. Questions go to 979-323-1173. The inspection record card must stay on site until the project is finished, and no work may be covered before it is approved.
Rather not deal with the Bay City building department?
Get a free quote →A typical new home is inspected at the temporary pole, plumbing rough, water service and yard sewer, form board survey, electrical underground (UFER ground), foundation, electrical, mechanical and gas rough, plumbing top-out, framing, energy insulation, flatwork and approach, the meter releases and the electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas, energy and building finals. An engineered foundation needs the engineer’s sealed pre-pour inspection report, and the contractor supplies windstorm documentation where it is required. Commercial projects add inspections such as grease traps, tilt panels, above-ceiling work, grease ducts and kitchen hoods.
Local Bay City details
Floodplain: the City publishes three floodplain maps of Bay City, and a Certified Floodplain Manager works in Development Services.
Airport zoning: Bay City Regional Airport’s zoning ordinance (Ordinance 1667, last updated in 2021) controls height, noise and wildlife hazards around the airport, and it can reach land anywhere in Matagorda County when a use could affect airport safety. Any structure 200 feet or taller must also be filed with the FAA. The airport has its own permit application and land use form, and the City Council sits as the Board of Adjustment for variances.
Engineers: the City posts courtesy lists of structural and windstorm engineers next to its permit forms.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Texas building code
Texas has no single statewide building code: state law makes the International Residential Code the base code for homes in cities and the International Building Code the base for commercial buildings, with each city choosing the edition and its own amendments, while the National Electrical Code and the energy code apply statewide. Outside city limits most counties issue no building permits for homes. Texas building code rules
Bay City permit search and official resources
Bay City forms, packets and maps:
- Official city source
- Official inspection / project guidance
- Bay City Simplified Building Permit Application
- Bay City Contractor Registration Form
- Bay City New Commercial Construction Packet
- Bay City floodplain maps
- Bay City Regional Airport zoning questions and answers
Bay City permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Bay City, Texas?
The City’s Planning & Development Services Division, 979-323-1173, for property inside the city limits. Bureau Veritas reviews the plans and inspects for the City.
How do I apply for a building permit in Bay City?
Email the Simplified Building Permit Application, plans, insurance certificates and licences to permits@cityofbaycity.org. Contractors register online first.
Do I need plans for a re-roof or new windows?
No. Roofing, siding, windows and minor repairs need a permit but no plan set; other building projects need plans.
Can a homeowner pull a permit in Bay City?
Yes, for work on a home that is their legal residence and homestead, by signing the Homeowner Affidavit on the application.
When is the inspection request cutoff?
3:30 p.m. for an inspection the next day, by email to permits@cityofbaycity.org.
What codes does Bay City use?
The 2021 International Building Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Bay City permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.