Texas has no state general contractor license, so city rules decide what a homeowner can do. Compare Austin, San Antonio and Houston homestead permit limits side by side.
A Texas homeowner can often pull a permit and do real work on their own home, but each big city draws the line in a different place. Austin offers a homestead permit that covers electrical, mechanical and plumbing work. San Antonio lets owners pull many building permits but limits trade work to plumbing. Houston's plumbing page allows a homestead owner to do their own plumbing and says nothing about a license. This guide lays the three side by side so you know where an owner can work and where a licensed professional has to take over.
At a glance
- Texas has no state general contractor license, so a homeowner acting as their own contractor is dealing with city rules, not a state exam.
- Austin's homestead permit needs a homestead exemption on file and bars the main electric service, refrigerant work on ducted air conditioning and certain gas and water systems.
- San Antonio lists no homeowner electrical or HVAC permit. Homeowner plumbing is limited to an existing homestead, done personally.
- Houston's plumbing page requires the owner to own, occupy and register the home as a homestead and do the work personally.
- A homestead permit does not transfer to another person in Austin, and the permit holder must do the work.
For how Texas licenses contractors, electricians and plumbers across the state, start with the Texas contractor license guide. For the Dallas version of this topic, see the Dallas homeowner permit and homestead exemption guide. This page covers the other three large cities.
How the three cities compare
| City | Homeowner trade work | Main condition | Where a pro takes over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | Electrical, mechanical and plumbing under a homestead permit | Homestead exemption on file, principal residence, owner does the work | Main electric service, refrigerant work, certain gas and water systems |
| San Antonio | Plumbing only, on an existing homestead | Registered owner, home is not a business, no helpers | New electrical, new HVAC and new plumbing components |
| Houston | Plumbing, per the city's plumbing page | Own, occupy and register as homestead, do the work yourself | Anything outside that page's scope |
Treat this table as a map, not a permit. Each city updates forms and scope, and the details below show how narrow some of the exceptions are.
Austin: the homestead permit
Austin's Development Services page describes a Homestead Permit for electrical, mechanical or plumbing work. You qualify only if you do not hold a state license for that trade and you have a homestead exemption filed with the tax appraisal district in the property's county. The work has to be in your homestead and principal residence.
Austin adds several conditions.
- You cannot have secured a homestead permit for another residence in the prior 12 months.
- You must show proof of residence and ownership if the building official asks, and photo ID to verify you are the person authorized under the permit.
- A mobile, modular or manufactured home qualifies only if you own the land. Homes in a mobile home park or other commercial premises do not.
- The permit cannot be transferred to another person.
- You are responsible for performing all work under the permit. Someone else doing the work can lead to suspension or revocation.
What Austin excludes
The city's page lists three exclusions: the main electric service, reclaiming and charging a ducted heating and air conditioning system that contains refrigerant, and liquefied petroleum plumbing systems and auxiliary water systems. The homestead affidavit lists natural gas plumbing systems where the web page lists liquefied petroleum and auxiliary water, so confirm your exact scope with the city before you buy materials.
If your job goes past what the homestead permit covers, a licensed contractor has to take over the permit and additional fees apply, under Section 25-11-36 of the city code.
The affidavit and the timeline
The homestead affidavit is notarized by a Travis County notary. In it you confirm that you were given the homestead brochure, that the work will not involve the excluded items, and that you owned and occupied the property as of January 1 of the tax year in which you apply. You also confirm that you may not transfer the permit.
Austin requires you to pay trade permit fees through the My Bills section of the AB+C Portal before starting any electrical, mechanical or plumbing work. The page lists no dollar amounts. Fees are set by the city and can change. Verify the current amount with the provider before you pay.
A permit expires on the 181st day if the project has not been scheduled or inspected. A passing inspection extends the expiration date by 180 days, and a canceled or failed inspection with no work performed does not. You must pass every inspection, including the final trade inspection.
Acting as your own general contractor in Austin
Austin states that Texas does not require a state license to be a general contractor. If you act as your own general contractor, you handle permit requests and activation, payments, inspection scheduling, the final building permit inspection, any certificate of occupancy and the child trade permits. Homeowners may optionally register as a contractor in the city system to request or activate permits and to schedule and pass inspections on their own property.
San Antonio: building permits yes, most trades no
San Antonio's Development Services page says that if you own your residence, you can apply for specific permits to work in your home. The homeowner list covers new homes, additions, decks, carports, patio covers, fences, pools, windows and doors, re-roofing, foundation repairs, demolition and manufactured home installations.
| Homeowner permit | Documents | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Residential packet (homestead only) | Site plan, building plans, proof of ownership | Full plan review |
| General repairs (additions, accessory structures, decks, fences) | Site plan, proof of ownership | Over the counter |
| Re-roof, no change in pitch | Proof of ownership | Over the counter |
| Re-roof, change of pitch | Proof of ownership | Full plan review |
New homes, additions over 1,000 square feet and any second story go to a plans examiner, typically about three business days. Some small repairs need no permit at all, and the city keeps a no permit required list.
Homeowner plumbing in San Antonio
San Antonio lets a homeowner apply for a plumbing permit only for an existing residence that is their homestead, and only if they do the work themselves. The Plumbing Homeowner Affidavit has the owner swear to four things: they are the registered owner with Bexar County, the property is their home and not a place of business or income property, they will make the installation personally without help from anyone else, and the work will follow the city sanitary plumbing code and be inspected by a city plumbing inspector.
Electrical and HVAC in San Antonio
The page lists no homeowner electrical or mechanical permit, and it says homeowners must use licensed trade contractors for new electrical, plumbing and HVAC components. Read that together with the plumbing affidavit this way: an owner may do permitted plumbing on an existing homestead, while new electrical and HVAC components belong to licensed trades.
Houston: the plumbing page
The Houston Permitting Center page on homeowner plumbing says a homeowner may get a permit to install and maintain plumbing if they own, occupy and have the property registered as their homestead, and will perform the plumbing work themselves. The page asks for a driver's license or proof of homestead. It does not set a separate registration requirement for homeowners and does not state a license requirement for them.
The work must be inspected and must comply with the current plumbing code, and materials must be approved types. Plan review is not required, though plans may be needed for some projects. Repeated failed inspections can bring a re-inspection fee plus an administrative fee.
This page covers plumbing only. We did not find a Houston page on homeowner electrical or mechanical work that we could read in full, so check with the Houston Permitting Center before assuming an owner can do either.
What to bring before you apply
- Proof that you own the home and that it is your principal residence
- Your appraisal district homestead exemption record, which Austin and Houston both tie to eligibility
- Plans or a site plan where the permit type calls for them
- A notary appointment in Austin, where the affidavit must be notarized
- A written scope of work that you compare against the city's exclusions
Where the homeowner path stops
Homeowner permits protect a person improving their own home. They do not cover building for someone else, flipping houses as a business or managing a crew. Once you accept pay to build or manage work for another person, you are a contractor, and the city and the state expect the license or registration that fits the trade.
Paid helpers are a second trap. San Antonio's plumbing affidavit promises no assistance from anyone else, and Austin holds the permit holder responsible for all work. If your plan depends on friends or a handyman, hire a licensed professional for those parts.
When a company needs a qualifier
A homeowner permit covers one house. A contractor who works across Texas cities needs the trade license or registration each city expects, and a company often has to name a qualified individual who holds the credential. A qualifying agent QUALIFIES a company, working as a full time W-2 employee of the company they qualify.
Read What Is a Qualifying Agent for the basics and contractor license vs business license for how the two credentials differ. Founders Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski built The Licensing Company to help contractors in exactly this position. If your plans are bigger than one homestead, see Hire a Qualifying Agent and consultation packages.
For the trade side of Texas, see electrician license Texas and plumbing license Texas. Owners in other states can compare the Colorado homeowner permit rules by city.
FAQ
Can I do my own electrical work in Austin? Yes, under the homestead permit, if you have a homestead exemption on file, do not hold a state license for the trade and stay out of the excluded work such as the main electric service.
Can I do my own plumbing in San Antonio? Yes, on an existing homestead you own, if you do the work personally and sign the Plumbing Homeowner Affidavit. A city plumbing inspector must inspect it.
Does Houston require a license for homeowner plumbing? The city's homeowner plumbing page states no license requirement. It does require that you own, occupy and register the home as your homestead and do the work yourself.
Can someone else use my homestead permit? No. Austin states that a permit may not be transferred, and the permit holder must do the work.
How much does it cost to hire a qualifying agent? It depends on the state, the trades, the company's structure and the scope of work, so there is no flat number. See consultation packages to discuss your situation.
Sources
- City of Austin, Homeowners Permit, read 2026-10-31
- City of Austin, Homestead Affidavit, read 2026-10-31
- City of San Antonio, Residential Permits, read 2026-10-31
- City of San Antonio, Plumbing Homeowner Affidavit, read 2026-10-31
- Houston Permitting Center, homeowner plumbing permit, read 2026-10-31
Rules change and cities update forms. Confirm the current requirements with each city's permitting office before you start work.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.