Do I need a permit for fence installation or replacement in Katy?

It depends. Whether fence installation or replacement needs a permit in Katy comes down to the details of your project.

Texas adopts the International Residential Code as the municipal residential building code by statute. Texas Local Government Code Section 214.212 adopts the code as it existed on May 1, 2012, and that edition exempts fences not over 7 feet high. A city may adopt local amendments, including a lower height, so confirm the rule your city enforces. Texas cities set fence rules by height and location on top of that. Dallas, for example, does not require a permit for fences up to 4 feet in a front yard or 6 feet in side and rear yards, but taller, masonry, or corner-visibility fences may need one. Check HOA rules and plat easement restrictions even when a building permit is not required, and confirm the height thresholds with your local building department. Katy's Permit and Building Services page does not list fences among the work requiring a permit, and the city's fee schedule has no fence fee. Katy's amendment to IRC section R105.2 removes only exemptions 1, 5 and 10. Confirm with the Permit Office at 281-391-4830 before building. Under Katy Zoning Ordinance Sec. 16.1-5, no fence, wall or hedge in a required front yard may rise above a line running from 2.5 feet high at the walk to 4.5 feet high at the depth of the required front yard. On lots of one acre or more, a see-through (non-sight-obscuring) fence up to 6 feet may run along front and side property lines when no structure on the neighboring tract is within 50 feet, but no fence of any height may sit in the 25-foot visibility triangle at a street corner (Sec. 16.1-5).