With severe weather season well underway, and already dropping massive hail, carports and garages are likely top of mind for many Texans. It may seem like throwing up a prefab structure over your driveway and calling it a day is the way to go, but there’s a surprising number of rules and possible pitfalls around carports in Texas.
Carports are absolutely legal in Texas, but there are a lot of rules around them homeowners may not be aware of. The moment they’re bolted to the ground or a concrete slab, carports are deemed permanent structures subject to city permitting and inspection across the state.
Most cities have rules around setbacks. Garages and accessory dwelling units typically need to be quite a ways back from the side, front and back property lines. But many cities allow carports to be significantly closer to those boundaries.
Also, builders beware: A carport can quickly turn into a garage if you add a third wall. And getting a permit for a carport does not mean you can build a garage – or automatically begin adding on to your second story above it. There are different permit and inspection requirements for every kind of construction, and carports tend to have some of the most lax requirements in Texas cities.
All carports, even the prefab and “temporary” kind, need a permit before going up in Texas. A permit will run a resident between $160 and $170, with an online application saving people $10. You’ll need to provide proof of ownership of the property, a valid state-issued ID and a site plan drawn to scale with existing and proposed structures with your application.
The City of San Antonio requires several inspections throughout the process. City staff will need to be called out to inspect the foundation, the carport frame and the final structure.
In many Texas cities, carports are allowed to be closer to your property line than other accessory structures, like an ADU or an enclosed garage. In San Antonio, that side setback is cut in half, allowing carports to be built within 5 feet of the side property line.
The city also allows carports to be 10 feet back from the front sidewalk when garages need to be 20 feet back.
A carport is deemed permanent the moment it is anchored to the ground, according to Boss Buildings. Even a prefabricated carport you can buy from a lot at Home Depot or some other big box store must go through the permitting process if it’s going to be anchored or attached to your home in anyway.
For the most part, Texas cities and building codes require carports to be anchored to a concrete slab. So, you’ll pretty much always need to get a permit to build one (as you’ll always have a carport deemed permanent to be within code) unless it’s under 250 square feet.
A carport is deemed a roofed structure with at least two open sides, according to Texas city codes. The moment a third wall or more are added, it becomes a garage and is often subject to more regulation and further setbacks.