Do You Need a Permit to Build a Deck? 30 Cities Compared

Short answer: the 30-inch rule most people quote is only half the answer. Of the 30 largest U.S. cities we cover, 13 exempt a deck below a height whether or not it is attached to the house: 30 inches in Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Tucson, Albuquerque and Pittsburgh, 18 inches in Seattle, 12 inches in St. Louis (and only if it rests on the ground with no footings) and 6 inches in Fort Worth. Eight cities exempt a deck only when it passes a four-part test at once, under 200 square feet (300 in San Antonio), under 30 inches, not attached to the house and not at the exit door, so the ordinary backyard deck bolted to the house needs a permit at any size in Dallas, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento, Louisville, Long Beach and, on the state code, Cincinnati. Minneapolis and Milwaukee exempt only a low freestanding platform. Seven cities permit every deck: New York, Chicago, Miami, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Fees for a typical raised deck run from $80 in Louisville and $105 in St. Louis to $2,691 in San Diego. We read each city's exemption list, deck page or standard, fee schedule and guard and footing rules and recorded where the line sits.

13cities exempt a low deck whether or not it is attached to the house

7cities require a permit for every deck, at any height or size

30 inthe height line in 19 cities; Fort Worth draws it at 6 in, St. Louis at 12, Seattle at 18, Milwaukee at 24

$80–$2,691the range of the cities' own fees for a typical raised deck

Every row links to the city page that quotes the rule, so you can read the source language yourself. The table sorts by any column.

All 30 cities

City	Low deck	Where the permit line sits	Guards and footings	The city's own fee for a typical deck	Rule the city cites, and notes
Albuquerque, NM	Exempt below a height	No building permit for a platform not more than 30 in above adjacent grade, not over a story or basement and not part of an accessible route, attached or not; a roof, patio cover or porch needs a permit at any height. Above 30 in, a building permit with plan review.	Guard height not stated on the page; the city's design criteria set a 16 in frost line, 115 mph wind and 20 psf snow load; repairs under $1,000 are exempt.	About $126 for an $8,000 deck (Table 112-A x 0.50 = $76.63 permit + 65% plan review); about $207 at $15,000; zoning review $25.	UAC 109.2.1; UAC Table 112-A; Building Safety FAQ; IDO setback rules Above-grade decks may project into a required setback but not within 3 ft of any lot line; the old page's 18 in frost depth was wrong.
Baltimore, MD	Permit for every deck ⚠	No exemption for small or low decks: the city marks the model code's small-deck items (R105.2 building items 9 and 10) Not Adopted and DHCD's exempt list has no deck item, so every new deck at a one- or two-family home is a permit with scaled sketches and a site plan. Minor repairs usually need none unless the item is completely replaced.	Not stated on the page; the city's amendment requires at least one GFCI receptacle on every deck, which is a licensed electrician's permit. Rooftop decks need sealed drawings and Planning design review.	$183 for a $15,000 deck ($10 per $1,000 at the exterior alteration rate, $50 minimum, + $25 application + 5% tax); $78 for a $4,000 landing; $288 at $25,000.	BFRCBC 109.6.1(c), 109.5.7, 109.7; Part X (R105.2 items 9–10 Not Adopted); DHCD exempt-work and drawings matrices Section 109 has no deck line, so the page applies the exterior alteration rate and says DHCD sets the final fee from the stated job cost. A house deck should not need the $125 plan-review application fee; confirm at intake.
Charlotte, NC	Permit for every deck	No exemption for any deck: Mecklenburg County says all decks, no matter the size, need a permit and inspection, because a deck is a load-bearing structure outside the state's $40,000 no-permit rule. Replacing pickets, railings, treads and boards on an existing frame is exempt.	Guards at least 36 in high once the walking surface exceeds 30 in, pickets stopping a 4 in sphere; handrails 34 to 38 in at four or more risers; lateral bracing at 48 in and above; footings 12 in below grade; 40 psf live load.	About $248.65 for a contractor-built $8,000 deck (County $120.65 + $3 technology + $10 recovery fund + City LDIRL $115); about $516.83 at $30,000; an owner-builder pays $60 + $45 per inspection trip instead of the table.	County residential FAQ and deck brochure; LUESA Fee Ordinance; City FY2026 IRL schedule; G.S. 160D-1110 Building permits are the County's and zoning review (LDIRL, about 15 days) is the City's; City approval comes first. Posts are capped at 8 ft for 4x4 and 20 ft for 6x6 before an engineer is needed.
Chicago, IL	Permit for every deck	A new deck is always a plan-based permit with drawings by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer; the express porch-and-deck permit covers only repairs and same-size rebuilds. Exempt: in-kind board, tread or picket swaps on any building, and an in-kind rebuild of a deck up to 6 ft high with a landing of 50 sq ft or less at a home up to 4 stories.	Railings, stairs and structure must meet the Chicago Minimum Requirements for Existing Buildings on any permitted repair; no height figure on the page.	$300 per structure for a new deck no more than 6 ft above the ground; $602 minimum (plan-based, $600 deposit) above 6 ft; repairs $75 or $150, same-size rebuild $300.	DOB list of work not requiring a permit; Table 14A-12-1204.2 as amended by SO2025-0021719; Table 14A-12-1204.3(4) The 2026 Revenue Ordinance added the $300 new-deck row; a deck built to reach an above-ground pool is always plan-based. An owner may act as general contractor on their primary residence once a year.
Cincinnati, OH	Exempt if small and low ⚠	The state Residential Code of Ohio exempts a detached deck of 200 sq ft or less, no more than 30 in above grade, not serving the required exit door; Cincinnati's own ordinance lists no deck exemption and the department lists decks as permit-required, so the page says ask the Permit Center before building even a small freestanding platform. Any attached or raised deck needs a permit.	Guard at least 36 in high with no opening passing a 4 in sphere wherever the surface is more than 30 in above grade; stair handrails 34 to 38 in (2019 RCO, repeated on the city's repairs form).	About $280 for a $5,000 deck ($203 + $49 processing + about 11% surcharges); about $476 at $12,000, $665 at $20,000; decks under 400 sq ft get Tier 1 same-day review.	Cincinnati Building Code 1101-17; Do I Need a Permit page; FY2027 B&I fee schedule; 2019 RCO Replacing joists, beams, posts or railings in the same size and place goes on the Repairs Without Plans form ($106 at $2,000 + $49). Electrical is a separate IBI permit at $121.20.
Dallas, TX	Exempt if small and low ⚠	Exempt only when all five tests hold: not over 200 sq ft, not more than 30 in above grade at any point, not attached to a dwelling, clear of the overhead service drop, and not serving the required exit door. Any attached deck needs a permit at any size or height; a detached patio cover under 200 sq ft is separately exempt.	Not stated on the page.	About $461 for a new 300 sq ft deck (300 x $1.07 + $125 inspection + $15 technology); $1,038 if the $577 residential plan review minimum is charged; $321 to rebuild in place.	Chapter 52 Sec. 301.2.1 item 13 (Ord. 33099, eff. 2025-05-23); Table A-I; fee schedule eff. 2025-07-01 The city publishes no deck fee line, so the figures apply the single-family new-work table and are labelled estimates. The homeowner exemption form does not mention decks.
Fort Worth, TX	Exempt below a height	No permit only for platforms, walks and decks not more than 6 in above grade and not over a basement or story below; anything higher, even a deck two steps up, needs a building permit. A roofed deck attached to the house is a residential addition.	Not stated on the page; expect stakeout, footing or pier, framing and final inspections.	$110.96 for a 12x14 deck ($61.01 up to 175 sq ft + $33.08 application + $16.87 technology); $176.95 for 300 sq ft ($102 + $0.20 per sq ft over 175 + fees); $216.95 for 500 sq ft.	Fort Worth Administrative Code 105.2; residential permitting page; Fee Ordinance 26-28781 (Group U table, eff. 2026-10-01) The 6 in line is the lowest on this page. The city publishes no decking-only repair rule; decks may not sit in a corner lot's projected front yard without a $591 variance.
Houston, TX	Exempt below a height	No permit for an uncovered wood deck accessory to a one- or two-family home not more than 30 in above grade, attached or not, and for a freestanding deck up to 200 sq ft that is 30 in or lower and does not serve the required exit door. Above 30 in, or with a roof, a residential building permit with plan review.	Guardrails at least 36 in high with openings no larger than 4 in; handrails 34 to 38 in; stairs 7 3/4 in rise and 10 in tread (plan review checklist).	About $293 for a 300 sq ft raised deck ($208 square-footage fee + 25% plan review + $33.56 admin; $91.06 minimum); about $399 for a 500 sq ft covered deck; $0 exempt.	Residential Permitting 101 exemptions; Top 10 sheet item 2(e); 2026 Building Code Enforcement fee schedule Houston is the one city on this page whose exemption names attached decks outright. A floodplain development permit may apply even to an exempt deck.
Indianapolis, IN	Exempt below a height	No structural permit when no part of the floor is more than 30 in above finished grade, but the builder or owner must send a notice to the county assessor within 30 days; zoning separately requires an Improvement Location Permit for any deck 18 in or higher. Over 30 in, both permits.	Example stair detail: handrail 34 to 38 in, 36 in guard, risers no more than 8 1/4 in, treads at least 9 in; footings 30 in deep for frost.	$140 ILP for a deck 18 to 30 in; $430 to $630 over 30 in ($140 ILP + a structural permit of $290 or $490 depending on the subtype DBNS assigns); $0 under 18 in.	Sec. 536-201(b)(15) and 536-215; Zoning Ord. 740-801.A.3.h and 743-306.A.4; DBNS fee schedule 2026-01-05 A deck 18 in or higher is a minor residential structure that must sit 5 ft from the rear line and inside the district setbacks. Replacing boards or railings on the same frame is exempt maintenance.
Jacksonville, FL	Permit for every deck	No low-deck exemption: the city's exempt list for homes names patio slabs and nothing else structural, and the Florida Building Code's exempt list has no deck item, so a wood or composite deck, attached or freestanding, at any height needs a building permit. Ordinary minor repairs may be approved without one.	Not stated on the page.	$280.23 for a 300 sq ft attached deck (minimums: $112.50 BID + $37.50 Development Services + $90 plan review + small per-100-sq-ft fees); $266.73 freestanding; $298.05 for 500 sq ft attached.	BID exempt list; Ordinance Code 320.409 and 320.401; Zoning Code 656.403 Florida's 1% + 1.5% surcharges apply on top. A freestanding deck under 15 ft tall may sit in a rear or side yard 5 ft from the lot line; an attached deck follows the house setbacks.
Kansas City, MO	Exempt below a height	No permit for a platform or deck not more than 30 in above grade at any point and not over a basement or story below, attached or not. Above 30 in, a building permit; an uncovered, conventionally framed open deck needs no plan review, a covered or enclosed one does.	Guard rule not stated on the page; footings must reach the 36 in frost depth; ledgers to the IRC tables; a deck within 5 ft of a lot line needs a sealed survey and fire-rated details.	$114.29 for a $15,000 deck ($58 for the first $2,000 + $4.33 per $1,000); $157.59 at $25,000; $0 for a deck 30 in or lower.	KCBRC 18-16(b)(1)g; 18-4(b); 18-20(b)(2); IB100; Zoning 88-820-12 Decks under 500 sq ft at a detached house may extend into the rear setback if 20 ft remains. Replacing boards or railings in kind is an ordinary repair; beams, posts or footings are not.
Long Beach, CA	Exempt if small and low ⚠	Exempt only when all four tests hold: no more than 200 sq ft, no more than 30 in above grade at any point, not attached to the dwelling, not serving the exit door; the Bureau's page shortens it to decks up to 30 in, but a ground-level deck bolted to the house or stepped onto from the kitchen door still needs a permit. Over 30 in: permit, guardrail and over-the-counter plan review.	A guardrail is required above 30 in (height not stated on the page); its railing counts toward the zoning height limit on a raised or roof deck.	About $887 for a 200 sq ft raised deck (valued at $47.70 per sq ft: $277 permit + 85% plan check + $223 zoning plan check + $115 processing and small fees); about $1,271 for 400 sq ft; $0 exempt.	LBMC 18.04.020.B.22; IB-002; IB-077; Zoning Table 31-3 A deck at grade may run to the property line on every side; a raised deck keeps 3 ft from side and rear lines and may project 5 ft into the front setback. Fees changed on 2026-10-01 and the page carries the pre-October figures.
Los Angeles, CA	Exempt below a height	No permit for a platform or deck not more than 30 in above grade and not over a basement or story below, attached or not; work valued at $2,500 or less is separately exempt. Above 30 in, a building permit with plan check at any size.	Guard at least 42 in high above 30 in; the guard counts toward the overall fence or wall height in a required yard.	About $680 permit plus plan check for a $15,000 deck ($944 at $25,000, $1,201 at $40,000); $0 for an exempt platform.	LAMC 91.106.2 items 1 and 5; LADBS Permit Fee Calculator; IB P/ZC 2023-004 An open, unroofed platform may project up to 6 ft into a required yard but may not be more than 6 ft above natural grade there. A roof turns it into a patio cover with its own standard.
Louisville, KY	Exempt if small and low ⚠	Exempt only when all four tests hold: no more than 200 sq ft, no more than 30 in above grade at any point, not attached to the house, not serving the required exit door (Kentucky Residential Code R105.2). Every attached deck needs a permit, however low or small.	Guard, stair and post rules come from the Kentucky Residential Code; Construction Review's own deck guide could not be retrieved, so the page says ask the plan reviewer. Footings 24 in deep (Jefferson County is not on the deeper-frost list); no ledger on masonry veneer without a design.	$80 for a $12,000 deck ($50 + $2.50 per $1,000, $75 minimum); $125 at $30,000; $150 at $40,000; electrical permit $75 or $100.	KRC R105.2 Building item 9; KRC Table R403.1.4; LMCO 150.096 (rev. 2024-02-06) The old page gave a 30 in frost depth and an attached-deck exemption; both were wrong. Building first and permitting later draws a penalty equal to the fee.
Miami, FL	Permit for every deck ⚠	No exemption: City Code 10-5(b) lists no platform or deck at any height (the model code's 30 in rule was not adopted), so a ground-level 10x12 platform and a second-floor deck both go through plan review. Ordinary minor repairs that cut no structure need no permit.	Guards per the Florida Building Code, Residential; no figure on the page.	About $180 for a $12,000 deck ($110 minimum at 0.5% of cost + $40 application + solid waste and state surcharges); about $333 for a $40,000 raised deck; county surcharge of unstated rate extra.	City Code 10-5(b) and 10-18; Miami 21 (T3 setbacks 5 ft side and rear, 20 ft front) A roofed deck becomes building area toward the 50% first-floor lot coverage limit; a screen enclosure needs a 5 ft side and rear setback.
Milwaukee, WI	Exempt if freestanding ⚠	A permit for any deck attached to the house at any height and for any freestanding deck more than 2 ft above grade (MCO 239-12); a freestanding platform 2 ft or lower is the only deck the code leaves out, and DNS's checklist still lists Deck: Yes, so the page says confirm with the Permit and Development Center. Board replacement needs no permit except on historic houses.	Guardrails required at 24 in above ground (the state Uniform Dwelling Code figure, measured from the lowest point within 3 ft of the edge); height per the state code; frost footings optional for freestanding decks.	$223.20 for an $8,000 deck (1.6% of cost with a $150 minimum + $50 plan review + 1.6% surcharge + $20 processing); $477.20 at $25,000; any deck under $9,375 pays the minimum.	MCO 239-12; MCO 295-505-3; DNS deck handout and homeowner list; MCO 200-33 Decks over 2 ft need skirting unless 30 ft from every lot line or screened; a one- or two-family lot's deck may not exceed 1,000 sq ft. The assessor's $250 service charge may apply; ask when fees are assessed.
Minneapolis, MN	Exempt if freestanding	No permit only for a freestanding platform not more than 30 in above grade, not attached to a structure with frost footings, not part of an accessible route and not serving the main entrance. A deck attached to the house needs a permit even a foot off the ground; so does any deck over 30 in.	Guards at least 36 in, no 4 in sphere opening, on open sides more than 30 in above grade; graspable handrail at four or more risers; footings to the Zone II frost depth of 3-1/2 ft, 14 in wide if round.	About $380 for an $8,000 deck ($227.80 permit + 65% plan review + state surcharge); about $207 at $3,000, $794 at $20,000.	Minn. R. 1300.0120 subp. 4; city exempt-work list; building permit fee schedule; deck handout Zoning lets only decks up to 50 sq ft project (up to 5 ft) into a required yard, so most decks stay out of required yards. Whether a board-only swap is an ordinary repair is the building official's call.
New York, NY	Permit for every deck	No exemption: decks are not on DOB's exempt list, and a new or rebuilt deck of any height is filed as an alteration by a PE or RA in DOB NOW, with the permit issued to a Registered General Contractor. Only an in-kind board or railing swap with no structural change is an ordinary repair.	Guards where the deck is more than 30 in above adjacent grade, within 36 in of the edge, to the Building Code's guard and load sections; height not stated on the page.	About $164 DOB filing fee for an $18,000 deck ($130 minimum for the first $5,000 + $2.60 per $1,000); the PE or RA's fee is separate.	1 RCNY 101-14 (exempt list); DOB Decks and Porches code notes; Admin Code §28-105.4.2 and Table 28-112.2 The old page's $280 minimum was the Alteration Type 1 minimum for larger buildings, not a house. Zoning decides whether a deck in a required rear yard counts as floor area.
Philadelphia, PA	Permit for every deck	No building-permit exemption: a new deck enlarges the structure and needs zoning and building permits; the zoning page exempts only a platform 12 in or less above ground and not over a basement. A rear-yard first-floor deck at a single-family home up to 160 sq ft (216 with intermediate posts) gets both permits by signature under the EZ Deck standard, no plans.	Guard 36 to 42 in high with no opening over 4 in once the deck is more than 30 in above grade; handrails 34 to 38 in; footings 30 in below grade, 16 in diameter, 6x6 posts (EZ standard).	About $271.50 for an EZ deck ($75 building + $189 zoning + $7.50 surcharges); replacing deck flooring up to 200 sq ft is a $63 permit ($70.50 with surcharges).	L&I EZ Deck standard PB_018 (revised Aug 2026); fee summaries PG_012 and PZ_008; zoning permit exemption list The EZ standard fixes the design: pressure-treated Southern Pine, 3 ft from the rear line, columns 1 ft 6 in from lot lines, no ledger on masonry veneer, no hot tubs. Deviate and the permit is revoked.
Phoenix, AZ	Exempt below a height	No permit for an uncovered deck or platform under 30 in above adjacent grade, not over a basement and not part of an accessible route (the permit guide: uncovered patio slabs or decks less than 30 in). At 30 in or more, or with a roof, ramada or patio cover, a building permit; plan review when valued over $5,000.	Not stated on the page; a detached deck in a required yard is limited to 8 ft or 15 ft in height as an accessory structure.	$231 for a 200 sq ft raised deck (valued at $20 per sq ft, Table A, no plan review under $5,000); about $558 for 400 sq ft with 100% plan review; $98 plot plan review may be added.	2024 PBCC 105.2 Building items 6 and 18; Permit Guide TRT 00823; 2026 Development Fee Schedule Table A In-kind replacement of non-structural components (boards, rails on the same layout) is exempt; joists, beams, posts or footings are not.
Pittsburgh, PA	Exempt below a height ⚠	No building permit for an uncovered deck whose floor is no more than 30 in above grade, but every deck needs a Building and Development Application with zoning review and a site plan stamped by a PA-licensed architect, engineer or surveyor. Over 30 in and up to 8 ft: a building permit with drawings or the DCA 6 deck form; covered or over 8 ft: stamped construction drawings.	Not stated on the page; the DCA 6 prescriptive route requires 6x6 posts, and a ledger may not be attached on or through brick veneer.	$50 zoning-only fee for a low deck; $191.50 for a $15,000 raised deck ($130 minimum base fee + $11.50 fixed fees + $50 zoning); $304.50 at $40,000.	PLI Building and Development Application page; PLI deck page and Residential Deck Application; PLI 2026 Fee Schedule PLI's permitting page puts attached single- and two-family houses in the commercial category with a $605 minimum base fee; the page says confirm which category the portal assigns.
Portland, OR	Exempt below a height	No building permit for a deck, patio or stairs 30 in or lower above adjacent grade (measured 36 in out from the edge) as long as no part is within 3 ft of a property line; a low deck in an environmental, greenway or river overlay needs a zoning permit. Above 30 in, a building permit; a covered deck is an accessory structure.	Guardrails at least 36 in above the walking surface above 30 in, blocking a 4 in sphere, designed for a 200 lb load; attached decks need footings 12 in below ground.	About $750 for a 12x16 attached deck declared at $9,000 ($318 permit + 65% plan review + Development Services fee + 12% state surcharge + $125 zoning inspection); about $1,204 at $25,000; $167 minimum.	PP&D deck page; PP&D building permit fee table PP&D publishes no repair exemption for decks and lists an exterior stairway over 30 in as a permit trigger, so the page sends board replacement to Residential Inspections. Where the guardrail is less than 50% open, zoning measures height to the top of the rail.
Sacramento, CA	Exempt if small and low	Exempt only when all four tests hold: no more than 200 sq ft, no more than 30 in above grade at any point, not attached to the house, not serving the required exit door; never in a design review or preservation district. Any structure attached to the main dwelling needs a permit regardless of size (CDD-0417).	Guards at least 42 in high with openings that will not pass a 4 in sphere wherever the surface is more than 30 in above grade; footings at least 12 in below undisturbed ground (CDD-0250).	About $477 for an $8,000 owner-built detached deck (permit $291 + plan review $122 + surcharges); about $661 for a $15,000 contractor-built attached deck, about $1,056 with the $132 design-review form and $263 Planning review.	City exempt list; CDD-0417; CDD-0245 (rev. 2026-07-12); CDD-0250; CDD-0159 A new deck visible from the street needs Site Plan and Design Review; Fire Department fees ($294 + $260 + $176) are added if Fire is routed on the permit. Plan review runs 5 working days per cycle.
San Antonio, TX	Exempt if small and low	Exempt only when all four tests hold: an uncovered deck not over 300 sq ft, not more than 30 in above grade at any point, not attached to the house, not serving a required exit door. Attached decks need the permit at any height; decks over 1,000 sq ft or two stories go to plan review.	Guard and footing review on decks over 30 in; decks 48 in or more above grade need an engineer or architect letter for framing and foundation; guard height not stated.	$184 flat Carport Covers and Decks Fee for decks up to 1,000 sq ft and one story; $198.72 with the two 4% surcharges online; $0 exempt.	City Code 10-6(e)(1)o; FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule; IB 151 San Antonio's 300 sq ft cap is the largest on this page. A small deck application is normally approved within one to two days.
San Diego, CA	Exempt if small and low	Exempt only when all four tests hold: 200 sq ft or less, no more than 30 in above grade at any point, not attached to the dwelling, not serving the exit door; not available on a historical resource or environmentally sensitive lands. An attached deck needs a permit at any size and height.	Guards at least 42 in high with openings that stop a 4 in sphere along any open side more than 30 in above grade; handrail on stairs of four or more risers; footings 12 in below undisturbed ground.	About $2,691 for a deck up to 500 sq ft ($1,677.99 plan check + $264.25 inspection + $737 General Plan fee + $12.16 mapping); about $3,840 above 500 sq ft; $1,148 plan check on a City pre-approved plan.	SDMC 129.0203(a)(15) and (17); IB 211; IB 501 Table 501C Like-for-like board or railing swaps under $1,000 are exempt; in-kind framing repair on a permitted deck is a No-Plan permit with a $529.71 inspection fee. IB 211 tables cannot be used within 5 ft of a lot line or under a hot tub.
San Francisco, CA	Exempt below a height	No permit for a platform not more than 30 in above grade and not over a basement or story below. From 30 to 36 in, a DBI over-the-counter permit with no Planning review; over 3 ft, Planning review too, over the counter when the deck is under 10 ft on posts, within the buildable area and 3 ft off the lines; otherwise a 30-day Section 311 neighborhood notice.	Open railings up to 42 in are allowed without public notice; guard requirements are not stated on the page. Decks within 3 to 5 ft of a neighboring lot line may need a firewall.	About $800 at DBI for a 150 sq ft deck valued at $53 per sq ft (plan review $480 + issuance $317); about $1,093 for 300 sq ft; Planning's fee ($504 under $10,000, $516 + 5.274% above) brings a $16,000 deck to about $1,925.	SF Building Code 106A.2; Planning residential deck handout; DBI Table 1A-A (eff. 2026-07-12); Planning fee schedule Repairing less than 50% of a deck or stair is an over-the-counter permit without plans; more than 50% needs plans. All decks above 3 ft are subject to the Residential Design Guidelines.
San Jose, CA	Exempt if small and low	Exempt only when all four tests hold: not exceeding 200 sq ft, not more than 30 in above grade at any point, not attached to a dwelling, not serving the required exit door. A ledger-mounted deck fails at any size; a platform at the back door fails the exit-door test.	Guard requirements come from the 2025 California Residential Code, not a city amendment; the page says confirm the rule for your deck height with the plan reviewer.	About $585 for a small deck reviewed over the counter ($211 processing + Tier 1 inspection $210 + 30-minute plan check $162.50); about $1,220 for a raised deck plan-checked in Tier 3.	SJMC 24.02.120.A.8 and A.9; 24.01.263; Schedule of Fees and Charges eff. 2026-07-01 Board and picket swaps are finish-level work; replacing joists, beams, posts or footings is permitted repair. Decks are not on the online permit list, so file at the Permit Center.
Seattle, WA	Exempt below a height	No permit for a platform 18 in or lower above grade, not over a basement and not in an environmentally critical area. Over 18 in and up to 8 ft, under 750 sq ft with beams under 14 ft: an STFI construction permit screened in days; over 8 ft, long beams, a roof deck, an ECA or solid-surface flooring: full plan review.	Guard at least 36 in with openings no more than 4 in where the surface is more than 30 in above ground; stairs 7-3/4 in rise, 10 in tread, handrail 34 to 38 in on four or more risers; design live load 60 psf.	About $625 for a 12x16 STFI deck (valued at $36.09 per sq ft; $421 index + 40% plan review + 5% technology fee + $6.50); about $735 for 16x20; about $1,045 with full plan review.	SRC R105.2 item 7; SDCI Decks page; Tip 316; 2026 Fee Subtitle Table D-1; Director's Rule 5-2025 Above 36 in the deck counts toward the 50% lot coverage cap in NR zones. Fees rose 18% on 2026-01-01. Minor repairs up to $6,000 in six months and in-kind member replacement are exempt if no load-bearing support is altered.
St. Louis, MO	Exempt below a height ⚠	No permit only for a wooden patio or deck resting directly on the ground or a rock base, no more than 12 in above adjacent grade, with no roof and no permanent foundation. Anything on posts and footings, attached with a ledger, or roofed needs a building permit.	The 2001 handout calls for a guard once the floor is 15 1/2 in above grade; the plan examiner applies the current code, so the page says draw the guard and ask. Footings 30 in below finished grade (amended R403.1.4.1).	$105 for an $8,000 deck ($25 application + $10 per $1,000 above $3,000); $175 at $15,000; $275 at $25,000; decks may be approved over the counter at the Hot Spot desk.	Ord. 70795 Sec. 105.2 items 11 and 25; Building Division fee table; R403.1.4.1 as amended; deck handout Like-for-like treads, handrails and balusters are exempt under item 11. The codified fee table prints an older rate; the page uses the Division's live figures.
Tucson, AZ	Exempt below a height	No permit for a deck 30 in or less above the ground that is not over a basement or floor below, not part of an accessible route or required exit, and does not extend into the required side or rear setbacks; attachment to the house is not itself the trigger. Over 30 in, or with any roof, pergola or shade cover, a Residential Addition or Alteration permit.	Not stated on the page; the frost line depth is 0 by city amendment, so footing depth comes from the structural design and soil.	About $359 for an $8,000 deck ($227.15 permit + 50% plan review + $18.54 filing); about $187 at $3,000, $600 at $15,000.	Tucson 2024 building code amendments (flatwork exemption); PDSD Residential Addition or Alteration permit; FY27 fee schedule Tucson's exemption is the only one on this page that fails on a setback encroachment. Historic and Neighborhood Preservation Zones add a review first.

The status describes whether an ordinary low wood deck at a one- or two-family house can be built without a building permit, as the city page reads the city's documents on the date it was last verified: exempt below a height (attached or not), exempt only under the model code's four-part test (size, height, detached, not at the exit door), exempt only if low and freestanding, or a permit for every deck. The threshold column sorts by the exempting height in inches (0 where none exists). Guard heights, frost depths and footing rules are the city page's figures; "not stated" means the page gives none. The fee is the city's own worked example for a typical raised deck, with $0 where a low deck is exempt. A flag marks a row where the city's documents disagree, a fee line does not exist, or a figure is superseded. Download the table as CSV.

What the comparison shows

Thirteen cities draw a height line, and only ten of them draw it at 30 inches

Albuquerque, Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tucson exempt a deck below a height without asking whether it is attached. Ten use the model code's 30 inches: Los Angeles (plus a separate $2,500 value exemption), Houston (which names uncovered attached decks outright), Phoenix, Portland (with a 3 ft setback from any lot line), San Francisco (with a second line at 3 ft for Planning review), Indianapolis (structural permit at 30 in, but zoning's Improvement Location Permit from 18 in and an assessor notice for every deck), Kansas City, Tucson (which also fails on a setback encroachment or an exit), Albuquerque and Pittsburgh (no building permit, but a Building and Development Application with zoning review and a stamped site plan for every deck). Three sit lower: Seattle at 18 inches, St. Louis at 12 inches and only for a platform resting on the ground with no footings or roof, and Fort Worth at 6 inches, where a deck two steps up needs a permit. In every one of them a roof over the deck ends the exemption.

Eight cities use the four-part test, which catches the ordinary attached deck

Cincinnati, Dallas, Long Beach, Louisville, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose exempt a deck only when it is small, low, detached and not at the exit door at the same time: 200 square feet or less in seven of them and 300 in San Antonio, no more than 30 inches above grade at any point, not attached to the dwelling, and not serving the required exit door; Dallas adds clearance from the overhead service drop. The attachment test is the one that bites: a ground-level deck bolted to the house with a ledger needs a permit at any size in all eight, and San Jose and Long Beach point out that a platform you step onto from the back door fails the exit-door test too. Sacramento's accessory-structures handout says any structure attached to the main dwelling needs a permit regardless of size. Cincinnati is on the list only through the state Residential Code of Ohio; its own ordinance lists no deck exemption and the page says ask the Permit Center first. Minneapolis and Milwaukee run a two-part version: a low freestanding platform is exempt (30 inches in Minneapolis, 2 feet in Milwaukee) and any attached deck needs a permit, even a foot off the ground.

Seven cities permit every deck, each for its own reason

Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Jacksonville, Miami, New York, Philadelphia have no low-deck exemption. New York's DOB exempt list names sheds, fences and small pools but not decks, so a deck of any height is an alteration filed by a PE or RA with the permit issued to a registered contractor. Chicago's express porch-and-deck permit covers only repairs and same-size rebuilds; a new deck is a plan-based permit with drawings by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer, $300 up to 6 feet high and $602 above. Miami's City Code 10-5(b) exempts finishes, cabinets and shade cloth and no platform at any height. Jacksonville's exempt list names patio slabs and nothing else structural. Mecklenburg County, which issues Charlotte's permits, says all decks, no matter the size, because a deck is load-bearing and outside the state's $40,000 rule. Baltimore marks the model code's small-deck items Not Adopted. Philadelphia exempts only a platform 12 inches or less from the zoning permit and treats a new deck as enlarging the structure, but lets a rear-yard first-floor deck up to 216 square feet through on a signed EZ standard with no plans.

Guards at 36 or 42 inches, footings from zero to 42 inches deep

Eleven cities state a guard height on the pages we read: 36 inches in Houston, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Cincinnati, 36 to 42 in Philadelphia's EZ standard, and 42 inches in the California cities of Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento. The trigger is 30 inches above grade nearly everywhere a page gives one, with two exceptions: Milwaukee requires guards at 24 inches under Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code, and St. Louis's 2001 handout still prints 15 1/2 inches, which the page says to draw and ask about. The 4-inch sphere rule and 34-to-38-inch handrails repeat wherever stairs are mentioned. Footing depth is where climate shows: 3-1/2 feet in Minneapolis (Hennepin County's frost Zone II), 36 inches in Kansas City, 30 in Indianapolis, St. Louis and Philadelphia, 24 in Louisville, 16 in Albuquerque, 12 in Charlotte, Portland, San Diego and Sacramento, and 0 in Tucson, whose amendment sets the frost line at zero. Pittsburgh and Louisville both say a ledger may not be attached to brick or masonry veneer without a designed connection.

What a deck permit costs: $80 to $2,691, and the basis explains the spread

The cities' own examples for a typical raised deck run from $80 in Louisville ($50 plus $2.50 per $1,000 on a $12,000 deck), $105 in St. Louis, $114 in Kansas City, $126 in Albuquerque, $164 in New York (the DOB filing; the PE or RA's fee is separate), $177 in Fort Worth and $180 in Miami, through $184 flat in San Antonio, $223 in Milwaukee, $231 in Phoenix, $249 in Charlotte, $271.50 in Philadelphia, $280 in Jacksonville and Cincinnati, $293 in Houston and $300 in Chicago, to $359 in Tucson, $380 in Minneapolis, $430 in Indianapolis, $461 in Dallas, $477 in Sacramento, $585 in San Jose, $625 in Seattle, $680 in Los Angeles, $750 in Portland, $800 in San Francisco (about $1,925 once Planning reviews a deck over 3 feet), $887 in Long Beach and $2,691 in San Diego, whose flat plan-check line is $1,678 before the $737 General Plan fee. Four cities charge a flat deck fee (San Antonio, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh's $50 zoning-only line); the Texas cities price by square footage; Seattle, Phoenix, Long Beach and San Francisco set the valuation themselves at $36, $20, $47.70 and $53 per square foot; the rest price on the stated job cost.

Replacing boards is usually free; replacing framing never is

Swapping worn decking, treads, pickets or railings on a sound frame needs no permit in Chicago (if no violation is on file), Houston, Phoenix, Miami, San Diego (under $1,000), Charlotte, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Kansas City, St. Louis, Albuquerque (under $1,000) and Long Beach (under $1,000); New York, Louisville, San Jose and Seattle (up to $6,000 in six months) read it as ordinary repair. Philadelphia is the exception that charges: porch or deck flooring up to 200 square feet is a $63 permit. Portland, Minneapolis, Dallas, Fort Worth, Tucson and Jacksonville publish no board-replacement rule and the pages send the question to the department. Replacing joists, beams, posts, the ledger or footings needs a permit in every city on this page, with three cheaper tracks: Chicago's express repair permit ($75 up to 25% of the structure, $150 to 50%), San Diego's No-Plan permit for in-kind framing repair on a permitted deck ($529.71) and Cincinnati's Repairs Without Plans form ($106 at $2,000 plus $49).

Where the city's documents disagree or leave a gap

Cincinnati's state code exempts a small detached low deck while its ordinance lists none and the department lists decks as permit work. Milwaukee's ordinance names only attached decks and freestanding decks over 2 feet, while its checklist says Deck: Yes for everything. Dallas and Baltimore have no deck fee line, so their figures apply a general table and, in Dallas, a $577 plan review minimum that may or may not be charged. Pittsburgh's permitting page puts attached houses in a commercial category with a $605 minimum. St. Louis's codified table prints $6 per $1,000 against the Division's $10, and its 2001 handout's guard trigger predates the current code. Louisville's deck guide could not be retrieved. Miami's code prints its rate as 0.50 without a percent sign. Long Beach's fees changed on October 1, 2026 before the new schedule was posted. The table flags those rows rather than resolving them.

Method

The 30 cities are the ones whose BuildPermitGuide pages have been rewritten from primary sources as of October 2026: the city's adopted building or residential code exemption list, its deck permit page, bulletin or standard, its fee schedule and its guard, stair and footing rules, each fetched and quoted on the city's deck permit page. The status in the table is the city page's own reading of those documents for an ordinary low wood deck at a one- or two-family house, and the threshold column repeats the city's conditions in its own terms. Guard heights, frost depths and fees are the city's own figures or worked examples. Nothing in this table is taken from a model code alone unless the row says so, and nothing is estimated from another city's rules; where a city's documents disagree, no fee line exists or a figure is superseded, the row carries a flag instead of a resolution. Each city page carries the date its sources were last verified, and the change log records when a cited document changes.

Use this data. The table and CSV are published under CC BY 4.0. Cite it as:

BuildPermitGuide, “Do You Need a Permit to Build a Deck? 30 Cities Compared” (2026), https://buildpermitguide.com/research/deck-permit-thresholds/

Questions, corrections or a city you want added: contact us.

Frequently asked questions

In 13 of the 30 largest cities we compared, not for a low deck, attached or not: below 30 inches in Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Tucson, Albuquerque and Pittsburgh, 18 inches in Seattle, 12 in St. Louis and 6 in Fort Worth. Eight cities exempt only a deck under 200 square feet (300 in San Antonio), under 30 inches, detached and not at the exit door. Seven cities require a permit for every deck: New York, Chicago, Miami, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Baltimore and Philadelphia.

In 17 cities, yes at any height: the eight four-part-test cities (Dallas, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento, Louisville, Long Beach, Cincinnati), Minneapolis and Milwaukee, and the seven cities that permit every deck. In the 13 height-rule cities a low attached deck is exempt; Houston's exemption names uncovered attached decks up to 30 inches, and Tucson says attachment alone is not the trigger.

30 inches above grade in 19 of the 30 cities, measured at the lowest point under the deck. Seattle allows 18 inches, Milwaukee 2 feet for a freestanding deck, St. Louis 12 inches and only for a platform resting on the ground, and Fort Worth 6 inches. Seven cities have no height exemption at all.

36 inches in Houston, Seattle, Portland, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Cincinnati, 36 to 42 in Philadelphia, and 42 inches in Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento, with openings that stop a 4-inch sphere. The guard is required once the deck surface is more than 30 inches above grade in nearly every city; Milwaukee requires it at 24 inches.

It follows the frost line: 3-1/2 feet in Minneapolis, 36 inches in Kansas City, 30 in Indianapolis, St. Louis and Philadelphia, 24 in Louisville, 16 in Albuquerque, 12 inches below undisturbed ground in Charlotte, Portland, San Diego and Sacramento, and no frost rule in Tucson, where the design and soil decide.

From $80 in Louisville, $105 in St. Louis and $114 in Kansas City through $184 flat in San Antonio, $300 in Chicago and about $380 in Minneapolis to $680 in Los Angeles, $750 in Portland, $887 in Long Beach and about $2,691 in San Diego, using each city's own example for a typical raised deck. Low decks that are exempt pay nothing.

Usually not: most cities treat like-for-like decking, tread and railing replacement on a sound frame as maintenance or ordinary repair. Philadelphia charges a $63 permit for deck flooring up to 200 square feet, and Portland, Minneapolis, Dallas, Fort Worth, Tucson and Jacksonville publish no rule and say ask. Replacing joists, beams, posts or footings needs a permit everywhere.

The city pages behind this table

Each page quotes the code section, exempt-work list and fee schedule it relies on and records the date they were last verified.