Irving, Texas Building Permit Guide

Irving issues building permits through the city’s Inspections Department (Permitting, Plan Review and Inspections divisions), on the second floor of City Hall, 825 W. Irving Blvd., (972) 721-2371, open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Applications, payments and inspection requests run on MGO — My Government Online. Building permits are required to erect, enlarge, alter, move, demolish or repair a structure in the city.

Irving has a homeowner rule with a specific carve-out worth knowing. If the homeowner plans to do the work themselves, they must have a homestead exemption filed with the Dallas Central Appraisal District before applying for a residential permit — except for roof permits.

The exemptions are clearly stated as well: permits are not required for cosmetic work such as painting, carpeting, and cabinetry, nor for replacing fixtures or appliances at existing connections — except water heaters. That water heater exception catches people who assume a like-for-like swap is exempt.

Applies inside Irving city limits in Dallas County. Grand Prairie, Dallas, Coppell, Farmers Branch, and Euless permit independently, and DFW International Airport property — part of which sits within Irving — runs under its own arrangements. Confirm the parcel before filing.

What requires a permit in Irving?

Irving requires a building permit to erect, enlarge, alter, move, demolish, or repair a structure. For most permits a plan showing the proposed changes is required, and the city publishes a residential brochure covering the detail.

The homeowner route is narrower than it first appears. It turns on a homestead exemption actually being filed with the Dallas Central Appraisal District before application — not simply on the property being the applicant’s residence.

Irving building department: who handles permitting

The Inspections Department handles plan review, permit issuance, and construction inspections inside Irving city limits, with the MGO portal carrying applications, payments and inspection requests. Contractors must be registered with the City of Irving, and the city checks state trade licences on every building permit application.

Irving publishes a residential brochure covering plan requirements for residential permits, which is the right reference before assembling a package on a home project.

In 2025, building permits issued in Irving authorized 103 new privately owned housing units, 69 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.

Irving permits: record types and what each covers

A building permit is one record among many. The Inspections Department issues work under separate record types inside MGO, and filing under the wrong one costs review time. Irving states both its trigger and its exemptions clearly — which makes the classification question answerable, provided you read the carve-outs.

Residential permit types

Commercial permit types

Roofing permits in Irving

Irving sits in Dallas County in the North Texas hail belt, far outside any coastal windstorm requirement. Hail drives reroof volume. Note that roof permits are the one homeowner category Irving does not gate behind a homestead exemption.

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

Irving permit cost and fees

Irving permit fees follow the city fee schedule and scale with the type and valuation of work, with separate trade permit fees and separate records for demolition and specialty work.

On a homeowner project, factor the homestead exemption status early. If the exemption is not on file with the Dallas Central Appraisal District, self-performing is not available and a registered contractor becomes a cost line that was not in the original plan.

Irving trade permits

Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work each need their own permit pulled by the state-licensed contractor for that trade, unless the homeowner qualifies under the homestead exemption route.

Irving permit application: how to apply step by step

Inspections in Irving

The Inspections Department performs construction inspections against the adopted codes, running the standard sequence with checkpoints set by the permit record — foundation, framing, rough-in across the trades, insulation, and final.

Schedule inspections in MGO. The cut-off for a same-day inspection is 6 a.m., Monday to Friday; inspections are not performed on weekends.

Keep the permit posted and approved plans on site, and address correction notices before requesting a re-inspection.

Irving permit search and official resources

• City of Irving — residential permits
• Irving — building permits and licenses
• Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
• Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners

Frequently asked questions

Who issues building permits in Irving?

City of Irving Inspections Department issues building permits for everything inside Irving city limits, handling plan review, permit issuance, and construction inspections. Work outside the city limits falls to Dallas County, and Texas counties have sharply limited building authority in unincorporated areas.

How do I get a permit in Irving?

Confirm the scope triggers a permit and that zoning allows it, prepare the plan set and site plan, file through MGO (My Government Online) with contractor licensure in place, respond to plan review comments, pay fees and take issuance, then run the inspection sequence through final. Contractor credentialing is the step most often missed and it blocks everything downstream.

What codes apply in Irving?

Texas has no mandatory statewide building code. Municipalities adopt and amend model codes themselves, and Irving enforces the 2024 IBC, IRC, IECC, IPC, IFGC, IMC, IEBC and ISPSC with Irving amendments, in effect since May 1, 2026 (Ordinance 2026-11253). The local amendments are where the binding requirements live, and they differ from neighboring cities working off the same model code.

Can I pull my own permit in Irving as a homeowner?

Only with a homestead exemption on file. If the homeowner is planning to do the work themselves, they must have a homestead exemption filed with the Dallas Central Appraisal District before applying for a residential permit — with one exception: roof permits. That makes the homeowner route narrower than it appears, because it turns on a documented exemption rather than simply owning and occupying the property.

Does replacing a water heater need a permit in Irving?

Yes. Irving does not require permits for cosmetic work such as painting, carpeting, and cabinetry, nor for replacing fixtures or appliances at existing connections — but water heaters are explicitly excepted from that exemption. A like-for-like water heater swap that would go unpermitted in some jurisdictions is permitted work here, and needs a TSBPE-licensed plumber unless the homeowner route applies.

Which portal does Irving use?

MGO — My Government Online. Building permits are applied for through the city’s online permit portal, and Irving publishes an Online Portal Tips page with instructions on creating an account and using the platform. For most permits a plan showing the proposed changes is required, and the city publishes a residential brochure covering what home projects need. The Inspections Department can be reached at (972) 721-2371.

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

Yes. Photovoltaic installations in Irving 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. Since September 1, 2025, Tex. Local Gov't Code §247.0025 (SB 1202) also permits third-party plan review and inspection of home backup power installations — generators and energy storage for one- and two-family dwellings at 600 volts or less — in place of jurisdiction review. Utility interconnection and Permission to Operate still run in parallel.

Does a roof replacement require a permit in Irving?

Yes, in most cases. A roof covering replacement requires a permit in most Texas municipalities including Irving, 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 Irving?

Residential work is generally a single-discipline review filed as a master permit with trades filed against it. Commercial work in Irving 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 Irving?

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 Irving?

It usually has to be refiled under the correct record type, which costs review time. Confirming the record type with the Inspections Department before filing is the cheapest step in the process.

Can I apply for all Irving permit types online?

Yes. Irving handles permit applications, payments and inspection requests through MGO, its online permit portal, and publishes Online Portal Tips covering account creation and platform use. For most permits a plan showing the proposed changes is required. Contractors must be registered with the city; call the Inspections Department at (972) 721-2371 with questions.

Simplify Irving permitting with Alliance Permitting

A clearly stated permit trigger, a homeowner route that turns on an appraisal district filing, and a water heater carve-out that catches almost everyone — Irving is well documented and specific about its edges. Alliance Permitting is a permit expediter for Irving: we file in MGO and get the scope classification right the first time.

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Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Irving because we deliver:

• Local expertise — we know the MGO workflow, the homestead exemption rule, and where Irving’s exemptions actually stop.
• Complete oversight — track every permit and inspection across all your jobs in one place.
• Complete submissions — AI pre-checks plus expert review catch issues before they become correction cycles.

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company: we prepare your paperwork, file it correctly, and coordinate with the authority having jurisdiction through issuance. 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 City of Irving Inspections Department before filing. This is not legal advice.