What's Required in San Antonio
- Tile, vanity cabinets, countertops and paint need no permit.
- Replacing a toilet, sink, faucet or tub/shower valve needs a plumbing permit.
- Pulling and resetting the same toilet without replacing parts is exempt.
- New outlets, lighting or fan wiring need an electrical permit from a licensed electrical contractor.
- Exhaust fans need a mechanical permit.
- Homeowners may pull plumbing permits only for their own homestead with a notarized affidavit.
- Replacing sheetrock or changing walls needs a Residential Repair building permit.
- Each trade passes its own rough-in and final inspections.
Do you need a permit to remodel a bathroom in San Antonio?
Usually, because almost every bathroom remodel touches plumbing. City Code Section 10-6(e)(1)g exempts tiling, cabinets, counter tops and similar finish work, so new tile, a new vanity cabinet or paint needs nothing. But the plumbing exemption in Section 10-6(e)(5)b is narrow: it covers clearing stoppages, repairing leaks and the removal and reinstallation of water closets only when no valves, pipes or fixtures are replaced or rearranged. Pulling your existing toilet to lay a new floor and setting it back is exempt. Installing a new toilet, sink, faucet or tub/shower valve in the same spot is not; the Development Services Department (DSD) Home Remodeling FAQ says installing faucets, sinks and toilets needs a permit.
How much is a bathroom remodel permit in San Antonio?
DSD's FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule (revised September 2026) prices each trade separately. Plumbing is $57.50 base plus $8.05 per fixture, and the city's plumbing application counts tub/shower valves and replaced water or drain lines as fixtures. Electrical and mechanical permits also start at $57.50. A building permit for wall or sheetrock work is $172.50 (general repair) or $241.50 (full remodel).
- New toilet in the same spot: $57.50 + $8.05 = $65.55, or $70.79 with the two 4% surcharges.
- Full gut remodel: building $241.50 + plumbing $81.65 (toilet, lavatory, tub/shower valve) + electrical $61.54 (two outlets at $0.18, two LED fixtures at $1.84) + mechanical $64.69 (one exhaust fan at $7.19) = $449.38, about $485.33 with surcharges.
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Retiling, new vanity cabinet, new countertop, paint | None | Finish work (10-6(e)(1)g) |
| Pulling and resetting the same toilet for new flooring | None | 10-6(e)(5)b, no fixture replaced |
| Replacing a toilet, sink, faucet or shower valve | Plumbing permit, $57.50 + $8.05 each | Licensed plumber or homesteading owner |
| Adding a GFCI outlet, lights or fan wiring | Electrical permit, $57.50 + items | Licensed electrician only |
| Installing an exhaust fan | Mechanical permit, $57.50 + $7.19 | DSD Home Remodeling FAQ |
| Replacing sheetrock or moving a wall | Building permit, $172.50 or $241.50 | Residential Repair Permit Application |
| Converting a closet or adding a bathroom in an addition | Building + all trade permits | Plan review over 1,000 sq ft |
Who can do the work?
DSD's residential permits page says homeowners must use licensed trade contractors for new electrical, plumbing and HVAC work. The one exception is plumbing in your own homestead: City Code Section 10-6(j) lets a homeowner pull a plumbing permit for a homestead where they reside, provided they make the installation themselves without anyone's help, and DSD requires a notarized Plumbing Affidavit for Homeowner's Permit stating the house is not a business or rental property. Otherwise plumbing permits go to a licensed Responsible Master Plumber registered with a company. A homeowner can pull the building permit by attesting to 12 months of ownership after the project.
What gets inspected?
Each permit is inspected on its own record: plumbing rough-in before walls close, electrical rough-in, and finals for each trade, plus a framing inspection if the building permit includes framing. Inspections are free to schedule online on BuildSA (the schedule lists a $3.45 scheduling fee otherwise), and a failed inspection costs $57.50 to re-inspect.
How to Get a Bathroom Remodel Permit in San Antonio
Separate finish work from trade work
Tile, paint and cabinets need nothing; list every fixture, circuit, fan and wall change that does.
Decide who files plumbing
Use a licensed plumber, or file the plumbing permit yourself for your homestead with a notarized homeowner affidavit.
File trade and building permits
Licensed contractors file electrical and mechanical permits on BuildSA; file the Residential Repair application if walls or sheetrock change.
Pay the fees
Pay each permit's base and per-item fees plus the two 4% surcharges; online filing avoids the $11.50 convenience fee.
Pass rough-in and final inspections
Schedule inspections free online before closing walls, then the finals that close each permit.