FIELD NOTES / PROPERTY RESEARCH
Austin permit search: how to check a renovated home's permit history
An Austin permit search starts at the Austin Build + Connect public search, the City of Austin's free record of building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits by address, which the City's residential plan review page says to use “to view permit history.” The City issued 7,913 residential building permits between September 2025 and August 2026, by our count of the Issued Construction Permits open dataset, and 243 residential new-construction permits in the 30 days to September 25, 2026. Here is where to search, how far back the records go, what each status means, which projects need a permit at all, and what the seller must tell you about work done without one.
By David Eimer · Austin Journal · 10 minute read · Published
The numbers
- Residential building permits issued, City of Austin
- 7,913As of September 2025 through August 2026
Our count from the Issued Construction Permits dataset: 3,169 new construction, 2,788 repair, 1,196 addition and remodel, 715 demolition.
Source: City of Austin Open Data ↗
- Residential permits of all types issued, City of Austin
- 39,879As of September 2025 through August 2026
Building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and driveway or sidewalk permits classed residential, computed from the same dataset.
Source: City of Austin Open Data ↗
- Residential new-construction building permits, trailing 30 days
- 243As of August 26 to September 25, 2026
Source: City of Austin Open Data ↗
- Plan review target, interior remodel or garage conversion
- 5 business daysAs of Effective July 1, 2026
New construction and additions: 10 business days. Express permits: typically same day.
Source: Austin Development Services ↗
- Interior remodel plan review base fee
- $120.78As of Fee schedule effective October 1, 2025
Addition or remodel base fee $179.30; new construction base fee $896.50; application processing fee $106.72.
Source: Austin Development Services ↗
- Age at which a demolition gets historic review
- 45 years or olderAs of City of Austin historic properties page, retrieved September 26, 2026
The Historic Landmark Commission reviews demolitions and relocations of 45+ year-old buildings eligible for landmark designation.
Source: City of Austin Planning ↗
Where do you run an Austin permit search?
An Austin permit search runs through three free City of Austin tools, and a buyer checking a renovated house should open all three. The first is the Austin Build + Connect portal, whose “Public Search function is available to search permits and case history (and does not require registration),” per the City's AB+C page; the residential plan review page says to “Use Public Search to view permit history” by completing the “Search by Property” fields and a date range. Every permit in the record links to a detail page there.
The second is Property Profile at maps.austintexas.gov/PropertyProfile, the City's parcel map. Its June 2026 layer list includes building, demolition, driveway and sidewalk, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and tree permits alongside zoning cases, floodplain, historic and appraisal-district parcel layers, so a permit can be seen on the lot it belongs to. The City notes that “some data may not reflect recent changes or updates.”
The third is the Issued Construction Permits dataset on the City's open data portal, which holds every building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and driveway or sidewalk permit the City has issued, with issue date, work description, valuation, contractor and current status, and a link back into AB+C for each record. The City's disclaimer says the data “are for informational use only and may differ from official department data,” so use it to find records and AB+C to confirm them. The property research desk lists the rest of the public records worth pulling for the same address.
Sources: Austin Development Services ↗ · City of Austin ↗ · City of Austin Open Data ↗
How far back do Austin permit records go online?
Austin's online permit record is thin before 1980, so an Austin permit search on a 1950s or 1960s house will not show its original construction permit. The Issued Construction Permits dataset holds records with issue dates as early as 1921, but our count of residential building permits by decade shows a handful in the 1970s, 61 in 1978 and 243 in 1979, before the record fills out in the 1980s.
Residential building permits in the City of Austin's online record, by decade issued
| Decade | Residential building permits in the dataset |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 315 (61 in 1978, 243 in 1979) |
| 1980s | 63,012 |
| 1990s | 44,218 |
| 2000s | 65,543 |
| 2010s | 99,521 |
| 2020s, through September 25, 2026 | 61,079 |
What that means for a buyer: a missing permit for work that plainly predates 1980 is a gap in the online record, not evidence that the work was unpermitted. For work in the last four decades, a missing record is a real question. Older paper records can be requested from the City; for a certificate of occupancy, the City's page says to email DSDCertificateofOccupancy@austintexas.gov with the address for up to six certificates and allow 1 to 5 business days, or file a Public Information Request for seven or more, which the City has ten business days to answer.
One older-house wrinkle has its own process. A residential building without a certificate of occupancy “may request an Amnesty Certificate of Occupancy by providing proof that the current building use existed on March 1, 1986, and no change of use has occurred since,” per the City. That covers the use of the building, such as a second unit, not the quality of any construction, and it is priced as a small project on the fee schedule. The older-home guide covers what else the age of a house changes.
Sources: City of Austin Open Data ↗ · Austin Development Services ↗
What do the permit statuses in an Austin search mean?
The status on an Austin permit record tells you whether the work was ever closed out, and it matters more than the issue date. The dataset carries each permit's current status, its expiration date (“the date on which the permit will/would have expire(d)”), and a completed date, and the status values on residential building permits issued since September 2021 fall into a few groups.
Current status of residential building permits issued in Austin since September 2021
| Status | Permits | What it tells a buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Final | 31,176 | The City closed the permit; a completed date is recorded |
| Active | 5,709 | Still open: work under way or inspections never called |
| Expired | 4,756 | Ran past its expiration date without being finaled; the City's workflow says prior permits must be resolved before a new application |
| Withdrawn | 673 | The applicant withdrew it; no permitted work |
| VOID | 126 | Cancelled by the City; no permitted work |
| Other (on hold, pending, inactive pending revision, cancelled) | 73 | Ask Development Services what the record means |
A Final status with a completed date means the City closed the permit after its inspections. Active means the permit is still open, which on a house already listed for sale is a question: either work is still under way or nobody called the last inspection. Expired means the permit ran past its expiration date without being finaled, and the City's plan review workflow lists “Expired Permits: resolve any prior permits using Public Search” as a step before a new application, so an expired permit is the next owner's problem to close. Withdrawn and void permits never became work.
Read the description and dates together. A 2019 building permit described as “interior remodel” with a Final status and a completed date says the City inspected something; it does not say the kitchen you are looking at is that something. Ask the seller for the permit number that matches each visible change, then find it in AB+C and read what the City approved.
Sources: City of Austin Open Data ↗ · Austin Development Services ↗
Which home improvements need a permit in Austin?
In the City of Austin a building permit is needed to “build, demolish, remodel, or perform any construction,” and the residential plan review division handles new construction, additions, interior remodeling and demolition of single-family and two-family houses and accessory buildings. The City's application forms cover garage conversions and porch enclosures, fences, pools and uncovered decks, relocations, total demolitions and an Express permit for minor repairs on lots outside the floodplain. Stand-alone electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits can be requested directly through the AB+C portal.
The City also publishes what does not need a building permit, and the list explains why a renovated house can have fewer permits than changes.
Residential work exempt from a City of Austin building permit, and work that needs one
| Exempt from a building permit | Needs a permit or review |
|---|---|
| One-story detached accessory structure of no more than 200 square feet (height and plumbing limits apply) | New construction, additions and accessory dwelling units |
| Fence not over 7 feet high | Interior remodeling and structural changes |
| Retaining wall not over 4 feet high | Garage conversions and porch enclosures |
| Deck of no more than 200 square feet and not over 30 inches above grade | Pools, uncovered decks above the exempt size, and total demolition |
| Sidewalk, driveway or concrete flatwork outside the public right-of-way | Stand-alone electrical, mechanical and plumbing work (trade permits through AB+C) |
| Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and countertops | Removal or heavy pruning of a tree 19 inches or more in diameter (tree ordinance review) |
| Asphalt shingles replacing asphalt shingles; roof coverings that do not affect the roof structure | Demolition or relocation of a building 45 years or older that is eligible for landmark designation (Historic Landmark Commission) |
| Replacing doors and garage doors of the same size and operation; window awnings; prefabricated pools under 24 inches deep | Any exempt category when the lot is in a flood hazard area |
The exemptions come with two conditions worth quoting: work exempt from a permit “must still comply with applicable Building Codes, City Codes,” and several exemptions do not apply “within a flood hazard area,” which is why the Austin flood zone map belongs in the same file. Two other reviews sit outside the building permit. Removing or heavily pruning a tree of 19 inches or more in diameter needs its own application, explained in the Austin tree ordinance guide, and the Historic Landmark Commission reviews demolitions and relocations of buildings 45 years or older that are eligible for landmark designation.
Sources: Austin Development Services ↗ · City of Austin ↗ · City of Austin Planning ↗
How much does an Austin residential permit cost, and how long does review take?
Austin residential permit fees are set by the Development Services fee schedule in effect since October 1, 2025, and plan review is billed by project type and size. An interior remodel starts at a $120.78 base fee, an addition or remodel at $179.30, and new construction at $896.50, each with per-square-foot steps above the base, plus a $106.72 residential plan review application processing fee. Garage conversions, porch enclosures, amnesty certificates of occupancy, fences and pools are billed at the $132.86 small-projects rate. The City notes that “permit fees are separate from permit application fees.”
City of Austin residential plan review and inspection fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential plan review application processing fee | $106.72 |
| New construction plan review, base fee (up to 1,000 sq. ft.) | $896.50, plus $0.1793 per sq. ft. over 1,000 |
| New construction plan review, 2,001 to 3,000 sq. ft. | $1,255.10 |
| Addition or remodel plan review, base fee (up to 100 sq. ft.) | $179.30, plus $1.793 per sq. ft. over 100 |
| Addition or remodel plan review, 501 sq. ft. and above | $1,075.80, plus $0.1485 per sq. ft. over 500 |
| Interior remodel plan review, base fee | $120.78 |
| Interior remodel plan review, 501 sq. ft. and above | $603.90, plus $0.594 per sq. ft. over 500 |
| Small projects plan review (garage conversion, porch enclosure, amnesty CO, fence, pool) | $132.86 |
| Express residential plan review | $106.72 |
| Demolition or relocation processing fee | $97.02 |
| Reinspection fee, per inspection | $76.23 |
| After-hours inspection, per hour | $157.34 |
Review times changed on July 1, 2026. The City's residential plan review page lists targets of 5 business days for demolitions, fences, garage conversions and porch enclosures and interior remodels, 10 business days for new construction and additions, 7 business days for update submittals, and “typically same day” for Express permits, with permit issuance taking 1 to 2 days after approval. Reinspections cost $76.23 each when work is incomplete, corrections were not made or the site was not accessible.
For a buyer these numbers set the scale of a fix. Permitting a modest unpermitted interior remodel after closing is a few hundred dollars in fees plus whatever an inspector requires opened up; permitting an addition that never had a permit means plans, a zoning review and possibly a floodplain or tree review on top. Neither number belongs in an offer until you know which one you are facing.
Sources: Austin Development Services ↗
What does a Texas seller have to disclose about unpermitted work?
A Texas seller must say whether they are aware of “room additions, structural modifications, or other alterations or repairs made without necessary permits or not in compliance with building codes in effect at that time.” That line is item 9 on the current TREC Seller's Disclosure Notice, which the Texas Real Estate Commission prepares under Section 5.008(b) of the Texas Property Code; the same item asks about “any notices of violations of deed restrictions or governmental ordinances affecting the condition or use of the Property.”
The disclosure is answered from awareness, so a “no” from a seller who bought the house already converted tells you nothing about the conversion. Compare the disclosure with three records: the AB+C permit history, the Property Profile map, and the appraisal record from the Travis Central Appraisal District, whose site offers a search of its property database. Where the house you toured has more finished space or more rooms than those records describe, ask for the permit number before you ask for a price.
Sellers gain from the same exercise. Running an Austin permit search on your own house before listing, closing any expired permit and disclosing what you find is cheaper than losing a buyer during the option period; the selling page shows where the disclosure sits in the listing timeline, and the zoning and deed restrictions guide covers the private rules that a permit search does not.
Sources: Texas Real Estate Commission ↗ · Travis Central Appraisal District ↗ · Austin Development Services ↗
How do you read a permit record for a renovated house?
Read an Austin permit record as a sequence, not a stamp. Each record in the City's dataset carries an applied date, an issue date, a work description, the permit type and work class, the job valuation the applicant declared, the contractor of record, the current status, the expiration date, the completed date if any, and whether a certificate of occupancy was required. The AB+C detail page adds the inspection history.
Start from the visible changes and work backward. A rear addition should show a building permit with an addition or remodel work class and, usually, matching electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits with issue dates close to it. A garage conversion should show a permit in the garage-conversion category; a relocated kitchen should show plumbing and electrical work. A new roof may show nothing at all, because replacing asphalt shingles with asphalt shingles is exempt, while a fence over seven feet or any deck above 30 inches should not be silent.
Then note the gaps in writing: which changes have a matching permit, which have a permit that was never finaled, and which have no record. Keep that list separate from the inspection report. A permit says what the City reviewed and when; a licensed inspector's report says what condition the house is in now; and neither says what you will be allowed to build next. The older-home guide explains how to brief the inspector with the permit list in hand.
Sources: City of Austin Open Data ↗ · Austin Development Services ↗
What should an Austin buyer do when the permit search comes up empty?
An empty Austin permit search is a question, not a verdict. First check the date: work that clearly predates 1980 will not be online, and the City can be asked for older records. Second check the address: the dataset uses the City's address format, so a unit number, a rear structure or a renumbered street can hide a record, and Property Profile lets you search from the map instead. Third check the scope: much cosmetic work is exempt and leaves no trail.
If the gap survives those checks, put it to the seller in writing and ask for the permit number, the contractor and any plans. If none exist, call Development Services at 512-978-4000 during business hours and ask what bringing that specific work into compliance would take, then decide whether the answer changes the price, the repair request or the decision to proceed. Do all of this inside the option period, while walking away still costs only the option fee.
If you want the permit history, the Property Profile layers and the appraisal record pulled and read for one address, bring the listing to David and he will put the questions to the right City office with you.
Sources: City of Austin Open Data ↗ · Austin Development Services ↗
Common questions
How do I look up a building permit in Austin?
Use the Public Search on the City of Austin's Austin Build + Connect portal, which needs no account: fill in the Search by Property fields with the address and a date range to see the permit history. Property Profile at maps.austintexas.gov/PropertyProfile shows the same building, trade, demolition and tree permits on a parcel map, and the Issued Construction Permits dataset on data.austintexas.gov lets you download every record for an address with a link back to AB+C.
How far back do City of Austin permit records go?
The City's online permit dataset has records dated as early as 1921, but residential building permits only become numerous around 1980: our count shows 61 issued in 1978, 243 in 1979 and 2,851 in 1980, against 99,521 across the 2010s. For work older than that, ask Development Services for paper records or request the certificate of occupancy by email, which the City answers in 1 to 5 business days.
Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen in Austin?
Painting, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and countertops are exempt from a City of Austin building permit, so a cosmetic kitchen refresh needs none. Moving walls, relocating plumbing or adding circuits is interior remodeling and trade work that does need permits; interior remodel plan review starts at a $120.78 base fee plus a $106.72 application fee, with a 5-business-day review target as of July 1, 2026.
How much is a building permit in Austin?
Under the Development Services fee schedule in effect since October 1, 2025, plan review for a new house starts at $896.50, an addition or remodel at $179.30, an interior remodel at $120.78 and a small project such as a garage conversion or fence at $132.86, each plus a $106.72 application processing fee and, for larger projects, a per-square-foot step. The City notes permit fees are billed separately from these plan review fees.
Can you sell a house in Texas with unpermitted work?
Yes, but the seller must disclose it. Item 9 of the TREC Seller's Disclosure Notice asks whether the seller is aware of room additions, structural modifications or other alterations or repairs made without necessary permits or not in compliance with the building codes in effect at the time. A buyer can then price the cost of permitting the work, ask the seller to permit it, or walk away during the option period.
Take this to your next conversation
- List every visible change (addition, garage conversion, moved kitchen, accessory building) and ask the seller for the permit number behind each one.
- Run the address through AB+C Public Search, Property Profile and the open dataset, and note which changes have a Final permit, an Active or Expired one, or none.
- Take the gaps to Development Services at 512-978-4000 and the inspector, and settle price or repairs before the option period ends.
Sources and review date
Sources checked . Planning suggestions are editorial guidance; current property facts and requirements need an address-specific check.
- Austin Development Services: Residential plan review ↗
- Austin Development Services: Austin Build + Connect (AB+C) ↗
- City of Austin: Residential building permits in Austin ↗
- Austin Development Services: Work exempt from building permits ↗
- Austin Development Services: Residential building plan review and permit fees (effective October 1, 2025) ↗
- City of Austin Open Data: Issued Construction Permits ↗
- City of Austin: Property Profile overview ↗
- City of Austin: Property Profile layers (June 2026) ↗
- Austin Development Services: Certificate of Occupancy ↗
- City of Austin Planning: Historic properties ↗
- Texas Real Estate Commission: Seller's Disclosure Notice (Form 55-1) ↗
- Travis Central Appraisal District: Home page and property search ↗