What you submit
From Building Services' Residential Permit Checklist for new single-family homes and additions (read 26 October 2026):
| Document | What it must show |
|---|---|
| Site plan | "Property lines, silt fence, final drainage, radius of driveway, setback line with distances", the house on the lot, scale and north arrow |
| Foundation plan; foundation and wall details | Listed as separate items |
| Floor plan | "Each room labeled, window/door schedule with measurements and u-factor and SHG", total under-roof square footage |
| Elevations | "Front, Rear, Right and Left" |
| Energy | Simplified Energy Compliance Form, energy inspection forms |
| HVAC design | Manual J, S and D load calculations |
| Two-story house | Truss layout design |
Setbacks depend on the lot's zoning, in the Dimensional Standards Table of Tyler's Unified Development Code. Tyler builds to the 2021 International Code Council codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code (Development & Planning FAQs). Water and sewer taps and meters are handled by the Water Business Office, (903) 531-1230 (Schedule of Fees).
Review, permit and inspections
From the City's FAQs (read 26 October 2026):
- Prescreening, "up to two business days" once documents are submitted correctly.
- Plan review, "Homes (residential): About five business days". Corrections restart the clock.
- Trade permits. Each trade contractor "must have your own permit", and once approved it is linked to the general contractor's permit; the Permit Info tab in eTRAKiT shows the linked permits and inspections.
- Inspections. "Each trade must schedule its own inspections" in eTRAKiT; one called in before 7 a.m. will "most likely take place the same day".
- Permit life. "Building permits are valid for six months from the issue date", extendable by staff while you are actively working and scheduling inspections.
What it costs
From Tyler's Schedule of Fees (read 26 October 2026):
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| All new construction | $0.47 per square foot |
| Minimum fee | $50 |
| Plan check fee | 20% of the total permit fee |
| Certificate of occupancy (miscellaneous permits) | $80 |
| Plumbing / mechanical re-inspection | $50 each |
| Water and sewer taps and meters | Water Business Office |
Worked through: a 2,000-square-foot house is 2,000 × $0.47 = $940, plus $188 plan check, about $1,128 before trade permits; the usual Tyler new home at $269,900 pays well under 1% of its value in building fees. The page does not say whether the square footage is heated or total area, and its 1 October 2024 valuation-based change applies to nonresidential work only. Building Services, (903) 531-1151, confirms the total.
Who builds it
Texas has no license for home builders; it licenses the trades, electricians and air-conditioning contractors through TDLR and plumbers through the State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Tyler asks contractors to register with its Master Registration Form, a copy of their licenses and a certificate of insurance. Homeowners use eTRAKiT through a public registration (eTRAKiT and ProjectDox); the City's pages we read do not describe an owner-builder route for a new house, so ask Building Services first.
What 958 Tyler new-home permits show
| Measure | Tyler new homes |
|---|---|
| Permits, October 2023 to September 2026 | 958 |
| Builders | 199 |
| Builders with a permit in the last 12 months | 89 |
| Usual filed value | $269,900 |
| Middle half of builders' usual value (47 builders) | $162,500 to $400,000 |
| Share of permits carrying a value | 58.9% |
| Finaled (permits a year or more old) | 79.2% |
| Usual days open before final (estimate) | 269 |
| 10th / 90th-percentile builder finaled (10+ permits) | 56.1% / 93.9% |
| Busiest builder / its permits in the last 12 months | Stylecraft Builders / 40 |
| Builders with one permit only | 108 (54.3%) |
| Busiest / quietest month | December (150) / March (63) |
With six-month permit life and about 269 days from issue to final, a typical Tyler house outlasts its first six-month permit term, and the City extends a permit only while work and inspections are active; ask your builder to keep inspections moving. Builders split between $162,500 and $400,000 in usual filed value, and 54.3% filed one house in three years, so ask for addresses of finished homes and check their finals in eTRAKiT. Counts by year: Tyler permit statistics.
See every Tyler home builder by permits finaled →
Before you hire
Check the trades with the Tyler contractor license lookup and compare builders on the Tyler builder list. Look up an address in Tyler building permit search; trade rules in Tyler electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits. Rules elsewhere: do I need a permit to build a house; national prices: new home construction cost; questions: hiring a home builder.
What this does not tell you
Tyler records no completion date, so days to final are our estimate from how long finaled permits stayed open. Only 58.9% of new-home permits carry a value. Texas has no builder license, so we show no license status for builders. The City's main site blocks automated reading, so its pages were read through a page reader; Building Services confirms current fees.
How we know this
Fees are quoted from the City of Tyler's Schedule of Fees, the document list from its Residential Permit Checklist, and review times, linked permits, inspections and permit life from its Development & Planning FAQs, all read 26 October 2026; registration from its Master Registration Form and eTRAKiT pages, read 23 October 2026. The 2,000-square-foot example is our arithmetic. Permit counts are City of Tyler TRAKiT new-home permits, October 2023 to September 2026; "finaled" uses permits a year or more old.
Numbers come from City of Tyler TRAKiT building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits on homes, from three city GIS exports of the permit table, data through October 9, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How much is a building permit for a new house in Tyler, TX?
Tyler's Schedule of Fees charges $0.47 per square foot for all new construction, with a $50 minimum, plus a plan check fee of 20% of the total permit fee. A 2,000-square-foot house is $940 plus $188, about $1,128, before trade permits and water and sewer taps.
- How long does plan review take for a new house in Tyler?
The City says prescreening takes up to 2 business days once documents are submitted correctly, then about 5 business days for homes. If staff request corrections, the review time restarts.
- What do I need to submit for a new home permit in Tyler?
The City's residential checklist asks for a site plan with property lines, silt fence, drainage, driveway and setbacks; foundation plan; floor plan with window and door schedule; four elevations; foundation and wall details; a simplified energy compliance form; Manual J, S and D calculations; energy inspection forms; and a truss layout for two-story houses.
- How long is a Tyler building permit good for?
Six months from the issue date. The City says staff can extend it if you are actively working and scheduling inspections. In our file the usual Tyler new-home permit stayed open about 269 days before final.
- Does a home builder need a license in Texas?
No. Texas licenses electricians and air-conditioning contractors through TDLR and plumbers through the State Board of Plumbing Examiners, but has no license for home builders. Tyler asks contractors to register with its Master Registration Form, a copy of any licenses and a certificate of insurance.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Building a casita in Albuquerque: the 750 sq ft limit, rear-yard rule, parking, free plans, and who builds them
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Albuquerque? GB-2 or homeowner, the plan set and the fee
- Arlington's 2,500-square-foot rule: when an addition or new house needs a Land Disturbing Activity and stormwater permit
For one city
- Schedule of Fees — City of Tyler Development Services (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Residential Permit Checklist — City of Tyler Building Services (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Development & Planning FAQs — City of Tyler (accessed 2026-10-26)
- eTRAKiT and ProjectDox — City of Tyler (2026-10-23)
- City of Tyler eTRAKiT (2026-10-23)
- Master Registration Form — City of Tyler Development Services (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation — home (regulated programs) (2026-10-22)