Austin, TX Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

Section 25-11-32, the general building permit requirement in Chapter 25-11, lists sidewalk work among the activities a person cannot perform without first obtaining a permit from the building official. The list covers constructing, altering, or repairing a sidewalk, curb, gutter, or driveway approach, and it reaches two locations at once: the sidewalk segment sitting on property under a person's control, and the sidewalk segment sitting in the public right-of-way that adjoins that person's property. In practice, that means the person who controls the abutting lot, typically the property owner, is the one who must pull the permit before fixing a cracked or heaved sidewalk panel out front, even though the sidewalk itself sits in city right-of-way.

Section 25-11-36 adds a second layer: the sidewalk, curb, gutter, or driveway approach work covered by that permit must be performed by a licensed contractor, so a property owner cannot do the repair with an unlicensed handyman and still be in compliance. A building permit obtained for this work does not, on its own, authorize demolition or removal of any part of a structure, and Section 25-11-33 requires any repair to meet current technical code requirements for new facilities unless the building official allows an exception for a minor repair to existing equipment installed under an earlier code.