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Hiring a contractor in Fort Worth, TX

To get a permit in Fort Worth, the City says the person applying has to be a registered building contractor, or a homeowner who qualifies for a homestead permit on the house they own and live in1. The City also registers plumbing, electrical and mechanical (heating and air-conditioning) contractors2. Changing or installing a water heater is one of the jobs that needs a plumbing permit, and no inspection can be scheduled until the permit has been issued1,3. Most of the answers below come from the City's own pages and forms.

Who can apply for a Fort Worth permit, and how do you check a license?

  • In Fort Worth, the person applying for a permit must be a registered building contractor or qualify for a homestead permit. A homestead permit is for work on a home you own and live in as your main home. The proof is a homestead exemption from the appraisal district.1 Residential building permit page →
  • Fort Worth has its own contractor registration. On the City's application form, mechanical, master electrical and master plumbing registrations are marked "No Fee." The form says fees may vary and points to the City's fee schedule.2 Development Services permits page →
  • A Fort Worth permit must be issued before any inspection can be scheduled. You can schedule online, or by phone through the City's automated phone line (IVR). Requests made before 6:30 a.m. are scheduled for that same day; requests at or after 6:30 a.m. go to the next business day.3
  • Electricians and air-conditioning contractors are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, whose free search shows active licenses by name, license number, city, county or ZIP code.4 Search active licenses on TDLR's free lookup →
  • The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners publishes free lists of licensed plumbers and updates them every day.5 Look up a plumber on the state board's free lists →

Does your Fort Worth job need a permit?

  • In Fort Worth, changing, installing, moving or repairing a water heater needs a plumbing permit.1
  • In Fort Worth, replacing only the shingles needs no permit. If the job also replaces the boards under the shingles, a building permit is required.6
  • Under Fort Worth's local code changes, a new roof does not need an ice barrier layer under the shingles, because ice dams (ice that builds up along a roof's edge) have not been a problem in the area.7
  • In Fort Worth, replacing or adding outside doors or windows needs a building permit.1
  • In Fort Worth, a fence in the front yard or projected front yard can be no more than 4 feet tall and must be an open, picket-style design. Chain link is not allowed there. You need a building permit for a solid fence over 7 feet tall or an open fence over 8 feet tall. In a historic district, a fence may need extra approval.1
  • Fort Worth builds to the 2021 International Code Council (ICC) codes, in effect since April 1, 2022, but kept the older 2015 International Energy Conservation Code as its energy code. The 2026 NEC, the electrical code, took effect September 1, 2026.8 Building codes and local amendments →

What are Fort Worth's rules for sprinklers, lawns and street trees?

  • Fort Worth homes may run sprinklers on two assigned days a week. Addresses ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 water on Wednesday and Saturday. Addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 water on Thursday and Sunday. Sprinklers may not run on Monday, or between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on any day. Watering by hand with a hose is allowed at any time.9
  • Fort Worth residential water customers can get one free check of their sprinkler system. A licensed irrigation inspector looks for broken, misaligned or leaking heads, wrong controller settings, pressure and flow problems, and water waste. Call 817-392-8740 or use the online request form.10 Request a free sprinkler evaluation →
  • Anyone who installs a sprinkler (irrigation) system, or changes 20 percent or more of one, in Fort Worth or the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) must get a permit from the City's Development Services Department.11
  • In Fort Worth, putting in a new sprinkler system, or replacing a sprinkler valve, needs a plumbing permit.1
  • Grass and weeds must be kept 12 inches tall or shorter, on developed and vacant lots alike. The City sends only one certified notice a year about a yard that is too tall. After that notice, the owner has 10 days to mow. If it still is not mowed, the City sends a contractor and the owner pays for the work, due within 30 days.12
  • In Fort Worth, removing, planting or pruning a tree in the parkway (the strip of land between the street and the property line), the right-of-way, parkland or other public space must be approved by the City Forester. The permits are free and are usually issued within three weeks.13

What does the City say about door-to-door sellers, job debris and frozen pipes?

  • Fort Worth requires door-to-door sellers, including people selling services, to register with the City first and carry their registration certificate while selling. There is no fee for the certificate. Sellers may not stop at a home with a "No Soliciting" or "No Trespassing" sign. They also may not sell at a home before 9 a.m., or after 7 p.m. (8 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time), unless the person living there asks.14 Door-to-door permit page →
  • Fort Worth's monthly curbside bulk trash pickup does not take contractor remodeling or demolition debris, such as shingles, wallboard and lumber.15
  • If you have no water because a pipe froze, the City of Fort Worth says it is safest to call a plumber: the pipe may be cracked and burst when it thaws.16
  • The City of Fort Worth says not to heat a frozen pipe with an electrical appliance: the pipe could burst, with a risk of electric shock.16

Are most Fort Worth homes owned or rented?

  • About 57% of Fort Worth's occupied homes (195,072 of 342,126) are lived in by their owners, and 147,054 are rented.17
  • About half of the homes in Fort Worth were built in 1994 or earlier.18

Three things to ask a Fort Worth contractor before you say yes

  1. “Is your company registered with the City of Fort Worth, and who will apply for the permit?” The City's page on home permits says the person applying must be a registered building contractor, or an owner who qualifies for a homestead permit. The City's registration form also lists plumbing, electrical and mechanical (heating and air-conditioning) contractors.1,2
  2. “What Texas license covers this work?” Then look it up yourself: plumbers are on the state plumbing board's free lists, and electricians and air-conditioning contractors are on TDLR's free search. A water heater change, for one, needs a Fort Worth plumbing permit.5,4,1
  3. If the seller came to your door: “Can I see your City registration certificate?” Fort Worth requires door-to-door sellers, including people selling services, to register first and carry the certificate while they sell.14

Published by CrewButton (Econ Labs, LLC, Addison, Texas). Drafted with AI (Claude) from the sources below. Facts were checked against their sources by AI, and the page was approved by CrewButton's founder on . First published . Updated . Last reviewed .

Sources

  1. Residential Permitting. City of Fort Worth, Development Services. Read 2026-10-30.
  2. Contractor Registration Application. City of Fort Worth, Development Services. Read 2026-10-30.
  3. Inspections. City of Fort Worth, Development Services. Read 2026-10-30.
  4. TDLR Active License Search. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Read 2026-11-02.
  5. Free Licensee Lists. Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Read 2026-11-02.
  6. Residential Remodel Building Permit Checklist (PDF). City of Fort Worth, Development Services (2026-05-27). Read 2026-10-12.
  7. Roofing FAQ. City of Fort Worth, Development Services. Read 2026-10-30.
  8. Permits. City of Fort Worth, Development Services. Read 2026-10-30.
  9. Irrigation Insights: Smart Watering for Fort Worth. City of Fort Worth, Water Department. Read 2026-11-02.
  10. SmartIrrigation System Evaluation. City of Fort Worth, Water Department. Read 2026-10-30.
  11. How to Hire an Irrigation Contractor. City of Fort Worth, Water Department. Read 2026-10-30.
  12. High Grass and Weeds. City of Fort Worth, Code Compliance. Read 2026-10-30.
  13. Forestry. City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department (Forestry). Read 2026-10-30.
  14. Door-to-Door Sales Registration Application and General Door-to-Door Permit Information. City of Fort Worth, Development Services (2026-05-29). Read 2026-10-30.
  15. Bulk Waste Collection. City of Fort Worth, Environmental Services (Garbage & Recycling). Read 2026-10-30.
  16. Tips to protect water pipes during freezing temperatures. City of Fort Worth (2026-01-21). Read 2026-10-29.
  17. American Community Survey 2020–2024 (5-year), table B25003: Tenure, Fort Worth city, Texas. U.S. Census Bureau. Read 2026-10-30.
  18. American Community Survey 2020–2024 (5-year), table B25035: Median Year Structure Built, Fort Worth city, Texas. U.S. Census Bureau. Read 2026-10-30.

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