PERMITS, LICENSES, AND INSPECTIONS

Houston Code of Ordinances ch. 23, art. VI

in effect

Houston Code of Ordinances § 23-176 Permits and licenses required, in general.

Sec. 23-176. - Permits and licenses required, in general. No activity for which a permit or license is required under this chapter shall be conducted and no structure or condition for which a permit or license is required under this chapter shall be constructed, demolished, used, or maintained, unless a permit or license for the activity, use, structure, or condition has first been obtained from the public works official. (Ord. No. 2011-862, § 2(Exh. A), 10-12-2011)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 23-177 Permit holder insurance.

Sec. 23-177. - Permit holder insurance. Each permit holder shall, if necessary, obtain and maintain in effect during the term of the permit such insurance coverage as is required under this Code. Failure or refusal of the permit holder to obtain and keep in force the insurance coverage required hereunder shall automatically terminate the permit. (Ord. No. 2011-862, § 2(Exh. A), 10-12-2011)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 23-178 Permit issuance.

Sec. 23-178. - Permit issuance. (a) Application. The public works official shall issue to the applicant a permit after the applicant has submitted all of the following to the public works official: (1) A complete application, in a form to be determined by either the Director of Houston Public Works or the parks director, as applicable. (2) Proof of insurance, if required; (3) Financial assurance, if required; (4) All applicable fees; (5) Copies of applicable state and federal permits, licenses and authorizations; (6) Plans, specifications and such other documents as reasonable requested by either the Director of Houston Public Works or the parks director, as applicable; and (7) A copy of any approvals obtained from the parks director and the city council, if required under this chapter. (b) The public works official shall not issue a permit until any required inspection has been conducted. When the public works official issues a permit for which plans are required, he shall endorse in writing or stamp the plans and specifications "Approved." Approved plans and specifications shall not be changed, modified or altered without authorization from the public works official, and all work regulated by this chapter shall be done in accordance with the approved plans. (c) Retention of plans. One set of approved plans, specifications, computations and other data shall be retained by the public works official for a period of not less than 90 days from the date of completion of the work and one set of approved plans and specifications shall be returned to the applicant. The returned set shall be kept on the site of the structure or work at all times during which the work authorized thereby is in progress. (d) Validity of permit. The issuance or granting of a permit or approval of plans, specifications, computations and other data shall not be construed to be a permit for, or an approval of, any violation of any of the provisions of this Code or of any other applicable laws, city ordinances, rules, or regulations. The issuance of a permit based upon plans, specifications, computations and other data shall not prevent the public works official from thereafter requiring the correction of errors in the plans, specifications, computations and other data, or from preventing building operations from being carried on thereunder when the operations are determined to be in violation of this chapter or of any other applicable laws, city ordinances, rules and regulations. (e) Suspension or revocation. The public works official may suspend or revoke a permit issued by the public works official under this chapter if the applicant has given false information in his application or has committed a violation of any ordinance, permit condition, rule or regulation. The public works official must provide the permit holder prior written notice and an opportunity to appear before the public works official and give evidence concerning why the permit should not be suspended or revoked. (Ord. No. 2011-862, § 2(Exh. A), 10-12-2011; Ord. No. 2018-11, § 49, 1-10-2018)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 23-179 Variances.

Sec. 23-179. - Variances. (a) The Director of Houston Public Works and the parks director are each authorized to consider and grant variances from the provisions of this chapter, other than those provisions required by state law, for any permit when the director finds that each of the following conditions exist: (1) Either: a. The imposition of the terms, rules, conditions, policies and standards of this chapter would create an undue hardship by depriving the applicant of the reasonable use of the land; or b. Strict application of the requirements of this chapter would make a project infeasible due to the existence of unusual physical characteristics that affect the property in question, or is otherwise contrary to sound public policy; (2) The circumstances supporting the granting of the variance are not the result of a hardship created or imposed by the applicant; (3) The intent and general purposes of this chapter will be preserved and maintained; (4) The granting of the variance will not be injurious to the public health, safety or welfare; and (5) Economic hardship is not the sole justification for the variance. In granting a variance, the director is authorized to impose any condition on the permit for which the variance is requested that the director determines is reasonably related to the variance requested and that furthers the intent and purpose of this chapter. The findings of the director, together with the specific facts upon which such findings are based, shall be made available to the applicant. (b) Any variance granted under the provisions of this chapter shall apply only to the specific property for which the director approved the variance, and shall not constitute a change of any part of this chapter, or establish any policy, rule or regulation contrary to the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. No. 2011-862, § 2(Exh. A), 10-12-2011; Ord. No. 2018-11, § 49, 1-10-2018)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 23-180 License issuance.

Sec. 23-180. - License issuance. (a) Application in general. The public works official shall issue to the applicant a license required by this chapter after the applicant has submitted all of the following to the public works official: (1) The type of license being applied for; (2) The calendar year being applied for; (3) The name of the applicant; (4) The mailing address of the applicant; (5) The telephone number(s) of the applicant; (6) The name of the property owner; (7) The mailing address of the property owner; (8) The telephone number(s) of the property owner; (9) The payment of the fee provided for in this chapter. The application shall contain this statement: 'I hereby accept all conditions of the governing City of Houston and all ordinances whether or not herein specified and certify that all statements herein recorded by the undersigned are true. I further understand failure to comply with ordinance requirements will result in revoking of my license.' The application shall be signed by the owner and may be filed with the director after September 1 of the preceding calendar year. (b) Pier or shoreline license application. In addition to the information required in section 23-180(a), pier or shoreline license applications shall also include the following: (1) The lake address of the structure to be licensed; (2) The lot and block numbers, name of addition, lot size in square feet; (3) The location on the creek, bayou, fork, or main body; (4) The name of the body of water; (5) The square feet of pier and number of dockage spaces on shore; (6) The linear feet of shoreline and number of dockage spaces on shore; (7) The commercial or residential designation. The public works official may require that the applicant furnish a copy of the owner's deed recorded in the Deed Records of Harris County, Texas, and a copy of any lease from the owner to the applicant. (c) Vessel license application. In addition to the information required in section 23-180(a), vessel license applications shall also include the following: (1) The square feet of vessel decking; (2) The make or manufacture of the vessel, serial number, and year built; (3) The state certificate number, and issuing state; (4) The state, county and city residence of the owner; (5) The hull material (whether wood, aluminum, steel, plastic, or other); (6) The propulsion (whether outboard, inboard, sail, paddle, or other); (7) The fuel (whether gasoline, diesel, or other); (8) The use (whether pleasure, or commercial); (9) The make, power, year built, and manufacturer's serial number of any outboard or inboard engine used or kept on board; (10) The name and address of premises where the vessel is usually moored or kept, the pier license tag number of the pier to which the vessel is moored when on waters governed by this article, and the dockage space number; (11) A copy of certification for the onboard sanitary device as provided for in this chapter; and (12) A side view photograph of the vessel. (d) Applicant shall submit proof of any required federal or state permits, licenses or authorizations, and all applicable approvals from the parks director and the city council, if required, under this chapter. (e) The public works official shall not issue a license until any required inspection has been conducted. (f) Validity of license. The issuance or granting of a license shall not be construed to be a permit for, or an approval of any violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or of any other applicable laws, city ordinances, rules, or regulations. The issuance of a license shall not restrict the public works official from requiring the correction of deficiencies determined to be in violation of this chapter or of any other applicable law, city ordinance, rule or regulation. (g) Term. Every license issued by the public works official under the provisions of this chapter, except where otherwise stated in this chapter, shall expire at the end of the calendar year in which the license was issued. (h) Suspension or revocation. The public works official may suspend or revoke a license issued by the public works official under this chapter if the applicant has given false information in his application or has committed a violation of any ordinance, license condition, rule or regulation for which suspension or revocation is authorized under this chapter. Provided, however, in order for any such suspension or revocation to be effective, the public works official must provide the license holder written notice and an opportunity to appear before the public works official and give evidence concerning why the license should not be suspended or revoked. (Ord. No. 2011-862, § 2(Exh. A), 10-12-2011; Ord. No. 2020-320, § 9, 4-15-2020)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 23-181 Inspections.

Sec. 23-181. - Inspections. (a) Permit inspections. All activities for which a permit is required shall be subject to inspection by the public works official. The public works official shall make a final inspection and approval of all construction or work when completed in compliance with the approved plans and specifications. (b) License inspections. All structures or conditions for which a license is required shall be subject to annual inspections by the public works official and shall be inspected according to this chapter. (c) Other inspections. In addition to the inspections specified above, the public works official may make or require other inspections of any activities to ascertain compliance with the provisions of this chapter and any other applicable laws, city ordinances, rules and regulations. (Ord. No. 2011-862, § 2(Exh. A), 10-12-2011)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 23-182 Permits and licenses not transferable.

Sec. 23-182. - Permits and licenses not transferable. Permits and licenses issued under this chapter are not transferable. (Ord. No. 2011-862, § 2(Exh. A), 10-12-2011)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 23-183 Appeals; permits and licenses.

Sec. 23-183. - Appeals; permits and licenses. (a) Any permit holder or applicant aggrieved by the refusal of the public works official or the parks official to issue a permit or license or the suspension or revocation by the public works official or the parks official of a permit or license may appeal the decision to the General Appeals Board and thence to the city council in accordance with the procedures adopted in this Code. (b) All appeals to the city council are subject to the city council rules of procedure, as codified in this Code. Copies of the rules may be obtained from the city secretary. A party wishing to preserve his right of appeal must comply with the city council rules of procedure. (Ord. No. 2011-862, § 2(Exh. A), 10-12-2011)

Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH23LAHO_ARTVIPELIINFetched: 10/26/2026