Texas Building Permit Fees (2026)

Texas vs Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC

The base permit math differs across these markets, but the real divergence is the mandatory add-on layer that sits on top of every permit. Texas and Maryland have no statewide add-on; Virginia and DC do.

See how Maryland counties price permits, how Virginia's 2% levy works, or how Washington DC stacks its 10% enhanced fee for the contrast.

Texas Permit Fee FAQ

Does Texas charge a statewide building permit levy?

No. Texas has no statewide percentage levy on building permits. There is no equivalent of Virginia's mandatory 2% USBC levy or Washington DC's 10% enhanced fee. Each city sets and collects its own permit fees, so the bottom-line cost depends entirely on the city schedule.

How does Austin price a residential building permit?

Austin's Development Services Department prices one and two-family dwelling permits per square foot, tiered by size, and charges five separate trade lines - Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Energy - that are added together. A new dwelling of 1,000 sq ft or less totals $922.70 across those five lines on the FY 2026-27 schedule. Plan review is charged separately, starting at a $986.15 base plus a $112.76 application processing fee. Above 1,000 sq ft the FY 2026-27 schedule prints per-square-foot increments that appear misprinted, so confirm larger-home figures with the city.

Does Austin still charge a 10% technology fee?

Austin's FY 2025-26 schedule printed a 10% Austin Energy technology fee on Austin Energy and solar (auxiliary power) line items only. The FY 2026-27 residential schedule, effective October 1, 2026, no longer prints that line, and it never applied to the core per-square-foot building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, or energy permit fees.

Are electrical, plumbing, and HVAC permits included?

In Austin, for a new one or two-family dwelling, the electrical, mechanical, and plumbing trade lines are built into the per-square-foot permit total. Standalone trade work (for example a change-out HVAC system or water heater) is priced on its own and is not included in the dwelling permit figure.

How current is this fee data?

Austin's figures come from the City of Austin FY 2026-27 Residential Building Plan Review and Inspection Permit Fees schedule, effective October 1, 2026. Cities revise fees periodically, so confirm the current figure with the city permitting department before budgeting or filing.

Texas Permit Fees: What Most Homeowners Miss