Building permits in Arlington, TX

Short answer: In Arlington, permits are issued by City of Arlington Planning & Development Services; of the 6 common projects we checked, 2 always need a permit, 0 do not, and 3 depend on the details (1 unverified).

Permitting authority: City of Arlington Planning & Development Services. Arlington, Texas. Structures may not be placed in setbacks or utility easements, even when no permit is needed.

Permit rules in Arlington
Project	Answer	Verified
Deck	Depends on your project No permit for an uncovered deck or patio 30 in or less above grade, though setback and drainage rules apply. Higher or covered decks need on…	2026-10-19
Fence	Permit required Yes for a new fence. Repairing or replacing less than 50% of one side of an existing fence needs no permit.	2026-10-19
Interior / bathroom remodel	Depends on your project Tile, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work need no permit, but kitchen and bath remodels and wall removals do.	2026-10-19
Roof replacement	Permit required Yes. Only replacing 10% or less of the roof covering is exempt.	2026-10-19
Shed	Depends on your project No permit for a one-story shed up to 100 sq ft. Larger sheds need one.	2026-10-19
Water heater replacement	Unverified, confirm locally We did not find an official Arlington statement on water heater replacement permits.	2026-10-19

Fee schedule: https://www.arlingtontx.gov/Business/Planning-Development/Planning-Development/Permit-Applications-Forms/Work-Exempt-From-Permitting

Other cities in Texas

All Texas cities · All cities · Permit guides

Not legal advice. Always confirm with your local building department. Rules change, and your parcel's zoning, HOA, historic district, floodplain or utility work can change the answer. We show the official source and the date we last checked it so you can verify for yourself.