The Application/Appeal to the Board of Adjustment is the form the City of Dallas Board of Adjustment uses for appeals asking for a variance or special exception, and the same packet covers administrative appeals. It is not a Dallas permit application: the form notes that if the appeal is granted, a permit must be applied for within 180 days of the Board's final action. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the City publishes the form and its filing instructions at the link below.
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What is Application/Appeal to the Board of Adjustment – Dallas, TX?
The Application/Appeal to the Board of Adjustment is the City of Dallas form for asking the Board of Adjustment to grant a variance or special exception under the Dallas Development Code, or an administrative appeal, and for stating the reasons the appeal should be granted.
The PDF has two parts: a page of required filing materials and a printed application. The application collects data about the subject property (location address, zoning district, lot and block numbers, acreage, census tract and street frontage), the owner per the warranty deed, the applicant, any representative, the type of appeal (Variance or Special Exception) and the reason for it. It ends with an affidavit that is signed before a notary public in and for Dallas County, Texas.
The Planning & Development Department's materials list extra submissions for particular appeals: a parking analysis and/or traffic study for parking requirement appeals, and an alternate landscape or mitigation plan for landscaping and tree mitigation appeals. Administrative appeals have their own submission steps, including a consultation after a denial letter.
This is an appeal to the Board, not a permit. The form states that, if the Board grants the appeal, a permit must be applied for within 180 days of the Board's final action, unless the Board specifically grants a longer period.
Who needs to file Application/Appeal to the Board of Adjustment – Dallas, TX?
Property owners, and applicants acting for them, who want the Dallas Board of Adjustment to grant a variance or special exception, or who are appealing an administrative decision, use this form.
- Owner and applicant. The application names the owner of the property per the warranty deed and the applicant. The applicant must be a person.
- Owner differs from applicant. If they are not the same, one original City of Dallas Affidavit form per owner, signed and notarized, is required.
- Representatives. The form has a Represented by block. The affidavit is sworn by someone who states they are the owner, principal or authorized representative of the subject property.
- Administrative appeals. The applicant must consult with the staff contact named in the instructions and file with the denial notice.
- Parking, landscaping and tree mitigation appeals. These need the additional materials described in the instructions on top of the general requirements.
The form does not describe any other eligibility rule. Questions go to the Board of Adjustment at (214) 948-4480.
When to file Application/Appeal to the Board of Adjustment – Dallas, TX
File when you are ready to submit the complete package for your appeal: the instructions require all materials at the time of filing. For an administrative appeal, a consultation with Diana Barkume is required, and you should reach out within 20 days of receiving your denial letter. The denial notice, items 1–6 from the application checklist and all applicable fees must be submitted at filing.
After the Board acts, timing shifts to the permit: if the appeal is granted, a permit must be applied for within 180 days of the date of the Board's final action, unless the Board specifically grants a longer period.
The form prints no other deadline and no processing time. Call the Board of Adjustment at (214) 948-4480 for scheduling questions.
Documents you need
- Application form, filled out, signed and notarized, describing the variance, special exception or administrative appeal and the reasons it should be granted; do not modify the form or write on its back.
- City of Dallas Affidavit form, 1 original per owner, signed and notarized, only if the owner of the property and the applicant are not the same.
- 1 original Certified Warranty Deed for the subject property, obtained from the county at 500 Elm St.
- 1 original Tax Certificate showing property taxes are paid, obtained from the county at 500 Elm St.
- A copy of a certified subdivision plat (the most recent), obtained from the county at 500 Elm St; required for all appeals.
- 1 original signed Lien Statement from City Hall, Rm. 2DS-1500 Marilla St, showing no city liens on the property.
- 1 copy of the site plan showing the subject property with the proposed improvements and all existing improvements that will remain.
- 1 copy of elevation drawings of the proposed items needing Board approval, such as fence or building elevations.
- 1 copy of floor plan drawings; consult staff to confirm whether floor plans are required.
- Parking requirement appeals: a parking analysis and/or traffic study listing all proposed uses, square footage per use, required spaces per use and spaces to be provided.
- Landscaping or tree mitigation appeals: 1 copy of the alternate landscape or mitigation plan with size and species of existing and proposed landscaping, approved by the Chief Arborist before submittal.
- 1 copy of a site zoning map with your site outlined in red ink and initialed.
- 1 copy of a site plat map with your site outlined in red ink and initialed.
- The "Posting of Notification Sign" acknowledgment.
- Administrative appeals: the denial notice, filed with items 1–6 from the application checklist.
How to fill out Application/Appeal to the Board of Adjustment – Dallas, TX
Enter the subject property data
Under Data Relative to Subject Property, fill in the location address, zoning district, lot no., block no., acreage, census tract and street frontage in feet. Leave the OFFICE USE ONLY case number and date blank.
Name the property owner
At Owner of Property (per Warranty Deed), enter the owner exactly as it appears on the warranty deed.
Enter the applicant's details
Fill in Applicant, telephone, mailing address, ZIP code and e-mail address. The applicant must be a person.
Add your representative, if any
If someone represents you, complete Represented by with telephone, mailing address, ZIP code and e-mail address.
Check the type of appeal
Check Variance or Special Exception in the line beginning "Affirm that an appeal has been made for", and describe the appeal requested on the line that follows.
State the reason for the appeal
In the space after "to Grant the described appeal for the following reason," explain why the Board should grant it. Do not write on the back of the form.
Print the affiant's name
In the Affidavit, print the affiant's or applicant's name where the form asks. The affiant swears to be the owner, principal or authorized representative of the subject property.
Sign before a notary
Sign under Respectfully submitted in front of the notary, who completes the "Subscribed and sworn to before me" date and the Notary Public in and for Dallas County, Texas, block.
Gather the required materials
Assemble the items in the filing checklist, including the deed, tax certificate, plat, lien statement, site plan and drawings, plus any parking or landscaping materials that apply to your appeal.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that names match the warranty deed and that nothing is altered. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, get it notarized and submit it as described under How to submit.
How to submit Application/Appeal to the Board of Adjustment – Dallas, TX
The form lists contacts rather than one filing channel, so the way you submit depends on the type of appeal.
- Administrative appeals: contact Diana Barkume by phone at 214-948-4364, by email at [email protected], or in person at 1500 Marilla Street, 5CN (appointment required). Submit all required materials and pay all applicable fees at the time of filing. A fee applies; ask the City for the current amount.
- Variance and special exception appeals: the form's header gives the Board of Adjustment at 1500 Marilla Street, 5CN, Dallas, TX 75201, (214) 948-4480, and the Planning & Development Department at 320 E Jefferson Blvd, Dallas, TX 75203. Call the Board to confirm how to file.
- Technical questions: traffic study requirements go to David Nevarez at [email protected]; alternate landscape or mitigation plan review goes to Phil Erwin, Chief Arborist, at [email protected].
A Traffic Study Review Fee applies to all special exception requests. The form gives no fee amounts. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Altering the application form or writing on its back; the instructions say not to modify, revise or alter it.
- Submitting the application without notarization; it must be filled out, signed and notarized.
- Omitting the original City of Dallas Affidavit when the owner and the applicant are different, one form per owner.
- Naming a company as applicant; the instructions say the applicant must be a person.
- Filing a parking appeal without a parking analysis and/or traffic study, or a parking special exception or visibility triangle request without the required technical report.
- Filing a landscaping or tree mitigation appeal before the Chief Arborist has approved the alternate landscape or mitigation plan.
- Submitting zoning or plat maps without outlining the site in red ink and initialing them.
- Reaching out about an administrative appeal later than 20 days after the denial letter, or filing it without the denial notice.
- Waiting to apply for a permit after a granted appeal; one must be applied for within 180 days of the Board's final action unless a longer period is granted.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Application/Appeal to the Board of Adjustment in Dallas?
It is the City of Dallas form for asking the Board of Adjustment to grant a variance or special exception under the Dallas Development Code, or for an administrative appeal. It includes the reason for the request and a notarized affidavit.
Is this form a Dallas building permit application?
No. It is an appeal to the Board of Adjustment. The form states that if the Board grants the appeal, a permit must be applied for within 180 days of the Board's final action, unless the Board specifically grants a longer period.
Does the Board of Adjustment application need to be notarized?
Yes. The instructions require the application to be filled out, signed and notarized. The affidavit is sworn before a notary public in and for Dallas County, Texas. If the owner and applicant differ, each owner's separate affidavit also needs notarizing.
What documents do I attach to a Dallas Board of Adjustment appeal?
The checklist lists a certified warranty deed, tax certificate, certified subdivision plat, lien statement, site plan, elevation drawings, site zoning and plat maps, the sign acknowledgment, and floor plans if staff confirm they are needed. Parking and landscaping appeals add more.
How soon must I contact the City about an administrative appeal?
Reach out to Diana Barkume within 20 days of receiving your denial letter. A consultation is required, and the denial notice and checklist items 1–6 must be submitted at filing with all applicable fees.
Is there a fee to file a Board of Adjustment appeal?
Fees apply: administrative appeal fees are paid at submission, and a Traffic Study Review Fee applies to all special exception requests. The form gives no amounts, so ask the Board of Adjustment at (214) 948-4480 for current fees.
Do I need a traffic study for a parking variance?
A technical report is only recommended, not required, for variance requests. It is required for all parking special exceptions and visibility triangle requests. Parking appeals must include a parking analysis and/or traffic study with the application.
Can I fill out the Board of Adjustment application online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of the City of Dallas and does not file the appeal; you must get it notarized and submit it through the City's channels.
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