Small Business Permitting

The City of Austin Development Services Department helps small business owners ensure their building projects comply with the City's codes.  This page includes resources for small businesses as they navigate the development process.

What you will find on this page:

• About the Development Process
• Permit Types
• Regulations and Limitations for a Home Business
• Appointments
• Resources

About the Development Process

The development process in the City of Austin is led by the Development Services Department and our 12 partner departments. There are three main phases of the development process: Create Your Project, Review and Revise, and Build and Inspect. While each project is unique, our Understanding the Development Process webpage and video series provide an overview of each phase.

Visit the Understanding the Development Process webpage to learn more. 

Permit Types

Site Plan, Demolition, Sign, and Mobile Retail are some permit types that may be needed for your small business. View a list of development-related permits on the Types of Permits webpage to learn more about each, including how to apply. For a list of work that does not require a permit, visit Work Exempt from Building Permits. 

Types of Permits webpage

Most common permit types

Alcoholic Beverage Permits

Name	Description	How to Apply
Alcoholic Beverage	Certification from the City is required on a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission application in order to obtain a license to sell alcoholic beverages at a place of business located in the City of Austin.	Email completed application to Bryan Walker
BYOB Permit	Required when an establishment not licensed or permitted by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission allows its patrons to bring their own alcoholic beverages onto the premises for consumption.	Email completed application to Bryan Walker

Austin Fire Permit

Name	Description	How to Apply
Hazardous Materials Storage (Above Ground)	Required for all businesses that are storing or using hazardous materials above-ground.	AB+C Portal

Austin Water Permits

Name	Description	How to Apply
On-Site Sewage Facilities (Septic Tanks)	Required for On-Site Sewage Facilities (septic tanks) located within the City of Austin full purpose jurisdiction and annexed areas.	Email completed documents to OSSF
Wastewater Discharge Permits	Required to discharge any industrial wastewater into the City's wastewater collection system. Different permits are issued based on the nature of the business and the volume and characteristics of the wastewater to be discharged.	Contact the Pretreatment Program office as soon as possible at 512-972-1060 (option #5) and mail completed application to: City of Austin / Austin Water Utility Special Services Division / Office of Industrial Waste 3907 S. Industrial Drive, Suite 100 Austin, TX 78744-1070
Water/Wastewater Tap	Required for: Permanent water and/or wastewater service and the installation of a permanent water meter Permanent installation of a reclaimed water service line and meter Temporary hydrant-mounted water meter Temporary truck-mounted water meter	AB+C Portal

Commercial Building Permits

Name	Description	How to Apply
Building Permit	Required to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, improve, or convert any building or structure within the City's zoning jurisdiction or in a Municipal Utility District (MUD) if the consent agreement between the MUD and the City requires insurance of a permit prior to construction.	Commercial Building Permit Web Form
Demolition	Required for all total demolitions and qualifying partial demolitions that remove more than half of exterior walls.	Commercial Building Permit Web Form

Environmental Permits

Name	Description	How to Apply
Hazardous Materials Storage	Required if Underground Storage Tank Facility (UST) is located within the City of Austin UST Program jurisdiction and using a UST to store regulated materials.	Email completed application to UST@austintexas.gov
Underground Storage Tank Construction	Required for: New facility construction (includes Hazardous Materials Interceptor (HMI)) Remodel of a UST Facility (addition or replacement of whole system components, e.g., tanks and/or lines) Manway Construction (installation, repair, or replacement of spill buckets, Submersible Turbine Pump (STP), or Under Dispenser Containment (UDC) sumps) Repair/maintenance of existing UST facility Permitted tank removal/closure Ghost Tank or Waste Oil Tank Removal / Closure	Email completed application to UST@austintexas.gov

Mobile Retail (Non-Food) Permit

Name	Description	How to Apply
Mobile Retail (Non-Food)	Required for mobile retail establishments which sell non-food items and services to customers from a moveable vehicle or trailer that routinely changes locations.	AB+C Portal

Sign Permit

Name	Description	How to Apply
Sign (Awning, Freestanding, Projecting, Roof, Wall)	Required for outdoor signage.	AB+C Portal

Site Plan Permit

Name	Description	How to Apply
Site Plan	Required to establish the land use and any site development work on a non-single family residential property.	Site Plan Applications

Regulations and Limitations for a Home Business

Appointments

The Development Process Team assists small business owners and renters with high-level process questions with proposed improvements to their businesses.

Expected Appointment Duration: 20 minutes

Resources

• Economic Development Department Small Business Resources
• Small and Minority Business Resources Department
• Business Incentives
• Community Navigator Program
• Adult and Child Care Permitting
• Sign Permits
• Mobile Retail Permits
• Understanding Austin's Zoning/Rezoning Process