Texas Building Permit Fees 2026: What Each Major City Charges

Building permit fees vary significantly across Texas cities. There is no statewide fee schedule — each city calculates fees based on its own formula, usually tied to project valuation. Here is a side-by-side comparison of what you will pay in the six largest Texas metros for residential, commercial, and trade permits in 2026.

How Texas Cities Calculate Permit Fees

Most Texas cities use a valuation-based fee system derived from the ICC (International Code Council) building valuation table. The process works like this: the city determines the construction valuation of your project based on square footage and building type, then applies a fee formula that typically includes a base fee plus a per-thousand-dollar surcharge above a threshold.

On top of the base building permit fee, cities add separate fees for plan review (often 65% of the permit fee), technology fees, fire review fees, and trade permits for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work. The total cost of permitting a project is always more than just the "building permit fee."

Residential Building Permit Fees (New Single-Family Home)

The following ranges are typical for a new single-family home in the 2,000–3,000 sq ft range, including plan review fees but excluding trade permits:

Austin is consistently the most expensive city for residential permit fees in Texas, driven by higher construction valuations and additional city-specific fees. Fort Worth and El Paso tend to be the most affordable.

Commercial Building Permit Fees ($1M Valuation)

For a commercial project with a construction valuation of approximately $1,000,000:

The biggest variable is whether the city charges a separate plan review fee. Houston includes plan review in the base permit fee. Fort Worth charges a separate but lower plan review fee. Dallas and Austin add a 65% surcharge, which significantly increases the all-in cost for the same project.

Trade Permit Fees

In addition to the building permit, most projects require separate trade permits for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical (HVAC) work. These are typically flat fees or low-cost valuation-based fees:

Trade permit fees are relatively consistent across Texas cities and are a small part of the total permitting cost. However, they add up — a residential project with all three trade permits might add $225–$750 to the total.

Expedited Review Fees

Several Texas cities offer expedited plan review for an additional fee. These programs significantly reduce review times but come at a premium:

Austin and San Antonio do not currently offer formal expedited review programs comparable to those in Houston, Fort Worth, and Dallas. For a deeper look at Houston's options, see our guide to Houston expedited plan review.

Certificate of Occupancy Fees

Some cities charge a separate fee for the Certificate of Occupancy (CO) at the end of the project. Dallas charges $375 for a CO, which is one of the higher standalone CO fees in Texas. Houston, Fort Worth, and most other cities include the CO in the original permit fee or charge a nominal amount.

Fees Change — Verify Before You Budget

Texas cities update their fee schedules periodically, sometimes annually. The figures in this guide reflect 2026 rates but should be verified with the city before you finalize a project budget. Most cities publish their current fee schedule on their permitting department's website.

For contractors working across multiple Texas cities, the fee differences can significantly impact project budgets. A project that costs $800 to permit in Fort Worth might cost $3,000 in Austin — and understanding those differences upfront prevents surprises at the application stage.

Track Your Permits After You Pay

Once you have paid the fees and submitted your application, TrackingPermitsmonitors your permits daily across 9 Texas jurisdictions. Every status change, every reviewer comment, and every inspection result shows up in your morning digest — so you can focus on building instead of refreshing portal pages.