Laredo, TX Building Permit Fees (2026)
Actual residential building permit fees from the City of Laredo Code of Ordinances, Chapter 7 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Section 109.2 Schedule of Permit Fees. Laredo is the seat of Webb County and the largest city on the Texas-Mexico border, on the Rio Grande across from Nuevo Laredo. Verified directly against the city's codified ordinance. Because the fee table carries no single printed effective date, confirm the latest amendment with Building Development Services before budgeting.
This page covers: The residential building permit fees in Section 109.2 of the Laredo Code of Ordinances - $0.40 per square foot for new construction; flat remodel/addition fees of $64 (up to 1,000 sq ft), $73 (1,001-2,000 sq ft), and $76 (2,001 sq ft and up); a $64 swimming pool permit; $64 for open accessory structures (porches, palapas, carports) or an enclosed detached storage room; a $46 block fence; a $50 re-roof; a $50 residential demolition (0-100,000 cubic feet); and a $50 administrative fee for a building-site, setback, and zoning inspection. Each figure is exact from the codified schedule.
Plan-checking (plan review) fees are separate line items: Section 109.2 lists a separate residential plan-checking fee - $30 for a block fence and $34 for a re-roof are confirmed. The full residential plan-checking table for other project types is not reproduced here (it was not fully captured from the codified source), so where a plan-check fee is not shown it is not included and not estimated - confirm it with Building Development Services.
Whether trades are separate is not confirmed: The $0.40/sq ft new-construction rate appears to be a building-permit-only figure. Section 109.2 does not state whether electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work on a new home is billed as separate permits, so new-home totals here cover the building permit line only and do not add trades.
A flat $20 technology fee applies to every residential permit: City of Laredo Ordinance No. 2024-O-247 (amending Code Sec. 7-2, effective 60 days after its October 28, 2024 public hearing) assesses a $20.00 technology fee on every residential permit. Totals on this page add it once for the single permit shown; a project that needs more than one permit (for example a separate electrical permit) may pay it on each. Unlike Virginia or Maryland, Texas adds no statewide percentage building-permit levy, and there is no percentage add-on to a Laredo permit.
This page does NOT cover: Zoning and platting/subdivision fees, impact fees, utility (water and wastewater) connection fees, and any stand-alone trade-permit fees not printed in Section 109.2 - all excluded from every figure on this page. Commercial building permits use a separate valuation-tiered schedule, summarized below but not the focus of this residential page.
Laredo charges $0.40 per square foot for new residential construction - a 2,000 sq ft home is an $800.00 building permit, plus a $20.00 technology fee on every residential permit ($820.00) - and prices most home projects as low flat fees: a remodel or addition is $64 to $76 by size, a swimming pool is $64, a block fence is $46 (plus a $30 plan check and the $20 technology fee = $96), a re-roof is $50 (plus a $34 plan check and the $20 technology fee = $104), and a residential demolition is $50. Texas adds no statewide levy. These fees come from the city's codified ordinance, which has no single printed effective date - confirm the latest amendment before budgeting.
- New residential construction is $0.40 per square foot, so a 2,000 sq ft home's building permit is $800.00 ($820.00 with the $20 technology fee). The $0.40/sq ft rate appears to be building-permit-only; the schedule does not state whether trades are bundled, so no trade fees are added to that figure on this page.
- Remodels and additions are flat fees by size, not a per-square-foot rate: $64 up to 1,000 sq ft, $73 for 1,001-2,000 sq ft, and $76 for 2,001 sq ft and up. That makes Laredo one of the least expensive Texas cities for a mid-size remodel permit.
- Common flat fees: swimming pool $64, block fence $46, re-roof $50, open accessory structure (porch, palapa, carport) $64, enclosed detached storage room $64, and residential demolition $50 (0-100,000 cubic feet). A block fence adds a $30 plan check ($96 all-in with the $20 technology fee) and a re-roof adds a $34 plan check ($104 all-in).
- A $50 administrative fee covers a building-site, setback, and zoning-regulation inspection, and moving a building is $50. Ordinance No. 2024-O-247 adds a flat $20.00 technology fee to every residential permit. Texas has no statewide levy and there is no percentage add-on to a Laredo permit.
- The fees come from the City of Laredo Code of Ordinances (Chapter 7, Section 109.2), a current codified schedule that carries no single printed effective date. Chapter 7 was last amended in 2024 (Ordinances 2024-O-152 and 2024-O-247). Confirm current amounts and the latest amendment with Building Development Services (956-794-1625). Zoning, platting, impact, and utility fees are separate and NOT included in any figure here.
Laredo Building Permit Fee Structure
Laredo prices a new-construction building permit per square foot and prices most other residential work as flat fees by project type. A separate residential plan-checking fee applies to some project types. The tables below show the verified figures exactly as printed in the codified Section 109.2 schedule.
Residential building permit fees
| Project type | Fee |
|---|---|
| New residential construction | $0.40 / sq ft |
| Remodel or addition - up to 1,000 sq ft | $64.00 flat |
| Remodel or addition - 1,001 to 2,000 sq ft | $73.00 flat |
| Remodel or addition - 2,001 sq ft and up | $76.00 flat |
| Swimming pool | $64.00 flat |
| Open accessory (porch, palapa, carport) | $64.00 flat |
| Enclosed accessory (detached storage room) | $64.00 flat |
| Block fence | $46.00 flat |
| Re-roof | $50.00 flat |
| Residential demolition (0-100,000 cu ft) | $50.00 flat |
| Administrative / site, setback & zoning inspection | $50.00 flat |
| Moving a building | $50.00 flat |
Demolition over 100,000 cubic feet is $0.50 per 1,000 cubic feet. The $0.40/sq ft new-construction rate is a building-permit line; Section 109.2 does not state whether electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work is bundled or billed as separate permits. Every residential permit also carries a flat $20.00 technology fee (Ordinance No. 2024-O-247, Code Sec. 7-2), shown in the components table below. Texas has no statewide levy.
Residential plan-checking (plan review) fees
| Project type | Plan-check fee |
|---|---|
| Block fence | $30.00 |
| Re-roof | $34.00 |
| Other residential project types | Not shown - confirm with the department |
Section 109.2 charges a residential plan-checking fee in addition to the building permit fee. Only the block-fence ($30) and re-roof ($34) plan-check rows are reproduced here; the remaining residential plan-check rows are not shown and are not estimated. Where no plan-check fee is listed for a project on this page, treat it as unconfirmed and verify with Building Development Services before budgeting.
Commercial building permit fees (valuation-tiered)
| Project valuation | Building permit fee |
|---|---|
| $1,000 and less | No fee (unless an inspection is required: $50/inspection) |
| $1,001 - $50,000 | $50 for the first $1,000 + $4 per additional $1,000 (= $260 at $50k) |
| $50,001 - $100,000 | $260 + $3 per $1,000 (= $360 at $100k) |
| $100,001 - $500,000 | $360 + $2 per $1,000 (= $1,160 at $500k) |
| $500,001 - $1,000,000 | $1,160 + $1 per $1,000 (= $1,660 at $1M) |
| $1,000,001 and up | $1,660 + $0.50 per $1,000 |
Commercial plan-checking is one-half of the building permit fee (a newer commercial workflow prices plan check at a flat $200 / $300 / $400 by valuation band). Commercial project valuation is set under Section 108.3, which is not reproduced here. This residential page focuses on the flat and per-square-foot residential fees above.
Laredo Permit Fee Components
A Laredo residential permit total is short: the building permit fee (per-square-foot for new construction, otherwise a flat fee), plus a separate residential plan-checking fee for some project types, plus a flat $20.00 technology fee on every residential permit. There is no percentage surcharge and no statewide levy. Zoning, platting, impact, and utility fees sit outside this stack entirely.
| Component | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit fee | $0.40/SF (new construction), or a flat fee ($46-$76) by project type | Exact schedule figure |
| Residential plan-checking fee | $30 block fence / $34 re-roof; other types not shown | Separate line; only two rows confirmed |
| Trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) | Not stated in Section 109.2 | Unconfirmed - whether new-home trades are separate is not printed |
| Technology fee | $20.00 per residential permit | Exact - Ordinance No. 2024-O-247 (Code Sec. 7-2) |
| Statewide levy | $0.00 | Texas has no statewide building-permit levy |
| Zoning / platting / impact / utility fees | Separate schedules | Excluded - not part of the Section 109.2 permit fee |
The components that stack on a Laredo residential permit are the building permit fee, the flat $20.00 technology fee, and, for some project types, a separate plan-checking fee. There is no percentage surcharge and no statewide levy. Because Section 109.2 does not state whether new-home trade work is billed separately, new-construction totals on this page cover the building permit line only.
Worked Examples
Every figure below is direct arithmetic from the codified Section 109.2 schedule. Building-permit, flat-fee, and $20.00 technology-fee figures are exact (the technology fee is from Ordinance No. 2024-O-247). Where a residential plan-checking fee is not printed for a project type, it is not added and the total is labeled a building-permit line only.
Example 1: New 2,000 SF Single-Family Home
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | 2,000 SF × $0.40 | $800.00 |
| + Technology fee | flat, every residential permit | $20.00 |
| Building permit + technology fee (exact) | $800.00 + $20.00 | $820.00 |
| + Residential plan check | not shown for new construction | Not estimated |
| + Trade permits | bundling not stated | Not estimated |
Assumptions: 2,000 SF home. Building permit $0.40/SF = $800.00, plus the $20.00 technology fee = $820.00 - exact figures for the building permit line. Section 109.2 does not print a residential plan-checking fee for new construction and does not state whether electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work is billed as separate permits, so neither is added here. Zoning, platting, impact, and utility fees are separate and not included. Confirm the plan-check and trade treatment with Building Development Services. Sources: City of Laredo Code of Ordinances, Ch. 7 § 109.2; Ordinance No. 2024-O-247 (technology fee).
Example 2: 500 SF Remodel or Addition
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Remodel / addition permit | up to 1,000 SF = flat | $64.00 |
| + Technology fee | flat, every residential permit | $20.00 |
| Building permit + technology fee (exact) | $64.00 + $20.00 | $84.00 |
Assumptions: A remodel or addition bills a flat fee by size: $64 up to 1,000 sq ft, $73 for 1,001-2,000 sq ft, and $76 for 2,001 sq ft and up. A 500 SF project is in the first tier, so the building permit is exactly $64.00, or $84.00 with the $20.00 technology fee. A residential plan-check fee for a remodel is not printed in the captured schedule and is not added. Any electrical, mechanical, or plumbing work is handled under the city's separate trade provisions. Source: City of Laredo Code of Ordinances, Ch. 7 § 109.2.
Example 3: Flat-Fee Projects - Pool, Block Fence, Re-Roof
| Project | Building permit + plan check + $20 technology fee | All-in total |
|---|---|---|
| Swimming pool | $64 + $20 (plan check not shown) | $84.00 before plan check |
| Block fence | $46 + $30 plan check + $20 | $96.00 |
| Re-roof | $50 + $34 plan check + $20 | $104.00 |
Assumptions: The block fence and re-roof each add a printed residential plan-checking fee, and every residential permit carries the $20.00 technology fee, so their all-in figures are exact: block fence $46 + $30 + $20 = $96.00, re-roof $50 + $34 + $20 = $104.00. The swimming pool is $64.00 + $20.00 = $84.00 before any plan check; a residential plan-check fee for a pool is not printed in the captured schedule, so it is not added - confirm it with Building Development Services. Pool electrical and safety-barrier requirements are handled separately. Sources: City of Laredo Code of Ordinances, Ch. 7 § 109.2; Ordinance No. 2024-O-247 (technology fee).
Example 4: Residential Demolition
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition permit | 0 to 100,000 cubic feet | $50.00 |
| + Technology fee | flat, every residential permit | $20.00 |
| All-in total (exact) | $50.00 + $20.00 | $70.00 |
Assumptions: A typical single-family house is well under 100,000 cubic feet, so the residential demolition permit is a flat $50.00, or $70.00 with the $20.00 technology fee. Above 100,000 cubic feet the fee is $0.50 per 1,000 cubic feet. Utility disconnections and any asbestos survey are handled separately and are not part of this fee. Sources: City of Laredo Code of Ordinances, Ch. 7 § 109.2; Ordinance No. 2024-O-247 (technology fee).
Read before you budget from these examples
- New-home total is a building-permit line only: $820 for a 2,000 SF home ($800 permit + $20 technology fee) is exact for the building permit, but Section 109.2 does not print a residential plan-check fee for new construction and does not say whether trades are separate, so neither is added.
- Only two plan-check rows are confirmed: block fence $30 and re-roof $34. Where a plan-check fee is not shown (pool, new construction, remodel), it is not estimated - confirm with the department.
- $20 technology fee per permit, no levy: Ordinance No. 2024-O-247 adds a flat $20.00 technology fee to every residential permit; each total above includes it once. A project that needs several permits may pay it on each. Texas has no statewide building-permit levy and there is no percentage add-on.
- Codified schedule, no printed date: the fee table carries no single effective date. It is the current codified version (Chapter 7 last amended in 2024); confirm the latest amendment before relying on any figure.
- Excluded fees are separate: zoning, platting/subdivision, impact, and utility connection fees are separate schedules and not in any total above.
Practitioner Insight
Laredo's residential permit fees are among the lowest verified in the Texas set. New construction is $0.40 per square foot - below San Marcos ($0.66/sq ft) and well under most metros - and a remodel or addition is a flat $64 to $76 regardless of value. For a homeowner adding a room or finishing a space, that is a $64 permit where a value-based city could charge several times more. Down on the coast and in the Rio Grande Valley, Corpus Christi, McAllen, and Brownsville price new construction per square foot too, so Laredo reads naturally alongside the South Texas cities.
Two cautions. First, the schedule is a codified ordinance with no single printed effective date - it is the current version (Chapter 7 was amended twice in 2024), but there is no "adopted on" line to point to, so confirm the latest amendment before you file. Second, the residential plan-checking table is only partly reproduced here: block fence ($30) and re-roof ($34) are confirmed, but the plan-check fees for a pool, a remodel, or new construction are not shown and are not estimated on this page. For the two projects where the plan-check row is confirmed, the all-in is exact - see the Laredo fence permit guide ($96) and the Laredo roof permit guide ($104), both including the $20 technology fee. For everything else, treat the plan-check line as unconfirmed and call Building Development Services.
Permit Requirements - Common Residential Projects in Laredo
| Project Type | Permit Required? | Fee Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New single-family home | Yes | $0.40/SF | 2,000 SF = $800 building line + $20 technology fee; trades/plan check not stated |
| Addition | Yes | $64 / $73 / $76 flat by size | ≤1,000 / 1,001-2,000 / 2,001+ sq ft tiers |
| Interior remodel | Yes | $64 / $73 / $76 flat by size | Same flat-by-size schedule as additions |
| Swimming pool | Yes | $64 flat | + $20 technology fee; pool plan check not shown; electrical/barrier separate |
| Block fence | Yes | $46 + $30 plan check + $20 | $96 all-in (exact) |
| Re-roof | Yes | $50 + $34 plan check + $20 | $104 all-in (exact) |
| Accessory structure (porch, palapa, carport, storage room) | Yes | $64 flat | Open or enclosed detached accessory |
| Demolition (residential) | Yes | $50 flat | 0-100,000 cu ft; above that $0.50 per 1,000 cu ft |
Permit trigger thresholds, height and setback rules for fences, pool safety-barrier requirements, and which square footage counts for a project are set by the City of Laredo Building Development Services. When uncertain whether a permit is required, contact the department before starting work.
City of Laredo Building Development Services
Building Development Services
City of Laredo · confirm the current counter address with the department
Building Development Services: (956) 794-1625
Online permits: Click2Gov portal (lare-egov.aspgov.com)
Code of Ordinances, Ch. 7 § 109.2
Codified schedule · no printed effective date · Ch. 7 last amended 2024
When This Estimate May Not Apply
The schedule carries no printed effective date
Section 109.2 is a codified ordinance with no single "adopted on" date on the fee table. It is the current codified version and Chapter 7 was amended in 2024 (Ordinances 2024-O-152 and 2024-O-247), but confirm the latest amendment with Building Development Services before relying on any figure.
You need the residential plan-check fee for a project other than a fence or re-roof
Only the block-fence ($30) and re-roof ($34) plan-check rows are reproduced here. The plan-check fee for a pool, a remodel, or new construction is not shown and is not estimated on this page - confirm it with the department before budgeting.
You are building a new home and need a full permit package
The $0.40/sq ft rate is a building-permit line. Section 109.2 does not state whether electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work is billed as separate permits, so a full package could exceed the $800 building line. Zoning, platting, impact, and utility connection fees are separate and can be large.
Your project is commercial
Commercial building permits use the separate valuation-tiered schedule summarized above, with commercial plan-checking at one-half of the building permit fee. Commercial valuation is set under Section 108.3, which is not reproduced here.
The ordinance is amended
Chapter 7 fee provisions are amended from time to time by city ordinance. Confirm the current codified amounts on the Municode code library or with Building Development Services before filing.
Source note: All figures come from the City of Laredo Code of Ordinances, Chapter 7 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Section 109.2 Schedule of Permit Fees, hosted on the official Municode code library. The codified text was captured on June 13, 2026 by rendering the Municode viewer. The fee table carries no single printed effective date, so it is treated as the current codified schedule; the city's ordinance page references 2024 amendments (2024-O-152, 2024-O-247), indicating the fee provisions were last amended in 2024. The $20.00 residential technology fee comes from Ordinance No. 2024-O-247 (amending Code Sec. 7-2; effective sixty days after the October 28, 2024 first public hearing), read from the signed ordinance on cityoflaredo.com on October 28, 2026. The complete residential plan-checking table was not fully captured - only the block-fence ($30) and re-roof ($34) rows are used here, and no other residential plan-check fee is estimated. Zoning, platting, impact, and utility fees are separate schedules and are not used in any worked-example total here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
-
City of Laredo - Code of Ordinances, Chapter 7 (Buildings & Building Regulations), Section 109.2 Schedule of Permit Fees Laredo, TX - official codified ordinance on the Municode code library. Primary source for the $0.40/SF new-construction rate, the flat remodel/addition, pool, fence, re-roof, accessory, and demolition fees, the residential plan-check rows, and the commercial valuation tiers on this page. Captured June 13, 2026 codified - no printed date, verify current
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City of Laredo - Ordinance No. 2024-O-247 (amends Code Sec. 7-2; residential technology fee) Laredo, TX - signed city ordinance. Source for the $20.00 technology fee assessed to every residential permit. Effective sixty days after the October 28, 2024 first public hearing. Read October 28, 2026.
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Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 214 (Municipal Regulation of Housing and Other Structures) Texas statute (.gov) confirming municipal building-regulation authority and that Texas imposes no statewide percentage building-permit levy. Context for the "no statewide levy" statement. Verified June 2026.
Dig into a specific Laredo project, compare with nearby South Texas cities, or estimate fees in covered jurisdictions.
Permit Fees Are One Part of Your Project Budget
Once you know your Laredo permit cost, two related numbers round out your total budget picture:
Property tax impact after your project closes
A permitted addition or pool increases your assessed value in Webb County. A permitted project may change the property's taxable value. The county appraisal district determines that value and local taxing units adopt the rates, both separately from this permit fee.
Zoning, platting, and impact fees for larger projects
Zoning, platting/subdivision, impact, and utility connection fees in Laredo are separate from the building permit. These items are governed by fee schedules separate from the building permit and are not included in the figures above.
These charges are administered separately from the building permit fee, though the responsible office and billing process vary by jurisdiction. See which tool covers each charge →