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Permitting Authorities / City of Fort Worth - Development Services Department

City of Fort Worth - Development Services Department

Adopted code

The permitting authority for the City of Fort Worth, Texas. The Development Services Department administers building permits and contractor registration under the city's adopted construction codes, and publishes roofing-specific guidance for residential re-roofing, which is a frequent subject of resident, roofing-company, and insurance-company inquiries in this hail-prone part of North Texas.

Jurisdiction
City of Fort Worth, Texas
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
100 Fort Worth Trail, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Contact
  • url: https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/development-services
  • phone: 817-392-2222
Permit portal
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
false
Contractor registration required
true
Registration details
  • license: The Contractor Registration page states: "Any firm, business, individual or organization obtaining a permit related to the building, mechanical, plumbing or electrical provisions of the City of Fort Worth's Codes shall have on file in the Development Services Department a valid Contractor Registration signed by an official of the business," with two exceptions: owners of single-family residences performing work on their own homestead property, and commercial property owners installing banners on their own property. Registration types include Building Contractor; the annual fee for Building contractors is $168.75, and registrations expire one year from issuance.
Permit process note
The department's residential roofing FAQ states that a permit is NOT required "for a replacement roof on a single family or two-family dwelling if I am only replacing shingles and no decking is replaced," but a permit IS required "if any decking is replaced." The FAQ adds that a roof meeting code when built remains in compliance per the International Existing Building Code; that a new layer of decking may not be installed over an existing layer; that when re-roofing, crickets and drip edges are required even where they do not currently exist; and that "an ice barrier underlayment is not required as there is not a history of ice damming in our area" per the city's amendments. Underlayment must meet the manufacturer's recommendations or 2021 IRC section R905, whichever is more restrictive.
Adopted code
The city's Building & Energy Codes page states Fort Worth "has currently adopted the 2021 International Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Fire, and Existing Building Codes, the 2015 Energy Conservation Codes and the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. The adopted electrical code is the 2023 National Electrical Code. Each code has locally adopted amendments." The department's roofing FAQ applies the 2021 International Residential Code (chapter 9 and section R905) to residential roof assemblies.

Local roofing hub

Roofing in Fort Worth, TexasCity hub

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Sources