The city lists foundation repair as a residential permit
The Development Services Department of the City of San Antonio has a Residential Permits page that links to a document called Foundation Repairs and to a Foundation Repair Permit Application. The document is Information Bulletin 172, Residential and Commercial Foundation Repair Permits. We read it on November 6, 2026. Its revision history runs from 2010 to April 7, 2025. It is for information only, so ask the city about your own case.
What Information Bulletin 172 says
- Apply before you start. A double fee is assessed for failure to apply and obtain a permit before starting work.
- Who applies, residential. The property owner, or a City licensed and active Residential Building Contractor. The bulletin says that typically the applicant is the licensed or registered foundation repair contractor, and that an owner who applies takes responsibility for the work.
- Online. Applications go through the city's Accela Customer Access portal, under Minor Building Repair Application, choosing Foundation Repair Permit.
- Review first. The city reviews the application and may ask for more information. An application record number is not a permit to start repairs. When the application is approved, a separate permit record is created for inspections.
- An engineer is part of the permit. Residential and commercial foundation repairs shall be designed by or performed under the engineering guidance of a professional engineer licensed by the State of Texas, who also performs inspections. The application needs an Assumption as Engineer of Record letter, signed and sealed, in PDF. Stamped and sealed engineering drawings are optional.
- Inspections close the permit through a letter. The bulletin says all foundation repair inspections are cleared by an Engineer's Inspection Letter from the Engineer of Record, uploaded to the permit record on the city's template. Only letters from the Engineer of Record are accepted.
- Changing engineers. It takes a letter from the first engineer saying he or she is no longer involved, and a new Assumption as Engineer of Record letter from the new engineer.
- Questions. The bulletin gives 210-207-1111 for questions about the application and permit.
Source: City of San Antonio, Information Bulletin 172, read November 6, 2026. Pier and beam extras (skirting, ventilation, subfloor access) are in the pier and beam guide.
Fees and the no-permit list
The city publishes a current fee schedule for development services. We quote no fee, because the amount depends on the job. Ask the city for the fee for your project and whether anything changed after the bulletin's April 7, 2025 revision. The city's No Permit Required list names items such as sheds up to 300 square feet, cabinets, flooring, painting, retaining walls under 4 feet and driveways inside your property line. Foundation repair is not on it. The list says it covers projects that typically need no permit, so ask the city about your own case (read November 6, 2026).
What this means when you compare companies
The bulletin does not say who the engineer should be, how the engineer is chosen, or who pays. That is a contract question. Some companies say on their own sites that an outside engineer reviews their work. We list those claims on their profiles but have not checked them. Whether the engineer works for you or for the repair company is worth asking. The Texas rules guide explains why.
Questions to ask
- Who applies for the permit, you or the company, and what is the permit fee?
- Who is the Engineer of Record, and who pays the engineer?
- Will I get a copy of the Assumption as Engineer of Record letter and the final Engineer's Inspection Letter?
- Is the permit closed before final payment? (See the contracts guide.)
- My home is pier and beam: who handles skirting, ventilation, subfloor access and drainage, and is a city final inspection needed?
Frequently asked questions
Does the city really require an engineer for foundation repair?
The bulletin says residential and commercial foundation repairs shall be designed by or performed under the engineering guidance of a professional engineer licensed by the State of Texas, who also performs inspections. It asks for an Assumption as Engineer of Record letter signed and sealed by that engineer.
What happens if work starts before the permit?
The bulletin says a double fee is assessed for failure to apply and obtain a permit before starting work. It also says that getting an application record number is not a permit to start repairs.
Who applies, the owner or the company?
For residential work the bulletin says the application is made by the property owner or by a City licensed and active Residential Building Contractor. Ask your company in writing who applies and who pays the fee.