What the permit costs. Before you file with the city.
Estimate your City of Houston building permit, plan review, and trade-permit fees from your construction valuation — instantly, in your browser. No login, no city account.
The total value of the work being permitted — labor and materials. This is what Houston bases the building permit fee on.
$2,875
For a new residential valued at $250,000: building permit, plan review, and the combined electrical, plumbing & mechanical trade permits.
Estimate — confirm with the Houston Permitting Center
Fee breakdown$2,875 total
Line items
How the building permit fee is figured
Base fee of $75, plus a marginal rate per $1,000 of construction valuation across these approximate brackets:
Plan review is added as a percentage of the building permit fee — 25% for new residential. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits are pulled separately; we estimate their combined cost at 0.35% of valuation (minimum $150). These are published-style approximations, not official City of Houston figures.
Not included in this estimate
- Impact and connection fees (water / wastewater capacity).
- Re-inspection fees and revision / resubmittal fees.
- Management-district, MUD, or other special-district fees.
- Demolition, driveway, sign, or other ancillary permits.
Pick your project
Choose new or remodel, residential or commercial — each carries different review and trade fees.
Enter the valuation
Houston prices the building permit from your construction job cost, not square footage.
Confirm before you file
Use the total as a budgeting ballpark, then verify the exact fees with the Houston Permitting Center.
FAQ
How much does a building permit cost in Houston?
A City of Houston building permit is priced from your construction valuation (job cost), not a flat fee. As a ballpark, expect a base fee around $75 plus roughly $4.25–$7.00 per $1,000 of valuation, then a plan review fee and separate electrical, plumbing, and mechanical trade permits on top. This estimator adds those pieces up so you can see a realistic total before you file. Always confirm the current figure with the Houston Permitting Center.
Is this Houston permit fee calculator free?
Yes — free, no login, and no City of Houston account needed. Enter your project type and construction valuation and the estimate recalculates instantly in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere.
What fees does the estimate include — and exclude?
It includes the building permit fee, the plan review fee, and an estimate of the combined electrical, plumbing, and mechanical trade permits. It does NOT include impact or connection fees, water/wastewater capacity charges, re-inspection fees, or any management-district or MUD fees. Those vary by site and can be significant, so treat this as a permitting-cost ballpark only.
How is the building permit fee calculated?
It uses a valuation-based model: a base fee plus a marginal per-$1,000 rate across brackets — the first $100,000 of valuation at $7.00 per $1,000, $100,000 to $500,000 at $5.50 per $1,000, and anything above $500,000 at $4.25 per $1,000. Plan review is added as a percentage of the building permit fee (higher for commercial work), and trade permits are estimated as a small percentage of valuation. The exact bracket math is shown in the Fee breakdown drawer.
Are these the official City of Houston permit fees?
No. These are approximate, published-style figures meant to give Houston contractors and owners a fast, transparent ballpark. City of Houston fee schedules change and your project may carry fees this tool doesn't model. Always confirm the official amount with the Houston Permitting Center before you budget or file.