Before You Build in Rowlett, TX: Permit & Rule Checklist (2026)

Rowlett Code of Ordinances Sec. 78-313(c) limits fences in a required front yard to 36 inches (three feet) in height, while fences in a required side or rear yard may be up to eight feet. Key lots are limited to 36 inches in both front yards. The zoning ordinance can modify these limits.

Rowlett Code of Ordinances Sec. 78-313(a) makes it unlawful to install, alter, add to, or change a fence without first obtaining a permit from the building inspection department. The only exception is for repairs that do not exceed 25 percent of the area of the fence. Permit fees are set by city council resolution.

Rowlett's fence ordinance (Sec. 78-313) sets height, material, and visibility standards but does NOT impose a 'finished side out' rule or require neighbors to share fence costs. Boundary-fence ownership, cost-sharing, and maintenance between neighbors are governed by Texas property/case law and private agreements, not by a Rowlett city ordinance.

Rowlett treats retaining walls as permitted structures: the city's fence/retaining-wall permit application covers both, and the building department requires engineered (sealed) plans for any retaining wall that totals four feet or more measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall at any point. The fence ordinance itself (Ch. 78, Art. X) does not set a separate retaining-wall height limit.

Rowlett Code of Ordinances Sec. 78-313(b)(1) names the approved fence materials: chain link, brick, stone, stucco, wrought iron, wood pickets, and PVC (plastic fence). These cover the common residential choices. Barbed wire and electric fences are reserved for large livestock, and razor wire is banned.

Rowlett requires a building permit before constructing any in-ground or above-ground pool, spa or hot tub. Permit fees are $300 in-ground, $125 above-ground and $125 spa/hot tub. Permits expire 180 days after issuance with no automatic extension.

Rowlett's own ordinance (Sec. 78-311) requires every swimming pool, spa or hot tub to be completely surrounded by a fence or wall at least 48 inches high with no gaps larger than 4 inches and self-closing, self-latching gates. The permanent barrier must pass inspection before water is added.

Rowlett pool safety combines Sec. 78-311 barrier rules with the adopted 2021 ISPSC/IRC and the city's inspection checklist. A temporary fence is required during construction; GFCI-protected receptacles, electrical bonding, safety glazing near the pool and approved barriers are verified before final approval.

Above-ground pools in Rowlett require a $125 building permit but are exempt from the Oncor-stamped plan. The barrier may be the pool wall itself or mounted on top of the pool structure (max 4-inch clearance). Pools and spas of 1,000 gallons or less skip the P-trap/backwash requirement.

Spas and hot tubs in Rowlett require a $125 permit and fall under Sec. 78-311. Where only a spa or hot tub is on the property, a sturdy lockable cover may replace the surrounding fence. They are also built to the adopted 2021 ISPSC.

Texas has no statewide ADU mandate, so accessory dwelling units in Rowlett are governed entirely by the Rowlett Development Code. The City's accessory building regulations expressly state that no accessory structure, or any portion of one, may be used as a dwelling, so a backyard accessory building cannot lawfully be a separate living unit.

Converting a garage in Rowlett is an alteration of an existing structure and requires a building permit. The Zoning & Development Handbook confirms a building permit is required before any alteration, remodel, or expansion of an existing structure, and accessory structures cannot be used as separate dwellings, so a conversion cannot create an independent rental unit.

Rowlett requires a permit for all accessory buildings, including storage sheds. Sheds count toward the lot's maximum coverage (or 35 percent of the rear yard, whichever is less), cannot exceed the height of the main house, and a rear-yard shed needs at least a three-foot side setback. Enclosed structures over 500 square feet require a Special Use Permit.

Carports are accessory structures in Rowlett and require a permit. They follow the same Section 77-303 rules as other accessory buildings, including setbacks and the 35-percent rear-yard coverage cap. Carport posts must be set in concrete piers and anchored to resist a 115 mph wind load.

Rowlett effectively bars tiny homes in standard single-family districts through minimum dwelling-size rules. Even the smallest district, SF-5, requires a 1,500-square-foot minimum dwelling, and larger districts require up to 2,400 square feet. Accessory structures also may not be used as dwellings under Section 77-303.

Rowlett allows fire pits only at one- and two-family homes. Under its adopted fire code, a permanently installed outdoor fire pit must sit at least 10 feet from any structure or combustible material (Sec. 307.4.4), and a portable outdoor fireplace or chiminea must be operated at least 15 feet away (Sec. 307.4.3). Both are prohibited at apartments and townhomes.

Open burning is banned in Rowlett. The City's adopted fire code, Section 307.1.1, prohibits 'burning of refuse, debris and yard waste in the city limits,' and bans any fire that is offensive or objectionable because of smoke. This is stricter than the statewide TCEQ outdoor-burning rules (30 TAC Chapter 111), which a developed city is permitted to override.

Rowlett requires that trees, shrubs, and plants not obstruct sidewalks, streets, or alleys or block the view of any traffic sign or intersection. This 'Overhanging Vegetation/Obstruction' rule is a life-safety code violation under Rowlett Code (ORD-015-21, IPMC Subsection 302.11). Routine pruning of your own yard tree needs no permit.

Rowlett protects trees with an 8-inch caliper or larger trunk (measured at DBH, 4.5 feet above ground) that are not invasive species. Removing a protected tree is regulated under the Development Code (Sec. 77-504), and removal generally triggers replacement planting or a fee-in-lieu of $121.67 per caliper inch paid to the City Reforestation Fund.

Rowlett is a North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) member city with year-round watering rules. From November 1 to March 31 residents may water a maximum of once per week; the rest of the year (typical Stage 2) watering is allowed up to twice a week with no sprinkler watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.