How to register a project with the Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and obtain a TABS Project Number for permitting purposes.
After registering the project with the TDLR you MUST submit the project to us. Failure to make a plan review submittal after project registration may have serious consequences for both the property owner and the design professional.
Only follow these instructions if you are submitting your project to Texas access. If you are not going to submit your project to Texas Access, then do not enter the RAS number below during the registration of the project.
See the TDLR Plan Review Submittal page for the submittal instructions.
PLEASE! Read these instructions before registering a project with the TDLR!
You must register your project with the TDLR where the cost of construction is equal to or greater than $50,000.00. At the end of the project registration process, and payment of the $175 state project filing fee, you will print out the resulting receipt with the state assigned TABS number and present that to the local building department for permitting purposes.
Note: If there is not a building department that issues construction related permits, such as in an unincorporated area, that is NOT an exception to the project registration and submittal requirements, which are required by architectural barriers law.
Note: The $175 state project filing fee is NOT the plan review fee. There is a separate plan review fee that must be paid when the project is submitted.
There are two options for registering projects with the Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation:
(1) When you register the project at the Texas Architectural Barriers Online System (TABS) site, be sure to enter the following RAS number: 19
(a) Please ensure that you are entering accurate information. Do not guess! The PDF version of the project registration form and the online registration form ask for the same information, so a good practice is to download the Architectural Barriers Project Registration Form, and acquire the information on the form before registering online with TABS.
(b) During project registration you will be asked about the project funding source: "Are the private funds provided by the tenant?" It is VERY important that you answer the question correctly. If the the entire project cost will be funded by the tenant, then the answer to the question should be Yes. If any money is being provided by the landlord/owner to the tenant or lessee, then the answer to the question should be No.
(c) During the same log-in session, you should have an opportunity to upload the construction drawings and forms. If you are unable to upload to the TABS server, simply email them to us by attachment (in PDF format), or by sending us a direct download link. We will upload the drawings and forms for you. Construction drawings and forms may be sent to us at: Submittals@TexasAccess.com.
PLEASE, when communicating with us always enter the Project Name and/or the state assigned TABS project number on the subject line of your email so that we can easily recall the email at a later date. The TABS number is always expressed as 'TABS1234456789', NOT 1234456789.
(d) Please do not upload single drawing sheets! The state's file server allows a generous single file size of up to 30MB. We will not assemble and combine the designer's drawings from single sheets that have been uploaded. If single sheets are uploaded then the project will be on hold until we receive a complete set already ordered and assembled by the designer. If the total file size for the assembled construction drawings exceeds 30MB then you may split it into two or more files, or, send us a direct download link (i.e. Dropbox, ShareFile, etc.) to: Submittals@TexasAccess.com
Please!!! Do Not Make These Mistakes During Online Project Registration!!!
If the owner has elected to designate an agent to act on the owner's behalf, make sure you upload or email to us a fully executed Owner Agent Designation Form in PDF format or we will NOT recognize any agent information entered during project registration.
Note: An Owner's Agent is not required on any project. Unless the Owner is mandating that there be an agent to act on its behalf, think about the potential liability before agreeing to be an agent for the Owner!
When registering online do NOT enter the Agent's information in the Owner's information section! And do NOT enter the tenant's information in the Owner's information section! Tenants are NOT owners!
The Owner is the person, firm, corporation, or entity, that holds title to the real property on which the building or facility is located. It is NOT the owner of the business that is leasing the space or building where the work is occurring.
In the Contacts area of the online form, all sections must be completed with UNIQUE information…Building or Facility Owner, Owner's Agent, Design Professional, and Tenant. Do NOT enter the same information in different sections!
For more information about the importance of entering correct ownership information, click here.
(2) Or you may email us a completed Architectural Barriers Project Registration Form after you pay the plan review fee, the state fling fee, and the convenience fee, per our fee schedule. You will be notified of the assigned TABS number once the payment is processed and the project is registered.
Important: Projects that are located on separate physical sites (such as multiple projects under a single bond program), or projects having separate physical addresses (different numbers by block, suite, unit, building, etc.), must be registered, reviewed, and inspected separately, per TDLR.
If you encounter problems or are unsure how to register the project online, call us Toll-Free at (800) 880-6986.