An annual inspection is required for each elevator, escalator, chair lift, dumbwaiter, manlift and similar conveyance. Inspection procedures are based on requirements appearing in the Elevator Code (ANSI A17.1). The City of Houston does not perform elevator inspections. Private sector businesses accepted by the City as "Approved Inspection Agencies" or "Authorized Companies" are engaged by the conveyance Owner/Operator to provide the inspection report. The Owner/Operator of the conveyance must coordinate the inspection process with their Inspection agency.
Plan review may be required depending on the scope of work.
Licensed contractors seeking a permit for an Approved Elevator Inspection Agencies system must register their license with the City of Houston and should be prepared to provide a completed copy of the iPermits Acknowledgement Form if they are a first-time user of the iPermits system.
To apply for a mechanical permit online:
- Log in or register for an iPermits account,
- Complete a mechanical permit application in the iPermits portal,
- Pay any applicable fees associated with the application, and
- Print the permit.
NOTE: If the mechanical permit is associated with a dangerous building or habitability project, a Mechanical Permit Application must be completed and submitted via email at [email protected].
To obtain a permit by mail, please mail a copy of your inspection and a payment in the form of check, money order, or cashier's check to:
Houston Permitting Center, Elevator Section
1002 Washington Ave.
Houston, TX 77002
Only Available to Advance Pay Account holders
To apply for a mechanical permit by fax, please have your registered mechanical contractor send a completed copy of the CE-1017 Mechanical Building Permit Application to 832.395.9601.
NOTE: The submittal, review and approval of plans may be required for some types of projects. Please contact the Mechanical Section at 832.394.8850 or [email protected] for more information.
All plans must be submitted electronically. To submit your plans for review, follow these steps:
1. Log in or register for an iPermits account.
2. Complete a permit application in the iPermits portal.
3. Pay any applicable fees associated with the application.
4. After permit fees have been paid, you will receive an invitation to upload plans into ProjectDox.
5. Upload all required documents and drawings to ProjectDox.
6. Mark the assigned task "complete" to finalize your plan submission.
For a complete and detailed list of steps, please refer to the EPR User Guides at https://www.houstonpermittingcenter.org/our-services/eservices.
Please keep a copy of the permit and the approved copy of the plans (if applicable) on-site for inspection. If corrections are required, you will need to reschedule the inspection.
To schedule an inspection online:
1. Access our scheduling website through the link below.
2. Enter the appropriate project number into the field and click the Submit button.
3. Select the appropriate permit type from the drop-down box and click the Submit button.
4. Click on the "Request" link.
5. Select the type of inspection(s) that you wish to schedule by clicking on the text box besides it/them.
6. Enter your license number (digits only) and scheduling PIN number and click the Submit button.
To schedule an inspection using our Interactive Response System, please call 713.222.9922 and follow the prompts. To save time, please have you project number and scheduling PIN available.
In order to schedule an inspection, the mechanical contractor's license registration must be in good standing.
Prior to scheduling an inspection, please make sure that the permit is not inactive and that all holds (if any) have been approved.
Please note that inspections that repeatedly fail may be charged a re-inspection fee in addition to an admin fee.
To renew your annual permit in person, please bring a copy of your invoice and a method of payment to the cashier station located at 1002 Washington Avenue, 1st floor, Houston, Texas 77002.
Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday 8am and 4pm (Except city holidays).
To renew your annual permit by mail, please mail a copy of your invoice and a payment in the form of check, money order, or cashier's check to the address listed on your invoice.
To renew your annual permit in person, please bring a copy of your invoice and a method of payment to the cashier station located at 1002 Washington Avenue, 1st floor, Houston, Texas 77002.
Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday 8am and 4pm (Except city holidays).
To renew your annual permit by mail, please mail a copy of your invoice and a payment in the form of check, money order, or cashier's check to the address listed on your invoice.