Building Process
Welcome to the City of Ferris Building Inspection and Permit Department. We are excited that you have chosen Ferris for your future project. You, the Ferris stakeholders are not only our customers but partners in our combined long-term growth. We look forward to working with you in a timely manner to enable you to get your project started. Below, please visit the following links to help better understand our process and reduce preventable downtime.
Obtaining a building permit begins with the appropriate application however, the application must be complete to begin the permit process. Leaving any needed information out of your application will cause the application to be rejected hence, causing valuable time to be lost. Your building permit application needs to be submitted by e-mail and include all required plan sheets and documents as listed in our published application checklist.
When is a permit required? If you are not sure, please contact our office to confirm that a permit is or isn’t required. In general, a permit is required for every type of construction project, new construction, remodeling, major trade projects and as follows.
Signage, New homes or structures, Foundations, Decks, Storage/Accessory buildings, Additions, Interior remodeling, Exterior remodeling, Carports, Garage enclosures, Renovations, Pre-fabricated structures, Temporary buildings, Demolitions, Driveways/Commercial parking/Sidewalks, Water heater replacements, Insulation, Swimming pools, Retaining walls, Sprinkler irrigation systems, Mechanical/HVAC systems (new, replacement or relocating equipment), Electrical systems (new or upgrade service, new wiring & receptacles),Plumbing (new or relocating fixtures) systems, Fencing & Roof Replacement
Permits are generally NOT required for single trade projects such as painting, wall papering, carpeting, flooring, cabinetry, or countertops and for simple Electric or plumbing fixture swap (remove and replace). To reiterate, if uncertain please let us know we are here to assist you.
Contractor Registration is required to perform trade services within the City limits. Applications must be accompanied by a Certificate of Insurance, Copy of State License (if applicable) and a photo drivers’ license. Once all information is verified the applicant may perform services and will be given a Contractor Registration Number. All Contractor Registrations expire on December 31st of each year. All contractors must register however, Licensed Plumber, Licensed Electricians and Licensed Mechanical Contractors do not pay the $100.00 registration fee.
The Permitting Process begins with your complete application and submittal of all required documents to Permits@FerrisTexas.gov. Once received, our permit Technician verifies all documents have been received they distribute the documents to all necessary departments for review and approval. Upon approval from Planning & Zoning, Public Works, Water, Building Department and in the case of all commercial projects the Fire Marshal, the building plan review begins. The building plan review process focuses on verifying that all plans are code compliant.
We are planning to upgrade to the 2018 Series of ICC codes during the beginning of 2022, until then the City of Ferris Code of Ordinances adopt the following 2018 ICC codes, and all amendments as follows.
2018 International Building Code (IBC)
2018 International Residential Code (IRC)
2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC)
2018 International Mechanical Code (IMC)
2018 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC)
2018 International Energy Code (IECC)
2018 International Existing Building Code (IEBC)
2018 international Fire Code (IFC)
2020 National Electric Code (NEC)
2018 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC)
The Inspection Process for the City of Ferris is flexible and provides builders with several important options. We offer independent trade inspection or multi trade inspections such as our pre-drywall Inspection incorporating framing, mechanical, electric, plumbing, and associated inspection during the same visit. We invite you to discuss the inspection requirements and process with our staff at your convenience.
To schedule an inspection simply complete and submit the Building Request Inspection form found HERE.
Schedule at least 24 hours in advance and make certain to complete the form before submitting. Important to note, Inspection hours are Monday through Thursday 8:00 am through 4:00 pm. Scheduled inspections may be conducted later than 4pm on the day of request, depending on volume. There is an after hour (Friday and Saturday) inspection service however, scheduling requires 48-hour notice and costs $350.00 paid in advance.
Please download our list of Required Inspections and Inspection Codes found HERE.
Note that not all the listed inspection types apply to all projects. Contact our staff at your convenience to verify the required inspections for your project.
Certificate of Occupancy is required for all new construction, change of commercial occupancy or ownership. The process is easy, and the application can be completed online for convenience. Upon review by all appropriate departments, inspection of the premise will be conducted for issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. Temporary & Permanent Certificates of Occupancy are issued for commercial concerns when all approvals are received, including the City of Ferris Fire Marshal. You may find the Application for Certificate of Occupancy at HERE.