How long a residential demolition permit takes
Calendar days from application to issued permit. The fastest tenth of permits were issued within 9 days; the median was 22; one in ten took more than 150. The difference is mostly the lot and the applicant: what the site triggers and how complete the first submittal is.
By council district
District 2 was the fastest (median 14 days) and District 9 the slowest (37 days). Districts with fewer than 20 permits are left out.
| District | Permits | Median days | Slowest tenth over |
|---|---|---|---|
| District 2 | 30 | 14 | 104 |
| District 7 | 217 | 17 | 136 |
| District 5 | 201 | 18 | 94 |
| District 8 | 60 | 20 | 91 |
| District 4 | 54 | 22 | 108 |
| District 3 | 195 | 23 | 139 |
| District 10 | 264 | 29 | 200 |
| District 1 | 109 | 37 | 296 |
| District 9 | 157 | 37 | 315 |
Year by year
| Year issued | Permits | Median days | Slowest tenth over |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,074 | 42 | 175 |
| 2022 | 981 | 36 | 229 |
| 2023 | 598 | 46 | 418 |
| 2024 | 610 | 30 | 325 |
| 2025 | 727 | 22 | 173 |
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 residential demolition in Austin. Your lot can add items, for example a tree survey or floodplain documents; a readiness check lists them.
- Demolition permit application: with photographs of every side of the structure
- Historic Preservation review: demolition applications are screened for historic significance
Dirt to Permit is not the City of Austin. Confirm every requirement with the City's Development Services Department. How these numbers are computed.