Who issues building permits in Austin?

The Austin Development Services Department (DSD) issues building permits in Austin.

How long does a commercial building permit take in Austin?

In the 90 days to October 29, 2026, the median commercial or multifamily building permit in Austin was issued 48 days after the application was filed, across 3,975 permits with an application date. Half took between 7 days and 150 days. Simple trade permits are usually faster than new construction.

How do I look up building permits in Austin?

Search the city's records at https://abc.austintexas.gov/citizenportal/app/public-search by address or permit number. US Permit Search groups every commercial and multifamily permit at an address into one project page, with the contractor and declared value.

How much does a building permit cost in Austin?

Austin publishes its permit fee schedule online. The official schedule: https://www.austintexas.gov/development-services/fees.

How to Get a Building Permit in Austin, TX (2026)

Where to apply and look up permits in Austin

Apply for a permitAustin Build + Connect (AB+C) ↗abc.austintexas.gov/
Look up a permitAB+C public permit search ↗abc.austintexas.gov/citizenportal/app/public-search
FeesOfficial fee schedule ↗www.austintexas.gov/development-services/fees
Open dataAustin building permit dataset ↗data.austintexas.gov/Building-and-Development/Issued-Construction-Permits/3syk-w9eu

Commercial and multifamily new construction, remodels, changes of use and certificates of occupancy go through Commercial Building Plan Review and need a permit. Only work on DSD's 'Work Exempt from Building Permits' list is exempt, such as one-story accessory structures up to 200 sq ft.

Austin Build + Connect (AB+C) is the City's permitting portal. Commercial applications are submitted through the Commercial Building Permit Web Form and invoices are paid in AB+C. A site plan, site plan correction or site plan exemption is required before a commercial building permit can be applied for.

Trade	Permits	Median days to issue	Median declared value
Electrical	1,112	50	$17.2K
Building	1,083	56	$650K
HVAC / Mechanical	892	15	$100
Plumbing	815	64	—
Demolition	71	6	$19.4K

How to get a building permit in Austin, Texas

Where to apply and look up permits in Austin

How to get a building permit in Austin, Texas

Where to apply and look up permits in Austin

How long commercial permits take in Austin, by trade

Most common commercial permit types

Commercial permits per month

Questions and answers