Building Safety in Midland, TX

If you live in Midland or are thinking about moving there, building safety are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Midland has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of building safety, and some of them might surprise you.

Electrical Permits

Midland requires a permit before any electrical installation work begins in the city, with only minor repairs like fuse changes exempted.

Key details: Permit required: Before any electrical work begins. Exempt work: Minor repairs like fuse changes. Issued by: Code Administration Division. Skip-permit penalty: Double permit fee charged.

Skipping the required permit before starting electrical work triggers a double permit charge plus other Chapter 4-2 penalties; violations are also enforced as misdemeanors under City Code § 1-3-1.

Plumbing Permits

Midland requires a plumbing permit under Chapter 4-3 of the Code of Ordinances, which adopts the 2018 International Plumbing Code with Appendices B, C, D and E for all plumbing and piping installed, replaced, maintained or repaired inside the city. A plumber must hold a state license and $300,000 of insurance, and even a homeowner working on his own home still needs a permit and must pay the fee.

Key details: Code adopted: 2018 International Plumbing Code, Appendices B-E. Plumber license: State license plus $300,000 insurance required. Homeowner work: Still needs a permit and must pay fees. No-permit repair: Routine under-slab leak repair is permit-exempt. Sewer depth: Building sewer minimum 12 inches below grade.

Midland deleted the Plumbing Code's own violation-penalty section (§ 108.4) and instead enforces plumbing offenses through the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-3-1: a fine up to $500.00 for each day a violation continues. Work that continues after the code official issues a written stop-work order is a separate violation subject to penalties 'as prescribed by law' under amended § 108.5, and the code official does not need to give written notice before stopping work in an emergency.

Building Permits

Midland requires a building permit under Chapter 4-1 of the Code of Ordinances before any construction, alteration, repair or demolition covered by the adopted 2018 International Building Code. The Building Official issues permits only after a contractor posts a $10,000 bond, site conditions are met, and fees from the current Fee Schedule are paid; homeowners doing their own work still need a permit.

Key details: Code adopted: 2018 International Building Code, Appendices B, C, G, N. Contractor bond: $10,000 bond required before permit issuance. Homeowner work: Still needs a permit and must pay fees. Site precondition: Lot must be platted or site-plan approved first. Early clearance permit: 90 days residential, 180 days commercial.

Building without a required permit, or failing to obtain the $10,000 contractor's bond, exposes the responsible party to the City's general penalty under Sec. 1-3-1: a fine up to $500.00 per offense, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense (violations of fire-safety, zoning or health and sanitation ordinances can reach $2,000.00). The Building Official can also issue a stop-work order and revoke the permit for uncontained construction debris under Sec. 4-1-3 (105.8.1), and no final electrical, gas or occupancy clearance will be issued until required sidewalks are completed under Sec. 4-1-4(A).

The Bottom Line

Midland's building safety rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Midland is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Midland's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.