The rule in 4 cities, with their permit counts
Rules from each department's own page, read 23 October 2026. Counts are foundation permits in the city's file over three years to September 2026 (San Diego's category includes seismic retrofits, Cary's crawl space work); "usual days" is the typical time from issue to final inspection.
| City | The rule | Foundation permits | Usual filed value | Usual days to final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denton, TX | "All foundation repairs require a permit"; a "foundation repair letter and plan signed and sealed by Texas registered engineer" comes with the application, and the final engineer's report before the final | 517 | $7,000 | 59 |
| Cary, NC | "Foundation repairs" and "Close or seal crawl space (not for habitation)" need a permit | 621 | $12,083 | 66 |
| Sugar Land, TX | No one may "alter, repair, replace" a structure "without first obtaining a permit" | 1,801 | — | 45 |
| San Diego, CA | A permit before "constructing, expanding, altering, renovating"; only like-for-like maintenance under $1,000 is exempt | 344 | $10,000 | 105 |
Six more departments, without foundation counts in our file:
| Building department | The rule |
|---|---|
| Austin, TX | Exempt: "A foundation repair that does not exceed 128 square feet" and a floor decking repair of the same size |
| Naperville, IL | "Structural repairs or modifications, including foundation repairs"; most need "a design prepared by an IL licensed design professional" |
| Waco, TX | Foundation repair or leveling needs a Repairs & Alterations permit |
| Saint Paul, MN | A general building permit to "repair" a residence; minor alterations over $500 need one |
| Seattle, WA | A permit "for any work on load-bearing supports" regardless of cost, even under its $6,000 small-job line |
| Cincinnati, OH | Permits "for all new construction, major repairs, alterations, and additions, which include structural" changes |
The engineer's letter
In Denton the permit cannot be issued without a sealed repair plan, and it cannot close until the engineer's final report is uploaded. Naperville says most structural work needs an Illinois licensed design professional. Where the city does not require one, ask whether the contractor's design is sealed by an engineer, and keep it with the permit number. More on choosing the crew in hiring a foundation repair contractor.
What happens if you skip it
- Sugar Land: "When a contractor is discovered working without a permit, a building inspector will issue a stop work order." Some work "may have to be uncovered for inspection and redone", and "The property owner is ultimately responsible".
- Cincinnati: work without a permit carries "an investigation fee equal to and in addition to the regular permit fee".
More in permit vs no permit.
How long it takes
The usual foundation permit closed in 45 days in Sugar Land and 59 in Denton, against 105 in San Diego. The finish rate splits harder: 96.6% of Denton's foundation permits a year or more old reached a final, against 46.2% of Sugar Land's and 74.7% of Cary's. Hold back part of the last payment until the final passes.
Check it in five minutes
- Ask the contractor whether the job is structural (piers, underpinning, wall bracing) or cosmetic (sealing a crack). Structural means a permit in all 10.
- Ask who the engineer is and whether the repair plan is sealed.
- Ask for the permit number, then look it up on your city's permit portal before the crew mobilizes.
See every Sugar Land foundation company by permits filed →
What this does not tell you
We read 10 departments' rules; Sugar Land's and San Diego's are general rules, not foundation pages. Our counts come from four cities and include crawl space and seismic work where the city files them together.
How we know this
Rules are quoted from the pages under Sources, read 23 October 2026. Permit counts, filed values, usual days to final and finished shares come from each city's permit file over the three years ending September 2026. "Usual days" is the median from issue to final inspection; "reached a final" counts permits a year or more old.
Numbers come from City of Denton Building Safety permits on homes (the city's yearly permit reports); Town of Cary building permit applications (issued permits only); City of Sugar Land building permits on homes (the city's EnerGov permit exports); City of San Diego Development Services approvals, data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit for foundation leveling or piering?
Yes. Waco puts 'Foundation Repair or Leveling' under its Repairs & Alterations permit, and Denton says 'All foundation repairs require a permit', with a repair letter and plan signed and sealed by a Texas registered engineer. Piering is structural work, which Seattle permits 'no matter how small the project'.
- Do I need a permit to fix a crack in my foundation?
A cosmetic patch is usually treated as maintenance, but structural repair is not. Austin is the only department we read with a size line: 'A foundation repair that does not exceed 128 square feet' needs no permit. San Diego exempts like-for-like maintenance repairs under $1,000.
- Do I need a permit to seal or encapsulate a crawl space?
In Cary, yes: 'Close or seal crawl space (not for habitation)' is on its permit list, next to 'Foundation repairs'.
- How long does a foundation repair permit take?
The usual foundation permit reached its final inspection in 45 days in Sugar Land, 59 in Denton and 66 in Cary, against 105 in San Diego, where the category includes seismic retrofits.
- What does a permitted foundation repair cost?
The usual filed value on a foundation permit was $7,000 in Denton, $10,000 in San Diego and $12,083 in Cary. Filed values are what the contractor wrote on the application.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Foundation repair in Denton, TX: the permit, the engineer-sealed letter and plan, and the busiest pier companies
- Hiring a foundation repair contractor: 5 red flags and 8 questions, checked against 15 cities' permits
- Do I need a foundation repair permit in Sugar Land? Yes: an express permit, and no state license to check
- Do I need a permit for foundation repair in Colorado Springs? PPRBD's rules, fees and the specialty license
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Spokane? Mechanical permits, the gas-license rule and 9,746 permits
- Tigard building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
For one city
- Foundation Repair — City of Denton, TX (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Permits FAQ — Town of Cary, NC (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Frequently Asked Questions, Permits & Inspections — City of Sugar Land, TX (accessed 2026-10-23)
- When is a Permit Required? — City of San Diego Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Work Exempt from Building Permits — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Guide to Building Permits (rev. 10/31/2022) — City of Naperville, IL (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Do I Need a Permit? — City of Waco Inspection Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- When is a permit required? — City of Saint Paul DSI (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Do You Need a Permit? — Seattle SDCI (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Permit Guide — City of Cincinnati Buildings & Inspections (accessed 2026-10-23)