City Building Permits
Friendswood, TX Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in Friendswood, Texas. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
All properties within the incorporated City of Friendswood (spans Galveston and Harris counties).
- Department
- Community Development - Inspections and Permits
- Address
- Friendswood City Hall, 910 S Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, TX 77546
Online Permit Portal
Platform: CityWorks • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Review current adopted codes and permit requirements.
- Prepare all required plans and documentation.
- Register as a contractor or homeowner in the CityWorks portal.
- Submit permit application and plans through the portal.
- Community Development reviews completeness and routes to applicable departments.
- Respond to any review comments and resubmit revised plans.
- Pay permit fees and obtain permit.
- Schedule inspections through the online portal.
Typical processing time: 4-6 weeks for standard permits; varies for commercial.
General Requirements
Building permits are required for all construction within the City of Friendswood.
Required Documents
- Completed permit application
- Site plans and property survey
- Architectural and construction plans
- Engineering plans (if applicable)
- Project scope and cost estimate
- Contractor license and insurance
- Permit validity
- Permits must be obtained within specified timeframe; work must commence and complete per permit terms.
- Building code
- 2024 International Code family (IBC, IRC, IPC, IMC, IECC) plus 2023 National Electrical Code and 2024 NFPA Life Safety Code, effective March 1, 2026
- Owner-builder
- Owner-builders may pull certain residential permits; verify with Community Development.
- Contractor requirements
- Licensed contractors must maintain valid Texas license, current insurance, and city business license.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Community Development - Inspections and Permits to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- CityWorks Portal (online)
- Inspection hours
- Monday-Friday, standard business hours
Typical inspection sequence: Typical sequence includes foundation, structural, MEP rough, and final inspections.
Additional Resources
- Building code: 2024 International Code family (IBC, IRC, IPC, IMC, IECC) plus 2023 National Electrical Code and 2024 NFPA Life Safety Code, effective March 1, 2026
- Verify contractor license: TDLR License Lookup
- License lookup guide: Texas Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Texas Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Texas hub: Texas Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Community Development - Inspections and Permits before applying.
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