Texas Business Climate Competitiveness

Comparing permit processing times, volumes, and regulatory efficiency across major Texas metros

🏆

San Antonio processes permits 3.8x faster than Austin

Average of 18.5 days vs 70.7 days from application to issuance. For businesses, this means faster time-to-revenue.

Average Permit Processing Time

Fastest
San Antonio
18.5
days average
Austin
70.7
days average
Dallas
N/A
data unavailable
Houston
N/A
no open API

📈 Monthly Permit Volume (2024)

Austin
San Antonio

📊 Permits by Type

⏱ Processing Time Distribution

How long does it take to get a permit approved?

Timeframe Austin San Antonio

💡 For Site Selectors

San Antonio's faster permitting process can reduce project timelines by 6-8 weeks compared to Austin. For a $10M project, this could mean $200K+ in carrying cost savings.

🏢 For Developers

Austin's longer processing times appear driven by higher volumes and more complex review processes. Consider pre-application meetings to streamline approvals.

🏛 For Policymakers

San Antonio's efficiency suggests process improvements are possible. Austin may benefit from studying SA's workflow to reduce backlogs without compromising review quality.

💰 Average Project Valuation

City Avg Valuation Total Permits (in dataset)
San Antonio $7,982,795 84,145
Austin $2,329,412 50,000
Dallas $108,495 50,000
Data Sources: Austin Open Data | San Antonio Open Data | Dallas Open Data

Note: Houston individual permit data is not available via open API. Dallas data is from 2018-2019 and lacks processing time fields. Analysis includes permits issued 2023-2025 where available.