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Home Care & Repair in Fort WorthInside and Out
Fort Worth requires a permit for every window replacement, and in its historic districts most exterior work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness first. Here’s how both work.
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Our work in Fort Worth
Two Fort Worth window replacements, in white and almond Vistamark Endura, plus a Colleyville job.
Fort Worth permits and historic districts
These answers come from Fort Worth Development Services’ residential permitting and historic preservation pages.
Do I need a permit to replace windows in Fort Worth?
Yes, even for a same-size swap.
Details: Fort Worth’s building code says replacing a window frame or sash requires a permit and must meet the energy code. The city’s residential permit page also says replacing or adding exterior windows requires a building permit.
Source: City of Fort Worth Development Services: Residential Permitting
Last verified: Oct 25, 2026
Is it different in a Fort Worth historic district?
Yes. A Certificate of Appropriateness comes before the permit.
Details: Exterior changes in a local historic district, including siding, windows, doors, fences, roofing and porches, need a Certificate of Appropriateness before the city issues permits. Districts include Fairmount, Historic Carver Heights, Morningside, Elizabeth Boulevard, Hillcrest, Mistletoe Heights and the Stockyards. Staff approve most cases; new construction, demolition and waivers from the guidelines go to the Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission.
Source: City of Fort Worth: Historic Preservation
Last verified: Oct 29, 2026
Can I put vinyl windows on a Fairmount house?
Not where they can be seen from the street.
Details: Fairmount’s standards say original windows should be repaired rather than replaced. Replacements must match the originals’ size, configuration, operation and grid pattern, and replacements for wood windows need true divided lights. Aluminum windows are prohibited, and vinyl windows aren’t allowed on primary street elevations or anywhere visible from the street.
Source: Fairmount/Southside Historic District design standards (PDF)
Last verified: Oct 29, 2026
Fort Worth uses the 2021 International Residential Code with local amendments. Fort Worth’s building codes
Fort Worth homes and storms
County
Fort Worth is mostly in Tarrant County, with parts in Denton County and Parker County.
Fort Worth homes
Half of Fort Worth’s homes were built in 1998 or earlier, and about 65% are single-family detached houses. It’s a big city with very different housing, from early-1900s bungalows in Fairmount to newer subdivisions on the city’s edges.
March 28, 2000
An F2 tornado moved through downtown Fort Worth along West 7th Street, killing two people, and debris broke thousands of windows in downtown buildings. The same storm went on to cause F3 damage in Arlington.
Last verified: Oct 29, 2026
Fort Worth questions
Do I need a permit to replace windows in Fort Worth?
Yes, even for a same-size swap. Fort Worth’s building code says replacing a window frame or sash requires a permit and must meet the energy code. The city’s residential permit page also says replacing or adding exterior windows requires a building permit. Source: City of Fort Worth Development Services: Residential Permitting.
How do I find out if my house is in a historic district?
Fort Worth’s historic preservation page has a “Check Historic Status” guide and a zoning map. Staff can be reached at 817-392-8000 or DesignReview@FortWorthTexas.gov.
Which windows have you installed in Fort Worth?
White and almond Vistamark Endura on our two Fort Worth jobs so far.
Ready when you are
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