Harris County, Texas Building Permit Cost Calculator
Estimates permit cost in Harris County from the city's own published fee schedule — not a national average. Every figure is computed from a rule quoted verbatim from that document, and rules that cannot be computed honestly are shown as the published text instead of a number.
217 jurisdictions with fee schedules on file
Total cost of work, labor and materials
Used by cities that price per square foot
Fences and retaining walls
Electrical permits priced by the ampere
Building Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Residential Development Permit - single/multi-family dwelling, manufactured or tract home Flat fee $165.00 | $165.00 |
○Same permit, total inside a special flood hazard area (permit + $73 inspection) Flat fee $238.00 | $238.00 |
○On-Site Sewage Facility (septic) permit + inspection Flat fee $223.00 | $223.00 |
○Residential driveway permit + inspections Flat fee $201.00 | $201.00 |
○Fill material permit Flat fee $20.00 | $20.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
There is no Harris County building permit fee for this work, because the county issues no building permit. The fee the county does charge on a new house or structure is the Residential Development Permit, which is a floodplain and drainage review, not a building-code review. Under the fee schedule effective 10/01/2025 a Residential Single/Multi-Family Dwelling, Manufactured Home or Tract Home permit is $165.00, and a $73.00 inspection is added only when the structure falls inside the 500-year floodplain, 100-year floodplain, floodway or Coastal High Hazard Area, giving $238.00 inside a special flood hazard area. The other charges a homebuilder usually meets are the on-site sewage facility (septic) permit and the driveway permit where the drive crosses county right-of-way. RE-VERIFIED 2026-09-10: every figure above was re-read from the Office of the County Engineer Permits Office fee schedule bearing Effective Date 10/01/2025, which is still the schedule published at the cited URL, and none has changed. SCHEDULED CHANGE: Harris County reissues this schedule on the October 1 fiscal-year boundary, so a successor is expected on 2026-10-01 and this row should be re-checked shortly after that date.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 9/15/2026
Deck Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Accessory structures - paving, storage sheds, pools, additions and remodels Flat fee $35.00 | $35.00 |
○Accessory structure total inside a special flood hazard area (permit + $73 inspection) Flat fee $108.00 | $108.00 |
○Fill material permit Flat fee $20.00 | $20.00 |
○On-Site Sewage Facility (septic) permit + inspection Flat fee $223.00 | $223.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
No county building permit and no building permit fee exist for this work. The applicable Harris County charge is the Accessory Structure development permit, which reviews the work for floodplain and drainage impact only. Under the fee schedule effective 10/01/2025 that permit is $35.00, with a $73.00 inspection added only if the structure sits in the 500-year floodplain, 100-year floodplain, floodway or Coastal High Hazard Area, for a total of $108.00 inside a special flood hazard area. Septic and driveway permits are separately priced. RE-VERIFIED 2026-09-10: every figure above was re-read from the Office of the County Engineer Permits Office fee schedule bearing Effective Date 10/01/2025, which is still the schedule published at the cited URL, and none has changed. SCHEDULED CHANGE: Harris County reissues this schedule on the October 1 fiscal-year boundary, so a successor is expected on 2026-10-01 and this row should be re-checked shortly after that date.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 9/15/2026
Electrical Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Residential Development Permit - dwelling Flat fee $165.00 | $165.00 |
○Accessory structures development permit Flat fee $35.00 | $35.00 |
○On-Site Sewage Facility (septic) permit + inspection Flat fee $223.00 | $223.00 |
○Residential driveway permit + inspections Flat fee $201.00 | $201.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
Harris County publishes no electrical permit fee because it does not issue electrical permits in the unincorporated area, so nothing is owed to the county for electrical work. The county's published residential fees below relate to floodplain development, septic and driveway work, which are the permits a property owner in the unincorporated area actually pays for. RE-VERIFIED 2026-09-10: every figure above was re-read from the Office of the County Engineer Permits Office fee schedule bearing Effective Date 10/01/2025, which is still the schedule published at the cited URL, and none has changed. SCHEDULED CHANGE: Harris County reissues this schedule on the October 1 fiscal-year boundary, so a successor is expected on 2026-10-01 and this row should be re-checked shortly after that date.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 9/15/2026
Fence Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Residential fence outside the special flood hazard area Flat fee $0.00 | $0.00 |
○Accessory structure development permit (fence inside flood hazard area) Flat fee $35.00 | $35.00 |
○Accessory structure total inside a special flood hazard area Flat fee $108.00 | $108.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
No county fee applies to a residential fence outside the special flood hazard area, since no permit is required there. Inside a mapped flood hazard area the fence is handled under the accessory-structure development permit at $35.00 plus a $73.00 floodplain inspection, totaling $108.00. There is no separate published fence permit fee. RE-VERIFIED 2026-09-10: every figure above was re-read from the Office of the County Engineer Permits Office fee schedule bearing Effective Date 10/01/2025, which is still the schedule published at the cited URL, and none has changed. SCHEDULED CHANGE: Harris County reissues this schedule on the October 1 fiscal-year boundary, so a successor is expected on 2026-10-01 and this row should be re-checked shortly after that date.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 9/15/2026
Reroof Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Accessory structures / additions and remodels development permit (not triggered by a like-for-like reroof) Flat fee $35.00 | $35.00 |
○Residential Development Permit - dwelling Flat fee $165.00 | $165.00 |
○On-Site Sewage Facility (septic) permit + inspection Flat fee $223.00 | $223.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
Harris County publishes no re-roofing permit fee because it issues no roofing permit in the unincorporated area. Nothing is owed to the county to replace a roof. The fees listed below are the development-related permits the county does charge on residential property, shown so the cost picture is complete - none of them is triggered by a simple like-for-like re-roof. RE-VERIFIED 2026-09-10: every figure above was re-read from the Office of the County Engineer Permits Office fee schedule bearing Effective Date 10/01/2025, which is still the schedule published at the cited URL, and none has changed. SCHEDULED CHANGE: Harris County reissues this schedule on the October 1 fiscal-year boundary, so a successor is expected on 2026-10-01 and this row should be re-checked shortly after that date.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 9/15/2026
Retaining Wall Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Accessory structures development permit Flat fee $35.00 | $35.00 |
○Fill material permit Flat fee $20.00 | $20.00 |
○Fill material permit total inside a special flood hazard area (permit + $64 inspection) Flat fee $84.00 | $84.00 |
○Accessory structure total inside a special flood hazard area Flat fee $108.00 | $108.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
There is no county retaining wall permit and therefore no retaining wall fee. The relevant county charges are the accessory-structure development permit at $35.00 and, where the wall involves importing or moving soil, the fill material permit at $20.00, each with a $73.00 or $64.00 inspection respectively if the site is inside a mapped flood hazard area. RE-VERIFIED 2026-09-10: every figure above was re-read from the Office of the County Engineer Permits Office fee schedule bearing Effective Date 10/01/2025, which is still the schedule published at the cited URL, and none has changed. SCHEDULED CHANGE: Harris County reissues this schedule on the October 1 fiscal-year boundary, so a successor is expected on 2026-10-01 and this row should be re-checked shortly after that date.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 9/15/2026
Shed Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○Accessory structures - paving, storage sheds, pools, additions and remodels Flat fee $35.00 | $35.00 |
○Accessory structure total inside a special flood hazard area (permit + $73 inspection) Flat fee $108.00 | $108.00 |
○Fill material permit Flat fee $20.00 | $20.00 |
○On-Site Sewage Facility (septic) permit + inspection Flat fee $223.00 | $223.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
No county building permit and no building permit fee exist for this work. The applicable Harris County charge is the Accessory Structure development permit, which reviews the work for floodplain and drainage impact only. Under the fee schedule effective 10/01/2025 that permit is $35.00, with a $73.00 inspection added only if the structure sits in the 500-year floodplain, 100-year floodplain, floodway or Coastal High Hazard Area, for a total of $108.00 inside a special flood hazard area. Septic and driveway permits are separately priced. RE-VERIFIED 2026-09-10: every figure above was re-read from the Office of the County Engineer Permits Office fee schedule bearing Effective Date 10/01/2025, which is still the schedule published at the cited URL, and none has changed. SCHEDULED CHANGE: Harris County reissues this schedule on the October 1 fiscal-year boundary, so a successor is expected on 2026-10-01 and this row should be re-checked shortly after that date.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 9/15/2026
Water Heater Permit
These lines are alternatives, not a running bill. Pick the one that describes your project and any percentage-based add-ons will be calculated from it.
○On-Site Sewage Facility permit + inspection total Flat fee $223.00 | $223.00 |
○On-Site Sewage Facility - amended permit Flat fee $150.00 | $150.00 |
○OSSF holding tank / port-o-can permit + inspection Flat fee $115.00 | $115.00 |
How this jurisdiction calculates the fee
No county fee exists for a water heater replacement because no county plumbing permit exists. The nearest county charge in the plumbing area is the On-Site Sewage Facility (septic) permit, which the county administers under state OSSF rules, at $223.00 total including inspection, with an amended OSSF permit at $150.00 and a holding tank permit at $115.00 total. RE-VERIFIED 2026-09-10: every figure above was re-read from the Office of the County Engineer Permits Office fee schedule bearing Effective Date 10/01/2025, which is still the schedule published at the cited URL, and none has changed. SCHEDULED CHANGE: Harris County reissues this schedule on the October 1 fiscal-year boundary, so a successor is expected on 2026-10-01 and this row should be re-checked shortly after that date.
Source: published fee schedule · Verified 9/15/2026
See the full write-up: Harris County building permit cost
Estimate only.Fee schedules change, and building departments set the final valuation and decide which fees apply to your scope. Confirm with the jurisdiction before budgeting. Lines marked “see rule” could not be computed from the published wording and are shown verbatim rather than guessed.