HVAC Permit Cost in Conroe, TX (2026)
Residential HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) 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 an HVAC job under Article VII (Mechanical, inspection included): a $75.00 mechanical base permit plus a $25.00 residential equipment change-out fee, for a $100.00 total with the inspection included. A new system on new construction is also charged the same $25.00 line, so it too is $100.00. Both amounts are exact from the ordinance and neither is valuation-based for residential work. 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) residential HVAC (mechanical) permit fee as printed in Ordinance No. 2756-25, Appendix A Fee Schedule, Chapter 14, effective November 13, 2025 - a $75.00 mechanical base permit plus a $25.00 residential equipment change-out, inspection included, for a $100.00 total. Both figures are exact from the adopted ordinance.
How HVAC is permitted here: Article VII (Mechanical, inspection included) prints a base permit fee of $75.00, then a residential "partial or full equipment change-out" at $25.00 and a residential "new system / new construction" line also at $25.00. So a like-for-like AC or furnace change-out, and a brand-new residential system, are each $75.00 + $25.00 = $100.00. The inspection is part of the mechanical fee. Commercial mechanical uses a tonnage-based table ($50.00 for 1-3 tons, plus $12.50 per ton over 3) - that is commercial context, not the residential figure.
Gas and electrical work may be separate: If your HVAC job runs a new gas line for a gas furnace, the fuel-gas article prints its own $75.00 base permit; if it adds or reworks an electrical circuit or disconnect, the electrical article prints its own $75.00 base permit. A straight like-for-like mechanical change-out that reuses the existing gas and electrical connections is just the $100.00 mechanical permit. Confirm which trades your job touches.
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. The ordinance does not state that this plan review applies to a mechanical change-out permit, whose $100.00 already includes inspection. Because applicability is not stated, we disclose it as a possible department-determined add-on and do not assert any plan-review dollar total for an HVAC change-out.
This guide does NOT cover: The equipment cost of the furnace, condenser, air handler, or heat pump; ductwork replacement priced by the contractor; utility or meter changes; HOA approvals; and any online-portal payment-processing convenience fee, which is a bank charge outside the fee schedule.
A residential HVAC change-out permit in Conroe, TX is $100.00 - a $75.00 mechanical base permit plus a $25.00 residential equipment change-out, inspection included, under Article VII of Ordinance No. 2756-25. A new residential system on new construction is charged the same $25.00 line, so it too is $100.00. Both amounts are exact and residential HVAC is not valuation-based. If the job also runs a new gas line or reworks an electrical circuit, those trades carry their own separate $75.00 base permits - a like-for-like change-out that reuses existing connections is just the $100.00 mechanical permit. Texas adds no state levy and the ordinance prints no surcharge. These fees took effect November 13, 2025.
- Conroe, Texas permits a residential HVAC change-out under Article VII (Mechanical, inspection included): a $75.00 base permit plus a $25.00 equipment change-out fee = $100.00, under Ordinance No. 2756-25 effective November 13, 2025.
- A new residential system on new construction is charged the same $25.00 line, so it is also $100.00. Both the $75.00 and $25.00 are exact printed figures, and residential mechanical work is not valuation-based.
- The inspection is part of the mechanical fee. Commercial mechanical work uses a separate tonnage table ($50.00 for 1-3 tons plus $12.50 per ton over 3) - that is commercial context, not the residential $100.00.
- Gas and electrical work may be separate: a new gas line for a gas furnace, or a reworked electrical circuit, each carries its own $75.00 base permit. A like-for-like change-out reusing existing connections stays at the $100.00 mechanical permit.
- Texas has no statewide percentage permit levy - unlike Virginia's 2% USBC add-on - and the ordinance 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. Price other Conroe work with the Conroe water heater permit guide and the Conroe generator permit guide.
Conroe HVAC Permit Fee Structure
Residential HVAC is priced from two flat mechanical lines: the $75.00 base permit and the $25.00 equipment change-out (or new-system) fee, inspection included. There is no residential tonnage rate, no valuation calculation, no technology surcharge, and no statewide levy. Gas and electrical scope, if any, is a separate trade permit. 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 mechanical change-out - shown below as printed and labelled a possible department call, not added.
| Item | Fee | How It Is Calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical base permit | $75.00 | Base permit fee under Article VII (Mechanical), inspection included. Every residential mechanical permit starts here. |
| Residential change-out / new system | $25.00 | Residential partial or full equipment change-out is $25.00; a new system / new construction is also $25.00. Added to the base = $100.00 total. |
| Commercial mechanical (context) | $50.00 (1-3 tons) + $12.50/ton over 3 | Commercial tonnage table - shown for context only. Residential HVAC does not use it. |
| Separate gas / electrical scope | $75.00 base each | A new gas line (fuel-gas article) or a reworked circuit/disconnect (electrical article) is its own permit. Not charged for a like-for-like change-out reusing existing connections. |
| Residential plan review | $0.32 / sq ft | Printed on the same schedule; the ordinance does not state it applies to a mechanical change-out. 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. |
| 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 $100.00 permit, $2,000.00 controls. |
| State / city percentage levy | None | Texas has no statewide permit levy; Conroe adds no percentage surcharge and no technology or credit-card fee. |
Source: City of Conroe Ordinance No. 2756-25, Appendix A Fee Schedule, Chapter 14, effective November 13, 2025. The $75.00 mechanical base permit, the $25.00 residential change-out / new-system line, the $50.00-plus-$12.50-per-ton commercial mechanical table, the $75.00 base fuel-gas and electrical permits, the $0.32 per square foot residential plan review, the $75.00/$100.00/$150.00/$300.00 reinspection fees, 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 mechanical change-out - confirm with the Building Inspections and Permits Department which trades your job touches.
Worked Examples - Real HVAC Projects in Conroe
The residential mechanical permit is built from flat lines with inspection included, so the permit cost does not change with equipment tonnage. What can add cost is separate gas or electrical scope. Every figure below is direct arithmetic from the adopted ordinance, with separate trades clearly labelled and no plan-review total asserted.
A Conroe homeowner replaces a failed air-conditioning condenser and evaporator coil like-for-like, reusing the existing electrical disconnect.
- Mechanical base permit (inspection included): $75.00
- Residential equipment change-out: $25.00
- Texas state levy: $0.00 (none)
- Permit total: $100.00
$75.00 + $25.00 = $100.00, both inputs exact and inspection included. Reusing the existing electrical disconnect keeps this to the mechanical permit only. The equipment cost of the condenser and coil is separate and is not a permit fee.
A full HVAC system replacement where the installer also runs a new gas line to the furnace.
- Mechanical base + change-out: $100.00 ($75 + $25)
- Fuel-gas permit base (new gas line): $75.00 (separate article, inspection included)
- Combined permit estimate: $175.00
$100.00 mechanical + $75.00 fuel-gas base = $175.00, all inputs exact. The fuel-gas permit applies only if a new gas line is actually run; a change-out that reuses the existing gas connection stays at $100.00. Confirm with the department which trades your job touches.
This example shows why the permit is pulled before the change-out begins.
- Double the permit fee (2 × $100.00): $200.00
- 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 $100.00 permit ($200.00) is below $2,000.00, the $2,000.00 minimum controls - twenty times the permit itself, which is why the permit is issued before the change-out starts.
When This Estimate May Not Apply
The $100.00 covers a residential mechanical change-out permit as printed in Ordinance No. 2756-25, inspection included. Route your project to the Building Inspections and Permits Department before relying on this figure if any of the following applies:
- Your job runs a new gas line. A new fuel-gas line for a gas furnace is a separate permit with its own $75.00 base, raising a change-out to about $175.00. A change-out that reuses the existing gas connection does not trigger it.
- Your job reworks an electrical circuit or disconnect. New or reworked electrical for a heat pump or air handler is a separate electrical permit with its own $75.00 base. A like-for-like swap on the existing disconnect does not trigger it.
- The $0.32 per square foot plan review is applied. The ordinance prints a residential plan review but does not state it applies to a mechanical change-out, whose $100.00 already includes inspection. Confirm with the department whether plan review applies.
- The work is commercial. Commercial mechanical uses the tonnage table ($50.00 for 1-3 tons plus $12.50 per ton over 3), not the residential $100.00.
- 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 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.
Equipment and ductwork costs, utility or meter changes, HOA approvals, 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 HVAC Permit Cost vs Other Verified Texas Cities
Texas cities price a residential mechanical (HVAC) permit differently - some flat, some per-unit, some by valuation. Scope differs, so each figure below notes its basis. Verify with each department.
| City | Mechanical Fee Basis | Residential HVAC Change-Out |
|---|---|---|
| Conroe, TX | $75 base + $25 change-out, inspection included | $100.00 |
| League City, TX | Flat $59 base per unit; over 5 tons adds $10/ton | $59.00 base |
| New Braunfels, TX | Valuation-based; $25 minimum ($0-$1,000) | $25.00 minimum |
Scope note: Conroe's $100.00 is a $75.00 mechanical base plus a $25.00 residential change-out, inspection included. League City prices a mechanical permit at a $59.00 base per unit, adding $10.00 per ton over 5 tons. New Braunfels charges its mechanical permit on the value of the work, with a $25.00 minimum for the first $1,000 and $5.00 per $1,000 above that, plus its own $35.00 inspection and 3% technology fee. 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 mechanical and plumbing 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 your HVAC job needs a separate gas or electrical permit, whether the $0.32 per square foot residential plan review applies to a change-out, and to confirm the $75.00 base and $25.00 change-out fees are current |
| Fee schedule | City of Conroe Ordinance No. 2756-25, Appendix A, Chapter 14 (eff. Nov 13, 2025) |
Sources
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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 $75.00 mechanical base permit and the $25.00 residential change-out / new-system line (Article VII, inspection included), the commercial tonnage table, the $75.00 base fuel-gas and electrical permits, the $0.32 per square foot residential plan review, the $75.00/$100.00/$150.00/$300.00 reinspection fees, 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
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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.