PERMIT DRAWINGS · HOUSTON, TX
Permit drawings in Houston, TX, at a fixed price
In Houston, wind and coastal rules shape the drawings as much as the floor plan does. We draw the set to what the Houston Permitting Center reviews and quote it in writing within 2 working hours, with plan check corrections included.
- ✓ Plan check here: about 6 weeks
- ✓ Energy forms for climate zone 2A
- ✓ PDF for e-submittal plus DWG files
- ✓ Corrections answered free
What permit drawings cost in Houston
A permit set for a project in Houston, 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. Houston'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 Houston Permitting Center, phone (832) 394-9000. 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 Houston's 1,500 sq ft cap$1 per sq ft | 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 | $1 per sq ft |
| 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 Houston permit set different
Texas enforces the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as adopted locally, and Houston falls in climate zone 2A, which sets the insulation and window values on the sheets.
Seismic demand is low here, but wind isn't: coastal and hurricane-region wind loads drive the roof, wall and opening design, and many new structures and additions need an engineer's wind design.
For ADUs, Houston allows up to 1,500 sq ft and 30 ft in height, with 5 ft side and 5 ft rear setbacks, per our research. An ADU at that cap is billed at $1 per sq ft, so $1,500 for the drawings.
About 51% of homes in Houston sit in an HOA. If yours does, start the association's architectural approval at the same time as the permit; it runs on its own clock.
Parts of Houston fall inside a coastal overlay, which can add a separate review before the building permit. Check your parcel before you plan the schedule.
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 Houston, the sheets that change are the site plan (ADU setbacks of 5 ft side and 5 ft rear) and the energy forms for climate zone 2A.
Submitting in Houston
You (or your contractor) submit through Houston'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 Houston?
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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 Houston?
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About 6 weeks for a typical residential submittal, per our research in July 2026. Confirm with the Houston Permitting Center at (832) 394-9000, since workloads change.
Do I need an engineer in Houston?
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Often not for one- and two-story wood framing in Seismic Design Category A, unless you remove bearing walls. We tell you when we quote.
Which energy forms does Houston want with the drawings?
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REScheck or equivalent IECC compliance documentation for climate zone 2A, under the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as adopted locally. We prepare them with the set.
How big can an ADU be in Houston?
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Up to 1,500 sq ft, 30 ft tall, with 5 ft side and 5 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 · Dallas, TX · El Paso, TX · Corpus Christi, TX · Plano, TX · Stamp rules in Texas · All cities
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