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INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8207
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council August 17, 1999
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+mss SUBJECT: Homeowners Permits
Background
At the City Council meeting of May 18, 1999, Ms. Beth Renfro addressed the City Council to request
that homeowners be allowed to obtain permits to perform work at their homes. This Informal Report
provides the Council with information regarding this issue.
Discussion
The ability of a homeowner to obtain a permit required by one of the City's construction codes is
regulated by each code: building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical. Under the current codes, a
homeowner may pull a permit to perform any work covered by the building and plumbing code.
However, the plumbing code is further restricted by State law that requires the property to be the
homestead of the homeowner. Only a licensed contractor may pull a permit to perform work covered
by the electrical and mechanical code. The State mechanical code does make reference to a
homeowner being allowed to do his or her own work. This exception for homeowners is not a part of
our local mechanical code.
This issue has been discussed over the years and the City's Electrical Board has always opposed an
option that would allow homeowners to pull their own permits and perform the permitted work. As
already mentioned, the City's Mechanical Code does not allow a homeowner to obtain a permit to
perform work covered under the mechanical code. Staff has researched what other area cities allow a
homeowner to obtain electrical permits The results of that research is that these cities do not allow a
homeowner to pull an electrical permit:
Fort Worth, Burleson, Haltom City, White Settlement, River Oaks, and Hurst
These cities allow a homeowner to pull an electrical permit for their homestead:
Euless, Grand Prairie, Irving, Keller.
Dallas and Arlington require the homeowner to pass a brief test.
Conclusion
If the City Council wishes to consider amendment of the Electrical and Mechanical Codes to allow
homeowners' p its, staff should be directed to prepare the necessary code amendments for public
U fo t e Electrical and Mechanical Boards and the City Council. �"l �
City Manager a
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS