Demolition Permit Cost in Lubbock, TX (2026)
Demolition permit fees for the City of Lubbock, Texas (Lubbock County, West Texas), pulled directly from the Building Safety Fee Schedule for fiscal year October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026 (Adopted Budget Ordinance No. 2024-O0111). The schedule prints one residential demolition line: Demolition = $75.00, which is also the schedule's $75.00 citywide minimum permit fee. Demolition is a flat fee that does not scale with the size of the building - a small detached garage and a full house carry the same $75.00 line. There is no technology surcharge and no percentage add-on, and Texas has no statewide permit levy, so the printed $75.00 is the full city permit fee. The adopted schedule is current - it is the fiscal year in effect.
This guide covers: The City of Lubbock, Texas (Lubbock County) residential building demolition permit fee as printed on the Building Safety Fee Schedule (FY Oct 1, 2025 - Sept 30, 2026) - "Demolition" at a flat $75.00, which equals the schedule's citywide minimum permit fee. That $75.00 figure is exact from the published schedule. There is no technology surcharge or percentage add-on, so the printed $75.00 is the full city permit fee.
The fee is flat - it does not scale with building size: the schedule charges $75.00 for a residential demolition regardless of the structure's square footage. A detached garage, a shed, and a full single-family house are all the same $75.00 line. Lubbock's per-square-foot pricing applies to new construction, additions, and alterations, not to a demolition.
Lubbock's building permit covers the building trade only: unlike some Texas cities, Lubbock issues electrical, mechanical, and plumbing as separate permits. A demolition itself is a single $75.00 building-side line; if a utility must be capped under an electrical or plumbing permit, that would be billed separately (each subject to its own $75.00 minimum). The 25% plan review the schedule prints is explicitly for commercial permits, not a residential demolition.
This guide does NOT cover: utility disconnections and cut/cap charges (electric, water, sewer, and gas usually must be disconnected before demolition); asbestos survey and notification requirements (a state and federal requirement under Texas and EPA NESHAP rules, handled outside the city permit); septic-system abandonment; Engineering, Planning, Environmental Health, and Fire Marshal fees on their own separate schedules; right-of-way and dumpster/roll-off placement permits; interior-only strip-out tied to a remodel (which may fall under the per-square-foot alteration line instead of this demolition line); impact fees; and the contractor's actual teardown, hauling, and disposal costs.
A residential demolition permit in Lubbock, TX is a flat $75.00 on the Building Safety Fee Schedule - the exact printed rate, which also equals the schedule's citywide minimum permit fee, and it does not change with the size of the building. There is no technology surcharge or percentage add-on, and Texas has no statewide levy, so $75.00 is the full city permit fee. Lubbock's permit covers the building trade only; utility disconnections, an asbestos survey, and hauling are separate. The schedule is current for fiscal year October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026 - confirm the rate with the Department of Building Safety before budgeting.
- Lubbock, Texas prints one residential demolition line - "Demolition" at a flat $75.00 - on the Building Safety Fee Schedule (FY Oct 1, 2025 - Sept 30, 2026). That $75.00 is the exact printed figure, and it equals the schedule's citywide minimum permit fee.
- The fee is flat and does not scale with building size: a detached garage, a shed, and a full house are all the same $75.00 line. Lubbock's per-square-foot pricing applies to new construction, additions, and alterations, not to a demolition.
- There is no technology surcharge and no percentage add-on, and Texas has no statewide permit levy, so the printed $75.00 is the full city permit fee.
- Lubbock's building permit covers the building trade only - electrical, mechanical, and plumbing are separate permits (each with its own $75.00 minimum). The 25% plan review on the schedule is for commercial permits, not a residential demolition.
- Bigger costs usually sit outside the permit: utility disconnections and cut/cap charges, a required asbestos survey, septic abandonment, and the contractor's teardown, hauling, and disposal are all separate from the $75.00 city fee.
- The adopted schedule is current (fiscal year October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026). For same-city context, see the Lubbock driveway permit guide and the Lubbock fence permit guide.
Lubbock Demolition Fee Structure
The residential demolition permit is a single flat line at $75.00 - the exact printed rate, which also equals the schedule's citywide minimum permit fee, the same for any size of building. There is no per-square-foot component, no technology surcharge, and no percentage add-on, and Texas has no statewide levy, so the printed $75.00 is the full city permit fee. Lubbock's building permit covers the building trade only, and the 25% plan review is written for commercial permits, so both are shown below in context. Every line in the table is exactly as printed on the schedule.
| Item | Fee | How It Is Calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition permit (residential) | $75.00 flat | Exact flat line on the schedule. The same $75.00 applies to a garage, a shed, or a full house - it does not scale with square footage. |
| Minimum permit fee | $75.00 | The schedule's citywide minimum permit fee is $75.00. The demolition line equals it, so there is nothing added to bring it up to a minimum. |
| Technology / percentage surcharge | None | Lubbock lists no technology surcharge or percentage add-on, so $75.00 is the full city permit fee. |
| Plan review (25% commercial) | Not added | The 25% plan-review fee is explicitly for commercial building permits. It does not attach to a residential demolition. |
| Electrical / mechanical / plumbing | Separate ($75 min each) | Lubbock issues trade permits separately. A demolition is a building-side line; if a utility cap requires a trade permit, that is billed separately, each subject to the $75.00 minimum. |
| Utility cut/cap & asbestos survey | Separate | Electric, water, sewer, and gas disconnections and a required asbestos survey are handled outside this permit line. Not part of the $75.00. |
| State percentage levy | None | Texas has no statewide permit levy. There is no percentage add-on to the Lubbock demolition fee. |
Source: City of Lubbock (TX) Building Safety Fee Schedule, fiscal year October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026 (Adopted Budget Ordinance No. 2024-O0111). The flat $75.00 residential demolition permit, the $75.00 citywide minimum permit fee, and the commercial 25% plan review all appear on the schedule. Lubbock's building permit covers the building trade only; electrical, mechanical, and plumbing are separately issued permits - confirm the current rate with the Department of Building Safety before budgeting.
Worked Examples - Real Demolition Projects in Lubbock
Because the residential demolition permit is a flat $75.00, the building line is the same whether you are tearing down a shed or a whole house - the size of the structure does not change the fee. The examples below show where the flat $75.00 applies and where a different line may apply instead. Every figure is the exact printed line from the published schedule.
A homeowner tears down an old detached garage. Demolition is a flat fee, so building size does not matter.
- Residential demolition line: $75.00
- Technology / percentage surcharge: none
- Permit total: $75.00
The $75.00 line is exact and is the full city permit fee. Utility disconnections and hauling are separate.
A full house demolition ahead of a rebuild - the same flat $75.00 line as the garage.
- Residential demolition line: $75.00
- Same flat fee - the schedule does not scale demolition by square footage
- Permit total: $75.00
Same $75.00 permit as a small structure. A house teardown carries much larger separate costs - utility cut/cap, asbestos survey, and disposal - none of which are in the $75.00 city fee.
A homeowner guts a kitchen and bath down to the studs but keeps the house standing.
- This may not be a "demolition" at all: interior-only strip-out tied to a remodel commonly falls under Lubbock's alteration/remodel line at $0.15 / sq ft of work area (subject to the $75.00 minimum), not the $75.00 demolition line.
- Which line applies is a department determination - confirm before you file.
The flat $75.00 line is for demolishing a building or structure. A gut-remodel that keeps the building may be permitted as an alteration instead - ask the Department of Building Safety which applies to your scope.
When This Estimate May Not Apply
The flat $75.00 covers the residential demolition permit line as printed. Route your project to the Department of Building Safety before relying on this figure if any of the following applies:
- You are gutting the interior but keeping the building. An interior-only strip-out for a remodel commonly falls under Lubbock's alteration/remodel line at $0.15 per square foot of work area (subject to the $75.00 minimum), not the flat $75.00 demolition line. Confirm which the department applies.
- A utility cap requires a trade permit. Lubbock issues electrical, mechanical, and plumbing separately. If capping a service requires a trade permit, that is a separate charge, each subject to the $75.00 minimum.
- Your project is commercial. Commercial building permits are priced differently and add a 25% plan review. This guide covers the residential demolition line only.
- The fiscal-year schedule has been superseded. These fees are from the FY October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026 schedule. Lubbock adopts a new fee schedule each fiscal year - confirm the current rate before budgeting.
- The structure may contain asbestos. A pre-demolition asbestos survey and notification are required by state and federal (EPA NESHAP) rules for many structures - handled outside the city permit and not in this estimate.
- Site work is involved. Utility disconnections, septic abandonment, right-of-way or roll-off dumpster placement, and fees on the Engineering, Planning, Environmental Health, or Fire Marshal schedules may each carry separate requirements or fees.
Utility disconnections, asbestos survey and abatement, septic abandonment, Engineering/Planning/Environmental Health/Fire Marshal fees, right-of-way and dumpster permits, impact fees, and the contractor's teardown, hauling, and disposal costs are excluded from the figure on this page, and the page-standard disclaimer applies. Always verify the current rate with the Lubbock Department of Building Safety before budgeting.
Lubbock Demolition Permit Cost vs Other Verified Texas Cities
Texas cities price residential demolition differently, and several print a single flat fee. Scope differs, so each figure below notes its basis, and each department should be verified separately.
| City | Demolition Fee Basis | Residential Demolition Permit |
|---|---|---|
| Lubbock, TX | Flat line = $75 minimum fee | $75.00 flat |
| Frisco, TX | Flat "demolition permit" line | $50.00 flat |
| Grand Prairie, TX | Flat "demolition permit" line | $50.00 flat |
| New Braunfels, TX | Flat line + 3% tech fee | $100.00 (~$103-$139 all-in) |
Scope note: all four cities print a flat demolition fee. Frisco and Grand Prairie are the lowest at $50.00, Lubbock prints $75.00 (its citywide minimum permit fee), and New Braunfels prints $100.00 plus a 3% technology fee. None of these include utility cut/cap, asbestos survey, or hauling. Compare the basis, not just the number, and confirm current figures with each department.
See Lubbock's full residential fee schedule, or price other Lubbock projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who to Contact
| Department | City of Lubbock, Texas - Department of Building Safety |
| County | Lubbock County, Texas (West Texas / South Plains) |
| Phone | 806-775-2087 / 806-775-3155 |
| Address | 1314 Avenue K, 1st Floor Annex, Lubbock, TX 79401 |
| Ask them | Whether your interior strip-out is a demolition or an alteration, which utility cut/cap and trade-permit steps are required, what asbestos-survey steps apply, and whether a new fiscal-year fee schedule has superseded FY 2025-2026 |
| Fee schedule | City of Lubbock Building Safety Fee Schedule, FY 2025-2026 (PDF) |
Sources
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City of Lubbock, TX - Building Safety Fee Schedule (FY 2025-2026, PDF) Lubbock, TX (Lubbock County) - official Building Safety Fee Schedule for fiscal year October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026 (Adopted Budget Ordinance No. 2024-O0111). Primary source for the flat $75.00 residential demolition permit, the $75.00 citywide minimum permit fee, the building-trade-only scope, and the commercial 25% plan review Verified
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Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 214 Texas statute (.gov) confirming municipal building- and demolition-regulation authority and that Texas imposes no statewide percentage building-permit levy. Context for the "no statewide levy" statement. Verified September 2026.