Austin Construction Permits, May 2026: 2,455 Issued
The City of Austin issued 2,455 construction permits in May 2026. The largest group was new residential construction, with 1,190 permits.
The same four steps, whether the buyer is a builder, a designer, an owner or a company you want to acquire.
Austin construction permits in May 2026
| Measure | May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Permits issued | 2,455 |
| Previous month (April 2026) | 2,573 |
| Same month last year (May 2025) | 2,899 |
| Rank among 21 markets this month | 5 of 21 |
Against earlier months, May 2026 was down 5% on April 2026 (2,573) and down 15% on May 2025 (2,899). Austin issues a separate permit for each trade on a job, so these are permits, and one project can account for several of them.
| Building type and work | Permits |
|---|---|
| New Residential Construction | 1,190 |
| Residential Renovation | 346 |
| New Commercial Construction | 239 |
| Commercial Renovation | 588 |
The twelve months to May 2026, read October 9, 2026.
What it means for trades
A permit issued in May 2026 starts a clock. The early trades, site work, concrete, framing and structural steel, are bought in the next weeks; mechanical, electrical and plumbing a few months in; finishes and landscaping close to a year later on a typical build. Builtie tracks each project through those stages and shows it to a trade while its package is still open.
What the Austin data covers
Austin files separate permits for each trade and names the contractor on each. It states a construction cost on only about 7% of permits, so Builtie publishes counts for Austin but no dollar totals. The job-size filter needs a stated cost, so Austin's trade counts are also the least filtered of any city.
All months: Austin construction permits by month. Building types: new residential construction, residential renovation, new commercial construction, commercial renovation.
Plans
Builtie's Starter plan is $79 per seat per month (CAD) for 20 projects; Growth is $99 for 50 projects and adds the LinkedIn and email outreach you run yourself. Opening a project spends one credit, and the decision makers, emails, phones and AI call script inside it are included. Your monthly credits reset at each renewal, and extra credit packs are valid for 30 days. The free trial runs 7 days with 10 projects. Custom, where Builtie's team runs the outreach for you, starts from CAD $1,500 a month on top of a Growth seat.
Frequently asked questions
How many building permits were issued in Austin in May 2026?
2,455, read October 9, 2026 from Builtie's permit data. Austin issues a separate permit for each trade on a job, so these are permits, and one project can account for several of them.
Is Austin construction up or down?
May 2026 was down 5% on April 2026 (2,573) and down 15% on May 2025 (2,899).
Which trades should be calling builders about May 2026 permits?
Early trades first: site work, concrete, framing, structural steel and site security. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing follow a few months in, and finishes later still.
What does Builtie cost?
Starter is $79 per seat per month for 20 projects; Growth is $99 for 50 projects and adds LinkedIn and email outreach. There is a 7-day free trial with 10 projects.