Do I Need a Permit for a Concrete Patio? 9 US Rules (2026)
Often yes, and your city or county decides. The model building code, the 2021 International Residential Code, exempts “sidewalks and driveways” from a building permit (R105.2) but does not name patios. Of the 9 local rules we read on 16 October 2026, 7 require a permit for an ordinary 12x20 ft ground-level patio. Published fees for that patio run from none to $180.
Check your own building department before you pour: these nine show how differently the same slab is treated, not what your town does.
Patio Permit Checker: Nine Published Rules
Ground-level, uncovered patio of 240 sq ft. Each row applies that place’s own published rule and fee lines.
- Philadelphia, PAOften no permitFee: Often none for work of this kind; ask L&I
- Prince George's County, MDNo building permitNo permit fee under this rule
- Coopersville, MIPermit neededFee: Residential: zoning review only, no fee. $50 if the work reaches the road right-of-way
- Wisconsin Rapids, WIPermit neededFee: $40 (Concrete permit)
- Royse City, TXPermit neededFee: $100 (Residential flatwork permit)
- Dearborn, MIPermit neededFee: at least $165 (Processing fee + flatwork fee ($8 per 100 sq ft, minimum $50) + plan review from $15)
- Madison Heights, MIPermit neededFee: $180 (Application fee + form inspection + final inspection)
- Sachse, TXPermit neededFee: Set by the city's Master Fee Schedule (not in the handout)
- Live Oak, TXPermit neededFee: Not in the FAQ
Rules and fees as each local government published them, read 16 October 2026; sources in the table below. Work in the street right-of-way (an apron, curb cut or public sidewalk), a roof over the patio, or a patio that is part of a building is a separate question in every one of these places.
Nine Local Patio Permit Rules, Side by Side
Philadelphia, PA
undated web pageLists "sidewalks, driveways, or projects like these that don't go into the right-of-way or include parking" among projects that often do not need a permit, on property not on the Philadelphia Historic Registry.
Fee for a 12x20 patio: Often none for work of this kind; ask L&I
City of Philadelphia, Get a building permitPrince George's County, MD
undated web pageAn at-grade patio under 500 sq ft needs no building permit. A patio of 500 sq ft or more, or any patio with stairs or ramps, needs one. Lots on a private well or septic system need a septic-program review.
Fee for a 12x20 patio: Not on the patio page
Prince George's County DPIE, PatiosCoopersville, MI
2026 formOrdinance 1420.09: a permit is needed before any concrete or asphalt flatwork over 200 sq ft, and for any curb cut. A site plan must show how runoff is kept off neighboring property.
Fee for a 12x20 patio: Residential: zoning review only, no fee. $50 if the work reaches the road right-of-way
City of Coopersville, 2026 Application for Flatwork and CurbcutWisconsin Rapids, WI
undated web pageA concrete permit is needed for flat work, sidewalk sections and driveways (including the approach). Only licensed contractors may work on the curb and gutter or dig in the public right-of-way.
Fee for a 12x20 patio: $40 (Concrete permit)
City of Wisconsin Rapids, Concrete & Asphalt Permit for ResidentsRoyse City, TX
undated guide (cites the 2018 IRC)A flatwork permit with a site plan is needed for residential flatwork (sidewalks, patios, etc.). Minimum spec: 4-inch slab, 3,000 PSI, No. 3 bars at 24 inches both ways on chairs.
Fee for a 12x20 patio: $100 (Residential flatwork permit)
City of Royse City, Flatwork (Concrete) Permit Information GuideDearborn, MI
handout dated September 2022Its concrete handout covers driveways, patios, walks and parking areas: permits must be obtained before work starts, and homeowners may pull them for private-property work. Concrete and pavers together may cover no more than 25% of the lot. Patios at least 4 inches thick, air-entrained concrete of at least 3,500 PSI.
Fee for a 12x20 patio: at least $165 (Processing fee + flatwork fee ($8 per 100 sq ft, minimum $50) + plan review from $15)
City of Dearborn, Concrete Flatwork and Porch InformationMadison Heights, MI
form revised June 2025Concrete flatwork is permitted and inspected: a form inspection before the pour and a final inspection. A grading plan is required for new concrete unless the building official waives it.
Fee for a 12x20 patio: $180 (Application fee + form inspection + final inspection). Failed inspections are re-inspected at $90 each.
City of Madison Heights, Concrete Flatwork Permit ApplicationSachse, TX
procedures dated September 2026"A permit is required for the construction of all types of flatwork (driveway, patio, deck, sidewalk, etc.)", with a pre-pour inspection. No flatwork within 1 ft of a property line except required driveways.
Fee for a 12x20 patio: Set by the city's Master Fee Schedule (not in the handout). Work in the city right-of-way needs a $2,000 contractor liability bond.
City of Sachse, Residential Building Permit Procedures for FlatworkLive Oak, TX
2026 FAQ"A permit is required for all residential concrete installations and replacements", including parking pads, pathways and patios. HOA approval goes in with the application; pre-pour and final inspections.
Fee for a 12x20 patio: Not in the FAQ. A sidewalk or driveway approach needs a separate Public Works permit.
City of Live Oak, Residential Concrete Flatwork FAQs 2026Which Patio Projects Need a Permit
Uncovered patio at ground level
Model code (IRC 2021): Not named in R105.2 (sidewalks and driveways are)
Local rules we read: Permit needed in 7 of the 9 places at 12x20 ft; size thresholds in two
Patio with steps, a ramp or a raised edge
Model code (IRC 2021): Not named; decks are exempt only up to 200 sq ft and 30 in above grade
Local rules we read: Prince George's County requires a building permit for any patio with stairs or ramps
Patio with a roof, pergola or enclosure
Model code (IRC 2021): A roof or enclosure is a structure, which needs a permit (R105.1)
Local rules we read: Treat it as a building project, with the slab as part of it
Slab under a shed, garage or workshop
Model code (IRC 2021): Part of the building; only one-story detached buildings up to 200 sq ft are exempt
Local rules we read: Ask about the building, not the slab
Apron, curb cut or public sidewalk
Model code (IRC 2021): Sidewalks and driveways exempt from the building permit only
Local rules we read: Separate right-of-way permit or bond in Live Oak, Coopersville, Madison Heights and Sachse
Replacing an existing patio
Model code (IRC 2021): No separate rule
Local rules we read: Live Oak requires a permit for replacements as well as new work
What to Ask Your Building Department
- Does a ground-level concrete patio of my size need a building or flatwork permit, and is replacing an old one treated the same?
- What does the application need? The places above ask for a site plan with property lines, easements and the slab’s dimensions, and several ask for thickness, concrete strength and steel.
- Which inspections are required? Pre-pour (forms) and final inspections are the usual pair, and you cannot pour until the first one passes.
- Is there a lot-coverage, setback or drainage limit for paved area, and does a patio count toward it?
- Does any part of the work touch the street right-of-way? That is usually a separate permit, often contractor-only.
Once you know the rules, price the slab itself: a 12x20 ft patio is on the concrete patio cost page, and any size and spec in the slab cost calculator.
How We Sourced This
On 16 October 2026 we read each local government’s own handout, application form or web page, linked under each rule above, and the 2021 International Residential Code’s permit exemptions (R105.2, as published on UpCodes). Fees are the published fee lines; where a document gives no amount we say so rather than estimate one. The only arithmetic is adding a jurisdiction’s own fee lines for a given size (Dearborn and Madison Heights). Prince George’s County’s site refused our requests, so its rule is from the county page’s own search listing.
The nine were chosen because they publish their patio and flatwork rules online and between them show the main approaches (exempt, size threshold, permit for all flatwork). They are not a sample of the United States, and documents carry their own dates, shown with each rule.