How to register a project with the Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and obtain a TABS Project Number for permitting purposes before submitting for plan review.
TDLR PROJECT REGISTRATION IN THE TEXAS ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS ONLINE SYSTEM (TABS) AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW
VERY IMPORTANT!
After registering the project in the Texas Architectural Barriers System (TABS), you MUST submit the project to us for plan review. Failure to submit for plan review after project registration may have adverse consequences for the property owner and any Texas-licensed design professional involved in the project. The State of Texas, including the enforcement division and its investigators and prosecutors, will pursue an individual, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity that violates the Elimination of Architectural Barriers law, and the Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation's (TDLR) Administrative Rules, which includes failure to submit for state architectural barriers (ADA) plan review.
See the TDLR Plan Review Submittal (TAS) page for the plan review submittal instructions after the project has been registered with TDLR/TABS.
PLEASE! Read these instructions before registering a project with the TDLR!
You must register your project with the TDLR where the construction cost equals or exceeds $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 permitting authority having jurisdiction.
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 the Elimination of 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 to us for plan review.
Note: 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.
There are two options for registering projects with the Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation:
(1) After reading the instructions on this page, you will register the project with the Texas Architectural Barriers System (TABS) site.
(a) If you are new to the Texas Architectural Barriers Online System, you will be required to 'Register a New User'.
(b) After you have entered the estimated construction cost, you'll be prompted for an RAS license number.
Enter the following RAS license number: 19
(c) While filling out the online registration form, 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.
(d) 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 (such as a tenant allowance), then the answer to the question should be No.
(e) Immediately after registering the project you will have an opportunity to upload the construction documents. If you are unable to upload the construction documents, email them to us by attachment (in PDF format), or by sending us a direct download link to [email protected]. We will upload the documents for you. The only time you can upload the construction documents is while you are still logged in after project registration.
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 us a fully executed Designation Agent 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, we suggest that you consider the potential liability before agreeing to be an agent for the Owner.
When registering 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 individual, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity that holds title to the building or facility. 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 filing 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 on your behalf.
If you encounter problems or are unsure how to register the project online, call us at (800) 880-6986.