The Inspection Services Department issues permits for all new construction and remodeling projects. Before building permits can be issued for plumbing, electrical and mechanical work, the contractor must be registered with our office. Contractors must show proof of their state licensing for mechanical, plumbing, electrical and irrigation work. To create an account, register your company, and apply for permits you will need to use the Citizen Self Service Portal.
Contractors must also submit a certificate of insurance listing the City of Waco as the certificate holder. Minimum coverage is $300,000. Please note that there is no registration fee for contractors. If you have any questions regarding any of this information, please feel free to contact our office at (254) 750-5612.
Inspection Procedures & Schedules
All inspections must be requested online by 4 p.m. the day before the inspection is needed. Contractors must be registered and use the Citizen Self Service Portal to schedule inspections. This service is available to contractors and applicants 24/7 and allows for a range of features such as requesting permits online, paying permit fees, and receiving real-time inspection results.
- The inspectors make out their routes the following morning and should be able to give an approximate time of inspection by 8:45 a.m. that morning, if needed.
- In case of emergencies, Inspection Services will work with a contractor/owner so not to leave a customer without gas or electrical service.
- Licensed trades such as plumbing, electrical, and mechanical contractors are required to schedule their own inspections, as they are the permit holder.
- If a contractor/owner needs to speak with an inspector, they are normally in the office between 8 and 8:30 a.m. and from 4:30 to 5 p.m.
- Inspectors can be contacted via email for comments or office staff can transfer calls to the inspector’s voicemail for a return call.
- For inspection results: log in to your account, select the applicable active project, open the inspection, and select checklist to review the inspector’s comments.
Part of inspection services, new construction is what is required for the City's building, plumbing, electrical, gas and mechanical codes, through plan review and construction inspections (also repairs and alterations to structures). This includes new residential, commercial and industrial land uses.
Inspection staff processes all construction drawings for permit issuance, writes building, plumbing, electrical, heating/air conditioning and irrigation permits. Staff also provides technical assistance to builders, architects, engineers and developers. To accommodate the review and inspection of new construction projects, there are three phases that every project must pass: plan review, permit issuance and inspections.
2018 International Code Amendments Adopted(PDF, 400KB)
Bonding & Insurance
Please contact our office for copies of the following bond forms:
- Plumber's Bond
- Electrician's Bond
- Gas Appliance Bond
- Electrical Sign Contractor's Bond
- Landscape Irrigator Bond
- House Mover's Bond
Certificates of insurance are also acceptable in lieu of the bonds. Certificates must be made to the City of Waco, minimum coverage of $300,000. The bond with the original signatures must be sent back to our office for approval prior to any permits being issued.
last updated October 1, 2019
All construction shall be in conformance with the:
The following is a general guideline of the procedures and building codes, but it is not intended to be considered as conclusive of all requirements.
Building permits shall be approved prior to any work commencing. Refer to our Plan Submission Handout for requirements for all documentation needed to be submitted. One (1) copy of applicable plans must be submitted through the Citizen Self Service Portal for approval in PDF format only. Sub-contractors (electrical, plumbing, and heating/air conditioning) must be licensed and are required to permit their own work.
Various inspections are required during construction:
- Foundation ‐ Inspection of the non-engineered foundations shall be made prior to the placing of concrete and after piers are set or trenches excavated, any required forms erected, and any required reinforcing steel in place and supported. Engineered foundations must be inspected by an Engineer of Record prior to pour, and then a Sealed, signed, and dated letter from said Engineer must be submitted to us prior to building final inspection.
- Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC ‐ Rough inspections of plumbing, mechanical, gas, and electrical systems shall be made prior to covering or concealment before fixtures or appliances are set or installed, and prior to inspection.
- Framing ‐ Inspection of framing construction shall be made after all framing, roof, firestopping, draft stopping, bracing, wall ties, and fireplace are in place and after the plumbing, mechanical, and electrical rough inspections are approved.
- Energy ‐ Energy compliance is to be inspected prior to sheetrock and at final inspection.
- Final ‐ Final inspection shall be made after the permitted work is complete and prior to occupancy.
The City of Waco's permitting system is Energov. Applicants will be using the Citizen Self Service Portal to register accounts and apply for permits. For help with questions about getting set up on our system to track your inspections, please contact our main line at (254) 750-5612. All Inspections must be scheduled by 4 p.m. through the Citizen Self Service Portal to get the next business day Inspector's schedule. After 4 p.m. the inspection request will be pushed back an additional day.
Minimum Foundation Requirements for Residential Construction
- The details shown are minimum foundation requirements. Design s are based on the placement of footings and beams below undisturbed soil with a bearing capacity of 1500 psf. See I.R.C. for soil bearing capacities greater than 1500 psf
- Foundations which are to be placed on expansive or with a P.I. of 15 or greater type soils, shall be investigated and designed by a registered Engineer
- Foundation reinforcement steel shall be minimum grade 40
- Corner bars shall be installed at all corners and at end of all interior beams. Corner bars shall be of# 5 rebar and shall extend at least 18" each way
- Foundation concrete shall have an ultimate compressive strength of not less than 2500 lbs psi at 28 days
- All new foundations which are to connect to existing foundations shall be connected to the existing foundation by doweling reinforcing steel into the existing foundation and penetrating a minimum of 5"
- Width of all beams must follow table for minimum width of concrete footings
- All exterior foundation footings shall be placed a minimum of 12" below undisturbed soil
- Exterior beams must have a minimum of 4 #5 reinforcing bars installed with 2 at top and 2 at bottom
- Interior beams must have a minimum of 2 #5 reinforcing bars
- Interior beams shall be spaced a maximum of 16' O.C. each way
- The foundation slab shall have a minimum reinforcing steel of #3 bars spaced a maximum of 16" each way and properly supported
- The foundation slab must have a 6" sand base covered with a 6 mil polyethylene vapor barrier
- The minimum foundation slab thickness is 4"
- All piers and foundations must be inspected prior to pouring concrete. For foundation inspections, the forms must be set, steel tied and on chairs, with sand base and vapor barrier installed. All property lines shall be staked and string lines drawn.
Engineered Foundation Requirements for Residential Construction
Existing pier and beam house - If the new addition will be pier and beam, an engineered foundation plan will not be required as long as the existing foundation system has not failed. If there is failure in the existing pier and beam foundation, an engineered foundation plan will be required for the new addition. All pier and beam additions must meet City of Waco #4 minimum foundation requirements.
Existing slab house - Same requirements as above except the new slab addition must meet City of Waco #2 foundation requirements.
Three Conditions:
- An engineered foundation plan will be required for any addition to an existing house if the new foundation system differs from what is currently in place, i.e. existing pier and beam to slab addition, existing slab to pier and beam addition. If there is failure in the existing foundation system an engineered foundation plan will be required.
- New foundations for Shops, Storage Buildings, and Residential Additions - any foundation that is 500 sf or larger needs to be engineered.
- Engineered slabs for new houses - slab grounds must be installed, inspected, and have a passed electrical UFER ground inspection prior to pouring slab. The following note was sent out by our Building Official: "When a slab is poured without the slab ground being inspected, the person/ company that pulled the building permit will be issued a ticket and documentation will have to be submitted to our office, by a design professional, that illustrates the slab grounding was done per the NEC."