In University Park, building permits come from the City’s Community Development Department, which works from the Peek Service Center at 4420 Worcola Street. Since January 1, 2025 every building application, including remodels, additions and detached accessory buildings, has had to pass a mandatory completeness meeting with the Building Permit Office before it enters plan review. A new house costs $1.15 per square foot plus a $300 plan review fee.
What requires a permit in University Park?
All new construction needs a permit, as do most remodels and additions. Building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits are separate, and complete demolition and moving a building also need permits.
Permit needed
- New houses, additions, remodels and detached accessory buildings
- Window replacement in many cases
- Replacing a water heater
- Adding a permanently wired light fixture, or moving or adding an outlet
- Changes to a plumbing, mechanical or electrical system
- Re-roofing, fences, lawn sprinklers, pools and spas
- Retaining walls and concrete flatwork in the right-of-way
- Signs, temporary trailers and storage boxes, special events
- Demolition and moving a building
Usually no permit
- Painting, wallpapering and similar finish work
- Like-for-like repair or replacement of fixtures, such as a faucet or a switch
The City treats demolition of more than half of a structure (weighted 50% exterior walls, 25% foundation, 25% roof) as a full teardown, so the building must be rebuilt to current building and zoning codes. Nothing may be built over a utility easement. If you are unsure, call 214-987-5411.
Who handles permits in University Park?
The Community Development Department enforces the building codes and ordinances, reviews all residential and commercial building requests, issues permits and inspects the work. It also keeps the City’s floodplain records. University Park lies entirely within Dallas County.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Permit office | Community Development, Peek Service Center, 4420 Worcola St., Dallas, TX 75206 |
| Hours | Permits issued 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday |
| Phone | 214-987-5411 |
| Email for plan files | permits@uptexas.org |
| Online portal | MyGov contractor portal (applications, inspections, results) |
| City Hall | 3800 University Blvd., University Park, TX 75205 (214-363-1644) |
Applications, registration and who can pull a permit
Contractors, an agent or the homeowner can obtain a building permit, but plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits must be pulled by licensed contractors. Trade contractors register with the City on its Contractor Registration form with a clean copy of their state licence, in person or through the MyGov portal; the registration expires on the same date each year as the state licence. Registering in the portal is what lets a contractor apply for permits, schedule inspections and see results.
The City’s forms include the Building Permit Application, Certificate of Occupancy Application, Fence Permit Application, Concrete Bond Form, Energy Packet, Swimming Pool Agreement and a deed restriction for kitchens in accessory buildings. Handouts cover commercial plan requirements, demolition, fences, pools, maximum impermeable surface coverage and stormwater (SWPPP) controls.
Home backup power: since September 1, 2025, a generator or battery backup installer may hire a third-party provider for plan review and inspection. The City aims to process those applications within two business days. Electrical panel and gas meter upgrades still need their own permits and City inspections.
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Get a free quote →Permit costs and fees in University Park
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| New house | $1.15 per sq ft plus $300 non-refundable plan review |
| Residential addition, remodel or repair | $0.80 per sq ft plus $200 plan review; $300 minimum |
| New or altered non-residential building | 0.75% of valuation; $300 minimum |
| Mechanical, electrical, plumbing or concrete, new house | $0.08 per sq ft under roof each; $75 minimum |
| Mechanical, electrical, plumbing or concrete, residential remodel | $0.08 per sq ft of the area involved; $50 minimum |
| Major / minor MEP work | $0.15 per sq ft affected / $150 |
| Residential re-roof, fence or lawn sprinkler | $150 each |
| Pool or spa | $300 each |
| Right-of-way or concrete flatwork | $200 |
| Demolition, residential / non-residential | $250 / $500 |
| Sign | $75 |
| Temporary trailer or storage box; special event | $200 each |
| Stop-work fee | $200 |
For a 3,000 sq ft house, the building permit fee is $3,450 plus the $300 plan review fee, before the separate trade and concrete permits. A permit with no inspection for 60 days generally expires.
What the residential plan submittal needs
On the day you submit, email the digital files to permits@uptexas.org as one zip containing five files: the permit applications for the builder and the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and concrete contractors; the architectural and structural plans with the engineer’s letter and soil report; the survey; the right-of-way plan (and basement drain plans if there is a basement); and the energy forms. Bring one bound paper set printed at 24 x 36 inches.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Plans
- Survey by a Texas licensed surveyor with the neighbors’ and your proposed slab elevations
- Floor plan at 1/8 inch scale; electrical plan with smoke and CO detectors
- Door and window schedules, stair and handrail details
- Elevations with wall heights and overall height
- Engineered framing and shear wall plans
- Foundation plan sealed by a Texas engineer, with a soil-specific engineer’s letter
Site and lot
- Site plan with build lines, setbacks, the 40 ft rear yard and 42% lot-depth lines
- Impermeable surface calculations for the whole lot and the front yard
- Rear-half structure coverage, counting anything 30 inches or taller
- Two required 6-inch trees and the mechanical equipment locations
- Right-of-way plan with meters and laterals (none in the driveway) and the alley trash inset
- Soil test report and 2021 IECC energy report
A stormwater pollution prevention plan goes to Public Works when more than one acre is disturbed, and erosion control is required on every lot. Some smaller projects can be permitted over the counter.
How to get a building permit in University Park
Contractors upload the registration form and state licence; the portal handles permits and inspections.
Follow the Residential Plan Submittal Packet, which also applies to remodels, additions and accessory buildings.
The Building Permit Office checks the documents for completeness; bring your design professionals.
Send the zip to permits@uptexas.org on submittal day; accepted applications join the plan review queue.
Before work starts, send all eight immediate neighbors the builder’s name and contact details.
Book each inspection through the portal and pass the final inspection to close the permit.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in University Park
Inspections are scheduled and results checked online through the MyGov portal. The owner is responsible for making sure each inspection is called in at the right stage, even when the contractor books it. A retaining wall, for example, is inspected at the footing, after block and steel are placed but before grouting, and after backfill.
A new house needs a 2021 IECC energy compliance certificate before the final inspection. The project is not legally complete until it passes the final, and a permit with no inspections for 60 days generally expires; the City will help reactivate it.
Job site rules and local details
Work hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday, unless the Community Development Director allows otherwise. No construction on Sundays or on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Site conditions: construction fencing stays on the lot with gates swinging inward, dumpsters come from the City’s franchisee, and contractor signs are not allowed in residential districts. Deliveries must not block lanes, alleys or driveways or leave mud on the pavement.
Floodplain: parts of the city along Turtle Creek are in the 100-year floodplain, where new development is restricted; check the City’s flood map or call Community Development.
Codes: the 2021 International Codes and 2020 National Electrical Code took effect on January 1, 2023, with City amendments.
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
University Park official resources
- University Park building permits
- New residential plan submittal packet (PDF)
- Building permit fee list (PDF)
- Commercial building plan requirements (PDF)
- Contractor registration form (PDF)
- MyGov contractor portal
- Adopted codes and ordinances
- Job site rules
- Floodplain management
- Third-party backup power review
- University Park Code of Ordinances
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →University Park permit FAQs
How much is a building permit for a new house in University Park?
$1.15 per square foot plus a $300 non-refundable plan review fee; trade and concrete permits are extra.
Is there a meeting before plan review?
Yes. Since January 1, 2025, every building application goes through a mandatory completeness meeting with the Building Permit Office before it is accepted.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater or windows?
A water heater replacement needs a permit, and window replacement often does. Painting and like-for-like fixture repairs normally do not.
Can a homeowner pull a permit?
Yes, for building work, but plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits must be pulled by licensed contractors.
How much is a fence or roof permit?
$150 each for residential work.
What are the construction hours?
7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday; no work on Sundays or listed holidays.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about University Park permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.