Overview
Dallas Planning and Development uses DallasNow for permit submission. Select the correct residential, commercial or trade record and the City’s official checklist. Most affected commercial fees are collected at the end of pre-screen under the October 2025 payment-process change; residential and linked-trade payment steps differ.
Permit authority
Dallas Planning and Development
Permit portal
DallasNow
Trades
Select a trade for its permit path, licensing, code resources, fees and filing pitfalls.
Electrical permits and related records
Dallas / Texas TDLRApplicable Code
Dallas Chapter 56 electrical amendments; confirm filing-date and state NEC requirements.
License Requirement
Texas electrical credentials and Dallas registration; homeowner work requires the Chief Electrical Inspector’s qualification determination.
License Fee
TDLR credential fees and Dallas registration instructions
CEUs
4 hours for covered individual licenses; contractor licenses exempt under TDLR guidance.
Permit Fee
Standalone alteration minimum $175; $125/trade inspection; $15 technology; other review/handling charges may apply.
Plan Review Time
DallasNow record review; eligible linked trades have no separate permit/technology charge.
Common Pitfalls
- Wrong punctuation in the primary record number breaks the trade link.
- A contractor’s registration must be active when attached to the application.
Permit-to-closeout workflow
Choose the DallasNow record
Identify residential/commercial work and the project-specific checklist.
Submit complete documents
Provide scope, owner/applicant contacts and required plans.
Complete screening and review
Resolve comments and pay assessed charges; commercial early collection follows pre-screen.
Link the trade records
Each trade enters the exact primary number rather than creating an unrelated duplicate.
Coordinate inspections
Use each trade record; plumbing and mechanical rough/final visits must be paired.
Close out and confirm use
Clear required finals and establish whether a Certificate of Occupancy is needed.
Permit fees and worked estimates
Use the City-linked schedule effective July 1, 2025. Estimates below use specified components, not a guaranteed project invoice.
| Trade | Permit fee | License fee |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical permits and related records | Standalone alteration minimum $175; $125/trade inspection; $15 technology; other review/handling charges may apply. | TDLR credential fees and Dallas registration instructions |
| Plumbing, gas and inspections | Standalone alteration minimum $175; $125/trade inspection; $15 technology; gas/review scope may add charges. | State credential and City plumbing registration requirements |
| Mechanical and refrigeration permits | Standalone alteration minimum $175; $125/trade inspection; $15 technology; other applicable charges excluded. | TDLR ACR credential and Dallas registration instructions |
| Fire alarms and suppression plans | Alarm review: ≤10 devices $75, 11–25 $100; sprinkler review max($0.015/sq ft, $278). Permit/other charges extra. | Applicable fire credential and City registration service |
| Building permits and primary records | New dwelling 2,351–10,500 sq ft: area × $0.077 + $800; review/inspection/other fees separate. | City contractor-registration service and required credentials |
Submission checklist
Homeowner and licensing rules
Dallas’s FAQ allows owner-performed general building work after obtaining proper permits. Plumbing/mechanical homeowner eligibility depends on ownership, occupancy and homestead status. Electrical owner work requires demonstrating competence to the Chief Electrical Inspector. The gas-test service separately documents residential homeowner conditions; commercial property requires the licensed route.
Codes and local amendments
Use the City’s Current City Codes page for Dallas construction amendments and Chapter 52 administration. It separately identifies building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and fire provisions and their dates. Confirm any filing transitions and state trade requirements rather than assigning one code year to all disciplines.
Linkage and enforcement pitfalls
Inspections and closeout
Schedule from the relevant trade record and complete required stages and finals. Effective June 1, 2026, plumbing and mechanical rough inspections must occur together, and their final inspections must also be scheduled together. Confirm applicable Certificate of Occupancy requirements before use; residential exceptions are not commercial occupancy approval.