Uvalde, Texas Building Permit Guide

In the City of Uvalde, building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits come from the Planning & Development Department at City Hall, 101 E. Main Street (830-278-3316, permits@uvaldetx.gov). Fees are set by the square foot: a new house is $0.15 per sq ft, so a 2,000 sq ft home costs $300 before trade permits. The City checks the site before issuing a permit, and inspections are booked by calling City Hall at least 24 hours ahead.

What requires a permit in Uvalde?

The City requires a permit before anyone builds, enlarges, alters, repairs, moves or demolishes a building, changes its occupancy, or re-roofs it, and before installing or changing electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems. The 2026 permit checklists list the jobs the City prices:

Do not start work until the City has approved the checklist form. Any work done without the required permits doubles all permit fees.

Who handles permits in Uvalde?

Planning & Development runs building permits, inspections, zoning, floodplain management and code enforcement inside the city limits; the building official issues the permits. The City publishes a Zoning, Boundary and ETJ map (updated August 22, 2026) to check which side of the line a property is on. The department also supports the Planning Commission, Board of Adjustment, Building Standards board and Historic Preservation Board, which approves exterior changes in the historic district.

The septic system itself is not a City permit: the Uvalde County Sanitarian (66 Military Lane, 830-900-6558) is the state’s authorized agent for on-site sewage facilities across all of Uvalde County, city limits included, so a new or repaired system is permitted there, while the $20 septic charge is a separate line item on the City’s plumbing permit checklist.

Uvalde permit forms and contractor registration

Each permit is a checklist form: the 2026 General Residential and General Commercial Building Permit Applications, the Electrical-Mechanical Permit Application and the Plumbing Permit Application, plus a Building Moving Permit Application and step-by-step instructions for an electrical meter loop permit. Forms are on the Planning & Development Forms & Applications page.

Contractor registration: HVAC contractors, general contractors, roofers, irrigation installers, backflow testers, master electricians, solar and sign electricians and master plumbers register with the City. Email the 2026 registration form to permits@uvaldetx.gov with a copy of the master or journeyman licence, a driver’s licence and a liability certificate made out to the City of Uvalde. The master must sign the registration and every single-trade permit application by hand; stamps, faxes and copied signatures are refused.

Homeowners: electrical, mechanical and plumbing work must be done by a licensed contractor. The one exception is a plumbing permit on the owner’s homestead for work the owner does personally, using the Homeowner Plumbing Affidavit.

Permit costs and fees in Uvalde

A 2,000 sq ft house therefore has a $300 building permit fee, with the electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits priced separately.

What to submit

• The completed checklist form for the job, with the owner’s and contractor’s details, square footage and estimated cost
• A set of plans for any new structure, including additions
• A 911 address for all new construction
• An asbestos check before any commercial remodel or demolition
• A load or specification sheet for every mechanical installation
• For a moved building: a scale site plan (footprint, setbacks, driveways, easements, utilities, curb cuts) and a photo of the building

Before issuing a permit, the City inspects the site, including the survey markers for new buildings, additions, carports, garages, fences and slabs, and checks zoning, setbacks, easements, the historic district and the floodplain. The permit can be issued within 24 hours of that checklist inspection.

How to get a building permit in Uvalde

Inspections in Uvalde

Once the permit is issued, call City Hall at least 24 hours before each inspection. Do not order concrete until the City has approved the foundation and rebar. New plumbing, including sewer, waste and vents, must be tested with a water column. Permits are good for six months, and a trade re-inspection costs $15.

Electric service: inside city limits, AEP connects power only after a City inspection. The customer gets an ESID number from the electric provider, a Texas master electrician checks or upgrades the meter and pulls the meter loop permit at City Hall, and the City inspector leaves a green tag on the meter and emails the result to AEP, which then has up to 15 days to connect. Meters under 200 amps must be upgraded first.

Local rules worth knowing in Uvalde

One home per lot: only one residence is allowed on each lot, and a garage, storage building or shed cannot be converted into a dwelling.

Fences and corners: privacy fences may not extend past the edge of the house or block drivers’ view, and corner lots have setbacks on both street sides.

Moving buildings: the route must be approved in advance by City departments and utility companies, and a building moved into the city must be brought up to current building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and fire codes within 180 days. House movers must be registered and insured.

Water: since August 6, 2026 the City has been in Stage 2 water restrictions, with lawn watering allowed only between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. The City tracks backflow prevention devices through an outside service, SC Tracking Solutions.

Codes: the City has adopted the 2021 ICC codes; a job already in progress may continue under the code in force when its permit was pulled.

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

Uvalde official resources

• Uvalde Planning & Development Department
• Planning & Development forms and applications
• 2026 residential building permit checklist (PDF)
• 2026 commercial building permit checklist (PDF)
• Electrical and mechanical permit checklist (PDF)
• Plumbing permit checklist (PDF)
• 2026 contractor registration (PDF)
• Steps for an electrical meter loop permit (PDF)
• Building moving permit application (PDF)
• Uvalde zoning, boundary and ETJ map
• Uvalde Code of Ordinances

Uvalde permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Uvalde?

$0.15 per square foot for a new house or addition and $0.10 for a remodel or re-roof; commercial new construction is $0.30 per square foot.

Do I need a permit to re-roof in Uvalde?

Yes. Re-roofing is named in the City’s permit rule and costs $0.10 per square foot.

Can I do my own plumbing or electrical work?

Only plumbing, on your own homestead, using the Homeowner Plumbing Affidavit. Electrical and mechanical work must be done by licensed contractors.

How long is a permit good for?

Six months.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call City Hall at 830-278-3316 at least 24 hours ahead.

What happens if I start without a permit?

All permit fees are doubled.

How do I get power turned on at a new or reconnected meter?

Have a master electrician pull a meter loop permit at City Hall; after the City inspection passes, AEP has up to 15 days to connect.

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