Building permits in Harris County, Texas
Of the 4 common home projects we have verified in Harris County, 2 need a permit outright and 2 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 1 official source
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 13
- in Harris County
Harris County Office of the County Engineer, Permits Division (formerly the Harris County Engineering Department)
- 1111 Fannin St., 1st Floor Lobby, Houston, TX 77002
- Phone: (713) 274-3900
- Email: Residential@harriscountytx.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Harris County
Harris County runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
What needs a permit in Harris County
Of the 4 common home projects we have verified in Harris County, 2 need a permit outright and 2 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
OCE Permits Fee Schedule (effective 10/01/2025), Residential Development, "Accessory Structures - All Other Structures (paving, storage sheds, pools, Additions and remodels, etc.)": Permit Fee $35.00, for every permit type below. The fee column shows what differs by project.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Deck Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Electrical Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| EV Charger Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Fence Permit | It depends | location of the fence inside or outside the special flood hazard area (floodplain); no height or length trigger is published | Inspection Fee $0.00 outside the SFHA or $73.00 inside the SFHA |
| HVAC Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Patio Permit | Permit required | Any size | Inspection Fee $0.00 outside the SFHA or $73.00 inside the SFHA |
| Plumbing Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Any size | Inspection Fee $0.00 outside the SFHA or $73.00 inside the SFHA |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Shed Permit | It depends | floor area of a residential accessory building or structure; the size exclusion does not apply in A or V flood zones | Inspection Fee $0.00 outside the SFHA or $73.00 inside the SFHA |
| Solar Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Water Heater Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
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Harris County permit fees compared with nearby Texas localities
| Texas locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Arlington | ...Cover, Screened Porch, Gazebo & Decks*... | ...and Residential New Construction Permits $100.00"... | ...and Residential New Construction Permits $100.00"... |
| Austin | ...under the Small Projects Plan Review fee of $132.86... | The Residential Change-Out Program charges $67.32 for the... | Electrical trade permit base fee is $166.99, per the... |
| Corpus Christi | ...New, Remodels, and Additions: Building Permit $0.461... | ...Fee Schedule, Mechanical Permits: Residential $0.075... | ...Fee Schedule, Electrical Permits: Residential $0.075... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Texas jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Harris County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Harris County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 13 permit types we have verified for Harris County, 2 always require a permit (for example a patio permit), 2 depend on size or scope (a fence permit, for instance). Each Harris County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Harris County?
- Harris County publishes a fee for 4 of the 13 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by Harris County Office of the County Engineer, Permits Division (formerly the Harris County Engineering Department); we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Harris County?
- Harris County Office of the County Engineer, Permits Division (formerly the Harris County Engineering Department) issues permits in Harris County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at (713) 274-3900. The Harris County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Harris County pages were verified. 13 permit types, 4 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Harris County Office of the County Engineer, Permits Division (formerly the Harris County Engineering Department) or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Harris County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.