HVAC Replacement permit in San Antonio, TX
Yes — you need a permit for hvac replacement work in San Antonio.
Replacing an air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump requires a permit. The only related exemption is narrower than it looks: swapping out just the motor, solenoid valves, or controls, and only when a licensed mechanical contractor does the work.
| Permit needed? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Where the line falls | Replacing an air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump requi… |
| Fee | Not in the ordinance — the department quotes it |
| Review time | Not in the ordinance |
| Code section | Sec. 10-6(e)(4) mechanical exemptions; motor-only exemption at Sec. 10-6(e)(2)b |
| Based on | IRC 2024 as amended by the city (International Mechanical Code, Sec. 10-63) |
How to pull the permit
- Put together a site plan showing where the work goes, with dimensions.
- Apply through the San Antonio building department.
- Pay the permit fee when the permit is issued. Work done before that isn't covered.
- Book each inspection listed on the permit as the job reaches that stage.
Your contractor pulls this one, not you. Ask to see the permit before work starts.
If you skip it
Starting the work before the permit is issued makes the permit fee double.
Nearby cities, same job
Rules stop at the city line. If your lot is near a boundary, or you work across several towns, this is where they differ.
| City | Distance | Permit? | Where the line falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio | — | Yes | Replacing an air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump requi… |
| New Braunfels | 30 mi | Yes | Replacing a whole air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump … |
| Austin | 74 mi | Yes | Swapping an air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump is mec… |
| Killeen | 121 mi | Yes | Swapping an air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump is mec… |
| Corpus Christi | 144 mi | Yes | Replacing an air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump needs… |
| Laredo | 144 mi | Yes | Replacing an air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump needs… |
Other work in San Antonio
Questions people ask
I already built it without a permit. What now?
San Antonio can issue a stop-work order and require you to apply after the fact, sometimes with an extra fee. Work that was covered up may have to be opened for inspection. Full walkthrough here.
Does unpermitted work cause problems when selling the house?
Often, yes. A buyer's inspector or the title company may flag it, and lenders can balk at financing a home with open or missing permits. What to do about it.
Do I pull the permit or does my contractor?
Your contractor does. A licensed contractor pulling their own permit is the normal arrangement — if one asks you to pull it in your name, treat that as a warning sign, because it moves the liability to you.