Demolition contractor registration.

San Antonio City Code § 10-119

in effect

Sec. 10-119. - Demolition contractor registration. (a) Registration. It shall be unlawful for any person to maintain, own or operate a demolition contracting business, unless a registration issued by the building official is first obtained as provided herein per sections 10-116 and 10-119. Exceptions: (1) A person who demolishes fences six (6) feet or less in height, playground equipment, above ground swimming pools, sidewalks or driveways, decks, oil derricks, shade cloth structures, or mechanical equipment, residential or commercial sheds less than three hundred (300) square feet and similar accessory structures. (2) A property owner may demolish single story residential structures if the demolition is to be performed by the property owner with proof of ownership. (b) Demolition registration, insurance required, and bond. (1) Registration. It shall be a violation of this chapter for a person who does not hold a current city registration to engage in the demolition work for which a permit is required, or to undertake to execute such work or to cause the undertaking of such work. (2) Misrepresentation. It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person to represent themselves with any registration set forth in this Code or to use the words "demolition contractor," or words of similar import or meaning on signs, business cards, stationery, or by any other manner whatsoever, unless such person is properly registered within the meaning of the word used as provided in this chapter. (3) General liability and insurance. a. A registered demolition contractor shall furnish and present the name of the insurance carrier, policy number, name, address, and telephone number of the insurance agent with whom the contractor is insured to the building official or to any customer upon request. b. City registered demolition contractors must maintain insurance of the following types and amounts: 1. Automobile liability insurance with limits of personal injury one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) each person, three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) each accident, property damage fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) each accident. 2. Public liability (bodily injury) insurance with limits not less than three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) for each occurrence. 3. Public liability (property damage) insurance with limits of not less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) for each accident and two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) in the aggregate. c. The policy shall: 1. Include the hazards of explosion and collapse coverage. 2. Provide that the same shall not be cancelled until a ten-day or non-renewal has been served upon the city development services department. 3. The City of San Antonio must be listed as certificate holder on the certificate of liability insurance. 4. Applicant shall file with the building official certificates of insurance executed by the insurance carrier issuing said policies certifying that said insurance is in full force and effect and that the demolition operations are covered by such policies. (4) Indemnity bond. Before such permit shall be issued, the person, firm, association or corporation applying therefore shall execute and deliver to the city, to be kept on file in the city clerk's office, a good and sufficient bond of indemnity, issued by a surety company licensed to do business in the state, in the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) to be approved by the city attorney and conditioned that the person, firm, association or corporation making such application shall promptly pay in and unto the city any and all costs, damages and expenses which said city may incur or suffer, including, but not limited to, damages to streets, sidewalks, utilities, or other public places by reason of carelessness or negligence in the performance of such demolition, or by reason of any defects caused from or arising from careless, negligent or imperfect demolition procedures, or any and all acts and omissions of said applicant, his agents, servants, or subcontractors. (c) Responsibilities. A registered demolition contractor shall be responsible for exercising such supervision and control of his operations as is necessary to secure full compliance with the provisions of the adopted city requirements and all other applicable laws of the city, state and United States. (d) Penalties. It shall be unlawful for any person to demolish any building or structure in the city or cause the same to be done, contrary to or in violation of any of the provisions of this Code or any currently adopted building code. Any person, firm or corporation violating any of these provisions shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each day or portion thereof during which any violation is committed, continued, or permitted, and each separate violation shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00). (e) Application procedures; requirements. (1) An applicant for an original registration or renewal must submit an application to the building official on a form established by the department. (2) The building official shall have the right to investigate and examine the qualifications and fitness of an applicant. (3) A person may not be issued a registration unless the person: a. Is at least eighteen (18) years of age; and b. Is a United States citizen or a lawfully admitted alien. (f) Duties and powers of building official. (1) There is hereby vested in the building official the duty of examining the applications for contractor registrations, including the issuance, reissuance, renewal, suspension, or cancellation of such registration. (2) The building official shall establish procedures consistent with this Code for the issuance of registration for demolition contractors. (3) The building official shall have the duty to keep all registration application records. The building official shall further have the power and duty to adopt, amend, or repeal rules and regulations consistent with the provisions of this section as may be necessary for the proper administration and enforcement hereof. (g) Appealing a denial of registration. (1) Appeal to board. If either an original or renewal registration is denied, the building official shall furnish the applicant a written statement setting forth the grounds for the refusal within ten (10) working days. Such statement shall be by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the mailing address provided in the application unless the applicant is present to receive and acknowledge in writing receipt of such letter. The applicant or their representative shall then have fifteen (15) working days from receipt of notice to appeal the building official's decision in accordance with section 10-14 of this chapter. (2) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as to deny a subsequent application at the expiration of one (1) year from denial of initial registration. (h) Fees and registration period. The application fee for contractor registration shall be as set forth in this section. (1) An initial registration fee of eighty five dollars ($85.00) is required and said registration shall be valid for a period of two (2) years. The registration holder shall be required to re-register every two-year period of time and pay a fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) for each two-year period of time to maintain registration. (i) Demolition permit; in general. (1) No person, firm, association, or corporation shall demolish any building or structure in the city, or cause the same to be done, without first obtaining a demolition permit for each such building or structure authorized by the city. (2) Every demolition permit shall be valid during the time outlined in the permit. If demolition is not complete, the director of development services may extend the permit upon request of the applicant. (j) Application requirements. (1) Applications for demolition permits shall require the following information: a. Name and address of demolition contractor. b. Name and address of building and property owners including a notarized letter authorizing demolition of building or structure. c. Except for single-family residence and other single-story buildings where it is not possible for debris to fall on public walkways or thoroughfares, the building official shall require an engineering report, prepared by a qualified registered professional engineer, of the building or structure to be demolished so as to determine the condition of the framing, floors and walls copy of which is to be filed with the building official. d. The demolition contractor shall be required to prepare a complete plan and schedule for demolition to be filed with the building official. Should the plan and schedule be changed at any time, the changes must be approved by the building official and a copy of such changes must be filed with the building official. e. The location site of the disposal of debris and the proposed route to be used to disposal site. f. Applicant shall submit the current demolition registration number and bond materials of the demolition contractor who has been hired to perform the work. All demolition contractors, as defined in this chapter, shall be registered and bonded. Any substitution of contractor listed in the application shall be reported to the building official with appropriate registration and bonding materials. A failure to notify the building official shall result in administrative and/or criminal and/or civil penalties. It shall be an affirmative defense to prosecution that substitute contractor was registered and bonded at the time. g. Supplemental materials as prescribed by the building official. (k) Miscellaneous provisions. (1) No structural or load-supporting members, which would affect the stability of the structure, shall be cut, or removed from any story until all construction materials above such a story have been completely demolished and removed. (2) No material shall be dropped to any point outside the exterior walls of the structure except in enclosed chutes. (3) In masonry construction, the demolition of exterior walls and floor construction shall be removed and dropped into the storage space before commencing the removal of exterior walls and floor in the story below. (4) In buildings with a structural steel frame member type construction, the steel framing may be left in place during the demolition of masonry. Where this is done, all steel beams girders and similar structural supports shall be cleared of all loose material as the masonry demolition progresses downward. (5) No wall, chimney or other structural part shall be left at the end of each shift in such condition that it may collapse due to wind, vibration, or any other cause. (6) Upon the completion of demolition operations, the site shall be completely cleared of rubbish, brush, weeds, and other debris. The site must be left free of ponds and underground tanks shall be removed. Basement slabs shall be broken up to allow drainage and septic tanks, wells, cesspools, and cisterns shall be broken open and filled in. (7) Security service during non-working hours shall be provided by the contractor. (8) Where shown to be necessary in the plan for demolition, the city shall coordinate and approve the blocking of walkways, thoroughfares, and alleys to protect the public. (9) The city council may issue a permit for selective use of explosives for demolition purposes if the contractor has complied with all of the conditions of this chapter and if the plan for selective demolition by the use of explosives is conducted in accordance with §§ 1926.900—1926.914 inclusive of Subpart "U" of the Rules and Regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Department of Labor, 29 CFR, part 1926, subpart U. (l) Demolition fee schedule. Demolition Registration Fees Demolition Contractor Initial—City Registration/2-year registration | $85.00 Renewal—City Registration/2-year renewal | $35.00 Duplicate—City Registration Card (plus tax) | $5.00 Demolition Permit Fees Residential | $75.00 Commercial Single-story | $100.00 2—3 stories | $200.00 >3 stories | $650.00 (Ord. No. 2025-01-30-0075, § 1(Att. 1), 1-30-25)

Source: City of San Antonio, City Code, City Charter and Unified Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/san_antonio/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH10BULACOSAAN_ARTXIIILIRE_S10-119DECOREFetched: 10/27/2026