Del Rio, Texas Building Permit Guide

Inside Del Rio city limits, the City’s Development Services Department (Code Compliance) at 114 W. Martin Street reviews plans and issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and sign permits and Certificates of Occupancy. A house permit needs two sets of plans, a PDF and a REScheck report, and residential review takes about 5 to 10 business days. The City issues no building permits in its ETJ or the rest of Val Verde County, but plumbing work in the ETJ still needs a City plumbing permit.

What requires a permit in Del Rio?

The City’s permit list and FAQs set out what needs a permit inside the city limits:

A Certificate of Occupancy is required before occupying a building or lease space, and again after a change of business owner or name or a move to a new location. Garage sales need a permit too, with a limit of 12 a year per household.

Who issues permits in Del Rio?

Development Services (the Code Compliance Department) reviews plans, issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, sign and garage sale permits, inspects the work and issues Certificates of Occupancy. Planning & Zoning reviews site plans against zoning, the Chief Building Official approves the Certificate of Occupancy, and on commercial jobs the Fire Marshal and, where it applies, the Community Health Department take part in review and final inspection.

Outside the city limits: the City does not issue building permits in its extraterritorial jurisdiction or elsewhere in Val Verde County; its FAQ refers those owners to the Val Verde County Health Department (830-774-7570). Plumbing work in the ETJ still needs a City plumbing permit, and a home outside the city that connects to City water and sewer needs a plumbing permit pulled by a licensed plumber and a Certificate of Compliance from the City Planner.

Del Rio permit applications and contractor registration

Del Rio files on separate application packets from its Permit Applications page: the residential building packet and fence application, the commercial package, Certificate of Occupancy, demolition, electrical, irrigation, mechanical, plumbing, roof and sign applications, a site plan review checklist, a water well permit, a floodplain development permit, and the roofing affidavit and roofing certification. Homeowners doing their own electrical or plumbing work file a homeowner electrical or plumbing affidavit.

Contractors register with Development Services and the City Secretary. Registration costs $150 the first year and $75 for each additional year, and needs a certificate of insurance of at least $500,000 naming the City of Del Rio as additional insured. State-licensed electricians and air conditioning contractors also hold annual City registrations ($50 for an electrical or ACR contractor or master electrician, $35 for a journeyman, $20 for an apprentice). The City publishes a list of registered contractors.

Del Rio permit fees

The fee schedule posted with the department page is Attachment A to Ordinance O:2012-039, effective October 1, 2012. A building permit fee is based on the valuation schedule, the contract price or the number of required inspections, whichever is greater; for projects other than one- and two-family homes, a contract price of $100,000 or more is used.

The valuation schedule prices homes at $45 per sq ft of living area, $30 per sq ft of garage and $15 per sq ft of storage, carport or patio, and commercial buildings at $60 per sq ft. Fences are valued at $7 (chain link), $12 (wood), $20 (block) or $24 (decorative) per lineal foot. On that schedule a house with 2,000 sq ft of living area and a 400 sq ft garage is valued at $102,000, a building permit fee of $510 before the processing, plan review and trade fees, unless the contract price or inspection count gives a higher figure.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Del Rio

All plumbing, mechanical and electrical work must be done by a licensed plumber, mechanical technician or electrician, except where a homeowner files the City’s homeowner affidavit. Plumbing applications are completed by a master plumber and may take 5 to 7 business days to review; they include drain and sewer sizing, a DWV riser diagram, water line and gas line sizing and the water heater detail. A permit to connect power to an existing home can be taken out by a licensed contractor, the homeowner or a tenant, and illuminated signs need an electrical sign contractor.

The 2012 ordinance also prices a septic tank at $140 plus $10 for TCEQ, but TCEQ’s agent records list Del Rio’s septic program as administered by Val Verde County, whose Health Department (830-774-7570) issues septic permits across the whole county, the city included.

What a house permit application needs

• The completed residential building permit application, with living, heated, garage and other square footage and the number of units, bedrooms and bathrooms
• Two full sets of plans and one PDF, at 1/4 in scale or larger, with the project name and designer on every page
• Site plan with lot lines, buildings, setbacks, easements and driveway materials (a survey is preferred)
• Foundation plan with concrete strength, slab thickness, reinforcement, vapor barrier, footings and finished floor elevations (or pier and beam details)
• Floor, framing and roof plans, with room labels, window and door sizes and HVAC location
• Elevations showing egress windows, exterior materials, plate heights and roof slopes
• A REScheck energy report

If the lot is in a FEMA flood-prone area, the floodplain development permit must be filed before the building application is accepted. Commercial projects follow the commercial application package and the site plan review checklist.

How to get a building permit in Del Rio

Inspections in Del Rio

Every permit requires a final inspection. The City’s building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical inspectors check each trade, and on commercial jobs the Fire Marshal and, where needed, the Community Health Department also inspect before the Certificate of Occupancy. Inspections are $30 each, and failed work costs $30, $60 and then $90 to re-inspect. A permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days of issue, or stops for 180 days once started. All work is subject to field approval, and any change to the house layout during construction needs a revised plan approved by the department.

Local Del Rio details

Codes: the department lists the 2024 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, Property Maintenance, Fire, Energy Conservation and Fuel Gas Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code; some older application forms still cite 2015 and 2017 editions.

Drainage: the City’s Drainage Design Manual (2023) applies to site development.

Demolition: demolishing a commercial building needs an asbestos report with the permit. The City does not require one for houses, but the Del Rio landfill does before it accepts the waste.

Commercial site plans: site plan review involves City departments, AEP, Verizon, TxDOT and the Police Department before the building permit review.

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

Del Rio permit resources

• Del Rio Development Services
• Permit applications
• Developing Del Rio: permit requirements
• Residential building permit packet
• Ordinance O:2012-039 permit fees
• Contractor registration form
• Development Services forms and applications
• Commercial submittal procedure

Frequently asked questions

Who issues building permits in Del Rio?

The City of Del Rio Development Services Department, 114 W. Martin Street, 830-774-8526, for property inside the city limits.

Do I need a City permit in the Del Rio ETJ or Val Verde County?

No building permit is required from the City there; the City refers owners to the Val Verde County Health Department (830-774-7570). Plumbing work in the ETJ still needs a City plumbing permit.

How much is a building permit in Del Rio?

Residential permits are $5 per $1,000 of value ($40 minimum) plus a $10 processing fee and plan review ($60 for a new house). Value is taken from the City’s schedule, such as $45 per sq ft of living area, or the contract price if higher.

Do I need a permit to re-roof or replace a fence?

Yes, when you re-roof or repair more than 50% of the roof, or build, replace or repair 50% or more of a fence.

How long does plan review take?

About 5 to 10 business days for a residential building permit, and up to 5 to 7 business days for plumbing plans.

Does a storage shed need a permit?

A storage building of 120 sq ft or more needs a building permit; a smaller one needs a zoning permit.

Simplify Del Rio permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Texas. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Del Rio permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.