Guide
Garland HVAC permit rules
Garland is stricter than many homeowners expect: some repairs need a permit, not only full replacements. Here is the city's rule set, in plain terms, with links to the pages it comes from.
Which jobs need a permit
From the city's Air Conditioning Repairs page.
- Repairs
- Yes for many. The city names coil replacement, and its summary also lists contactor replacement and charging a unit with refrigerant.
- Condenser swap
- Yes. Replacing the condensing unit needs a permit.
- Furnace swap
- Yes. Replacing a heating unit needs one too.
- Additions and alterations
- Changes to the system must meet the city's currently adopted codes.
Who may do the work
The city lets a homeowner install an HVAC system on a property they own, live in and claim as a homestead. Homestead status is checked against the Dallas Central Appraisal District when the permit is issued.
Two limits apply even then. Recovering refrigerant from a unit has to be done by a licensed HVAC contractor. And a rental property gets no homeowner route at all: every job there goes to a licensed HVAC contractor.
Contractors working in Garland must hold the state license and register with the city's Building Inspection department (city page). For commercial buildings, only a state-licensed HVAC contractor may obtain a mechanical permit (mechanical permits).
Items the inspector looks at
Paraphrased from the same city page. Install to the maker's specifications and the adopted city code throughout.
- Service access
- Equipment must come out or be worked on without tearing out permanent construction.
- Attic passage
- Solid flooring all the way to the unit, a light on a switch where the passage starts, and a receptacle close to the equipment.
- Power
- A disconnect at each piece of equipment and an approved connector or bushing on the branch circuit; overcurrent protection per the maker.
- Refrigerant lines
- Freon piping and fittings wrapped in half-inch wall insulation.
- Gas
- Flexible connector of an approved type plus a listed shutoff.
- Vent clearance
- One inch of air between Type B vent and any wood or insulation.
- Coil water
- Piped from the pan to an approved disposal point.
Which code editions apply
Garland's building permit page lists the model codes the city follows, including the 2015 International Mechanical Code, the 2015 International Fuel Gas Code and the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code. Neighboring cities may follow newer editions, which is one reason an installer used to another city should confirm Garland's requirements.
Reaching Building Inspection
Garland's Building Inspection department answers questions about contractor registration and permits at 972-205-2300, the number the city lists on its mechanical permit page. The city charges a technology surcharge on permits, so ask your contractor whether the permit is itemized in the proposal.
Common questions
My contractor says a coil swap needs no permit. Who is right?
Garland's own page says repairs to AC units need a permit and specifically includes coil replacement. Ask the contractor to confirm with the city if you disagree.
I rent my house out. Can I replace the condenser myself?
No. The city requires a licensed HVAC contractor for all work on rental properties.
Where these facts come from
Talk it over with an independent HVAC contractor
Say what the equipment is doing and where it sits in the house. The contractor on the call can tell you what a visit would involve and whether the work needs a city permit.