Austin commercial building permit: how long it takes and what you need

From 1,627 City of Austin building permits for new commercial buildings, issued through October 19, 2026. Updated monthly.

How long a new commercial building permit takes

Calendar days from application to issued permit. The fastest tenth of permits were issued within 1 days; the median was 121; one in ten took more than 993. The difference is mostly the lot and the applicant: what the site triggers and how complete the first submittal is.

By council district

District 9 was the fastest (median 4 days) and District 10 the slowest (740 days). Districts with fewer than 20 permits are left out.

Year by year

What slows it down

Site conditions such as floodplains, creek setbacks, historic districts, protected trees and drinking water protection zones add reviews. A readiness check tells you which apply to your lot.

What you need to submit

The core of the submittal for a new commercial building in Austin. Your lot can add items, for example a tree survey or floodplain documents; a readiness check lists them.

1. Site plan or plot plan: setbacks, easements, existing and proposed structures
2. Boundary survey: by a Texas registered professional land surveyor
3. Sealed construction documents: architect and engineer sealed, including MEP
4. Impervious cover calculations: existing and proposed, against the zoning and watershed limits
5. Energy code compliance: Austin Energy Green Building / IECC documentation

Dirt to Permit is not the City of Austin. Confirm every requirement with the City's Development Services Department. How these numbers are computed.