City Services

Information on building inspections, commercial site and subdivision inspections, environmental inspections, and utility cut inspections performed by the Development Services Department.

The Land Use Review Division reviews and permits site plan and subdivision applications for compliance with Chapters 25 and 30 of the Land Development Code. 

The City of Austin offers a variety of permit programs for businesses that would like to offer outdoor seating or retail options for their customers, including sidewalk cafes, street patios, and parking lot patios. 

Owners of Short-Term Rentals (STRs) are required to obtain an operating license annually (Ordinance No. 20160223-A.l). This law applies to all properties (including rooms and guest houses) rented for less than 30 consecutive days.

The Development Process Team helps homeowners and small businesses navigate the development process. The Development Process Team answers questions about permits and City code, connects customers with technical experts across the City, and offers helpful tools and resources for customers who may be less familiar with the permitting and development process. 

All private haulers that collect, remove, or transport waste, recycling, and/or organic/compost within the City of Austin for a fee must obtain a private hauler license (City of Austin Code 15-6, Article 3).

Water Quality/Drainage reviewers in the Land Use Division perform pre-construction review for water quality and drainage for site plans and subdivision plans to assure compliance with the Land Development Code.

A boarding house is a building that is not a hotel, motel, bed & breakfast, or short-term rental that provides lodging (with meals or compensation) for 16 or more adults. A license is required to operate a boarding house in commercial or residential properties. 

The Fiscal Surety Office accepts, monitors, and releases fiscal surety payments for improvements to environmental, health, safety controls, and public infrastructure.

City code requires proper addressing of boat dock structures on Lake Austin, Lady Bird Lake, and Lake Walter E. Long. The City of Austin's Boat Dock Registration Program improves boat dock visibility for public safety personnel when responding to emergency calls for service.

Citizen Connect is an online tool (replacing Austin Code & Permit Tracker) that allows searches of complaint cases by address, case number or various region filters.

The City of Austin has adopted laws regulating the operation of alarm systems. The City of Austin requires an alarm permit for each residence or business that operates an alarm system in the Austin Police Department jurisdiction. The Alarm Permit Ordinance is administered by the City of Austin Development Services Department. 

The Expedited team includes specialized reviewers that represent the following review disciplines: Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Electric, Structure, Fire, Health, Industrial Waste, Arborist and Zoning. Applicants and their consultants will attend a pre-scheduled, single-review session with the Expedited team ready to make on-the-spot decisions and changes as needed. Contractors and owners will be encouraged to attend the review session. If the plans meet the respective codes and ordinances, permits can be issued following the review session.

Contact DSD Code Compliance and talk to an experienced facilitator who can help you with general code questions, provide resource guidance, and give updates on your existing cases. DSD Code Connect is here to inform, guide, and educate!

For more information about registration, visit our Contractor Registration webpage. To make changes to a permit, reactivate an expired permit, or even extend the permit's expiration, please see the Modify a Permit webpage.

Building Plan Review is responsible for reviewing and approving residential and commercial building plans for compliance with applicable codes and regulations. Once a building plan is approved, a building permit is issued by Building and Trade Contractor Services, along with applicable trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and irrigation). Depending on the type of work that is permitted, building inspections may be required during construction. Once the permitted work is completed, a final inspection is required.

Small cell facilities are low-powered antennas that provide cellular and data coverage to smaller geographic areas, supplementing the larger cellular network and improving service for wireless customers.

The Community Tree Preservation Division administers the City's tree regulations by performing tree reviews, permitting, and inspections, and implements the Urban Forest Master Plan. The division serves to cultivate a relationship between Austin residents and their trees by fostering a resilient community forest accomplished through an interconnected mix of regulations, outreach, planning, and community partnerships.

General Permits are a specific type of site development review, permitting, and inspection process for City of Austin Departments and Franchised Utilities. General Permits allow infrastructure improvements, maintenance, and new installations on City of Austin-owned property or within easements dedicated to the City of Austin.

Land Development Information Services (LDIS) provides development consulting services and business-related permitting services. They will answer your questions and make sure you are knowledgeable about the procedures and requirements that apply to your project. Previously known as the Development Assistance Center (DAC), the unit was renamed in summer 2022 to better reflect the team's role in the development process.