Austin Development Services overhauled its permit portal in late 2025, and average residential approval time has dropped from 11 weeks to under 4. The catch: the new system rejects incomplete submissions automatically — there's no human triage anymore.
Most kitchen and bath remodels need a 'Residential — Trade Permit' for plumbing and electrical, plus a building permit if you're moving walls. Cosmetic-only work (paint, flooring, cabinets in place) does not require a permit.
The biggest filing mistake we see in Austin: forgetting the energy-code compliance form (REScheck). It's required for any work that touches insulation or windows, and missing it triggers an automatic resubmission.
Booking through HandyMandyMan? Your matched pro can pull the permit in your name — and most of our Austin contractors do this 5–10 times a month, so they know exactly which line items the reviewers reject.