Texas Third-Party Plan Review and Inspection
Third parties may review or inspect when the local authority misses its deadline by 15 days.
What the Program Requires
If the regulatory authority does not act on a development document, or conduct a required inspection, by the 15th day after the date the code prescribes
Someone other than the applicant or a person whose work is under review, who is a Texas licensed engineer, a reviewer employed by the authority, or a reviewer from another political subdivision the authority has approved
Someone other than the owner or a person whose work is being inspected, who is ICC certified to inspect buildings, a Texas licensed engineer, an inspector employed by the authority, or an inspector from another political subdivision the authority has approved
Notice of results to the regulatory authority within 15 days after completing the review or inspection
The Details That Matter
The regulatory authority may not charge a fee related to third-party review or inspection under this chapter, and may not require an applicant to waive its deadlines. A 2025 amendment added rules for home backup power installations.
Before You Take This Work
- Professional liability policies define the services they cover. Check that yours describes inspection and report work accurately, not only design, and tell your agent roughly how much of your revenue comes from this work.
- The statute does not set an insurance requirement for third-party reviewers or inspectors. Plan review and code inspection are professional services, so confirm your policy covers them before you take this work.
Official sources
Every fact on this page comes from these sources, read in October 2026. Laws change; read the current text before relying on it.
General information, not legal advice or a statement of coverage. Laws and local rules change; read the current text at the source links and confirm requirements with the building department. Whether a policy responds depends on its wording and the facts. Hardcover is an insurance agency, not a law firm.
Doing This Work? Let’s Check Your Coverage.
We check that your policy describes the inspection work you actually do, before a report is questioned.