Farmers Branch, Texas Building Permit Guide

Farmers Branch issues its own building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and irrigation permits through the Building Inspection Division (972-919-2549), using the Citizen Self Service portal or the Permit Desk at City Hall, 13000 William Dodson Parkway. A new house is charged $1.20 per square foot plus $0.15 per square foot for its trade work, and the City aims to finish residential plan review in 15 business days.

What requires a permit in Farmers Branch?

The City publishes separate permit applications for each kind of job, and its residential application covers most home projects. Its own lists include:

Businesses also need permits for signs, banners, murals and outdoor sales, and a Commercial Certificate of Occupancy before opening or moving.

Farmers Branch building department: who handles permitting

The Building Inspection Division, part of the Community Services Department, runs the City’s building and zoning ordinances: it reviews plans, issues permits, inspects work and checks building location, use, signs, fences and yard rules. All of Farmers Branch is in Dallas County, and the City handles permits everywhere inside its limits.

Public Works signs off on driveway approaches, drainage and easements, and the Fire Department on fire permits.

Farmers Branch applications, forms and registration

To file online, register in Citizen Self Service (choose Guest, then Register, and confirm by email), then pick Apply and search for the permit type; the portal takes payment at the end. Paper forms can go to the Permit Desk instead. The forms library includes:

• Applications: residential, new single-family, commercial, trades (MEPI), fence, accessory building, flatwork, foundation repair and sign permits.
• After issue: revision or extension, and cancellation or refund.
• New homes: the Right-of-Way Indemnity Agreement and In-Fill Grading Waiver Affidavit.

Trade registration: mechanical, electrical, plumbing and irrigation contractors register free of charge with a Texas master licence and photo ID (electricians also need the state contractor licence). Email both to fbinspections@farmersbranchtx.gov after opening a portal account; the registration lasts until the state licence expires, and the form must be notarized if the master licence holder does not apply in person. On a new house, each subcontractor must add the general contractor as an Authorized User on its registration.

Homeowners: an owner doing trade work on the home they live in signs the Homeowner’s Affidavit for Trade Work, swearing they will do all the work themselves and will hire a registered licensed contractor if the inspector finds it substandard. The City checks the homestead against the Dallas Central Appraisal District record.

Farmers Branch permit fees

Fees are set in Appendix A of the City code and printed in the City’s Permit Fee Schedule Guide, effective October 1, 2021. Houses are charged by square foot or flat fee; commercial and other non-dwelling work is charged on construction value, which cannot be lower than the ICC building valuation data table. Every permit carries a $3 technology fee, and the minimum permit fee is $50.

For example, a 2,500 sq ft new house comes to $3,000 for the building permit and $375 for trade work, plus the technology fee. A plan review deposit is due when plans are submitted: the whole fee if it is $1,000 or less, otherwise half of it. Paying an expediting fee equal to the permit fee gets comments or a permit within 7 business days, for jobs that need no review outside the building department.

Revisions after issue cost $150 per hour of plan review, after-hours inspections $200 per hour (2-hour minimum), and work started without a permit double the permit fee, at least $500.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits

The Building Inspection Division also issues mechanical (HVAC), electrical, plumbing and irrigation permits, on the trades (MEPI) application or in the portal. Once a registered contractor files, customer service staff review a stand-alone trade permit in about 1 business day; after an emergency repair, the permit can be pulled within 24 hours. For houses the trade fee is a flat or per-square-foot amount (see the table above); other trade work is charged on value, from $50 up to $1,000 of work to 0.5% of value (at least $2,500) above $250,000.

Fire construction permits under the Fire Code start at $100 for work valued up to $5,000 and rise to 0.3% of value, at least $1,500, on jobs over $250,000, with a $100 re-inspection fee. Backflow prevention assemblies are registered for $40 each through the City’s Vepo Envirotrax system, where registered testers file their reports.

What to submit

All plans go in as PDFs, uploaded in the portal or brought on a USB drive. The City’s July 2026 submittal checklist asks for:

Smaller jobs have short lists, such as an engineer’s letter for foundation repair, U-factor and SHGC ratings for windows, and an asbestos survey for a commercial remodel.

Review times the City aims for, in business days: 15 for new houses, remodels and home additions; 5 for residential solar, flatwork, fences, accessory buildings and pools; 25 for new commercial buildings, remodels and additions; 10 for commercial flatwork, fences, pools, signs and re-roofs; and 5 for any revision.

How to get a Farmers Branch permit

Inspections in Farmers Branch

Book inspections in Citizen Self Service or by calling 972-919-2549 by 5:00 p.m. on the business day before, with the project number, full address (including suite or floor), inspection type and date. Field inspections run from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the Today’s Inspections page in the portal shows the day’s schedule by address.

For a water heater, HVAC replacement, electrical panel change or gas line repair inside an occupied home, you can ask for a 9–11 a.m. or 2–4 p.m. window, and an adult aged 18 or over must be there to let the inspector in. Inspectors are in the office from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. to take calls about arrival times. Work must be ready and accessible; failed items are corrected and re-booked, at $50 for the first re-inspection, $100 for the second, $150 for the third and $200 after that. No inspections take place while a permit revision or extension is being processed.

A remodel or addition is inspected at the rough-in, foundation, top-out, framing, insulation and final stages, and permitted work on a house also means fitting interconnected smoke alarms in each bedroom and the hallway outside. A new house can use third-party inspectors instead of the City’s for an extra $750, paid at application.

Residential permits expire after 365 days and commercial permits after 730 days, and any permit lapses if work does not start, or stops, for 90 days.

Local Farmers Branch details that matter

Fences: no fence may be built in a front yard, and corner lots follow the front setback on the side street. Fences can be up to 8 ft 6 in tall measured from the inside grade, must have a gate at least 3 ft wide toward the front yard or street plus access to any easement, and wooden fences must be stained, painted or sealed. Masonry fences over 6 ft need a foundation designed by a Texas professional engineer.

Accessory buildings: a detached building more than 10 ft from the house sits at least 3 ft from side and rear lines and is limited to one storey (14 ft). Enclosed buildings are capped at 200 sq ft in total and open-air ones such as pergolas at 600 sq ft.

Guest quarters: accessory dwellings are allowed on R-1 and R-2 lots only with a specific use permit, may house family, guests or a domestic worker, and cannot be rented out separately from the main house.

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

Farmers Branch permit search and official resources

• Building Inspections & Permits (FAQs, review times, inspections)
• Building Permit Forms
• Citizen Self Service permit portal
• Permit Fee Schedule (effective October 1, 2021)
• Code of Ordinances, Appendix A fee schedule
• Residential and commercial submittal checklist (July 2026)
• When is a Permit Not Required? (October 2025)
• Trade contractor registration form
• Homeowner’s Affidavit for Trade Work
• Fence permit information
• Accessory building regulations
• Local code amendments
• Planning application forms

Frequently asked questions

Who issues building permits in Farmers Branch?

The City’s Building Inspection Division in Community Services, at City Hall, 13000 William Dodson Parkway (972-919-2549). It issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and irrigation permits.

How much is a building permit for a new house in Farmers Branch?

$1.20 per square foot, plus $0.15 per square foot for the trade work and a $3 technology fee. A 2,500 sq ft house comes to $3,375 before the technology fee.

How long does plan review take?

The City aims for 15 business days on a new house, remodel or addition, 5 days on smaller residential jobs and revisions, and 25 days on new commercial buildings.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Farmers Branch?

Yes, for new fences and for replacing 20 ft or more within 12 months. Fences are not allowed in front yards and can be up to 8 ft 6 in tall.

Can a homeowner do their own plumbing or electrical work?

Yes, on the home they live in, if they sign the Homeowner’s Affidavit for Trade Work and do all the work themselves. Anyone else doing trade work must hold a Texas licence and be registered with the City.

What building codes does Farmers Branch use?

The 2024 International Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, since October 1, 2025.

Simplify Farmers Branch 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 Farmers Branch permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.