Deck Permit Cost in Arlington, TX (2026)
Residential deck permit fees for the City of Arlington, Texas (Tarrant County, in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex), pulled directly from the city's Planning and Development Services Fee Schedule effective October 1, 2025. Arlington groups decks with patio covers, screened porches, and gazebos on a single flat line at $300.00, and adds a non-refundable plan review fee of 35% of the building permit fee ($105.00), for $405.00 in total - the same whether the deck is small or large, because it is a flat line, not a per-square-foot or valuation-based fee. Texas has no statewide permit levy.
This guide covers: The City of Arlington (Tarrant County) residential deck permit fee as printed on the Planning and Development Services Fee Schedule effective October 1, 2025 (Resolution No. 25-258, Exhibit A). Arlington lists "Patio Cover / Screened Porch / Gazebo / Decks" together on a single flat line at $300.00. That figure is exact from the schedule and is the same regardless of the deck's size, because it is a flat line rather than a per-square-foot or valuation-based fee.
Plan review (our reading): Arlington adds a non-refundable plan review fee of 35% of the building permit fee on items its schedule marks for plan review (including decks, patio covers, screened porches, and gazebos); confirm with Arlington Planning and Development Services. Under that reading a deck adds $300.00 x 35% = $105.00, so the deck total is $405.00. The schedule's separate $325.00 minimum applies to residential additions, alterations, remodels, and garage conversions priced on its square-foot Table 2, not to the flat deck line.
On plan review and trades: a routine open deck does not normally involve a separate electrical, mechanical, or plumbing trade permit (each of which is a separate $100.00 flat line if triggered - for example, if you add outdoor wiring or a gas line). The 35% plan review is calculated on the $300.00 building permit only, not on any trade permit.
This guide does NOT cover: the cost of the deck materials or labor, an enclosed/conditioned addition (that follows the square-foot Table 2 as a room addition, not the flat deck line), outdoor electrical/gas work (separate trade permits), pool decks that trigger a pool or barrier permit, impact or zoning fees, or HOA approvals. These are separate and are not included in the $405.00.
A residential deck permit in Arlington, TX totals $405.00: the flat $300.00 deck line plus a 35% plan review fee of $105.00. It is the same at any deck size, because Arlington groups decks with patio covers, screened porches, and gazebos on one flat line rather than a per-square-foot fee. An enclosed, conditioned addition follows the square-foot Table 2 instead, and added outdoor electrical or gas work is a separate $100.00 trade permit. Texas adds no state levy. Figures are from the City of Arlington fee schedule effective October 1, 2025.
- Arlington charges a flat $300.00 for a deck permit - the same fee regardless of deck size or value, because "Patio Cover / Screened Porch / Gazebo / Decks" is a single flat line, not a per-square-foot schedule.
- On our reading of the schedule, decks are marked for Arlington's non-refundable 35% plan review fee: $300.00 x 35% = $105.00, for a $405.00 total. Confirm with Arlington Planning and Development Services.
- A routine open deck does not normally involve a separate electrical, mechanical, or plumbing trade permit (each $100.00 if triggered). If you add outdoor wiring, a gas line, or an outdoor kitchen, those trade permits are separate.
- An enclosed, conditioned addition (a sunroom that becomes living space) follows the square-foot Table 2 as a room addition rather than the flat deck line - confirm the classification with Planning and Development Services.
- For context among verified Texas cities: Arlington's $405.00 deck total ($300.00 permit + $105.00 plan review) is the highest of the Texas cities compared on this page - well above League City's $150 flat deck line and Irving's $65 single-trade deck line.
- The figures come from the City of Arlington fee schedule effective October 1, 2025 (Resolution 25-258, Exhibit A). Confirm current amounts with Planning and Development Services before budgeting.
Arlington Deck Permit Fee Structure
The deck permit is a single flat line, priced the same regardless of size or value, plus a 35% plan review fee on that line. There is no per-square-foot calculation, no valuation calculation, no technology surcharge, and no statewide levy on an open deck.
| Item | Fee | How It Is Calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Deck / patio cover / screened porch / gazebo | $300.00 | Flat fee from the combined residential line - same at any deck size. |
| Plan review (35% of the building permit fee) | $105.00 | Non-refundable, assessed at submittal; $300.00 x 35%. Applied on our reading that decks are marked for plan review - confirm with the city. Deck total: $405.00. |
| Residential addition/alteration minimum | $325.00 min | The schedule's Table 2 minimum for additions/alterations; it does not apply to the flat deck line. |
| Enclosed / conditioned addition | Per-SF Table 2 | A sunroom or room addition that becomes living space follows square-foot Table 2, not the flat deck line. |
| Outdoor trade permit (if triggered) | $100.00 each | Electrical/mechanical/plumbing are separate flat trade permits - e.g. outdoor wiring or a gas line for an outdoor kitchen. |
| State / city percentage levy | None | Texas has no statewide permit levy; Arlington's only percentage charge on a deck is the 35% plan review above. |
Source: City of Arlington Planning and Development Services Fee Schedule, effective October 1, 2025 (Resolution No. 25-258, Exhibit A). The enclosed-addition and trade-permit rows are shown to disclose when the flat deck line may not apply, not to add a fee. Arlington adds a non-refundable plan review fee of 35% of the building permit fee on items its schedule marks for plan review (including decks, patio covers, screened porches, and gazebos); confirm with Arlington Planning and Development Services.
Worked Examples - Real Deck Projects in Arlington
Because the deck permit is a flat fee, the permit cost does not change with the deck's square footage. What changes the picture is whether the structure stays an open deck/cover or becomes an enclosed addition, and whether trade work is added. Figures are from the city fee schedule effective October 1, 2025.
A homeowner builds an uncovered wood deck off the back of the house.
- Deck permit: $300.00
- Plan review (35% x $300.00): $105.00
- Texas state levy: $0.00 (none)
- Deck total: $405.00
The same $405.00 applies whether the deck is 120 sq ft or 400 sq ft - it is a flat line, not per-square-foot. The plan review is applied on our reading that decks are marked for plan review; confirm with the city.
A homeowner adds a covered patio and runs new electrical for a ceiling fan and lights.
- Patio cover permit: $300.00
- Plan review (35% x $300.00): $105.00
- Electrical trade permit: $100.00
- Combined: $505.00
The patio cover is the flat $300.00 plus $105.00 plan review; the added wiring triggers a separate $100.00 electrical trade permit (the 35% is calculated on the building permit only, on our reading). A patio cover with no new wiring stays at $405.00.
A homeowner encloses and conditions the porch into year-round living space.
- Flat deck/porch line: may not apply
- Room addition (per-SF Table 2, $325 minimum, plus 35% plan review): department call
- Classification: confirm with the city
Once a porch becomes conditioned living space, Arlington may permit it as a room addition on square-foot Table 2 (with a $325 minimum, plus the 35% plan review), not the flat deck line. This guide does not estimate that path - confirm with Planning and Development Services.
When This Estimate May Not Apply
The $405.00 ($300.00 flat line + $105.00 plan review) covers an open deck, patio cover, screened porch, or gazebo on Arlington's October 1, 2025 schedule. Route your project to Arlington Planning and Development Services before relying on this figure if any of the following applies:
- The structure becomes an enclosed, conditioned addition. A sunroom that becomes living space follows the square-foot Table 2 as a room addition (with a $325 minimum), not the flat deck line.
- Trade work is added. Outdoor wiring, a gas line, or an outdoor kitchen triggers separate $100.00 electrical/mechanical/plumbing trade permits.
- It is a pool deck. A deck built as part of a pool project may interact with the pool permit and its required barrier fence - both separate lines.
- The deck is structurally complex or elevated. Unusual height or engineering may draw additional review; confirm the classification with the department.
- The schedule is updated. These figures are exact from the schedule effective October 1, 2025, but a city can amend fees by resolution - confirm before filing.
Enclosed additions, added trade permits, pool decks, and complex structural review are excluded from the flat deck figure on this page, and the page-standard disclaimer applies - always verify with Arlington Planning and Development Services before budgeting.
Arlington Deck Permit Cost vs Other Verified Texas Cities
Texas cities price deck permits on different models - flat fees, single-trade lines, and per-square-foot rates. The table below compares Arlington's flat deck permit with other verified Texas cities. Scope differs, so each figure notes its basis.
| City | Deck Fee Basis | Deck Permit |
|---|---|---|
| Arlington, TX | Flat line + 35% plan review, any size | $405.00 |
| League City, TX | Flat line, any size | $150.00 |
| Irving, TX | Single-trade line (deck >30 in) | $65.00 |
| Mesquite, TX | Flat line, any size | $75.00 |
Scope note: all four are flat or single-line deck fees with no per-square-foot calculation; Arlington's figure also includes its 35% plan review ($300.00 + $105.00). Arlington's $405.00 is the highest of the four, well above League City ($150), Mesquite ($75), and Irving ($65 single-trade line for a deck over 30 inches). Even the $300.00 permit line alone is double League City's $150. Confirm current figures and whether an enclosed addition changes the classification with each department.
See Arlington's full residential fee schedule, or compare a nearby city's deck fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who to Contact
| Department | City of Arlington - Planning and Development Services (Permitting & Inspections) |
| Location | City of Arlington, Tarrant County, Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex) |
| City website | arlingtontx.gov |
| Fee schedule | Arlington Fee Schedule (Effective October 1, 2025) |
Sources
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City of Arlington Planning and Development Services Fee Schedule (Effective October 1, 2025, Resolution No. 25-258, Exhibit A) Arlington, TX (.gov) - the city's official fee schedule PDF. Primary source for the $300.00 flat deck/patio-cover/screened-porch/gazebo line, the 35% single- and two-family plan review fee, the $325.00 residential addition/alteration minimum, the square-foot Table 2, and the $100.00 electrical/mechanical/plumbing trade permits. Read October 6, 2026 exact - effective October 1, 2025
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Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 214 Texas statute (.gov) confirming municipal building-regulation authority and that Texas imposes no statewide percentage building-permit levy. Context for the "no statewide levy" statement. Verified June 2026.