Residential Accessory Structure

Who Needs a Permit

Every accessory structure built on a residential lot needs a permit approved by the Building Inspections Division, no matter how small it is. Sheds, garages, workshops and gazebos all count as accessory structures. No work may begin until the permit has been issued.

These structures must meet the accessory building standards in Fredville's Unified Development Code. The Accessory Structure Requirements handout (PDF, 601 KB) summarizes them.

What to Submit

Applications are filed through the city's online permitting portal, which will ask for the following:

1. Location: the property address. It must already be in the permitting system; if you cannot find it, contact Building Inspections.
2. Type of work: a short summary of the project, along with the square footage and project valuation where they apply.
3. Contacts: the people involved, such as the applicant, contractor, property owner and architect. Applicants need their own account on the online permit portal, and any contractor must be registered with the city as a General Contractor before working in Fredville.
4. More information: a fuller description of the job (for example, a storage shed measuring 8 by 10 feet and standing 8 feet tall), the front, rear and side setbacks, whether the lot is on a corner, and whether plumbing, electrical or mechanical trades are involved.
5. Attachments: the plans described below. Items marked with an asterisk (*) must be included for the application to be accepted.

Plans and Documents

• Site plan*: either the property survey (often provided when the home was bought) or a drawing made to scale. It must be dimensioned and show property lines, easements, streets, driveways and every existing and proposed structure.
  • Note the square footage of each existing and proposed structure.
  • Show the new structure with its distances to the property lines and to other buildings, and label what each building is used for (for example a house, shed, carport or workshop).
  • New structures may not extend past the property lines or sit inside an easement.
  • A sample site plan (PDF, 84 KB) is available as a guide.
• Foundation plan: identifies the type of foundation and explains how it will be built. For any structure larger than 200 square feet, a Texas-registered professional engineer must design the foundation and seal the plans.
• Architectural or structural plan*: a dimensioned floor plan showing doors and windows, plus elevations giving wall height, overall height and exterior materials. For a prefabricated building, attach the manufacturer's drawings.
• Other documents: any additional plans or paperwork the review calls for.

Apply Online

Building permit applications for Fredville are submitted through the city's online permitting portal. New users register with a working email address, and creating an account takes only about five minutes.

What Happens Next

Once a complete application is submitted, processing usually takes 5 to 10 business days. Review may run longer if the city needs corrections or more information from the applicant.

Help by Phone or in Person

Staff are happy to help you complete the online application, whether you call or stop by.

• Call: (555) 010-2235
• Write: [email protected]
• Office: Building Inspections Division, City Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive, Fredville, TX 75999
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fees

• You apply and pay through the online permit portal.
• Use the fee estimator to see what a residential accessory structure permit will cost.

Inspections

• Inspections are based on the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) and Article 6 of the Unified Development Code (UDC).
• Work may not continue past any inspection stage until that inspection has been approved (2021 IRC, Section 109.4).
• The permit holder or an authorized agent must request each inspection through the online permit portal when the work is ready, and must give inspectors access to the work.
• In addition to the inspections required under IRC Sections R109.1.1 to R109.1.4, the division may perform or require other inspections to confirm that the work meets adopted codes and other laws the city enforces.
• Some inspections require extra forms or reports. The inspection attachment guide (PDF, 532 KB) explains what may be needed.
• For the usual order of inspections on a residential accessory structure, see the typical inspections list (PDF, 103 KB).

Looking for another project type? Browse all residential permit information.

Fredville is a demonstration city built by Talk to Fred. Names, numbers and details on this page are sample content.