Compare Permit Requirements by City

See at a glance which cities require building permits for common home improvement projects. Data sourced from local municipal building codes.

City Deck Fence Shed Roof Pool Addition Electrical Bathroom
New York City, NY Yes
$700 – $2,100
 No No No Yes
$700 – $2,800
 Yes
$700 – $3,500
 No No
Los Angeles, CA No No No No No Yes
$1,000 – $4,000
 No No
Chicago, IL No Yes
$82 – $275
 No No No Yes
$440 – $1,320
 No No
Houston, TX No No No No No Yes
$150 – $500
 No No
Phoenix, AZ No No No No No Yes
$360 – $1,080
 No No
Philadelphia, PA No No No No No Yes
$400 – $1,200
 No No
Sacramento County, CA No No No No No Yes
$200 – $600
 No No
San Antonio, TX No No No No No Yes
$130 – $425
 No No
San Diego, CA No No No No No Yes
$850 – $3,400
 No No
Franklin County, OH No No No No No Yes
$300 – $1,000
 No No
Dallas, TX No No No No No Yes
$150 – $500
 No No
San Jose, CA No No No No No Yes
$480 – $1,440
 No No
Honolulu, HI No No No No No Yes
$300 – $1,000
 No Yes
$50 – $150
Austin, TX No No No No No Yes
$300 – $1,000
 No Yes
$50 – $150
Fort Worth, TX No No No No No Yes
$135 – $450
 No No
Jacksonville, FL No Yes
$80 – $150
 Yes
$80 – $150
 Yes
$80 – $300
 Yes
$200 – $600
 Yes
$200 – $1,500
 Yes
$80 – $170
 No
Columbus, OH No No No No No Yes
$300 – $1,000
 No Yes
$50 – $150
Indianapolis, IN No No No No No Yes
$300 – $1,000
 No Yes
$50 – $150
Charlotte, NC No No No No No Yes
$300 – $1,000
 No Yes
$50 – $150
San Francisco, CA No No No No No Yes
$600 – $1,800
 No No

Showing top 20 cities by population. Permit requirements depend on project specifics (size, location, scope). "Yes" means a permit is generally required; "No" means common exemptions apply. Use our free lookup tool for a personalized answer.

How to Read This Table

Yes — A building permit is generally required for this project type in this city. Fee ranges are shown where available.

No — Common exemptions exist. For example, many cities exempt fences under 6 feet or sheds under 200 sq ft.

— — We don't have specific local data for this combination yet. Results would fall back to IRC baseline rules.

Requirements can vary based on project specifics like size, height, location on property, and whether work is structural. For the most accurate answer, run a free permit lookup with your exact project details.

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