What the City requires
The City's Residential Permits page says new homes, room additions over 1,000 sq ft and any second-story addition are reviewed by plans examiners, "typically about three business days". Check the zoning and confirm the lot is platted first. IB 101 (latest revision April 2025) lists what a combination permit for a new home needs:
| Document | Note from IB 101 |
|---|---|
| Plat or Certificate of Determination | Lot must be platted |
| Site plan | Setbacks and lot layout |
| Engineered foundation plan | Designed by a Texas Professional Engineer or Registered Architect, or backed by a geotechnical report; post-tension designs must be by a Texas PE |
| Floor plan, framing details, braced wall plan, elevations, window and door legend | |
| Energy compliance | Thermal envelope on the plans, energy software submittal, Manual J and Manual S |
All applications go through BuildSA. IB 101 says "We no longer require separate permits for each trade on combination permits"; on a non-combination permit each trade is pulled by a contractor who is "licensed and registered", and all trade permits must be closed before the building final. Once you have the approved plan set, you "can begin construction and request inspections as you build".
Who can apply
| Applicant | New-home permit? |
|---|---|
| Homeowner | Yes, IB 101 for a homestead only |
| Residential building contractor (structural, City-registered) | Yes, on the owner's behalf |
| Home improvement contractor | No |
| Trade contractors | The electrical, mechanical and plumbing work; the City says homeowners must use licensed trade contractors for those |
What it costs
From the FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule (revised October 2026), by floor area:
| House size | Building permit | Plan review | Plumbing, gas, sewer | Mechanical | Electrical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,251–1,500 sq ft | $718.80 | $230.00 | $151.80 | $92.00 | $115.00 |
| 2,001–2,250 sq ft | $977.50 | $230.00 | $173.70 | $97.80 | $115.00 |
| 2,501–3,000 sq ft | $1,012.00 | $230.00 | $188.60 | $97.80 | $126.50 |
| 3,001–3,500 sq ft | $1,058.00 | $460.00 | $204.70 | $103.50 | $126.50 |
Sewer and gas add $73.60 each; trade fees are assessed on the building permit. Unless noted, all carry the 4% Technological Improvement and 4% Development Services surcharges.
What 7,895 San Antonio new-home permits show
| Measure | San Antonio new homes |
|---|---|
| Issued October 2024 to September 2026 | 7,895 (6% of all City permits) |
| October 2024 to September 2025 / October 2025 to September 2026 | 4,255 / 3,640 (−14%) |
| Site-built / manufactured homes | 7,759 / 136 |
| Busiest / quietest calendar month (index) | June (133) / September (69) |
| ZIPs with the most | 78073 (1,021), 78245 (953), 78224 (787), 78221 (606) |
Four ZIPs on the south and west edges of the city hold 43% of new-home permits, and 78073 alone has one in eight. Monthly counts are on San Antonio new-home permits, every kind of work on San Antonio permit statistics, and the rows on browse San Antonio permits.
Before you build or buy new
Look the permit up in BuildSA once it is issued and check that each inspection passed (San Antonio building permit search). Check the trades' state licenses with how to check a contractor's license in Texas. The general rules are in do I need a permit to build a house, and costs in new home construction cost.
What this does not tell you
The City's file names a primary contact, often a person rather than the builder, has no status or completion date, and a declared value on only about 3% of permits, so we cannot rank builders, show how long a San Antonio house takes, or give a usual value. It covers the City of San Antonio only; homes in unincorporated Bexar County and the neighboring cities are permitted elsewhere.
How we know this
Requirements are from the City of San Antonio's Residential Permits page and IB 101 Residential Packet; fees from the FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule (revised October 2026), all read 24 October 2026. Our counts are the City's open data Building Permits files, read 18 October 2026: residential new building and manufactured home permits issued October 2024 to September 2026.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 18, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Can I build my own house in San Antonio without a contractor?
You can pull the building permit yourself under IB 101 only if the house will be your homestead. The electrical, mechanical and plumbing work still has to be done by licensed trade contractors; IB 101 says you then request inspections as you build.
- How much is a building permit for a new house in San Antonio?
For a 2,001 to 2,500 sq ft house, the FY 2027 schedule lists a $977.50 building permit fee and $230 plan review, before the 4% technology and 4% Development Services surcharges. Trade fees are billed on the same permit.
- How long does plan review take for a new home in San Antonio?
The City's Residential Permits page says plans examiners typically review new homes in about 3 business days. Incomplete plans take longer; the City says the clarity of the submittal decides how long you stay in review.
- How many new home permits does San Antonio issue?
7,895 from October 2024 to September 2026: 4,255 in the first year and 3,640 in the second, a 14% drop. 7,759 were site-built homes and 136 manufactured homes.
- Where are the most new homes being built in San Antonio?
ZIP 78073 had the most new-home permits, 1,021 of 7,895 from October 2024 to September 2026, then 78245 (953) and 78224 (787), all on the south and west edges of the city.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
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