Deck Permit Requirements in 50 US Cities
Pick a city to see whether a new deck needs a building permit, how its exemption compares with the “200 sq ft / 30 in” rule most guides repeat, and the code text behind it — one click away.
Last updated · Every city verified against its sources September 27, 2026 · Not legal advice
50 US cities. Shows whether a new deck needs a building permit, the exemption limits, the code the city uses, and the source text.
Try:
Not in this list? Check your city’s building department
The answer is usually one list in the building code. It takes a few minutes:
- Search your city or county’s own website (usually a .gov address) for “deck permit” or “work exempt from permit”. Many building departments publish a deck handout or a no-permit list.
- In the code, find the list of work exempt from permit (IRC Section R105.2, or the city’s own administrative chapter) and look for a deck item. If there is none — or the chapter is deleted — assume every deck needs a permit.
- Check whether your state sets the rule: some statewide codes delete or rewrite the model exemption, and cities cannot always amend them.
- Or call and ask: “Does a freestanding deck under 30 inches and 200 square feet need a building permit at this address, and does it need a zoning review?”
The short answer
Most large US cities do not use the “200 sq ft / 30 in” exemption as written. 17 of 50 require a permit for every new deck, 15 use the model rule, and 16 set their own limits (6–30 in high, 12 with no size cap). In 2 the code doesn’t say. Everywhere the code is clear, a deck more than 30 in above grade needs a permit.
Deck permit rules on the map
Each dot is one city, coloured by how its deck exemption compares with the 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule. Hover or tap a dot for the rule; tap to open its full card above. The table below lists the same cities as text.
Tap a legend entry to show only those cities. Where cities sit close together, dots are nudged apart and a thin line points to the true location.
What the 50 cities show
17 of 50
require a permit for every new deck
New York, Chicago, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Columbus, Nashville, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Mesa, Atlanta, Omaha, Raleigh, Miami, Virginia Beach, Tampa and Arlington.
15 of 50
use the 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule
Houston, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Austin, Oklahoma City, Boston, Louisville, Memphis, Fresno, Sacramento, Colorado Springs, Long Beach, Bakersfield and Tulsa. 6 of them add a local condition, such as a flood zone, power-line clearance or historic district.
6 in
lowest exempt height
Fort Worth exempts only decks up to 6 in above grade (of any size); anything higher needs a permit. Then 12 in in Philadelphia and 18 in in Seattle.
12
exemptions with no size cap
A low deck of any size is exempt in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas, Portland, Tucson, Kansas City and Minneapolis.
12
let a low attached deck skip the permit
The model rule covers only freestanding decks; Los Angeles, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, Portland, Tucson and Kansas City have no attachment test.
300 sq ft
largest size cap
San Antonio raises the model’s 200 sq ft to 300, for uncovered decks only — the only city above 200.
Any door
2 cities go beyond the exit door
Detroit and Oakland exempt a deck only if it serves no door of the house at all; Detroit (Michigan’s rule) also bars decks within 36 in of it.
11
cities rest partly on inference
Marked medium confidence, with the reason on the card: San Antonio, Columbus, San Francisco, Oklahoma City, El Paso, Albuquerque, Mesa, Miami, Bakersfield, Tulsa and Tampa.
Your city vs the 200 sq ft / 30 in rule
The model rule has four tests: 200 sq ft or less, no more than 30 in above grade, not attached to the house, and not serving the exit door. Sort by any of them, or filter by rule. Select a city to open its full card with the extra conditions and the code text.
50 of 50 cities
| Source | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRC R105.2 model | The baseline | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | ICC |
| Arlington, TX | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Code text |
| Atlanta, GA | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Code text |
| Baltimore, MD | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Code text |
| Charlotte, NC | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Code text |
| Chicago, IL | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Official page |
| Columbus, OH | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Code text |
| Jacksonville, FL | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Code text |
| Mesa, AZ | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Code text |
| Miami, FL | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Official page |
| Milwaukee, WI | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Official page |
| Nashville, TN | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Official page |
| New York, NY | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Official page |
| Omaha, NE | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Code text |
| Raleigh, NC | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Official page |
| Tampa, FL | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Code text |
| Virginia Beach, VA | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Official page |
| Washington, DC | Permit for every deck | No exemption | – | – | – | Code text |
| Detroit, MI | Stricter than the model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not any door | Code text |
| Oakland, CA | Stricter than the model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not any door | Code text |
| Austin, TX | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Official page |
| Bakersfield, CA | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| Boston, MA | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| Colorado Springs, CO | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Official page |
| Dallas, TX | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| Fresno, CA | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Official page |
| Houston, TX | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Official page |
| Long Beach, CA | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| Louisville, KY | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| Memphis, TN | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| Oklahoma City, OK | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| Sacramento, CA | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Official page |
| San Diego, CA | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| San Jose, CA | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| Tulsa, OK | The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| Fort Worth, TX | Lower height, but any size | 6 in | No cap | Can qualify | No door test | Code text |
| Philadelphia, PA | Lower height, but any size | 12 in | No cap | Can qualify | No door test | Code text |
| Seattle, WA | Lower height, but any size | 18 in | No cap | Can qualify | No door test | Code text |
| Denver, CO | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | 200 sq ft | Can qualify | No door test | Code text |
| Indianapolis, IN | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | No cap | Can qualify | No door test | Code text |
| Kansas City, MO | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | No cap | Can qualify | No door test | Code text |
| Las Vegas, NV | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | No cap | Can qualify | No door test | Code text |
| Los Angeles, CA | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | No cap | Can qualify | No door test | Code text |
| Minneapolis, MN | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | No cap | Freestanding only | No door test | Code text |
| Phoenix, AZ | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | No cap | Can qualify | No door test | Code text |
| Portland, OR | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | No cap | Can qualify | No door test | Code text |
| San Antonio, TX | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | 300 sq ft | Freestanding only | Not the exit door | Code text |
| San Francisco, CA | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | No cap | Can qualify | Not part of an exit | Code text |
| Tucson, AZ | Looser than the model rule | 30 in | No cap | Can qualify | Not part of an exit | Official page |
| Albuquerque, NM | Unclear in the code | Unclear | Unclear | Unclear | Unclear | Code text |
| El Paso, TX | Unclear in the code | Unclear | Unclear | Unclear | Unclear | Code text |
How the rule colours are assigned
- Permit for every deck (17): No size or height exemption: every new deck needs a permit.
- Stricter than the model rule (2): Uses the model tests but tightens at least one (for example, the deck must not serve any door), and loosens none.
- The 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule (15): Exactly the four IRC R105.2 tests: 200 sq ft or less, 30 in or less above grade, not attached, not serving the exit door. Some cities add a local condition such as a flood zone.
- Lower height, but any size (3): Tighter on some tests and looser on others: a lower height limit than 30 in, but no size cap and attached decks allowed.
- Looser than the model rule (11): Drops or relaxes at least one model test (usually the size cap or the attached-deck test) and tightens none.
- Unclear in the code (2): The code has no deck item. A small deck might fit a general platform or accessory-structure exemption, but the city has not said so.
Categories compare only the building-permit exemption’s four tests. Extra local conditions (flood zones, historic districts, “uncovered only”) and zoning permits are listed on each city card.
How deck permits work
The model rule
The “200 sq ft / 30 in” figure comes from the International Residential Code’s list of work exempt from permit, Section R105.2. The 2018 edition reads:
“10. Decks not exceeding 200 square feet (18.58 m2) in area, that are not more than 30 inches (762 mm) above grade at any point, are not attached to a dwelling and do not serve the exit door required by Section R311.4.”
All four conditions have to be true. A deck that is attached to the house, taller, bigger, or that you step onto from the exit door needs a permit even under the model rule.
Why cities differ
The IRC is a model. It only applies where a state or city adopts it, and each can rewrite or drop the permit chapter:
- The state rewrites it. Minnesota’s rule has no size cap and no door test, Oregon’s is height-only, and Michigan’s adds a 36 in separation from the house and bars decks that serve any door. Virginia’s statewide code has no deck exemption and localities cannot amend it — Virginia Beach says a permit is needed “no matter the size or height”.
- The state or city deletes it. North Carolina deletes Section R105, so Charlotte and Raleigh have no deck exemption; Florida’s building code has no building-permit exemptions. Nashville, Arlington and Mesa delete the IRC’s permit sections, Omaha and Washington, DC do not adopt its Chapter 1, and Baltimore marks the deck item “Not Adopted”. New York and Chicago write their own construction codes and Milwaukee follows Wisconsin’s Uniform Dwelling Code; none of the three has a deck exemption.
- The city moves the line. Fort Worth exempts only decks up to 6 in, Philadelphia 12 in and Seattle 18 in; San Antonio allows 300 sq ft. Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Kansas City use a broader “platforms” item with no size cap.
- City and state disagree. Ohio’s state code exempts small freestanding decks from approval, but Columbus’s own ordinance requires a permit for any structure — the Columbus card explains who to call.
That is why the aggregator answer — “under 200 sq ft and 30 in, detached, no permit” — is right in only 15 of the 50 cities.
What the 30 inches is measured from
The model rule says “above grade at any point”: if any part of the deck is higher than 30 in above the ground, it is not exempt, so on a slope the high side decides. Some codes spell out where to measure:
- Oregon (Portland): “Porches and decks where the walking surface is not more than 30 inches (762 mm) above adjacent grade measured at any point within 3 feet (914 mm) horizontally of the walking surface.” source
- Pikes Peak region (Colorado Springs): above grade “at any point within 36 inches (914 mm) of the deck perimeter”. source
- Indianapolis: “No part of the floor is more than thirty (30) inches above finished grade”. source
- Philadelphia: a deck “located not more than 12 inches above the ground surface below”. source
Minnesota ties its exemption to the footings too: a deck attached to a structure with frost footings does not qualify. For how deep and how big footings go in your area, see deck footing depth by zip code.
An exempt deck is not an unregulated deck
Exemptions waive the permit, not the rules. Kansas City’s page says exempt work “is still required to meet all applicable requirements of the Zoning and Development Code and the Building and Rehabilitation Code.”, and Long Beach’s code applies its exemptions only where the work does not violate the zoning regulations. Denver needs a zoning permit for decks above 12 in, Indianapolis a notice to the county assessor within 30 days. Sacramento and Tucson withdraw the exemption in historic or design-review districts, and Denver requires a zoning permit for any deck on a landmark or in a historic district.
Methodology and limits
Official sources only. Each city was researched from the code it actually applies — its own building code and ordinances, or the state code where the state sets the rule — and its official permit pages, guides and bulletins. No contractor sites, blogs or permit aggregators; low-deck exemptions claimed by third-party sites for Chicago, Jacksonville, Arlington, Mesa and North Carolina, for example, were checked against the code and found unsupported. The 50 records cite 202 sources (82 of them code or rule text) and carry 305 verbatim quotes.
A second, independent pass. Every quote was re-read against a fresh copy of its source on September 27, 2026, spliced quotes were replaced with continuous text, and the normalised tests (height, area, attachment, door) were taken only from quoted code wording. Where a city’s web page says something different from its code, the code governs and both are shown (Long Beach, San Antonio, San Jose).
Confidence. 11 cities are marked medium confidence, each with the reason on its card: the rule is inferred from the absence of a deck item, rests on a “platform” item, depends on a non-official copy of the code, or conflicts with a state rule. For Columbus (BZS, 614-645-7433) and Oklahoma City (plan review, 405-297-2525) the card gives the number to confirm with. El Paso and Albuquerque are “unclear” and their readings are labelled as our inference.
Fees. A fee is shown only where the published figure carries a date (7 cities); undated fee pages are left out. Arlington’s schedule takes effect Oct 1, 2026 and is flagged.
Limits. Rules are for a new deck at a one- or two-family home in the city itself, not the surrounding county. The rule colours compare only the four exemption tests. Zoning setbacks, lot coverage, historic districts, flood zones, deed restrictions and HOAs can all require approval for a deck that needs no building permit, and codes are amended and re-adopted.
Local rules vary. This is a research summary, not legal advice. Confirm the rule for your address with the city’s building department before you build, and call 811 before you dig footings.
Download or cite the data
The full table — all 50 cities with the rule category, the exemption’s height, area, attachment and door tests, extra conditions, adopted code, zoning notes, dated fees, caveats and every source URL — is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit FenceLevel with a link to this page.
Cite this data
FenceLevel (2026). Deck permit requirements in 50 US cities, verified September 27, 2026. https://www.fencelevel.com/deck-permit-requirements-by-city
Linking to one city? Add ?city= and its name and state, such as ?city=denver-co, and the lookup opens on it. The same slug works on the fence rules by city page.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for a deck?
- Usually. 17 of 50 cities require a permit for every new deck. The 31 with an exemption cover only small, low decks, and in all of them a deck more than 30 in above grade needs a permit. 15 use the 200 sq ft / 30 in model rule; 16 set their own limits (6–30 in). In El Paso and Albuquerque the code doesn’t say.
- Do I need a permit for a deck under 200 square feet?
- Not on size alone: every exemption in the 50 cities also has a height test, and 17 cities exempt no deck at all. Under the model rule a deck under 200 sq ft must also be 30 in or lower, freestanding and not serving the exit door — an attached deck still needs a permit. San Antonio raises the cap to 300 sq ft.
- Do I need a permit for a ground-level deck?
- Often not — but in 17 of 50 cities even a ground-level deck needs a permit. Most exemptions stop at 30 in; Fort Worth at 6 in, Philadelphia at 12 in and Seattle at 18 in. Under the model rule the deck must also be freestanding, 200 sq ft or less and not serve the exit door.
- How high can a deck be without a permit?
- 30 in above grade in 28 of the 31 cities with an exemption; lower in Fort Worth (6 in), Philadelphia (12 in) and Seattle (18 in). None exempts a deck higher than 30 in, and the model rule measures “at any point”.
- Does an attached deck need a permit?
- Usually. The model rule exempts only freestanding decks. 12 cities have no attachment test, so a low attached deck can qualify: Los Angeles, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, Portland, Tucson and Kansas City.
- Can I build a deck without a permit?
- Only if your city’s code exempts it — and 17 of 50 exempt nothing. Exempt decks still follow the rest of the law: zoning setbacks, Indianapolis’s 30-day assessor notice, Denver’s zoning permit above 12 in, historic districts and your HOA.