What Austin exempts
The residential mechanical exemptions on the City's Work Exempt from Building Permits page (read 23 October 2026):
| Exempt in Austin | Needs a permit |
|---|---|
| "A portable heating appliance", "A portable cooling unit", portable evaporative coolers | Replacing the condenser, air handler, furnace or heat pump |
| "Replacing a minor part of the equipment that does not alter its approval or make it unsafe" | A new system, or adding a zone or a mini-split |
| A self-contained refrigeration system with 10 pounds of refrigerant or less, or motors of 1 horsepower or less | Moving equipment to a new location |
| "Replacing supply and return duct runs" | — |
| An exhaust or dryer duct run under 15 feet; extra supply registers on an existing run | — |
The duct exemption is unusual: Bellevue, for one, requires a permit for duct replacements (other cities' rules). A repair with a like part falls under the minor-part line; replacing the unit does not.
Who can pull it
A Texas-licensed air conditioning and refrigeration contractor registered with the City, in almost every case. Austin's homestead permit does cover mechanical work by an owner on their own homestead and principal residence, but it excludes "reclaiming or charging refrigerant in a ducted heating and air-conditioning system". A split-system replacement needs both, so the refrigerant side has to be a licensed contractor's. If the scope outgrows the homestead permit, a licensed contractor takes the permit over and more fees apply.
How to apply and what is inspected
- The change-out permit. A replacement not tied to a remodel is a stand-alone mechanical permit; the City lists "Plumbing and Mechanical: Change Out" as a permit type, applied for in the AB+C Portal without formal plan review (Apply for a Stand-Alone Permit).
- Inside a remodel or addition: the mechanical permit is issued with the building permit after plan review.
- Inspections: Austin's mechanical checklists are Rough and Final (Building Inspections). The contractor schedules them in AB+C, and the City says they usually happen about 24 hours later.
What it costs
From the City's residential fee schedule, effective 1 October 2026:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Residential change-out program, HVAC, first system | $74.05 |
| Each additional system | $20.69 |
| Mechanical Base Fee (projects priced by floor area) | $127.68 |
| Reinspection | $83.85 per inspection |
For a house with two systems, the change-out lines come to $94.74 ($74.05 + $20.69) before any reinspection; the rest of the price is the contractor's. Austin HVAC permits record no job value; national prices are in HVAC replacement cost.
What 18,237 Austin HVAC permits show
| Measure | Austin HVAC |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 18,237 |
| Firms | 819 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months of the window | 479 |
| Reached Final (permits a year or more old) | 80.7% |
| Usual days from issue to Final | 118 |
| 10th / 90th-percentile firm (10+ permits) | 60.3% / 96.2% |
| Share of permits held by the five busiest firms | 31.7% |
| Busiest / quietest month | June (129) / February (73) |
Two things stand out. Filing in June runs at 129 against 73 in February, so a planned replacement is easier to book in late winter. And 80.7% finished is the lowest of Austin's trades, with 27 of 167 firms with 10 or more permits finishing under 70%. A permit that never reaches Final is one whose final inspection never passed, and it stays open on your address.
See every Austin HVAC contractor by permits finished →
Next steps
Check the TDLR A/C license (how, in the Austin contractor license lookup), then the firm's finished share on the Austin HVAC list. The hiring checklist is in hiring an HVAC contractor in Austin; other cities' rules in do I need a permit for HVAC replacement; the City's monthly counts on Austin permit statistics. To confirm the permit on your job, use Austin building permit search.
What this does not tell you
We count permits, not installs done without one. A Final means the inspection passed, not that the system was sized for your house. Fees change every 1 October.
How we know this
Exemptions, the homestead limit and permit types are quoted from City of Austin Development Services pages read 23 October 2026; fees from the residential fee schedule effective 1 October 2026. Counts are City of Austin issued construction permits classified as HVAC (mechanical), October 2023 to September 2026; finished share uses permits a year or more old, and days to Final is the median from issue to completion.
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 replace my AC in Austin?
Yes. Austin's exempt list covers portable units, minor parts, small self-contained systems and replacing duct runs, not the condenser, furnace, air handler or heat pump. A replacement is a mechanical change-out permit, pulled by a licensed and City-registered A/C contractor.
- How much is an HVAC permit in Austin?
The City's residential fee schedule effective 1 October 2026 lists Residential Change-Out Program permits for HVAC at $74.05 for the first system and $20.69 for each additional system. A reinspection is $83.85.
- Can a homeowner replace their own AC in Austin?
Only partly. The homestead permit lets an owner do mechanical work on their own homestead, but it does not cover 'reclaiming or charging refrigerant in a ducted heating and air-conditioning system'. Setting a new split system means charging it, so that part goes to a licensed contractor.
- Do I need a permit to replace ductwork in Austin?
Not to replace supply and return duct runs at a house: that is on Austin's exempt list. Replacing an exhaust or dryer duct shorter than 15 feet and adding supply registers to an existing run are exempt too.
- How long does an HVAC permit take to close in Austin?
The install takes a day or two, but the usual Austin HVAC permit in our file reached Final 118 days after issue, longer than electrical (76) or plumbing (75). Ask who books the final inspection.
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 replace my furnace or AC? The rule in 14 cities, and how many get filed
- Ames building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Ames? Yes: what is exempt, homeowner permits, the $56.23 base fee and inspections
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Anaheim? The mechanical permit for a furnace or AC change-out, fees and inspections
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Bernalillo County? Furnaces, AC, swamp coolers and the mechanical permit
- Do I need an HVAC permit in unincorporated Boulder County? The EZ BP permit, the County mechanical license and the fee math
For one city
- Work Exempt from Building Permits — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Homestead Permit for Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical Work — City of Austin (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Apply for a Stand-Alone 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)
- Building Inspections — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)