DrawPermit

Guide · Texas

Do I need a permit for a patio cover or pergola in Texas?

Usually, and in every city we've checked when the cover is attached to the house. Dallas exempts a detached cover under 200 sq ft and San Antonio a detached one of 300 sq ft or less, but Frisco, Fort Worth, Round Rock and Plano have no exemption. Few cities name pergolas at all, so ask yours.

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What cities exempt.

  • Dallas: a one-story detached cover under 200 sq ft
  • San Antonio: a cover of 300 sq ft or less that isn't attached to the house
  • McKinney: a detached structure under 120 sq ft with no electrical or plumbing work
  • No exemption: Frisco, Fort Worth, Round Rock and Plano. Cedar Park asks for a permit to cover an existing slab or deck
  • Houston: patio covers aren't on its exempt list, and it publishes no size cutoff

When it needs an engineer.

Material matters as much as size. Frisco wants aluminum, steel or vinyl covers engineered. McKinney wants steel and aluminum structures engineered at any size, and a sealed framing plan for any structure over 200 sq ft with a roof deck. San Antonio wants a foundation engineer's letter on file when the work is done.

Attached covers.

A cover attached to the house is treated like part of it. McKinney applies the house's setbacks and caps the overhang at 24 inches. Fort Worth permits it as a residential addition. San Antonio's application asks 20 ft from the rear line for an attached cover, against 5 ft for a detached one.

Pergolas.

McKinney is the clearest: pergolas need a permit like a patio cover, but an open pergola without a roof deck needs no engineer. Frisco and Cedar Park list arbors. Houston names pergolas only for lots in a flood zone, and Dallas, San Antonio and Fort Worth don't mention them.

City by city.

  • Houston: Houston has no zoning, but a shed over 120 sq ft, a raised or attached deck, or a fence over 8 ft still needs a permit and a to-scale site plan showing property lines, easements and building lines.
  • Dallas: Dallas lets a detached shed or small freestanding deck of 200 sq ft or less go without a permit. An attached deck always needs one.
  • San Antonio: San Antonio lets a shed of 300 sq ft or less go without a permit, but every new fence needs one, and so does a deck or patio cover over 300 sq ft or attached to the house.
  • Fort Worth: Fort Worth asks for a permit for every shed, whatever its size, and for any deck more than 6 inches above grade.
  • Frisco: Frisco asks for a permit for every shed and patio cover, with no size exemption, and for every new fence. The survey must show the distance to every property line.
  • McKinney: McKinney exempts a detached structure under 120 sq ft with no electrical or plumbing work. Anything bigger, any attached patio cover, and every new fence needs a permit.
  • Cedar Park: Cedar Park asks for a deck permit once a deck is 30 inches up, over 200 sq ft, attached or serving an exit door, and a shed permit over 80 sq ft. Fences need no permit.
  • Round Rock: Round Rock asks for a permit for every wood deck or covered patio, and publishes its deck fees.
  • Plano: Plano asks for a permit to build or replace a deck more than 30 inches above grade.

Questions.

What do I submit for a patio cover?
A site plan or marked survey showing the cover and its distance to the property lines, plus framing details. Frisco asks for front and side elevations, materials, post and beam sizes, footings and how it attaches. McKinney adds a floor plan with post size and spacing.
Does a metal patio cover need an engineer?
In Frisco and McKinney, yes. Frisco covers aluminum, steel and vinyl, and McKinney covers steel and aluminum at any size.

Written from the cities' own pages, checked November 2, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with your city before you submit. DrawPermit is not an engineering firm.