The Austin process, step by step
From the City's Demolition Permit page, read 23 October 2026:
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Apply | Total demolition of a single-family home: the Residential Total Demolition Permit web form, with the Demolition Permit Application and an Affidavit of Compliance. Partial demolition of more than 50% of exterior walls: the demolition application plus the remodel, garage conversion or addition application |
| 2. Plan review | "Residential structures 45 years or older require review by the Historic Preservation Office" and possibly the Historic Landmark Commission. Removing, impacting the root zone of, or pruning more than 25% of the canopy of a protected tree (19 inches or more in diameter) needs a tree permit review |
| 3. Activation | Pay the pre-demolition inspection fee; the plumbing permit must be paid and active before the pre-construction inspection |
| 4. Environmental and trade | Tree protection and erosion controls installed; Austin Energy and Austin Water disconnects requested on 512-494-9400; a Refrigerant Disposal Acknowledgment uploaded to the permit in AB+C |
| 5. Pre-construction inspection | "The 100 Bldg. Pre-Construction Inspection is the last inspection conducted prior to demolition"; the 510 Sewer Tap and 521 Final Plumbing inspections happen with it. The inspector then hands the general contractor the Demolition Notification Packet |
| 6. Neighbor notice | Five to 10 business days before demolition, the contractor places the yard sign and door hangers and uploads the Demolition Notification Acknowledgment; that starts a notification window of at least five days |
| 7. Demolish and close | After the window closes. If the lot will stay vacant, environmental inspections and revegetation are required before the permit closes |
The City also recommends confirming with Land Use Assistance that new construction will be permitted on the site before you apply for the demolition. Commercial demolitions need an asbestos notification form; the page says "A single private residence or a single apartment building with no more than four dwelling units is excluded."
Who pulls it
The City's notification steps are written for the "General Contractor", who receives the notification packet and posts the notices. Austin's general contractor registration fee is $82.56, and the fee schedule says it "does not apply to people acting as contractors for their own homestead property and principal residence". The plumbing permit for capping the sewer goes to a licensed plumber.
What it costs
From the City's residential fee schedule, effective 1 October 2026:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Demolition/Relocation Processing Fee | $106.72 |
| Demolition Permit (each) | $81.07 |
| Pre Demolition Inspection (each) | $60.50 |
| Demolitions: Tree Review (if trees are affected) | $502.12 |
| Demolitions: Tree Inspection | $234.49 |
| Reinspection (work not ready, corrections not done, no access) | $83.85 |
A total demolition with no protected trees is $248.29 in City fees before the plumbing permit; a protected tree on the lot adds $736.61. Historic review fees, if any, are separate; the fee schedule we read covers Development Services.
What 1,925 Austin demolition permits show
| Measure | Austin residential demolition |
|---|---|
| Permits, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,925 |
| Firms that pulled them | 506 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months of the window | 233 |
| Reached Final (permits a year or more old) | 83.6% |
| Usual days from issue to Final | 133 |
| Firms with 10+ permits under 70% Final | 5 of 27 |
| 10th / 90th-percentile firm (10+ permits) | 60.4% / 96.0% |
| Share held by the five busiest | 30.8% |
| Busiest / quietest month | May (113) / December (81) |
A demolition permit stays open for months, 133 days in the usual case, partly because closing it means the site work after the teardown (tree and erosion inspections, revegetation on a vacant lot) is also signed off. Most busy firms finish: 5 of 27 fell below 70%. Some of the busiest names are home builders clearing lots for new houses; their new-home permits are on the Austin new home list. Demolition permits carry no job value; national prices are in house demolition cost.
See every Austin demolition contractor by permits finished →
Next steps
Compare firms on the Austin demolition list, check registration with Austin contractor license lookup, and past permits on the address with Austin building permit search. Year-by-year counts: Austin permit statistics. Rebuilding afterwards: Austin new home permit. Other cities' rules: do I need a permit for demolition.
What this does not tell you
Our counts are City of Austin residential demolition permits; partial demolitions filed with a remodel appear under remodel. Historic review can add time we do not measure separately. Fees change each 1 October.
How we know this
The process, historic and tree review triggers and notification rules are quoted from the City of Austin's Demolition Permit page, and fees from the residential fee schedule effective 1 October 2026 (updated 14 October 2026), both read 23 October 2026; the totals add those lines. Our figures are City of Austin residential demolition permits, October 2023 to September 2026; finished share uses permits a year or more old, and days to Final is the median from issue.
Numbers come from City of Austin issued construction permits, data through October 10, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to demolish a house in Austin?
Yes. The City's Demolition Permit page requires a demolition building permit, a pre-demolition inspection and notice to adjacent homes for all total demolitions, and for partial demolitions that remove more than half of the exterior walls.
- How much is a demolition permit in Austin?
The City's residential fee schedule effective 1 October 2026 lists a $106.72 Demolition/Relocation Processing Fee, $81.07 for the demolition permit and $60.50 for the pre-demolition inspection, $248.29 together. If protected trees are involved, tree review is $502.12 and tree inspection $234.49.
- Does an old house need historic review before demolition in Austin?
Yes, if it is 45 years or older. The City says 'Residential structures 45 years or older require review by the Historic Preservation Office' in Austin Planning, and possibly the Historic Landmark Commission.
- How much notice do neighbors get before a demolition in Austin?
Five to 10 business days before demolition, the general contractor places a yard sign and door hangers on adjacent homes, then uploads a Demolition Notification Acknowledgment to the permit in Austin Build + Connect. Demolition can start only after a notification window of at least five days.
- How long does a demolition permit take in Austin?
The usual Austin residential demolition permit in our file reached Final 133 days after issue, and 83.6% of those a year or more old had closed.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Do I need a permit to demolish a house or garage? The rule in 10 cities, and how long it takes
- Boulder's demolition review for houses over 50 years old: what counts as demolition, the fees, and the 180-day stay
- Cambridge demolition delay and historic district review: the 50-year rule, the 12-month delay, and which certificate you need
- Do I need a demolition permit in Cleveland? Yes: the project review, the $50 minimum fee, drawings, and what demolition firms charge
- Do I need an electrical permit in Cook County? The supervising-electrician rule, the fee table, and 7,909 permits
- Do I need a fence permit in Cook County? Any height, the 6-foot and 3-foot limits, and 16,560 permits
For one city
- Demolition Permit — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Building Plan Review & Inspection Permit Fees (effective 1 October 2026) — City of Austin (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Austin Build + Connect public portal (2026-10-23)