What is a project number and why do I need one to submit building plans?

A project number is an 8-digit number generated by the permitting system to track plan submissions, permits, and inspections at a situs (the address to which a property belongs for taxation or jurisdiction purposes).

How are building plans submitted to the Houston Permitting Center?

Building plans may be submitted online through the electronic plan review system. Please visit www.hpceservices.org for more information.

How are building plans categorized?

Building plans are categorized as either residential or commercial construction. Residential buildings are defined as single-family or two-family structures, including homes, townhomes, and duplexes. All other structures are considered commercial buildings, such as high-rises, schools, retail spaces, warehouses, and apartments.

Furthermore, building plans are categorized as either "New Construction" (i.e. construction from the ground up) or "Remodel" (i.e. construction on an existing structure).

How are building plans reviewed?

At intake, City staff identifies which business units will be required to review the submitted plans based on the type of construction. Plans may be assigned to:

• Airports – height restrictions and sound attenuation around Houston's airports
• Building Code Enforcement (BCE group) – mechanical, electrical, plumbing, engineer, and structural disciplines
• Fire Marshal – fire alarms and standpipe systems
• Floodplain Management Office – construction in the 100-year floodplain, 500-year floodplain and floodway
• Hazmat – hazardous materials and high-piled storage
• Health Department – food establishments and swimming pools
• Planning Department – landscaping, parking, and building setbacks
• Parks – tree preservation
• Traffic – sidewalks, driveways, and encroachments
• Utility Analysis – taps & meters, and impact fees

Paper plans are sequentially routed to each assigned business unit. With electronically submitted plans, each assigned business unit has concurrent access to the plans.

What is a review cycle?

A review cycle is one complete plan review by all assigned business units. Plans may be approved or rejected by each assigned business unit. If plans have one or more rejections, they will need to be corrected and resubmitted for another review cycle.