PERMIT DRAWINGS · EL PASO, TX
Permit drawings in El Paso, TX, at a fixed price
The Planning & Inspections Department typically turns residential plan check around in about 6 weeks. We draw the set in 5 to 10 business days and quote it in writing within 2 working hours, with corrections included.
- ✓ Plan check here: about 6 weeks
- ✓ Energy forms for climate zone 3B
- ✓ PDF for e-submittal plus DWG files
- ✓ Corrections answered free
What permit drawings cost in El Paso
A permit set for a project in El Paso, TX costs $1 per square foot of drawn floor area, with a $1,200 minimum, or $195 per sheet for new construction under 1,200 sq ft. That's our drawing fee only. El Paso's own permit and impact fees for a new ADU ran about $2,000 to $8,000 in our research (July 2026), paid to the city.
Residential permits here are reviewed by the Planning & Inspections Department, phone (915) 212-0104. Plan check takes about 6 weeks for a typical residential submittal, so from ordering drawings to first comments, plan on roughly 8 weeks.
| Project | Drawn area | Fixed fee | What sets the fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garage conversionProject minimum | 400 sq ft | $1,200 | Project minimum |
| New ADU at El Paso's 800 sq ft cap10 to 13 sheets × $195 | 800 sq ft | $1,950 to $2,535 | 10 to 13 sheets × $195 |
| Addition with existing rooms shown$1 per sq ft | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 | $1 per sq ft |
Local data last checked .
What makes a El Paso permit set different
Texas enforces the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as adopted locally, and El Paso falls in climate zone 3B, which sets the insulation and window values on the sheets.
Seismic Design Category C is low demand, so one- and two-story wood framing can often follow the code's prescriptive tables without an engineer, unless you're removing bearing walls or the city asks for calculations.
For ADUs, El Paso allows up to 800 sq ft and 15 ft in height, with 10 ft side and 10 ft rear setbacks, per our research. Any new ADU here is under our 1,200 sq ft threshold, so it's priced by sheet, typically $1,950 to $2,535.
Properties in historic districts go through design review on top of the building permit, which adds a step before plan check.
The full sheet list, and what our fee does and doesn't cover, is on the permit sets page. In El Paso, the sheets that change are the site plan (ADU setbacks of 10 ft side and 10 ft rear) and the energy forms for climate zone 3B.
Submitting in El Paso
You (or your contractor) submit through El Paso's permit portal. We deliver print-ready PDFs set up for electronic submittal, plus native DWG files.
When the reviewers send comments, forward the correction letter. We revise free, as many rounds as it takes, within the scope you approved.
Questions people ask before they order
How much do permit drawings cost in El Paso?
+
At ArchWorkPro, $1 per sq ft of drawn area with a $1,200 minimum, or $195 per sheet for new construction under 1,200 sq ft. City permit and impact fees for a new ADU here ran about $2,000 to $8,000 in our research, paid separately to the city.
How long does plan check take in El Paso?
+
About 6 weeks for a typical residential submittal, per our research in July 2026. Confirm with the Planning & Inspections Department at (915) 212-0104, since workloads change.
Do I need an engineer in El Paso?
+
Often not for one- and two-story wood framing in Seismic Design Category C, unless you remove bearing walls. We tell you when we quote.
Which energy forms does El Paso want with the drawings?
+
REScheck or equivalent IECC compliance documentation for climate zone 3B, under the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as adopted locally. We prepare them with the set.
How big can an ADU be in El Paso?
+
Up to 800 sq ft, 15 ft tall, with 10 ft side and 10 ft rear setbacks, per our research. Confirm current limits with the city before you design; we check them when we quote.
Related: What is in a permit set · For owner-builders · ADU plans · Grand Prairie, TX · Houston, TX · Dallas, TX · Corpus Christi, TX · Plano, TX · Stamp rules in Texas · All cities
Get your El Paso permit set quoted
Send the address, a sketch and rough dimensions. Within 2 working hours you get a fixed fee, the sheet list and a delivery date.
Request a Fixed Quote →