Building Permits in Longview | Zoning Guide by Building Club

Building permits in Longview are administered by the Building Inspection Division within Development Services. The division performs building plan review and inspections and administers building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, gas and related code requirements. Longview's online Permit Portal supports permit applications and payments, digital plan uploads, review-status tracking, contractor registration and inspection requests.

Current codes

Longview states that its updated code package became effective July 1, 2026. The city's current Building Inspection page lists the 2021 International Building Code (IBC), 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC), 2021 International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2021 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC). The city page separately labels 2021 IEBC and 2021 IRC amendments as proposed material, so this guide does not state those two editions as finally effective based only on that page.

Texas professional-design requirements are project-specific. State law regulates architecture and engineering and specifies when professional documents must be prepared and sealed; it does not support a blanket statement that every Longview permit requires an architect or engineer seal. Applicants should determine the applicable state professional-practice and accessibility requirements for the actual project.

Applications and permits

Longview requires permit applications to be fully completed before submission to Building Inspection. The city's portal is designed for general contractors, licensed trades and design professionals; homeowners seeking homestead-exempt permits are directed to contact Development Services for the applicable process.

Permit needs depend on the work. Longview publishes separate building, trade, site-plan, certificate-of-occupancy and other applications rather than treating every construction activity as one permit type. The city should be consulted before treating minor work as exempt; this page does not import exemption thresholds from another Texas jurisdiction.

Fees

Longview publishes a 2025-2026 Development Services Fee Schedule. For single- and two-family new additions, remodels, alterations and accessory buildings such as shops and detached garages, the published permit fee is $0.30 per square foot with a $100 minimum. The same schedule lists residential re-roof permits at $105, window replacement at $105, and fences at $55. Commercial new construction, additions, remodels and alterations use a valuation-based Schedule A, and the commercial plan-review charge is one-third of the building permit fee.

Those amounts are category-specific city fees, not universal prices for all projects. Applicants should use the current Development Services schedule because trade, site-plan and other charges may apply separately.

Inspections and occupancy

Inspection requests can be submitted through the Permit Portal or through Building Inspection's automated inspection-request line. The exact required inspection sequence depends on the permit and scope; the current city pages reviewed do not establish one universal inspection sequence or a guaranteed citywide plan-review duration, so neither is estimated here.

Longview separately administers Certificates of Occupancy. The city's Unified Development Code states that a CO is required for use of a building and/or land, and Building Inspection publishes a commercial CO application. Applicants should confirm final inspection and CO requirements for the particular use before occupancy.

Official sources

City of Longview Building Inspection: https://www.longviewtexas.gov/2172/Building-Inspection
City of Longview Permit Portal: https://www.longviewtexas.gov/4051/Permit-Portal
City of Longview Permit Applications: https://longviewtexas.gov/2824/Permit-Applications
City of Longview Development Services: https://www.longviewtexas.gov/2166/Development-Services
City of Longview Development Services Fee Schedule: https://longviewtexas.gov/DocumentCenter/View/11383/Development-Services-Fee-Schedule
Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1051 (architects): https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/OC/pdf/OC.1051.pdf
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Architectural Barriers: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/ab/

Disclaimer: Verify the current code amendments, permit category, fees, state professional/accessibility requirements, inspections and Certificate of Occupancy requirements with Longview Building Inspection before filing or beginning work.