Do I Need a Permit?

Pick the project and where the home is. You get a likely answer, what an inspector looks at, and the local office to confirm with before you start.

Where is the home?

Likely answer

Permit likely

  • Answer the size questions to see whether the model-code exemption could apply.

Confirm with

  1. Your city or county building department. It issues the building permit and decides what is exempt. Ask which code edition it uses and what local changes it made.
  2. Your zoning or planning office. Zoning sets height, setbacks from property lines and how much of the lot you can cover, even for exempt work.
  3. 811, call before you dig. Free utility marking. Call a few business days before you dig any hole.

What inspectors usually check

  • Footing holes before concrete
  • Ledger attachment and flashing
  • Framing, joist hangers and lateral load connectors
  • Guards, stairs and handrails at final

Questions to ask

  • Do I need a permit to build a deck at my address?
  • Which code edition do you use, and what local changes apply?
  • What drawings or documents do you need with the application?
  • Which inspections will I need, and how do I book them?

Code references

  • IRC 2021 R105.1, not yet reviewed: Building, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a home, or installing or changing its electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, needs a permit unless a listed exemption applies.
  • IRC 2021 R105.2, not yet reviewed: A deck that is freestanding (not attached to the house), does not serve an exit door, is no larger than 200 sq ft and no higher than this above grade.

This is a likely answer from the model building code, not a ruling. Rules vary by city and county, and only your building department can say what applies at your address. Code references are checked against the 2021 IRC and have not yet been reviewed by a licensed code official.

Deck calculator

Every project at a glance

This is a likely answer from the model building code, not a ruling. Rules vary by city and county, and only your building department can say what applies at your address. Code references are checked against the 2021 IRC and have not yet been reviewed by a licensed code official.

Permit likely

Build a deck

Inspectors check: Footing holes before concrete; Ledger attachment and flashing; Framing, joist hangers and lateral load connectors; Guards, stairs and handrails at final.

Deck calculator

Permit likely

Put up a shed or other detached building

Inspectors check: Setbacks from property lines; Foundation or anchoring; Framing at final.

Check before you start

Build a fence

Inspectors check: Height limits for front and back yards; Location against the property line; Pool barrier rules, if it encloses a pool.

Fence calculator

Permit likely

Build a retaining wall

Inspectors check: Footing and drainage behind the wall; Engineering for taller walls or walls under a load.

Often exempt, still confirm

Pour a patio, walkway or driveway

Inspectors check: Driveway apron or curb cut at the street; Drainage away from the house.

Concrete slab designer

Permit likely

Install a pool or hot tub

Inspectors check: Barrier, gate and alarm rules; Bonding and GFCI protection; Setbacks.

Check before you start

Paint, tile, flooring, cabinets or countertops

Inspectors check: None for finish work alone; Lead-safe practices on pre-1978 homes.

Paint calculator

Check before you start

Remodel a kitchen or bathroom

Inspectors check: Rough plumbing and electrical before the walls close; GFCI and AFCI protection; Exhaust fan ducted outside; Final.

Permit likely

Finish a basement or attic

Inspectors check: Egress window in any bedroom; Smoke and CO alarms; Insulation and fire blocking; Rough trades before drywall.

Permit likely

Remove or move a wall

Inspectors check: Beam and post sizing, often by an engineer; Temporary shoring; Framing before drywall.

Is this a DIY job?

Permit likely

Build an addition, garage or ADU

Inspectors check: Site plan and setbacks; Footings and foundation; Framing; Rough trades; Insulation; Final.

Permit likely

Replace a water heater

Inspectors check: Relief valve and discharge pipe; Venting, for gas units; Seismic strapping where required; Expansion tank where required.

Permit likely

Add a circuit, outlet or subpanel

Inspectors check: Rough wiring before walls close; Breaker and wire sizing; GFCI and AFCI protection; Final.

Is this a DIY job?

Check before you start

Swap an outlet, switch, light or faucet like for like

Inspectors check: None for a like-for-like swap in most places.

Permit likely

Replace a furnace, AC or heat pump

Inspectors check: Equipment sizing and clearances; Gas piping and venting; Disconnect and breaker size; Refrigerant work by a certified tech.

Permit likely

Run or change a gas line

Inspectors check: Pressure test before covering; Pipe sizing and shutoffs; Appliance connection.

Permit likely

Replace a roof

Inspectors check: Deck condition and nailing; Underlayment and ice barrier; Number of layers allowed; Flashing and ventilation.

Roofing calculator

Check before you start

Replace windows or exterior doors

Inspectors check: Header size if the opening changes; Egress size in bedrooms; Safety glass near doors, tubs and stairs; Energy rating.

Permit likely

Install solar panels

Inspectors check: Roof attachment and load; Fire setbacks on the roof; Disconnects and labels; Utility interconnection.

Permit likely

Tear down a building or garage

Inspectors check: Utility disconnects; Asbestos survey where required; Site cleanup.

The code limits it checks against

Our summaries of the 2021 IRC, not the code text. None has been reviewed by a licensed code official yet.

  • IRC 2021 R105.1: Building, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a home, or installing or changing its electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, needs a permit unless a listed exemption applies.
  • IRC 2021 R105.2 (200 sq ft): A detached one-story accessory building, such as a shed or playhouse, up to this floor area.
  • IRC 2021 R105.2 (7 ft): A fence up to this height. Zoning rules on height and setback still apply.
  • IRC 2021 R105.2 (4 ft): A retaining wall up to this height, measured from the bottom of the footing, as long as it holds back no extra load such as a driveway, slope or building.
  • IRC 2021 R105.2: Sidewalks and driveways. A city may still require a right-of-way or curb-cut permit.
  • IRC 2021 R105.2: Painting, wallpaper, tile, carpet, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work.
  • IRC 2021 R105.2 (30 in): A deck that is freestanding (not attached to the house), does not serve an exit door, is no larger than 200 sq ft and no higher than this above grade.
  • IRC 2021 R105.2 (24 in): A prefabricated, fully above-ground pool shallower than this.
  • IRC 2021 R105.2: Like-for-like repairs that do not change wiring, piping or structure, such as fixing a faucet leak, clearing a drain or swapping a worn part.

FAQ

Can this tell me for sure whether I need a permit?

No. It gives a likely answer from the model building code most US cities start from. Your city or county adopts its own edition and changes, so only its building department can say what applies at your address. The checker names the office to call.

What projects usually do not need a permit?

Under the 2021 IRC, painting, flooring, tile, cabinets and countertops, small detached sheds, low fences, short retaining walls and small freestanding low decks are often exempt. Many cities set tighter limits, and zoning rules can still apply.

What happens if I skip a permit I needed?

Common outcomes are a stop-work order, fines, having to open finished walls for inspection, and trouble when you sell or file an insurance claim.

Is my information sent anywhere?

No. The checker runs in your browser. Nothing is saved unless you choose to save it as a project.

Not sure you should do the work yourself? Is this a DIY job?