Carrollton, TX Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2024 IBC (Ordinance 4265, 7/8/2025)
- Permit types covered
- Building, electrical, plumbing, irrigation, mechanical, fire sprinkler
- Registration required
- Yes, unless homeowner on own homestead
- Filed record
- City Secretary holds Exhibit A copy
- Maximum fine
- $2,000.00 per § 10.99(A)(2)(n)
- Enforcing agency
- Building Inspection Department
Summary
Carrollton adopted the 2024 International Building Code as its building code under Ordinance 4265, and City Code § 150.001 requires anyone securing a building, electrical, plumbing, irrigation, mechanical or fire sprinkler permit to be a contractor registered with the city first. Homeowners working on their own homestead are exempt from the registration requirement. The Building Inspection Department administers permits and inspections.
§ 150.010. The 2024 Edition of the International Building Code adopted. (A) The International Building Code, 2024 Edition, as published by the International Code Council, is hereby adopted, and designated as the building code of the City of Carrollton, and is made a part hereof, as amended. ... § 150.001. Contractor registration. (A) No person, firm or corporation shall be authorized to secure permits as indicated in subsection (D) of this section without being a valid registered contractor with the city. Homeowners doing work on their homestead are exempt. ... (D) Permits that pertain to this chapter includes, but is not limited to, the following: Building, electrical, plumbing, irrigation, mechanical and fire sprinkler.
Full Breakdown
011 layers on local amendments attached to the chapter. Where the adopted IBC conflicts with the balance of Ordinance 4265, the Carrollton-specific language controls. 001 requires the applicant to be a registered contractor in good standing, meaning not delinquent on any fee or debt owed to the city, and to file a written registration application with the Building Inspection Department on the department's own form; a missing or lapsed license is grounds to reject that application outright. The registration requirement reaches every trade covered by Chapter 150: building, electrical, plumbing, irrigation, mechanical and fire sprinkler work all require the contractor filing first, with a single carve-out for a homeowner doing the work on their own homestead.
Carrollton has moved through this adoption cycle repeatedly, most recently updating to the 2024 IBC by Ordinance 4265 on July 8, 2025 and again amending by Ordinance 4290 on December 2, 2025, after prior cycles tied to earlier code editions. Anyone pulling a permit should expect plan review against both the 2024 IBC text and the city's local amendments, filed as a separate exhibit rather than folded into the ordinance body.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 150, including working without a required permit or without a valid contractor registration, is a misdemeanor under § 150.999, punishable under the general penalty section, § 10.99(A)(2)(n), which sets a fine of up to $2,000.00 for construction-code violations. Each day the violation continues is a separate offense under § 10.99(B), so an uncorrected unpermitted job can accumulate daily fines rather than a single flat penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Carrollton require a permit to remodel my house?
Can I pull my own building permit as a homeowner?
What trades need a registered contractor to get a permit?
What happens if I build without a permit in Carrollton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carrollton
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Carrollton to another location·View the Texas building safety overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Building Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle building permits.