Foundation repair permits in Tyler and nearby towns
Who issues permits in each town and county, what each one charges, and what state law says about county land. Every office in one place, checked September 21, 2026.
Checked September 21, 2026 · 20 sources · 14 min read
Whether a foundation repair needs a permit depends on which side of a city limit line the house sits. Inside Tyler and most nearby cities, repair work falls under a building permit fee, and Canton is the one city here whose fee schedule names foundation repair. On unincorporated county land there is no building permit at all, though mapped flood zones need a county permit. This is general information, not legal advice: call the office before work starts.
The table lists the permit contact for each town we cover, with the age of its housing.
Housing figures: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25034, B25035, B25003, B25077). *Flint and Gresham are not Census places; figures are for ZIP code area 75762. Permit contacts checked September 21, 2026.
Do you need a permit for foundation repair in Tyler?
Tyler publishes no rule written specifically for foundation repair. Its fee schedule charges $0.35 per square foot for “All Additions, Alterations, Repairs”, plus a 20% plan check fee, and the city’s FAQ says a permit is required “even if you are only replacing sheetrock”. Have the company pull the permit, or call Building Services at (903) 531-1151.
What else the city publishes that matters for a repair:
Review time. Prescreening “takes up to two business days”, then homes take “About five business days”, according to the city’s FAQ.
How long a permit lasts. “Building permits are valid for six months from the issue date.” Staff can extend a permit if work and inspections are moving.
Plumbers and electricians. A trade contractor needs a separate permit: “You must have your own permit. Once approved, it will be linked to the general contractor’s permit.”
Inspections. You request them online: “Log in to eTRAKiT, select your permit, click on Request Inspection, choose the type and date, select Add Inspection, and then Submit.”
Square footage and minimums. The fee schedule does not say how square footage is counted for work under a house. Its $50 minimum fee is listed under new construction, not under repairs.
Not sure the house is inside the city? The FAQ says: “Visit SmithCountyMapSite.org to see if a property is within the City of Tyler.” A Tyler mailing address does not always mean the house is inside the city; if it is not, the county rules below apply. For neighborhood detail, see our Tyler page.
What do the other Smith County towns require?
Most publish little. Lindale and Bullard have adopted the 2021 International Residential Code, and Lindale, Troup and Noonday post fees that could apply to a repair. Whitehouse, Arp and Winona publish no permit rules online that we could read. None of these towns names foundation repair, so call City Hall and ask how the job is classed.
Lindale
Lindale adopted the 2021 International Residential Code (Ord. 01-2023), and the Director of the Community Development Department is the building official. Residential remodel work costs $0.25 per square foot with a $100 minimum (Code §150.31). The code does not name foundation repair, but it does set a line worth knowing. A building is substandard when “The foundation or the vertical or horizontal supporting members are 25% or more damaged or deteriorated” (§156.16). City Hall: (903) 882-3422. More on the Lindale page.
Whitehouse
Whitehouse lists a Permits and Building Inspections page, but its code edition and fees are not published in a form we could read. Call City Hall at (903) 510-7500, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. See the Whitehouse page.
Bullard
Bullard, which straddles Smith and Cherokee counties, adopted the 2021 International Residential Code on July 8, 2025 (Ord. 2025-0708-2). The City Manager or a designee is the building official. Permit fees are set in Code §2-338, but the amounts were not readable online. Town of Bullard: (903) 894-7223. See the Bullard page.
Troup, Noonday and Hideaway
Troup charges $0.35 per square foot for “Alterations, Additions and Remodels”, with a $75 minimum, a $75 inspection fee and a plan check fee of 20% of the permit fee (Code §3.03.014). City Hall: (903) 842-3128.
Noonday says “All new residential and commercial projects must obtain a building permit” and lists a $100 residential fee. Its 2006 ordinance reaches further: “Every person desiring to build new construction, major repairs or additions in the City of Noonday shall apply to the Planning and Zoning Commission to obtain a permit for such work before proceeding therewith.” It does not define “major repairs”. City Hall: (903) 561-3351.
Hideaway is a city, but “The City of Hideaway has no employees as all management, security and common property maintenance is handled by the club.” The Hide-A-Way Lake Club posts its own building code, so ask the club office before work starts.
Arp and Winona
Arp and Winona publish no permit information online. Call Arp City Hall at (903) 859-6131 or Winona City Hall at (903) 877-3381.
What do Canton, Athens, Jacksonville and Chandler require?
Canton is the clearest: its fee schedule charges $50 for “Foundation Repairs” “with Engineer Design”. Athens requires foundations to be designed and sealed by a Texas-registered engineer, Jacksonville’s code requires a building permit with only narrow exceptions, and Chandler publishes no code or fees online. Details and phone numbers are below.
Canton (Van Zandt County)
Ordinance 2025-16, effective October 1, 2025, lists “Foundation Repairs $50.00 with Engineer Design” and warns: “PERMIT FEES DOUBLED IF WORK STARTS BEFORE OBTAINING PERMIT”. Ask the company for the engineer’s design before the application goes in. More on the Canton page.
Athens (Henderson County)
Athens adopted the 2021 International Residential Code with a local change: every foundation “regulated by this code shall be designed and sealed by a Texas-registered engineer” (Code §5-33). The code does not say whether that covers repairs to an existing house, so ask Development Services at (903) 675-8034.
The fee chart offers two routes. One is $0.35 per square foot “For new construction, additions, remodels & repairs”, with a $50 minimum. The other is a $50 simple permit “For roofing, leveling, window replacement & similar projects”. The chart does not define “leveling”, so ask which one applies. Contractors must also register with the city, which asks for “A copy of the applicant’s commercial general liability insurance certificate with a minimum of $1,000,000.00 coverage for each occurrence.” Homeowners doing their own work on their own homestead are exempt. See the Athens page.
Jacksonville (Cherokee County)
Jacksonville’s code says: “A building permit is required for all buildings, structures, walls, or parts thereof to be erected within the corporate limits of the city with the exception of buildings where the cost does not exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00).” Reroofing a house is exempt. The code never mentions foundation repair, and the fee schedule lists a $150 “Residential Remodel” permit. The online code still adopts the 2006 International Residential Code, and the city may have adopted a newer edition that is not online yet. City Hall: (903) 586-3510. See the Jacksonville page.
Chandler (Henderson County)
Chandler publishes no building code or permit fees online, and its website is out of date. Call City Hall at (903) 849-6853 before work starts. See the Chandler page.
What rules apply outside city limits?
Very few. Smith County says: “Other than subdivision regulations, Smith County has no local building policies for construction in unincorporated areas of the county.” We found no county building permit office in Henderson, Cherokee or Van Zandt counties either. What each county does run is a floodplain permit for mapped flood zones and a septic permit office.
Smith County’s flood rules apply to “all areas of special flood hazard” in the county’s jurisdiction, say “A Development Permit shall be required”, and define development to include “filling, grading, paving, excavation, or drilling operations”. Pier work involves digging or drilling, so if the house is in a mapped flood zone, ask the floodplain administrator whether the job needs a development permit.
County
Building permit
Floodplain administrator
Septic (OSSF) permits
Smith
None outside cities
Road & Bridge, (903) 590-4801
RTS Environmental, the county’s contractor, (903) 630-4234
Henderson
No county office found
Development and Floodplain Administration Office, (903) 677-7242
Issued by the county
Cherokee
No county office found
Emergency Management Coordinator, (903) 683-5947
Issued by the county; its website names no septic office
Van Zandt
No county office found
County Judge, (903) 567-7385
Fire Marshal’s office, (903) 567-6026
Henderson County describes its development office’s job as “the approval of plats, replats, and general development of land outside of a municipality”, not building permits. TCEQ’s 2025 report lists Henderson, Cherokee and Van Zandt counties as authorized agents for septic permits. If a repair plan involves the sewer line or the septic system, ask that office first. Out here, with no city permit and no city inspection, the contract and the engineer’s letters are your only paper trail, so keep them. See the Flint and Gresham page for south Smith County.
Does the state’s county building code law cover repairs?
No. Texas lets counties opt in to residential building standards under Local Government Code Chapter 233, Subchapter F. Those standards cover only new homes on vacant lots and large additions, and even then they do not require county approval before work starts. We found no sign that Smith County has opted in.
The law’s own words:
It applies “only to a county that has adopted a resolution or order requiring the application of the provisions of this subchapter” (§233.152).
“New residential construction” means “(1) residential construction of a single-family house or duplex on a vacant lot; and (2) construction of an addition to an existing single-family house or duplex, if the addition will increase the square footage or value of the existing residential building by more than 50 percent” (§233.151).
It “may not be construed to: (1) require prior approval by the county before the beginning of new residential construction” (§233.153).
What about land just outside a city, in its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ)? Local Government Code §212.003 says that “unless otherwise authorized by state law, in its extraterritorial jurisdiction a municipality shall not regulate: (1) the use of any building or property for business, industrial, residential, or other purposes”, among other limits. We read this section on Texas Public Law, an unofficial copy of the statutes, because the state’s own site would not load it. We found no source saying Tyler requires building permits in its ETJ.
Who should pull the permit, you or the company?
Usually the company doing the work, with its name on the permit. Athens makes contractors register with the city, and Tyler’s FAQ says a trade contractor’s permit is linked to the general contractor’s permit. Put it in the contract: who applies, who pays the fee, who books the inspections, and what happens if the city asks for changes.
If a company tells you no permit is needed inside a city, check with the city yourself. In Canton and Noonday, starting before the permit can double the fee. On county land, ask the company to confirm the address really is outside city limits. Our hiring checklist covers the other questions to ask before you sign.
What does a permit get you?
A record and, in cities that inspect, a second look. In Tyler you request inspections through the city’s online system, and the permit puts the job and the company’s name on the city’s books. That record, with the engineer’s letters and the warranty, is the paperwork you will want when you sell or make a warranty claim.
Canton charges a flat $50 for foundation repair with an engineer’s design. Tyler and Troup charge $0.35 per square foot for alterations and repairs, Lindale charges $0.25 per square foot for remodel work, and Jacksonville charges a flat $150 for a residential remodel. Only Canton’s fee line names foundation repair, so ask each office which line it applies.
Town
Fee line that may apply
Where it comes from
Tyler
$0.35 per sq ft for “All Additions, Alterations, Repairs”, plus a plan check fee of 20% of the permit fee
City fee schedule
Lindale
$0.25 per sq ft for residential remodel work, $100 minimum
Code §150.31
Troup
$0.35 per sq ft for alterations, $75 minimum, plus a $75 inspection fee and a 20% plan check fee
Code §3.03.014
Noonday
$100 residential permit
City permits page
Athens
$0.35 per sq ft for repairs ($50 minimum), or a $50 simple permit whose list includes “leveling”
Code §23-1
Jacksonville
$150 residential remodel permit
Code, Appendix B
Canton
“Foundation Repairs $50.00 with Engineer Design”; fees double if work starts first
Ordinance 2025-16
Whitehouse, Bullard, Chandler, Arp, Winona
Not published in a form we could read
Call City Hall
Unincorporated county land
No building permit in Smith County; no county permit office found in the other three
Smith County statement; county websites
Fees change, so confirm the amount when you apply. A permit is a small part of the bill: see the cost guide for what the repair itself runs.
Before you hire anyone
Check the company yourself
Texas does not license foundation repair companies. Bills to create a license passed the Senate in 2011 and died in the House, and a second attempt in 2013 also failed (SB 1399, HB 613). So the checks that matter are yours to make. Each takes a few minutes.
Ask who the engineer is. The Texas engineering board says working out why a foundation moved, or recommending how to repair it, is the practice of engineering (Advisory Opinion 43). Get the engineer's name and look up the license on the state roster.
Check the plumber's license. If the job includes a plumbing test or a leak repair, the plumbing has to be done under a licensed plumber. Look the license up with the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners.
Read the warranty before you sign. Get it in writing, see whether it transfers when you sell, and find the clauses that void it. Watering and plumbing conditions are the ones homeowners most often learn about too late.
Ask who pulls the permit. Most cities here charge a permit fee for repairs, and Canton names foundation repair in its fee schedule. Unincorporated county land has no building permit at all. Our permit guide lists each office.
Keep the paperwork. If a job goes wrong, Texas law makes you give the company written notice at least 60 days before you sue under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act (Bus. & Com. Code §17.505). Estimates, contracts, photos and emails are your record.
We pass it to one independent foundation repair company that works in your area. Not a list, and not an auction.
2
They call to set up a visit
Most Tyler-area foundation companies advertise a free inspection or estimate. Ask on that first call, so there are no surprises.
3
You get a written estimate
It should name the repair method, how many piers and where, who designs the repair, the permit, the warranty and the price. Compare it with our published price ranges.
4
You decide
There is no obligation. If you want a second opinion, an independent structural engineer's evaluation usually costs $300 to $800.
Permit questions
Do I need a permit for foundation repair in Tyler?
Tyler publishes no rule written specifically for foundation repair. Its fee schedule charges $0.35 per square foot for “All Additions, Alterations, Repairs”, plus a plan check fee of 20% of the permit fee, and the city’s FAQ says a permit is required “even if you are only replacing sheetrock”. Have the company pull the permit, or confirm with Building Services at (903) 531-1151 before work starts.
Who should pull the permit, me or the foundation company?
Usually the company doing the work, with its name on the permit. Athens makes contractors register with the city, and Tyler’s FAQ says a trade contractor’s permit is linked to the general contractor’s permit. Write it into the contract: who applies, who pays the fee and who books the inspections. If a company says no permit is needed inside a city, check with the city yourself.
What happens if the work starts without a permit?
It depends on the town. Canton’s fee ordinance says “PERMIT FEES DOUBLED IF WORK STARTS BEFORE OBTAINING PERMIT”, and Noonday warns that starting early “may result in doubled fees and penalties.” Jacksonville’s code lets the building official stop unpermitted work on a house and inspect it. The Tyler pages we read state no penalty, so ask before work starts.
Is there a building permit outside city limits?
Not in unincorporated Smith County, which says it has “no local building policies for construction in unincorporated areas of the county” other than subdivision rules. We found no county building permit office in Henderson, Cherokee or Van Zandt counties either. Mapped flood zones are the exception. To check whether an address is inside Tyler, the city points to SmithCountyMapSite.org.
Does a permit mean the city checked the repair design?
Not necessarily. Canton’s fee line is the only one here that ties a foundation repair permit to an engineer’s design. Athens requires an engineer’s sealed design for foundations its code regulates but does not say whether repairs count, and we found no published foundation review in the other cities. Ask the office what it inspects, and get the engineer’s design and final letter from the company either way.
How long is a Tyler permit good for?
Tyler’s FAQ says “Building permits are valid for six months from the issue date,” and that staff can extend a permit if you are actively working and scheduling inspections. For other towns, ask about the time limit when the permit is issued.
Sources
Each source was opened and checked on the date shown. If a link has moved, tell us and we will fix it.
Get a written estimate from a local foundation company
Tell us what you are seeing and where the house is. Your request goes to one independent foundation repair company that works in your part of East Texas. Ask them the questions on this page before anyone lifts a shovel.
