Deck permit checklist — Houston, Texas
Assembled from Houston’s own published permit rules. Every line below is quoted from a city document and linked to it. Nothing here is generated, estimated, or inferred from another jurisdiction.
Do you need a permit?
Houston requires a permit for a deck.
Houston's amendment of Section R105.2 to the 2021 International Residential Code drops the permit for a deck of 200 square feet or less that nowhere rises more than 30 inches off the ground, stands clear of the house, and is not the landing for the required exit door.
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Sources
- deck — permit rules ↗verified August 2026
Other permits Houston publishes rules for
Listed because the city publishes a separate rule for each type — not because this project necessarily triggers one. Whether it does depends on your scope of work.
- Fence permit checklist
- Shed permit checklist
- Water heater permit checklist
- Re-roof permit checklist
- Retaining wall permit checklist
- Electrical work permit checklist
- General building work permit checklist
BuildSpec is a reference, not the authority having jurisdiction. Confirm requirements with Houston before you build.