Hiring local businesses in San Antonio

San Antonio, a city of 1,434,625 at the 2020 Census, runs most of its contractor paperwork through one place. The Development Services Department takes building and fire permit requests online through BuildSA, and the same portal handles contractor license applications and renewals.

San Antonio contractor registration

General contractors register with the city in one of two ways. A Home Improvement Contractor registration ($150 for two years) covers non-structural remodeling. A Residential Building Contractor registration ($170 for two years) covers new homes, structural work, additions, foundation repair and detached buildings over 300 square feet. Both need an FBI background check and liability insurance that names the City as certificate holder.

Outside the city limits, in unincorporated Bexar County, a single-family home of three or fewer units needs no county building permit.

San Antonio tree rules for homeowners

On a finished home lot you can prune or remove your own trees without a city permit. A contractor you hire must hold a city-issued Tree Maintenance License, according to the city's April 2021 tree ordinance fact sheet. The ordinance's size thresholds (6 inches for a significant tree, 24 inches for a heritage tree) bite when land is being developed or cleared, in the city and its roughly 5-mile ETJ.

Power. CPS Energy has been city-owned since 1942. There's no retail plan to compare, and its HVAC rebate of up to $310 per cooling ton asks for permit information inside the City of San Antonio.

Water. SAWS drought rules apply to every SAWS customer, including those outside the city limits. The stage follows the Edwards Aquifer's 10-day average at the J-17 well: Stage 1 at 660 feet, Stage 2 at 650 and Stage 3 at 640, with Stage 4 declared by the City Manager. Check the stage in force on the SAWS drought page before booking anything that uses water outdoors.

Hail and flooding. The April 12, 2016 hailstorm caused $1.36 billion in Bexar County damage by the Insurance Council of Texas's estimate, with hail up to 4.5 inches. Public Works reviews building plans for drainage and points residents to BexarFlood and the SA Flood Emergency system for flood risk. In unincorporated Bexar County, building near the 100-year floodplain needs a county Floodplain Development Permit ($50 per activity).

Bulk pickup and taxes. The city collects curbside brush and bulky items twice a year; piles must be no more than 8 cubic yards and be out by 7 a.m. on the Monday of your collection week. The Bexar Appraisal District sets values, and the 2026 protest deadline was May 15.

San Antonio home services

• AC repair in San Antonio
• Plumbers in San Antonio
• Electricians in San Antonio
• Pest control in San Antonio
• Cleaning services in San Antonio
• Movers in San Antonio

San Antonio outdoor and storm work

• Roofing companies in San Antonio
• Tree service in San Antonio
• Pool service in San Antonio
• Pressure washing in San Antonio

San Antonio professional services

• Personal injury lawyers in San Antonio
• Dentists in San Antonio
• Realtors in San Antonio
• Gyms in San Antonio

For the wider area, see the San Antonio area guide, or look north to Boerne and New Braunfels.