Demolition permits in Central Texas, city by city
Before a shed, a deck, a detached garage or a whole structure comes down, someone has to answer three questions: does this need a permit, who is allowed to pull it, and is there a review that can hold it up. The answer changes at the city line, and in one case it changes at the county line to nothing at all.
Every line on this page was read from the authority's own page on the date shown beside it, and the link goes to that page so you can check it yourself. Rules change, fees change, and a city can interpret its own code in a way its published page does not spell out. Confirm with the authority named in the row before you schedule work.
Where a city's pages could not be read directly, the row says so and names the department to call. Nothing here is filled in from a summary or a search result.
One thing worth saying plainly about our own part in this: we remove and haul off structures and debris. Permits, utility disconnection, and any required inspections are the property owner's responsibility, and asbestos abatement is separate work that we do not do.
Sheds, decks and whole-structure demolition, by city
The 16 cities in our service area. Where a cell is blank on the authority's own page, it says so rather than guessing.
| City | Shed, deck or accessory structure | Whole-structure demolition | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | Building a detached accessory structure is exempt from a building permit at 200 square feet or less and 15 feet or less in height, and a deck is exempt at 200 square feet or less and 30 inches or less above grade. The page carries no exemption language for demolition. | Required for all total demolitions, and for partial demolitions involving more than 50% of exterior walls. A pre-demolition inspection and notice to adjacent residential structures are required, five to 10 business days before work. | Austin Development Services Department — source page, read 2026-09-21; work-exempt list — source page, read 2026-09-21 |
| Kyle | Not required for a residential structure or deck under 200 square feet that is not attached to the dwelling. A deck 30 inches or more above grade is not exempt. | Demolition is listed among the activities that require a permit inside city limits. | City of Kyle Building Inspection Department — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Buda | Not stated on the page read. The city's wording covers any owner who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, without a square-foot threshold. | Required. The fee published on the city's FAQ page was not readable, so no figure is given here. | City of Buda Building Division — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| San Marcos | Not stated on the demolition application read. | Required. The application lists a residential demolition fee of $105 and $333 for all other demolition, no fee for buildings on the Unsafe Structure List, and a permit that is void 30 days after issue. The applicant must notify the Environmental Health Department before demolition starts. | City of San Marcos Planning & Development Services — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Dripping Springs | Not yet verified. This city's permit pages could not be read directly, so nothing about it is stated here. | Not yet verified. This city's permit pages could not be read directly, so nothing about it is stated here. | City of Dripping Springs Building Department, 661 W Hwy 290, 512-858-4725 |
| Wimberley | Not stated. The only exemption on the page read is for fences four feet high or lower. | Required. The city's FAQ states that the complete demolition and relocation of buildings also requires permits. | City of Wimberley Permitting Department — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| New Braunfels | A homeowner may obtain the permit themselves for construction of an accessory building under 200 square feet, and for patio and deck construction and repair. A detached accessory building larger than 200 square feet is not on the homeowner list. | Required. Under the Building Safety Division bulletin dated December 28, 2022, complete demolition of a building larger than 200 square feet, or of a primary residence, is one of the permits that requires a contractor registered with the city and may not be obtained under a homeowner's exemption. | City of New Braunfels Building Safety Division — source page, read 2026-09-12; homeowner exemption bulletin — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Lakeway | Not yet verified. A structure demolition application exists in the city's document centre but the document could not be read, and the building department page states no threshold. | Not yet verified, for the same reason. | City of Lakeway Building & Development Services — source page, read 2026-09-12, 512-314-7540 |
| Bee Cave | A deck exceeding 200 square feet, or more than 30 inches above grade, requires a permit. No shed threshold is stated. | Demolition is explicitly listed as requiring a permit. | City of Bee Cave Planning and Development Department — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Lago Vista | Not yet verified. This city's permit pages could not be read directly, so nothing about it is stated here. | Not yet verified. This city's permit pages could not be read directly, so nothing about it is stated here. | City of Lago Vista Development Services, 512-267-5259 |
| Pflugerville | Not yet verified. This city's permit pages could not be read directly, so nothing about it is stated here. | Not yet verified. This city's permit pages could not be read directly, so nothing about it is stated here. | City of Pflugerville Building Inspections & Permits, Development Services Center |
| Round Rock | Required. A shed counts as an accessory structure and needs a permit even under 200 square feet and 15 feet in height. Wood decks and covered patios require permits, $125 to $300. Residential fences do not. | Required for complete demolition of a residential structure, $50. The city operates a one-permit system: general contractors and subcontractors must be added to the application and accept the assignment in the permit portal before a permit is issued. | City of Round Rock Building Inspection Division — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Cedar Park | Required. Accessory buildings and structures, including detached garages, storage, sheds, carports, gazebos and arbors, require a permit, with no square-foot threshold stated. | Required. The submittal checklist asks for a site plan drawn to scale showing all utilities overhead and underground, a timeline from initial demolition to completion, the disposal methods being used, and barrier fencing. An asbestos survey is listed for commercial projects only. | City of Cedar Park Building Inspection Division — source page, read 2026-09-12; demolition submittal checklist — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Georgetown | Not stated on the demolition page read. | Required inside city limits. The demolition permit page carries a checklist, an asbestos survey link and a historic preservation link. | City of Georgetown Development Services — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Leander | Required. Accessory buildings and structures are listed as needing a permit, with no square-foot threshold stated, and the city notes that its list is not comprehensive. | Required. Demolition is listed among the activities that need a permit. | City of Leander Development Services — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Lockhart | Required. Storage sheds, carports and garages need permits, with no square-foot threshold stated, and so do decks and patios with or without a cover. Fences over 2.5 feet need one too, which is the lowest fence threshold in this set. | Required. Demolishing or moving a structure needs a permit. | City of Lockhart Development Services — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
Fees are shown only where the authority's own page stated one and that page could be read. Where a fee appears in a search result but not on a readable page, it is left out rather than repeated.
Three places the rule changes at a boundary
These are the differences worth knowing before you plan a job, and each one is a difference between neighbours rather than a statewide rule.
A shed under 200 square feet: exempt, permitted, or nobody's business
Kyle does not require a permit for a residential structure or deck under 200 square feet that is not attached to the dwelling (City of Kyle Building Inspection Department, read 2026-09-12). Round Rock requires one for a shed even under 200 square feet and 15 feet in height, because it counts as an accessory structure (City of Round Rock Building Inspection Division, read 2026-09-12). In unincorporated Williamson County there is nothing to pull: the county states it has no zoning regulations and has not adopted residential building code standards, and the county's only touchpoints are a floodplain certification and, where it applies, a driveway permit (Williamson County Road & Bridge, read 2026-09-12).
Three different answers inside one metro. A chicken coop or a small backyard structure sits squarely inside that span, and which of the three applies to you depends on an address, not on the size of the structure.
Who is allowed to pull the permit
In New Braunfels, the Building Safety Division's bulletin dated December 28, 2022 lists complete demolition of a building larger than 200 square feet, or of a primary residence, among the permits that require a contractor registered with the city and may not be obtained under a homeowner's exemption (City of New Braunfels Building Safety Division, read 2026-09-12). Of the 13 cities in this set whose permit pages could be read, New Braunfels is the only one that publishes this rule. Round Rock's constraint is different in kind: its one-permit system requires general contractors and subcontractors to be added to the application and to accept the assignment in the portal before issuance (City of Round Rock, read 2026-09-12).
If you are planning a detached garage, carport or outbuilding teardown, this is the question to settle first, because it decides who applies rather than just what it costs.
A historic review can hold a permit that is otherwise routine
Austin sends residential structures 45 years or older to the Historic Preservation Office for review, and demolition of a minor outbuilding such as a carport, detached garage or shed may qualify for administrative approval within five business days, while larger projects go to the Historic Landmark Commission, which meets once a month (Austin Development Services Department, read 2026-09-21; Austin Historic Preservation, read 2026-09-12). San Marcos applies an automatic 90-day hold to the permit where the requirements in Section 2.7.4.1(B) of the San Marcos Development Code are satisfied, under a code division titled Demolition Review of Historic Age Resources; the age that triggers it is not stated on the application, so no age is given here (City of San Marcos, read 2026-09-12). Georgetown's demolition page links its historic preservation process (City of Georgetown, read 2026-09-12). In Kyle, Buda, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Lockhart, Bee Cave, Wimberley and New Braunfels, no historic-review trigger appeared on the pages read — which is not the same as there being none, only that none was published where the demolition rule was.
Asbestos: the state rule keys on the building, not on the city
The Texas Department of State Health Services publishes a demolition decision tree (Pub. E18-14061). Its first question is whether the structure to be demolished is a single family dwelling or an apartment or condominium of four or fewer units. If it is, and no other buildings on the site are being demolished or renovated, the tree's answer is that TAHPR and NESHAP are not applicable, and it notes that federal worker-protection rules may still apply (Texas DSHS asbestos program, read 2026-09-12).
Add a second building to that site and the answer inverts. Where a single-family or four-or-fewer-unit structure is demolished alongside other homes or commercial or public buildings on the same site, the tree puts the job under the NESHAP and states that an asbestos survey must be performed (Texas DSHS, read 2026-09-12). That is the one case where a farmhouse with a barn or a second dwelling coming down at the same time has a hard rule to point at rather than an interpretation.
Anything that is not a single-family or four-or-fewer-unit structure is regulated by TAHPR, the NESHAP, or both: a survey is required, notification must reach DSHS at least 10 working days before the demolition start date, and the notification carries a minimum fee of $55 plus a 3% subscription fee. DSHS states that notification is required before the demolition of a building or facility even when no asbestos is present, and separately that one private residence is not subject to the asbestos NESHAP regulations and notification is not required (Texas DSHS notification FAQ, read 2026-09-12).
DSHS also states that an asbestos survey can be conducted by a licensed asbestos inspector, and that it can also be done by a licensed asbestos consultant or an asbestos management planner (Texas DSHS general FAQ, read 2026-09-12). Surveys, notifications and abatement are separate work from removal and haul-off, and they are the property owner's responsibility.
Three cities in this set restate the rule in their own checklists, and all three key it to commercial versus residential rather than to dwelling-unit count: Cedar Park's demolition checklist lists an asbestos survey for commercial only (City of Cedar Park, read 2026-09-12); San Marcos requires a copy of a hazardous material report for commercial demolition (City of San Marcos, read 2026-09-12); Austin's page states that commercial demolitions require an Asbestos Compliance Notification Form and that a single private residence, or a single apartment building with no more than four dwelling units, is excluded (Austin Development Services Department, read 2026-09-21). The difference matters in one specific situation: a homeowner taking down a second dwelling on the same lot is inside the state rule even where the city checklist says commercial only.
A mobile or manufactured home is not named anywhere in the decision tree. Whether it counts as a single family dwelling for this purpose is not stated by DSHS, so this page does not say either way.
Outside the city limits: what the county does and does not require
Cross a city line into the unincorporated county and the permit question is often a different question entirely.
| County | What the county requires | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Travis County, unincorporated | A single-family development permit covers new construction, accessory buildings, additions, remodels, driveways, retaining walls, fences, pools and septic. The page read says nothing about demolition, in either direction, so nothing is stated here. | Travis County Transportation & Natural Resources — source page, read 2026-09-12, 512-854-4215 |
| Williamson County, unincorporated | Not required. The county states it has no zoning regulations and has not adopted residential building code standards, so it does not require new residential construction to meet building codes. A floodplain certification of compliance and, where it applies, a driveway or culvert permit are the county touchpoints, and the county notes that cities within their extra-territorial jurisdiction, emergency services districts, TCEQ and the health district may still require permitting. | Williamson County Road & Bridge — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Hays County, unincorporated | A development permit is required for any kind of development, which the county's own list includes sheds and outbuildings in. Whether demolition needs one is not stated on the page read, so nothing is stated here. | Hays County Development Services — source page, read 2026-09-12, 512-393-2150 |
| Comal County, unincorporated | No demolition rule was found on a readable county page. The county Recycling Center's own page was readable and is covered in the debris section below. | Comal County Recycling Center — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Caldwell County, unincorporated | Not yet verified. The county development ordinance and solid waste ordinance are published as documents that could not be read, so nothing about this county is stated here. | Caldwell County Development Services |
| Bastrop County (outside the service area) | Regional context only. The county's adopted fee schedule has no demolition line item, and its accessory or incidental development permit is tiered: $50 for up to 200 square feet, and $100 for 200 to 1,000 square feet. | Bastrop County Development Services — source page, read 2026-09-12, (512) 581-7176 |
| Guadalupe County (outside the service area) | Regional context only. A county demolition rule was not retrieved from a readable page. County residents' drop-off is covered in the debris section below. | Guadalupe County Road & Bridge citizen pricing — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
Bastrop County and Guadalupe County are included because a regional guide should cover the region. Neither is in our confirmed service area, and nothing on this page should be read as an offer to work there.
Who handles household waste where you live
Once a structure is down, the debris question goes to a different authority from the permit question — sometimes the city itself, more often a company holding a city contract or franchise. This is who to ask, not what each program allows.
| City or county | Who runs collection | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | Austin Resource Recovery, a city department rather than a contracted hauler. | Austin Resource Recovery — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Kyle | Contracted to Texas Disposal Systems, administered through city utility billing. | City of Kyle — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Buda | Contracted to Texas Disposal Systems under a city franchise. | City of Buda — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| San Marcos | The city's Resource Recovery Division, with service delivered by Texas Disposal Systems. | City of San Marcos — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Wimberley | Texas Disposal Systems holds an exclusive city franchise. The city states that curbside pick-up is not mandatory, but that property owners applying for service are required to use Texas Disposal Systems, and that the contract grants them the sole and exclusive rights for permanent and temporary roll-off service, to include construction and demolition. | City of Wimberley — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| New Braunfels | City crews, with city-provided carts. Bulky curbside collection is a scheduled service at a $43.30 fee, and the city also runs quarterly free drop-off events. | City of New Braunfels — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Lakeway | The city's Solid Waste Management Department, with curbside service by Waste Connections. | City of Lakeway — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Bee Cave | A city-wide franchise held by Texas Disposal Systems. The city states plainly that it does not own the utility and that trash questions go to the company. | City of Bee Cave — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Round Rock | Contracted to Republic Services. | City of Round Rock — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Cedar Park | Contracted to Republic Services. | City of Cedar Park — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Georgetown | A city contract with Texas Disposal Systems, plus a city-owned transfer station operated by the same company. | City of Georgetown — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Leander | Contracted to Al Clawson Disposal, with bulk items handled case by case for a fee. | City of Leander — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Lockhart | A seven-year agreement with Central Texas Refuse, announced June 17, 2026, plus city-customer access to the Environmental Park 130 landfill. | City of Lockhart — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Hays County, unincorporated | The county states it does not offer trash pick-up services, and runs two drop-off sites for rural residents instead, at Wimberley and Driftwood, open Tuesday through Saturday. | Hays County Recycling & Solid Waste — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Comal County, unincorporated | A county-run Recycling Center at 281 Resource Drive, New Braunfels, serving residential and commercial customers. | Comal County Recycling — source page, read 2026-09-12 |
| Dripping Springs, Lago Vista, Pflugerville | Not yet verified. This city's permit pages could not be read directly, so nothing about it is stated here. | Call the city directly; the departments are named in Table 1. |
Companies are named here because the city names them as the contract or franchise holder. Naming one is not a statement of any relationship between that company and us.
Where the debris goes once the structure is down
Of the ten cities in this set whose free or included municipal program we read in full — Austin, Kyle, Buda, San Marcos, New Braunfels, Lakeway, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown at the curb, and Leander at its cleanup events — not one takes construction, demolition or remodeling debris in that program. Austin's bulk collection excludes sheet glass and other construction and remodeling debris by name (Austin Resource Recovery, read 2026-09-12); Round Rock's excludes demolition and construction debris (City of Round Rock, read 2026-09-12); New Braunfels' free drop-off events exclude construction, demolition or remodeling materials (City of New Braunfels, read 2026-09-12); Georgetown's curbside list excludes construction waste and names ceramic or porcelain tubs, fiberglass insulation, sheet glass and sheet rock (City of Georgetown, read 2026-09-12). That is the scope we have read; six of the sixteen cities' programs are not part of that count, and nothing here is a statement about them.
At the state level, the destination is a permitting question rather than a courtesy. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality classifies Type I landfills for disposal of all types of municipal solid waste and Type IV landfills for disposal limited to brush, construction and demolition waste, and rubbish (TCEQ landfill types, read 2026-09-12). Its published table of accepted wastes allows brush, construction waste, demolition waste and rubbish at both, and does not allow putrescible and household wastes at Type IV. Regulated asbestos-containing material is allowed at Type I and not allowed at Type IV. Used oil and filters, lead-acid batteries and regulated hazardous waste are prohibited at every municipal solid waste landfill type (TCEQ RG-606, revised February 2026, read 2026-09-12).
TCEQ adds a caution worth repeating: a landfill may choose not to accept some types of waste even where its permit allows it, and the way to find out is to contact the landfill directly (TCEQ RG-606, read 2026-09-12). That is the practical reason a mixed load — old lumber plus bagged household rubbish — behaves differently from a clean structure teardown, and why the two get separated before they go anywhere.
Two questions this page cannot answer, and who can
Is hauling away an intact shed a total demolition in Austin?
Unresolved, and we are not going to pick an answer. Austin's demolition permit page states that a permit is required for all total demolitions, and the same page publishes no definition of a total demolition and does not mention accessory structures, sheds, carports or detached garages in either direction (Austin Development Services Department, read 2026-09-21). The city's work-exempt list exempts building a detached accessory structure at 200 square feet or less and says nothing about taking one down (work-exempt list, read 2026-09-21). The demolition page also points to a separate relocation process for structures that are moved rather than destroyed.
Three readings all fit what the city publishes: that a shed is too small to be a total demolition, that a shed is a structure and its complete removal is one, or that hauling an intact shed is neither demolition nor relocation. Choosing between them would be our opinion dressed as a rule. Ask Austin Development Services, 512-978-4000, and ask it about your specific structure and address.
Does a dumpster in the street need a permit in Austin?
Yes, and it is a right-of-way question rather than a waste question. Austin Transportation and Public Works handles containers placed in the right of way under its parking permit category, issued case by case depending on the type of device and the location. The department asks for an image of the location where the container will go, and states that it will be necessary to secure two parking spaces and place Type III barricades on both sides of the device (Austin Transportation and Public Works, read 2026-09-21).
The same category requires a notification and signoff form delivered to all adjacent properties, a minimum of three business days' notice, and payment at least two business days before the requested date (Austin Transportation and Public Works, read 2026-09-21). Whether a container standing on a private driveway or a private job site needs a permit is not stated on that page, so this page does not say that none is needed.
That is the honest comparison for a property owner weighing a container against a crew, and we sell both, so here it is either way. A container on the street in Austin is a permit, a notification, two parking spaces and a lead time (Austin Transportation and Public Works, read 2026-09-21). A crew with a truck is a scheduled visit. Which is cheaper depends on how long the job runs and how much of it you plan to load yourself.
Three cities where we could not read the rule
Dripping Springs, Lago Vista and Pflugerville publish their permit information on pages that could not be read directly — one blocks automated retrieval, one refused every connection, and one renders its text in a way that could not be captured. Rather than repeat a search summary, here are the three questions to ask, and the departments to ask them of are in Table 1.
- Does removing a detached shed or accessory structure under 200 square feet require a permit, and is the answer different for building one than for taking one down?
- Does a whole-structure demolition require a permit, who is allowed to pull it, and what does it cost?
- Is there a historic-age or historic-district review that can hold a demolition permit, and what age or designation triggers it?
Structure coming down? We will come and look at it.
We remove and haul off sheds, decks, detached garages, outbuildings and whole structures, and we clear the site when the work is done. Permits, utility disconnection and inspections stay with the property owner.
Free on-site quote. Upfront price before we start.