How to respond to Houston plan check corrections

What the City of Houston calls its correction letter, how to resubmit, and what to include, from the city’s own pages. Each fact links to its source.

How to resubmit

1. When corrections are required you get a Respond and Resubmit task; log in to ProjectDox, open the project number and go to the Review tab.
2. View the reviewer comments and markups and enter a response for each comment in the Applicant Response column.
3. Upload a detailed response sheet to the Applicant Responses folder; resubmittals without it are rejected at pre-screen.
4. Upload corrected sheets as Versioned Files with the same file name as the original submittal, and any newly requested documents as New Files.
5. Check 'I have responded to all review comments' and 'I have uploaded my revised files, if requested', then Submit.

From the city’s instructions: houstonpermittingcenter.org

Codes its letters cite

Building code named on the city’s pages: 2021 Houston Construction Code.

Source: houstonpermittingcenter.org

Local amendments to the building code

Adopted local amendments.

Source: houstonpermittingcenter.org

Sections the City of Houston changes from the state code (summaries in our words; read the ordinance for the exact text):

• IRC R101.1: Title changed to City of Houston Residential Code; jurisdiction name placeholder completed.
• IRC R102.5: Appendices adopted only if referenced; Appendices A, B, C, H, K, L, M, Q, T, U and V adopted.
• IRC R102.8: Refers flammable and combustible liquid storage to Chapter 57 of the Fire Code.
• IRC R102.9: Part VIII-Electrical (Chapters 34-43) of the 2021 Residential Code is not adopted.
• IRC R102.11: Plumber licensing governed by the Plumbing Code and State law; jurisdiction may adopt non-ICC codes.
• IRC R104.10.1: Section deleted in its entirety.
• IRC R104.12: Stop orders issued in the same manner provided in Section 115 of the Building Code.
• IRC R105.2.1: Amended; see the ordinance
• IRC R105.3: Permit application made on a form furnished by the department of building safety; valuation based on aggregate square footage.
• IRC R105.3.1.1: Section deleted in its entirety and reserved.
• IRC R106.1.4: Section deleted in its entirety.
• IRC R108.2: Permit fees set by the applicable governing authority city fee schedule.

The ordinance amends more sections than these.

The amendments: houstonpermittingcenter.org

Official links

• Resubmittal instructions
• Building department page
• Permit open data
• Houston Permitting Center: 832.394.9000 (houstonpermittingcenter.org, checked October 31, 2026)
• Address: 1002 Washington Avenue Houston, TX 77002 (houstonpermittingcenter.org, checked October 31, 2026)

Links and facts checked on October 30, 2026.

Texas rules every plan check here follows

These come from Texas law and state agencies, so they apply in Houston as well. Each links to its source.

Code for homes

For houses, Texas cities start from the International Residential Code as it stood on May 1, 2012.

Source: Texas Local Government Code § 214.212, checked October 31, 2026

Code for commercial buildings

For commercial buildings, Texas cities start from the International Building Code as it stood on May 1, 2012.

Source: Texas Local Government Code § 214.216, checked October 31, 2026

Local amendments

Each city can set its own procedures to add to, change, or remove parts of the residential code, and to run its own enforcement.

Source: Texas Local Government Code § 214.212, checked October 31, 2026

Newer code editions

Cities may also consider later code changes published after May 1, 2012, so ask your building department which edition it enforces.

Source: Texas Local Government Code § 214.212, checked October 31, 2026

What a good response to plan check corrections has

General guidance, not the City of Houston’s own rules. Check its page before you resubmit.

• Answer every comment, in the reviewer’s order and numbering, so nothing is missed.
• Say plainly what you changed for each comment, or why no change is needed.
• Name the sheet and detail where each change is, so the reviewer can find it fast.
• Mark changes on the drawings (clouds or deltas are common) and keep sheet numbers the same.
• Send the response letter, the revised drawings and any new calculations together.

Other Texas city guides

• City of Baytown
• City of Bellaire
• City of Brookshire
• City of Cleveland
• City of Conroe

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