DrawPermit

Dallas County · Texas

Dallas site plans and permits.

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.

Start a site planSee a sample set
Building code
2021 International Residential Code with Dallas amendments (Chapter 57 of the City Code). The city lists its building codes as in effect since May 12, 2023.
Decks
A deck needs a permit unless it is 200 sq ft or less, no more than 30 inches above grade at any point, not attached to the house, clear of overhead service wires and not serving the required exit door.
Sheds
A one-story detached shed or playhouse of 200 sq ft or less doesn't need a permit. A larger one does.
Fences
A fence needs a permit over 4 ft in a front yard or over 6 ft anywhere else. A pool fence always needs one. Over 9 ft takes Board of Adjustment approval and engineer-sealed plans. Sheet metal, fiberglass panels and plywood aren't allowed.
Patio covers
A one-story detached patio cover under 200 sq ft is exempt. An attached cover, or a detached one of 200 sq ft or more, needs a permit. The city's pages don't mention pergolas.
Owner-drawn plans
The city's pages don't say who may draw plans for small projects. A homeowner living in the home can act as their own contractor for fences, portable sheds and patio covers, but not for a permanent detached building or an addition.
Engineer
Fences over 9 ft need plans sealed by a professional engineer.
Setbacks
An accessory structure up to 15 ft tall needs a 3 ft rear setback where the yard backs onto an alley, and none where it doesn't. Other yard rules depend on your zoning district.
Fees
The fee schedule (effective May 1, 2024) has no separate line for decks, sheds, fences or patio covers. Accessory structures fall under a table with a $125 minimum for one trade, plus a $15 technology fee per document.
Where to apply
DallasNow, the city's permit portal

What Dallas asks the site plan to show.

  • Legal description: lot, block and address
  • A standard scale, fully dimensioned
  • North arrow
  • All property lines
  • Building lines and easements
  • Every structure's outline, with its front, side and rear setbacks
  • For a fence: the fence, gates, easements, driveways, sidewalks, alleys and visibility triangles
  • For a pool: the pool, structures and barrier location

Your DrawPermit site plan draws the lot lines, north arrow, scale, structures, setbacks, distances to each line and impervious cover. Add utility lines, meters and trees by hand if your city asks for them.

Worth knowing.

  • Historic and conservation districts need approval first. A fence there needs a Certificate of Appropriateness.
  • A floodplain lot gets an extra floodplain review.
  • A fence inside a utility easement needs written approval from that utility.

Checked against the city's own pages on November 2, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with Dallas before you submit.