Building permits in the City of Fort Worth are issued by the Development Services Department, with applications filed through Accela Citizen Access and the CFW Permit Tool ("Scope my Project"), which identifies the permits, fees, and zoning rules for a given address. Standard residential review is fast — about seven business days.
This Fort Worth building permit guide covers what requires a permit, how fees work, the Accela and CFW Permit Tool process, zoning, trade permits, and inspections — so your Fort Worth project starts clean.
This guide covers the City of Fort Worth. Development Services permits only work within city limits; unincorporated Tarrant County (which does not issue building permits) and neighboring cities run their own processes. Fort Worth is zoned, and parts of the city sit over the Barnett Shale where separate gas-well rules apply — confirm zoning and overlays before designing.
What requires a building permit in Fort Worth?
Under the City of Fort Worth construction codes (the 2021 International Codes with local amendments, plus the 2023 National Electrical Code), a permit is required before most construction, alteration, or demolition. Common triggers include:
Permit required
- New construction, additions, and tenant finish-outs
- Structural / load-bearing alterations and demolition
- Reroofing, window and door replacement, and exterior work
- Electrical service changes and most wiring alterations
- Mechanical / HVAC installations and changeouts
- Plumbing alterations, repipes, and water heaters
- Accessory structures over 120 sq ft or taller than 15 feet
- Swimming pools, signs, and solar PV
Typically exempt
- Painting, flooring, cabinetry, and cosmetic work
- Like-for-like minor repairs not altering structure or systems
- Small accessory structures under the size threshold (confirm setbacks still apply)
- Routine maintenance not extending or rerouting systems
Exemptions are narrow and scope-specific. When unsure, confirm with the building department before starting — see the penalty note below.
Get the permit issued before starting work. Building without one exposes the owner to stop-work orders and civil penalties, and can require retroactive permits and inspections. Apply through Accela first.
Who handles permitting in Fort Worth?
Permitting is administered by the Development Services Department. The CFW Permit Tool helps scope a project up front; residential and commercial applications use separate portals (use the commercial portal for residential buildings of three or more units).
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Development Services, 200 Texas Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102 |
| Phone | (817) 392-2222 (Development Services); inspections IVR (817) 392-6370 |
| Online portal | Accela Citizen Access + the CFW Permit Tool ("Scope my Project") |
| Zoning | Zoned city; confirm district and overlays before design |
| Notable overlay | Gas-well / urban-drilling rules over the Barnett Shale |
| Enforced code | 2021 International Codes with Fort Worth amendments; 2023 NEC |
Scope your project, then apply in Accela. The CFW Permit Tool identifies required permits, fees, timelines, and zoning for an address; you then apply and upload documents in Accela Citizen Access, pay fees (card payments incur a service fee), and schedule inspections online or by IVR.
Fort Worth building permit cost
Fort Worth building permit fees are set by the city fee schedule and based on the type and valuation of work, with separate fees for each trade. Development fees increased in recent schedules, and online card payments incur a service fee, so confirm current totals before budgeting.
Standard residential plan review runs about seven business days; commercial and plan-review projects take longer. A pre-development conference is available (for a fee) to scope complex projects early.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building / construction fee | Based on type and valuation of work; minimum fees apply |
| Trade permits (E / P / M) | Charged separately per trade unless rolled into a building permit |
| Plan review | Standard residential ~7 business days; commercial longer |
| Card service fee | A percentage service fee applies to online card payments |
| Pre-development conference | Optional paid consultation to scope complex projects |
| Work-without-permit | Stop-work orders and civil penalties |
Want a precise number for a specific Fort Worth project? Send us the scope and valuation and we'll return a fee estimate alongside a filing timeline.
Fort Worth trade permits
Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work generally needs its own permit and a state-licensed contractor registered with the City of Fort Worth, each filed in Accela.
Electrical permits
Required for service installations, panel upgrades, solar PV, and most wiring alterations, performed by a TDLR-licensed electrician registered with the city. Fort Worth enforces the 2023 National Electrical Code.
Plumbing permits
Required for new plumbing, repipes, water heater changeouts, fixtures, and gas piping, performed by a TSBPE-licensed plumber. Fees follow the city schedule with a per-permit minimum.
Mechanical (HVAC) permits
Required for HVAC changeouts, ductwork, and refrigeration, performed by a TDLR-licensed mechanical contractor. Specialized systems are permitted and inspected separately.
Miscellaneous & specialty
Reroofs, pools, signs, and solar are permitted separately. Fort Worth also regulates gas-well drilling over the Barnett Shale through a separate permitting process, and historic-district work carries added design review.
Verify your contractor's license. Texas licenses electricians (TDLR), plumbers (TSBPE), and HVAC/mechanical contractors (TDLR) at the state level, and they must register with the City of Fort Worth before pulling permits; Texas does not issue a statewide general-contractor license. The property owner is responsible for ensuring a permit is obtained.
How to get a building permit in Fort Worth
Scope the project & confirm zoning
Use the CFW Permit Tool to identify required permits, fees, and zoning for the address, and confirm the parcel is inside Fort Worth city limits.
Prepare your documents
Assemble the application, valuation, signed plans, energy-code documentation, and any commercial fire-suppression, accessibility, or landscape plans the scope requires.
Apply in Accela
Create or log into your Accela Citizen Access account and submit through the correct residential or commercial portal (commercial for buildings of 3+ units).
Plan review & corrections
Standard residential review runs ~7 business days; respond to any comments — revisions restart the review clock.
Pay fees & pull the permit
Pay the calculated fees online (a card service fee applies), download the permit card through Accela, and post it at the job site.
Schedule inspections through close-out
Request inspections through Accela or the automated IVR line. Clear all required inspections to obtain your Certificate of Occupancy or final approval.
Inspections in Fort Worth
Schedule inspections through Accela Citizen Access or the automated IVR line at (817) 392-6370. Requests submitted before 6:30 a.m. are generally scheduled the same business day; later requests go to the next business day. Post the permit card at the job site.
A re-inspection fee applies to failed inspections and must be cleared before a final inspection or Certificate of Occupancy can be requested.
Official Fort Worth permitting resources
- 🏛️ Fort Worth Development Services
- 💻 CFW Permit Tool ("Scope my Project")
- 📋 Accela Citizen Access
- 📘 Building & energy codes
- 🪪 Texas Dept. of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR)
- 🗺️ Fort Worth zoning
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Fort Worth's CFW Permit Tool, dual residential/commercial portals, and fast-but-strict residential review reward clean, complete submissions. Alliance Permitting is a permit expediter for Fort Worth — our permit expediting services pair AI-driven document review with experts who know Accela and the Development Services process, so your Fort Worth submissions move faster.
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Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Fort Worth because we deliver:
- Local expertise — we know Fort Worth Development Services, Accela, the CFW Permit Tool, and zoning review.
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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.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general informational purposes and reflects publicly available information believed accurate as of June 2026. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change; always confirm current details with the City of Fort Worth Development Services Department before filing. This is not legal advice.