Building Safety in Travis County, TX (2026)
6 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Travis County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Elevator Maintenance
Elevators in Travis County commercial and multifamily buildings are regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation under TX Health and Safety Code Ch. 754 and 16 TAC Ch. 74. Annual inspection and certificate of compliance required.
Building Safety: Elevator Maintenance
Light RestrictionsTDLR — Elevators, Escalators and Related Equipment Safety and Licensing (Tex. Health & Safety Code Ch. 754; 16 TAC Ch. 74)
Elevator and Escalator Safety TDLR regulates elevators, escalators and related equipment to ensure the safety of passengers. TDLR also regulates contractors and inspectors who work with elevators, escalators, and other related equipment. Licenses & Registrations Frequently Asked Questions Search Elevator Inspector Licenses Continuing Education Change Contact Information Online Guidelines for Li...
Fire Sprinkler Requirements
Travis County adopts the International Building Code and International Fire Code through Chapter 64, which require fire sprinklers in most multifamily and commercial occupancies but exempt one-family and two-family detached homes statewide.
Fire Sprinkler Requirements in Unincorporated Travis County
Some RestrictionsTex. Local Gov. Code Sec. 233.061 (Authority to Adopt and Enforce Fire Code)
Sec. 233.061. AUTHORITY TO ADOPT AND ENFORCE FIRE CODE. (a) The commissioners court of a county with a population of over 250,000 or a county adjacent to a county with a population of over 250,000 may adopt a fire code and rules necessary to administer and enforce the fire code.(b) The commissioners court, or any municipality in the county, may contract with one another for the administrati...
Childcare Center Rules
Childcare centers in unincorporated Travis County must meet Texas HHSC licensing requirements alongside Chapter 64 building rules, ESD fire marshal inspection, and Travis County Health & Human Services environmental review.
Childcare Center Building Safety in Travis County
Some RestrictionsTex. Hum. Res. Code Sec. 42.041 (Required License for Child-Care Facility)
Sec. 42.041. REQUIRED LICENSE. (a) No person may operate a child-care facility or child-placing agency without a license issued by the department.(b) This section does not apply to:(1) a state-operated facility;(2) an agency foster home;(3) a facility that is operated in connection with a shopping center, business, religious organization, or establishment where children are cared for dur...
Green Building Code
Travis County has not adopted a mandatory green building code, though state-level energy provisions in the IECC apply through Chapter 64 and Austin Energy Green Building reaches some unincorporated developments via utility service agreements.
Green Building Standards in Travis County
Few RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 388.003 (Adoption of Building Energy Efficiency Performance Standards)
Sec. 388.003. ADOPTION OF BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. (a) To achieve energy conservation in single-family residential construction, the energy efficiency chapter of the International Residential Code, as it existed on May 1, 2001, is adopted as the energy code in this state for single-family residential construction. On September 1, 2016, the energy efficiency chapter ...
Building Permits
In unincorporated Travis County, no one may build or substantially improve a building without first obtaining a Building Permit under the county's Fire Code, and any required fire protection system, such as sprinklers or standpipes, needs its own separate System permit.
Fire Code Permit Required for Construction
Some RestrictionsTravis County Code § 201.007
201.007 Building and System Permits Required. No person may perform or authorize construction or Substantial Improvement of any Building in Unincorporated Travis County without first obtaining a Building Permit. Any Substantial Improvement to or construction of a Building in Unincorporated Travis County on or after September 1, 2015 must be made in accordance with the 2015 Fire Code and this ch...
Building Inspections
New residential construction in unincorporated Travis County needs a minimum of three inspections: foundation before concrete, framing and mechanical before drywall, and a final inspection on completion. Sec. 480.005 sets the stages, and Sec. 480.006 requires the builder to hire a licensed inspector for each one.
Travis County Requires 3 Building Inspections
Some RestrictionsTravis County Code Sec. 480.005
A person who builds new residential construction shall have the construction inspected to ensure building code compliance in accordance with this section as follows: For new residential construction on a vacant lot, a minimum of three inspections must be performed during the construction project to ensure code compliance, as applicable, at the following stages of construction: the foundation st...
Building Safety by City in Travis County
2 cities in Travis County have their own building safety rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Travis County ordinances
See every category we cover for Travis County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Travis County Ordinance Hub →