Generator Permit Cost in Conroe, TX (2026)
Standby (whole-home) generator permit fees for the City of Conroe, Texas (Montgomery County), pulled directly from Ordinance No. 2756-25, Appendix A Fee Schedule, Chapter 14, passed and effective November 13, 2025. Conroe permits a generator through its electrical permits article: Article III lists a generator electric permit at a flat $300.00 with inspection included. Most standby generators run on natural gas or propane, and the same article prints a separate gas line for the generator at $100.00 (inspection included), so a typical gas-fueled standby unit is $400.00 combined - both figures exact from the ordinance. Neither is valuation-based or tiered by generator size. Texas has no statewide permit levy, and this ordinance prints no technology, automation, or credit-card surcharge.
This guide covers: The City of Conroe, Texas (Montgomery County) standby generator permit fees as printed in Ordinance No. 2756-25, Appendix A Fee Schedule, Chapter 14, effective November 13, 2025 - a flat $300.00 generator electric permit with inspection included, and a separate $100.00 gas line for the generator (inspection included) for gas-fueled units. Both figures are exact from the adopted ordinance.
How a generator is permitted here: Article III (Electrical permits) lists a "generator electric permit" at $300.00 with inspection included - that is the permit for the transfer switch, the generator's electrical connection, and the associated wiring. Article V (fuel gas) prints a "gas line for generator" at $100.00 with inspection included, which applies when the generator is fed by natural gas or propane. A whole-home standby generator normally involves both, hence the $400.00 combined figure; a unit that needs no new gas line is just the $300.00 electric permit.
Disclosed ambiguity - the $0.32/sq ft plan review: The same schedule prints a residential plan review of $0.32 per square foot of building area or work area (nonrefundable; it covers the first three submittals, with a 4th submittal adding 50% of the permit fee, a 5th adding double the plan review, and a 6th or later adding triple). The ordinance does not state that this plan review applies to a generator electrical or gas permit - both lines already state inspection is included. Because applicability to a generator permit is not stated, we disclose it as a possible department-determined add-on and do not assert any plan-review dollar total for a generator. Confirm with the Building Inspections and Permits Department whether plan review applies to your install.
Flat lines - no size tiers: The schedule prints one flat $300.00 generator electric permit and one flat $100.00 generator gas line. It does not tier either by generator kilowatt rating, amperage, or fuel-tank size. This guide does not assume any size-based pricing exists for the generator permit itself.
This guide does NOT cover: The concrete pad or structural mount for the generator; propane tank setting or LP-gas tank permits handled by other authorities; utility interconnection or meter changes with the power provider; HOA approvals; equipment and installation cost; and any online-portal payment-processing convenience fee, which is a bank charge outside the fee schedule.
A standby generator permit in Conroe, TX is a flat $300.00 electrical permit with the inspection included - Conroe permits generators through its electrical permits article (Article III), which lists a generator electric permit at $300.00. Most whole-home generators run on natural gas or propane, and the ordinance prints a separate gas line for the generator at $100.00 (inspection included), so a typical gas-fueled standby unit is $400.00 combined - both figures exact from the ordinance. Neither line is valuation-based or tiered by generator size. The schedule separately prints a $0.32 per square foot residential plan review, but the ordinance does not state it applies to a generator permit - so it is disclosed here, not added. Texas adds no state levy and the ordinance prints no surcharge. These fees took effect November 13, 2025 under Ordinance No. 2756-25.
- Conroe, Texas permits a standby generator through its electrical permits article: a flat $300.00 generator electric permit, inspection included, under Ordinance No. 2756-25 (Appendix A, Chapter 14) effective November 13, 2025.
- A gas-fueled generator (natural gas or propane) adds a separate $100.00 gas line for the generator, also inspection included, for a $400.00 combined permit cost. Both the $300.00 and $100.00 are exact printed lines.
- Neither line is valuation-based or tiered by generator size. A small portable-standby unit and a large whole-home unit carry the same $300.00 electric permit; what changes is the equipment cost, which is not a permit fee.
- A $0.32 per square foot residential plan review is printed on the same schedule, but the ordinance does not state it applies to a generator permit. It is disclosed as a possible department call - no plan-review total for a generator is claimed on this page.
- Texas has no statewide percentage permit levy - unlike Virginia's 2% USBC add-on - and Ordinance No. 2756-25 prints no technology, automation, or credit-card surcharge. Starting work without a permit triggers an investigation fee of $2,000.00 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater.
- The figures come from Ordinance No. 2756-25 effective November 13, 2025 - current at the time of writing. For a nearby Texas contrast, League City also prints a flat $300.00 generator line; see the League City solar and generator schedule and price other Conroe work with the Conroe HVAC permit guide.
Conroe Generator Permit Fee Structure
A generator is priced from two flat lines on the schedule, both with inspection included: the $300.00 generator electric permit, and - for a gas-fueled unit - the $100.00 gas line for the generator. There is no per-kilowatt rate, no valuation calculation, no technology surcharge, and no statewide levy. The one item the ordinance leaves unresolved is the $0.32 per square foot residential plan review, which is not stated to apply to a generator permit - it is shown below exactly as printed and clearly labelled as a possible department call, not added to the total.
| Item | Fee | How It Is Calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Generator electric permit | $300.00 | Flat fee under Article III (Electrical permits), inspection included. Covers the transfer switch and the generator's electrical connection. Same at any generator size. |
| Gas line for generator | $100.00 | Flat fee (inspection included) for the natural-gas or propane supply line to a gas-fueled generator. Not charged if no new gas line is run. |
| Residential plan review | $0.32 / sq ft | $0.32 per square foot of building or work area; nonrefundable; covers the first three submittals (4th adds 50% of the permit fee, 5th adds double the plan review, 6th+ adds triple). The ordinance does not state it applies to a generator permit - a possible department call, not added here. |
| Reinspection fees | $75 / $100 / $150 / $300 | Escalating charges for repeat failed inspections. Only applies if an inspection has to be repeated. |
| After-hours inspection | $300.00 | Optional charge if an inspection is requested outside normal hours. Not part of a standard daytime generator inspection. |
| Work started without a permit | $2,000.00 or double | Investigation fee of $2,000.00 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater. For a $300.00-$400.00 permit, $2,000.00 controls. |
| Technology / credit-card surcharge | None printed | The ordinance prints no technology, automation, or credit-card surcharge. Any online-portal convenience fee is a bank charge outside the schedule. |
| State / city percentage levy | None | Texas has no statewide permit levy; Conroe adds no percentage surcharge on the generator permit. |
Source: City of Conroe Ordinance No. 2756-25, Appendix A Fee Schedule, Chapter 14, effective November 13, 2025. The $300.00 generator electric permit (inspection included), the $100.00 gas line for the generator (inspection included), the $0.32 per square foot residential plan review, the $75.00/$100.00/$150.00/$300.00 reinspection fees, the $300.00 after-hours inspection, and the $2,000.00-or-double investigation fee for unpermitted work all appear on the ordinance. The ordinance does not state that the residential plan review applies to a generator permit - confirm with the Building Inspections and Permits Department whether it applies to your install.
Worked Examples - Real Generator Projects in Conroe
The generator permit is built from flat lines with inspection included, so the permit cost does not change with generator size. The only open item is the $0.32 per square foot plan review, which the ordinance does not state applies to a generator permit. Every figure below is direct arithmetic from the adopted ordinance, with the open item clearly labelled and no plan-review total asserted.
A Conroe homeowner installs a natural-gas whole-home standby generator with an automatic transfer switch and a new gas line to the unit.
- Generator electric permit (inspection included): $300.00
- Gas line for generator (inspection included): $100.00
- Texas state levy: $0.00 (none)
- Combined permit total: $400.00
$300.00 + $100.00 = $400.00, both inputs exact from the printed ordinance and both with inspection included. The equipment, concrete pad, and installation cost of the generator are separate and are not permit fees.
A unit that reuses an existing gas stub, or a homeowner pricing only the electrical scope, pays just the generator electric permit.
- Generator electric permit (inspection included): $300.00
- Gas line for generator: $0.00 (only if a new gas line is run)
- Permit total: $300.00
The $100.00 gas line applies only when a new gas supply line is run to the generator. Whether your install needs one depends on the fuel source and existing plumbing - confirm with the department. The $300.00 electric permit includes its inspection.
This example shows why the permit is pulled before the installer begins.
- Double the combined permit fee (2 × $400.00): $800.00
- Flat investigation minimum: $2,000.00
- Investigation fee (whichever is greater): $2,000.00
The ordinance sets the investigation fee for unpermitted work at $2,000.00 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater. Because double the $400.00 combined permit ($800.00) is below $2,000.00, the $2,000.00 minimum controls here - far more than the permit itself, which is why the permit is issued before installation starts.
When This Estimate May Not Apply
The $300.00 covers the generator electric permit and the $100.00 covers the generator gas line as printed in Ordinance No. 2756-25, both inspection included. Route your project to the Building Inspections and Permits Department before relying on these figures if any of the following applies:
- The $0.32 per square foot plan review is applied to your generator permit. The ordinance prints the residential plan review but does not state that it applies to a generator electric or gas permit, whose lines already include inspection. This is the single largest open question on this page - confirm with the department whether plan review applies to your install.
- Your generator does not use natural gas or propane. A diesel unit with its own tank, or a unit reusing an existing gas line, may not trigger the $100.00 gas line fee. Confirm which lines apply to your fuel source.
- Your installation requires a reinspection. A failed inspection that has to be repeated carries an escalating reinspection fee of $75.00, then $100.00, $150.00, and $300.00 for further repeats.
- You request an after-hours inspection. An inspection scheduled outside normal hours carries a $300.00 charge that is not part of a standard daytime inspection.
- Your project includes other trade work or a structural pad. A concrete pad, structural mount, LP-gas tank setting, or utility meter change may be permitted separately or by another authority - confirm the correct permit.
- You started work without a permit. The ordinance sets an investigation fee of $2,000.00 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater.
- The ordinance is amended. These fees took effect November 13, 2025 and can be amended - confirm the currently adopted amounts before filing.
Utility interconnection or meter changes, propane tank setting, the concrete pad and structural mount, HOA approvals, equipment and installation costs, and any online-portal payment-processing fee are excluded from the permit figures on this page, and the page-standard disclaimer applies - always verify with the Conroe Building Inspections and Permits Department before budgeting.
Conroe Generator Permit Cost vs Other Verified Texas Cities
Few Texas fee schedules print a named generator line at all - many route a standby generator through the generic electrical permit. Where a named line exists, the number and what it includes vary, so each figure below notes its basis. Verify with each department.
| City | Generator Fee Basis | Residential Generator Permit |
|---|---|---|
| Conroe, TX | $300 electric + $100 gas line, inspections included | $300.00 / ~$400.00 with gas |
| League City, TX | Named flat generator line; electrical/gas separate | $300.00 |
| New Braunfels, TX | No named generator line - routed through electrical | Not published - ask the department |
Scope note: Conroe's $300.00 is a generator electric permit with inspection included, and a gas-fueled unit adds a $100.00 gas line (inspection included) for about $400.00 combined. League City prints a flat $300.00 generator line, with its electrical work priced separately at a $59.00 base. New Braunfels' adopted Appendix D prints no named generator line, so no figure is published for it here rather than guessing - a generator there would fall under the electrical permit schedule. Compare the basis, not just the number, and confirm current figures with each department.
See Conroe's full permit fee page, or price other Conroe electrical and mechanical work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who to Contact
| Department | City of Conroe, Texas - Building Inspections and Permits Department (700 Metcalf St., Conroe, TX 77301) |
| County | Montgomery County, Texas |
| Permits@cityofconroe.org | |
| Ask them | Whether a new gas line applies to your generator, whether the $0.32 per square foot residential plan review applies to a generator permit, and to confirm the $300.00 electric and $100.00 gas line fees are current |
| Fee schedule | City of Conroe Ordinance No. 2756-25, Appendix A, Chapter 14 (eff. Nov 13, 2025) |
Sources
-
City of Conroe, TX - Ordinance No. 2756-25, Appendix A Fee Schedule, Chapter 14 Conroe, TX (Montgomery County) - official city fee ordinance on cityofconroe.org. Primary source for the $300.00 generator electric permit (inspection included, Article III), the $100.00 gas line for the generator (inspection included, Article V), the $0.32 per square foot residential plan review, the $75.00/$100.00/$150.00/$300.00 reinspection fees, the $300.00 after-hours inspection, and the $2,000.00-or-double investigation fee for unpermitted work. Passed and effective November 13, 2025; recorded July 2026 eff. Nov 13, 2025 - current
-
Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 214 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 July 2026.