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Roof Replacement Permit Cost in Brownsville, TX (2026)

Re-roofing permit fees for the City of Brownsville, Texas (Cameron County), pulled directly from the Code of Ordinances, Sec. 18-123 "Amendments, Schedule of permit fees." Unlike most Texas cities, Brownsville does not charge one flat re-roof fee and does not bill per roofing "square." It charges a tiered fee based on roof area: $50.00 for 1-500 square feet, $70.00 for 501-2,000 square feet, and $150.00 for anything over 2,000 square feet. Texas has no statewide permit levy, and the schedule prints no percentage surcharge on the re-roofing line.

Re-Roof - 1 to 500 SF
$50.00
Re-Roof - 501 to 2,000 SF
$70.00
Re-Roof - Over 2,000 SF
$150.00
Fee Basis
Tiered by roof area - not flat, not per square
State / City Percentage Levy
None (Texas has no state levy)
Fee Status
Source age: legislative history ends 2019 - verify current
What This Guide Covers - and What It Does Not

This guide covers: The City of Brownsville (Cameron County) residential re-roofing permit fee as printed in Sec. 18-123(c) of the Code of Ordinances - $50.00 for 1-500 square feet, $70.00 for 501-2,000 square feet, and $150.00 for over 2,000 square feet. All three tier amounts are exact from the codified schedule.

Source age is a real limitation here. The Municode supplement carrying this chapter is current as of the January 12, 2026 version, but the permit-fee section's own legislative history ends at Ord. No. 2019-1485-C, effective July 30, 2019. That means the amounts have not been amended in the code since 2019 as far as the published history shows. Confirm current amounts with the Brownsville building department before budgeting.

The $50.00 residential plan-check line is NOT added into the totals on this page. Sec. 18-123(c)(16) prints a $50.00 flat plan-checking fee for a single-family or two-family dwelling. The ordinance does not state whether that plan-check fee attaches to a standalone re-roof permit. Because the code does not settle it, this page does not add it and does not publish an "all-in" figure. Ask the building department whether the $50.00 plan check applies to your re-roof.

Structural work is a different path: Replacing decking, rafters, or trusses beyond a like-for-like re-roof may take the job off the re-roofing line and onto the exterior alteration/repair or general building-permit path. For scope contrast, the same schedule prices exterior alterations and repairs at a $40.00 base plus $15.00 (up to 1,000 SF) or $35.00 (over 1,000 SF). Confirm the classification.

This guide does NOT cover: roofing material or labor costs; electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and gas permit fees (codified in separate Chapter 18 articles and not extracted here); capital recovery or impact fees (Chapter 9, separate); certificate of occupancy fees (Sec. 18-124, separate); insurance or storm-claim questions; or HOA approvals.

Key Takeaways
  • Brownsville prices residential re-roofing in three area tiers - $50.00 (1-500 SF), $70.00 (501-2,000 SF), $150.00 (over 2,000 SF). This is unusual: most Texas re-roof schedules use a single flat fee, and none of the verified peers bill per roofing "square."
  • Most whole-house re-roofs land in the top tier. A typical single-family roof exceeds 2,000 square feet of roof area, which puts it at the $150.00 line.
  • A $50.00 residential plan-checking fee exists at Sec. 18-123(c)(16) for single-family and two-family dwellings, but the ordinance does not state whether it applies to a standalone re-roof. This page therefore publishes no "all-in" total. Confirm with the building department.
  • Starting roofing work before the permit is issued doubles the fee under Sec. 18-123(c)(14).
  • Texas has no statewide percentage permit levy - unlike Virginia's 2% USBC add-on - and the Brownsville re-roofing line prints no percentage surcharge.
  • Peer context: Laredo's re-roof is a flat $50 permit plus a $34 plan check, $84 all-in. Brownsville's top tier of $150.00 is higher for a large roof, and its bottom tier of $50.00 matches Laredo's permit line for a small one.
  • Source age: the figures are from the current Municode-published Brownsville Code of Ordinances (version of January 12, 2026), but Sec. 18-123's legislative history ends at Ord. No. 2019-1485-C, effective July 30, 2019.
Open the Permit Fee Calculator All Brownsville Permit Fees

Brownsville Re-Roofing Permit Fee Structure

The re-roofing permit is a three-tier area-based line. There is no per-square rate, no valuation calculation, no technology surcharge, and no statewide levy. Find your roof area, then read the tier it falls in.

Roof Area Permit Fee How It Is Calculated
1 - 500 square feet $50.00 Bottom tier - partial re-roofs and small structures.
501 - 2,000 square feet $70.00 Middle tier - smaller homes and partial-roof scopes.
Over 2,000 square feet $150.00 Top tier - where most whole-house re-roofs land.
Residential plan checking (1- or 2-family dwelling) $50.00 - applicability to a re-roof not stated Printed at Sec. 18-123(c)(16). The ordinance does not state whether it attaches to a standalone re-roof permit, so it is NOT added into any total on this page. Confirm with the department.
Exterior alterations / repairs (scope contrast) $40.00 base + $15.00 or $35.00 $15.00 up to 1,000 SF, $35.00 over 1,000 SF. Applies if the work is reclassified off the re-roofing line.
Work started before permit issued Double fee Sec. 18-123(c)(14) doubles the fee when work begins without the permit.
State / city percentage levy None Texas has no statewide permit levy; the re-roofing line prints no percentage surcharge.

Source: City of Brownsville Code of Ordinances, Ch. 18, Art. III, Sec. 18-123 "Amendments, Schedule of permit fees." The Municode version of the code is current as of January 12, 2026, but the section's legislative history ends at Ord. No. 2019-1485-C, effective July 30, 2019. Confirm current amounts and the classification of any structural roof work with the Brownsville building department.

Worked Examples - Real Roofing Projects in Brownsville

Because the permit is tiered by roof area, the only input that matters is how many square feet of roof are being re-covered. Every figure below is read directly off the Sec. 18-123(c) tier table. None of these examples adds the $50.00 residential plan-check line, because the ordinance does not state that it applies to a re-roof.

Example 1: Whole-house shingle re-roof, 2,400 SF of roof area

A homeowner tears off worn asphalt shingles across a 2,400-square-foot roof and installs new shingles - a like-for-like covering replacement.

  • Roof area: 2,400 SF
  • Tier applied: over 2,000 SF
  • Re-roofing permit: $150.00
  • Texas state levy: $0.00 (none)
  • Permit fee: $150.00

2,400 SF is above the 2,000 SF threshold, so the top tier applies. The $50.00 residential plan-check line is not included - the ordinance does not state whether it applies to a re-roof. Ask the department.

Example 2: Smaller home re-roof, 1,600 SF of roof area

A compact single-story home has roughly 1,600 square feet of roof area re-covered.

  • Roof area: 1,600 SF
  • Tier applied: 501 - 2,000 SF
  • Permit fee: $70.00

Crossing 2,000 SF would move this job to $150.00 - a $80.00 difference driven purely by measured roof area, so measure before you file.

Example 3: Partial re-roof over a 400 SF section

Storm damage is confined to one 400-square-foot roof section, which is stripped and re-covered.

  • Roof area: 400 SF
  • Tier applied: 1 - 500 SF
  • Permit fee: $50.00

Whether the department scopes a partial repair to the re-roofing line or to the exterior alterations/repairs line ($40.00 base plus $15.00 up to 1,000 SF) is a department determination the ordinance does not settle.

Example 4: Re-roof that turns structural

Tear-off reveals rotted decking and rafters that must be replaced, so the project changes the roof structure, not just the covering.

  • Re-roofing tier: may no longer apply
  • Possible reclassification: exterior alteration/repair or building-permit path
  • Permit fee: confirm classification with the department

Decking, rafter, or truss replacement beyond a like-for-like re-roof can move the job off the re-roofing tiers. No dollar figure is estimated here because the ordinance does not define the boundary.

When This Estimate May Not Apply

The tier amounts cover the re-roofing permit itself on the Sec. 18-123(c) schedule. Route your project to the Brownsville building department before relying on these figures if any of the following applies:

  • The fee amounts may have changed since 2019. Sec. 18-123's published legislative history ends at Ord. No. 2019-1485-C, effective July 30, 2019. The code version is current as of January 12, 2026, but a fee schedule that has not been amended in the code since 2019 is worth confirming directly.
  • The $50.00 residential plan-check may or may not apply. The ordinance prints the line for single-family and two-family dwellings but does not say whether it attaches to a standalone re-roof permit. If it does, add $50.00 to the tier amount. Confirm before budgeting.
  • Your project changes the roof structure. Replacing decking, rafters, or trusses beyond a like-for-like re-roof may be reclassified onto the exterior alteration/repair line or the general building-permit path.
  • Your roof area is near a tier boundary. 500 SF and 2,000 SF are hard cutoffs. How the department measures roof area - and whether it uses flat footprint or sloped surface - is not defined in the fee section.
  • Trade permits are involved. Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and gas fees are codified in separate Chapter 18 articles and were not extracted for this page.
  • You started work without a permit. Sec. 18-123(c)(14) doubles the fee when work begins before the permit is issued.
  • Other fee schedules apply. Capital recovery and impact fees sit in Chapter 9, and certificate of occupancy fees sit at Sec. 18-124 - both separate from this page.

Material and labor costs, structural framing, trade permits, and rooftop solar are excluded from the re-roofing-permit figures on this page, and the page-standard disclaimer applies - always verify with the Brownsville building department before budgeting.

Brownsville Re-Roof Permit Cost vs Verified Peer Context

Texas cities price re-roof permits very differently. Brownsville's area-tier structure is uncommon - the closest verified peer already published on this site, Laredo, uses a flat line instead. Scope differs, so each figure notes its basis.

City Re-Roof Fee Basis Re-Roof Permit
Brownsville, TX Tiered by roof area $50.00 / $70.00 / $150.00
Laredo, TX Flat re-roof + plan check $84.00 all-in

Scope note: Brownsville's three figures are the 1-500 SF, 501-2,000 SF, and over-2,000 SF tiers of the re-roofing line, with no plan-check fee added because the ordinance does not state that one applies. Laredo's $84.00 is its flat $50 re-roof permit plus a printed $34 residential plan check, so the two are not measured the same way. Confirm current figures with each department.

Next Step

See Brownsville's full residential fee schedule, or compare with other Rio Grande Valley and South Texas cities.

Frequently Asked Questions

The residential re-roofing permit is tiered by roof area: $50.00 for 1-500 square feet, $70.00 for 501-2,000 square feet, and $150.00 for over 2,000 square feet, per Sec. 18-123(c) of the Code of Ordinances. Most whole-house re-roofs land in the $150.00 tier. Texas adds no state levy and the re-roofing line prints no surcharge.
No. Brownsville prices by total roof square footage in three brackets, not per 100-square-foot roofing "square" and not as a single flat fee. Once your roof area crosses 500 SF or 2,000 SF, the fee steps up to the next bracket and then stays there - a 2,100 SF roof and a 4,000 SF roof both pay $150.00.
The ordinance does not say. Sec. 18-123(c)(16) prints a $50.00 flat plan-checking fee for a single-family or two-family dwelling, but the schedule does not state whether that line attaches to a standalone re-roof permit. Because the code leaves it open, this page does not add it and does not publish an all-in total. Ask the Brownsville building department directly whether the $50.00 plan check applies to your re-roof - if it does, add $50.00 to the tier amount.
Treat them as dated pending confirmation. They come from the Municode-published Brownsville Code of Ordinances, whose code version is current as of January 12, 2026 - but Sec. 18-123's own legislative history ends at Ord. No. 2019-1485-C, effective July 30, 2019. In other words, the published history shows no fee amendment to this section since 2019. Confirm the amounts with the building department before budgeting or filing.
Replacing decking, rafters, or trusses beyond a like-for-like covering replacement may take the job off the re-roofing tiers and onto the exterior alteration/repair line or the general building-permit path. For scope contrast, the same schedule prices exterior alterations and repairs at a $40.00 base plus $15.00 (up to 1,000 SF) or $35.00 (over 1,000 SF). The ordinance does not define exactly where the boundary sits, so confirm the classification with the department before budgeting.
Sec. 18-123(c)(14) doubles the fee when work is started before the permit is obtained. On a top-tier re-roof that turns a $150.00 permit into $300.00. Pull the permit before the crew starts tear-off.
No. Texas imposes no statewide percentage building-permit levy - unlike Virginia's 2% USBC surcharge - and the Brownsville re-roofing line prints no city percentage surcharge either. What is not covered here are separate schedules: electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and gas fees in other Chapter 18 articles, capital recovery and impact fees in Chapter 9, and certificate of occupancy fees at Sec. 18-124.
Laredo charges a flat $50.00 re-roof permit plus a printed $34.00 residential plan check, for an $84.00 all-in total that does not vary with roof size. Brownsville instead steps from $50.00 to $70.00 to $150.00 as roof area grows, so a large Brownsville roof costs more than a large Laredo roof while a small one is comparable. The two are not measured the same way - Laredo's plan-check applicability is printed, Brownsville's is not. See all Brownsville permit fees for the full schedule.

Who to Contact

Department City of Brownsville - Building Department (Cameron County)
What to confirm Current re-roofing tier amounts, and whether the $50.00 residential plan-checking fee applies to a standalone re-roof permit
Fee schedule Code of Ordinances, Sec. 18-123 Schedule of Permit Fees

Sources

Official Sources - Recorded July 2026
  • City of Brownsville - Code of Ordinances, Ch. 18, Art. III, Sec. 18-123 "Amendments, Schedule of permit fees" Brownsville, TX - official codified ordinance on the Municode code library. Primary source for the $50.00 / $70.00 / $150.00 re-roofing tiers, the $50.00 residential plan-checking line, the exterior alteration and window-replacement lines, and the double-fee rule. Effective date of the governing ordinance: July 30, 2019 (Ord. No. 2019-1485-C). Code version current as of January 12, 2026. Captured July 2026 source age - legislative history ends 2019, verify 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.
Always verify current re-roofing permit fees directly with the City of Brownsville Building Department before budgeting or filing. The figures on this page come from Sec. 18-123 of the Code of Ordinances, whose legislative history ends at Ord. No. 2019-1485-C, effective July 30, 2019, even though the Municode code version is current as of January 12, 2026. Two things the ordinance does not settle: whether the $50.00 residential plan-checking fee attaches to a standalone re-roof permit, and where the boundary sits between a like-for-like re-roof and structural work that reclassifies onto the exterior-alteration or building-permit path. Confirm both with the department before submitting an application.
Disclaimer: All fee information on PermitPrice is for informational purposes only and is not an official permit quotation. Actual permit fees are determined by the City of Brownsville Building Department at the time of application. The $50.00 (1-500 SF), $70.00 (501-2,000 SF), and $150.00 (over 2,000 SF) re-roofing tiers are exact from the codified Sec. 18-123(c) schedule, whose legislative history ends at a July 30, 2019 ordinance - treat the amounts as dated pending confirmation. No all-in total is published on this page because the ordinance does not state whether the $50.00 residential plan-checking fee applies to a standalone re-roof permit. Structural roof work may be classified and priced differently and is not estimated here. Roofing material and labor costs, electrical/mechanical/plumbing/gas trade permit fees, capital recovery and impact fees, certificate of occupancy fees, rooftop solar, insurance claims, and HOA approvals are all excluded from the figures on this page. Verify all fees directly with the department before filing.

Written by: Munib Ur Rehman

Data verified against official fee schedule documents.