Arlington, TX Building Permit Cost (2026)
Actual residential building permit fees from the City of Arlington Planning and Development Services Fee Schedule, effective September 1, 2025 (Resolution No. 25-213, Exhibit A) - a current schedule. Arlington sits in Tarrant County between Dallas and Fort Worth in the DFW metroplex. Verified directly against the published city fee schedule.
This page covers: The residential building permit fees in Arlington for one- and two-family homes. Arlington's Table 2 prices new construction, additions, alterations, garage conversions, and remodel & repairs on a tiered per-square-foot rate applied as a flat rate by bracket to the full square footage - $0.80/sq ft up to 1,200 sq ft, $0.64/sq ft from 1,201 to 2,000 sq ft, and $0.53/sq ft at 2,001 sq ft and above - plus the city's flat residential fees (deck/patio cover $225, reroof $275, solar panel $275, in-ground pool $275, above-ground pool $125, foundation repair $150, fence $25, and more) and demolition at $200 per building. Each figure is exact from the published fee schedule.
Trade permits are SEPARATE: Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits taken with a building permit are priced separately at $100 each per trade. They are added to the Table 2 building fee, not bundled into the per-square-foot rate. A new home built by a general contractor typically draws all three trade permits on top of the building permit ($300 total).
Additions and alterations carry a $225 minimum: Residential additions, alterations, remodels, and garage conversions use the same Table 2 per-square-foot rate but are subject to a $225.00 minimum permit fee, so small jobs bill at the minimum rather than the computed amount.
Plan review is conditional: A non-refundable City plan-review fee (valuation-tiered, starting at $150) applies ONLY when the plans are not reviewed by an approved third-party organization (TPO) and must instead be reviewed by City staff. It is not part of the headline building-permit worked examples on this page and is disclosed separately as conditional.
Texas has no statewide levy, and Arlington adds no surcharge: Unlike Virginia or Maryland, Texas adds no statewide percentage building-permit levy, and Arlington charges no technology fee and no percentage or automation surcharge.
This page does NOT cover: Zoning, platting, and Unified Development Code fees; impact fees; the separate fire permit; the separate irrigation permit ($125 residential potable); business registration; and any third-party plan-review (TPO) cost paid to the TPO rather than the city - all excluded from every figure on this page.
A new 1,500 sq ft Arlington home's building permit is about $960 (1,500 × $0.64 per square foot, the 1,201-2,000 sq ft bracket) plus $300 in separate electrical, mechanical, and plumbing trade permits ($100 each) - about $1,260 all-in on the building side. Arlington's per-square-foot rate is applied flat by bracket to the full square footage, not marginally: $0.80/sq ft up to 1,200 sq ft, $0.64/sq ft from 1,201-2,000, and $0.53/sq ft at 2,001+. Flat permits run $25 to $275 (deck/patio cover $225, reroof $275, solar $275, in-ground pool $275), and demolition is $200 per building. Arlington adds no technology fee or percentage surcharge, and Texas has no statewide permit levy.
- New one- and two-family homes use Arlington's Table 2 tiered per-square-foot rate applied as a flat rate by bracket to the full square footage: $0.80/sq ft up to 1,200 sq ft, $0.64/sq ft from 1,201-2,000 sq ft, and $0.53/sq ft at 2,001 sq ft and above. A 1,500 sq ft home computes to 1,500 × $0.64 = $960.00 for the building permit.
- Trade permits are separate line items: an electrical, mechanical, or plumbing permit taken with a building permit is $100 each, added on top of the Table 2 building fee - not bundled into the per-square-foot rate. A new home that draws all three trades adds $300.
- Residential additions, alterations, remodels, and garage conversions carry a $225.00 minimum permit fee, so small jobs bill at the minimum. A 400 sq ft addition computes to 400 × $0.80 = $320, which is above the minimum.
- Common flat residential fees: deck / patio cover / screened porch / gazebo $225, reroof $275, solar panel $275, in-ground swimming pool $275 (spa included), above-ground pool $125, foundation repair $150, portable storage/accessory building 320 sq ft or less $25, residential-lot fence $25, pool barrier fence $25, window/door replacement (2 or more) $100, and demolition $200 per building.
- A City plan-review fee (valuation-tiered, starting at $150) is conditional: it applies only when plans are not reviewed by an approved third-party organization (TPO) and must be reviewed by City staff. It is disclosed separately and is not added into the headline worked examples on this page.
- The fees come from the City of Arlington Planning and Development Services Fee Schedule, effective September 1, 2025 (Resolution No. 25-213, Exhibit A) - a current schedule. Texas has no statewide levy and Arlington adds no technology surcharge. The schedule prints the Table 2 rates using the word "cents," but the only internally consistent reading is dollars per square foot - see the note below the fee table.
Arlington Building Permit Fee Structure
Arlington prices one- and two-family residential building permits on a tiered per-square-foot scale (Table 2), applied as a flat rate by bracket to the full square footage, and prices trades and common small jobs as flat fees. There is no technology fee and no percentage surcharge. The tables below show the verified figures exactly as published in the fee schedule effective September 1, 2025.
Table 2 - one- and two-family per-square-foot building rates
| Total square footage | Rate (flat by bracket) |
|---|---|
| 0 - 1,200 sq ft | $0.80 / sq ft |
| 1,201 - 2,000 sq ft | $0.64 / sq ft |
| 2,001 sq ft and above | $0.53 / sq ft |
| Additions / alterations / remodels / garage conversions minimum | $225.00 min |
Flat-by-bracket, not marginal: the bracket rate is applied to the entire square footage, not marginally. A 1,500 sq ft home falls in the 1,201-2,000 bracket, so the whole 1,500 sq ft bills at $0.64/sq ft = $960 (the fee schedule's own worked example confirms this reading). Table 2 covers new construction, additions, alterations, garage conversions, and remodel & repairs for one- and two-family residential.
Source unit-wording note: Table 2 prints these rates as "0.80 cents / 0.64 cents / 0.53 cents per square feet," but the only internally consistent reading is dollars per square foot ($0.80 / $0.64 / $0.53 per sq ft). The word "cents" is a typo in the source: at 0.64 cents per sq ft a 1,500 sq ft home would bill about $10, which is impossible against the schedule's own $225 minimum on lesser work, whereas $0.64/sq ft = $960 is consistent with those minimums and the schedule's own example. This page uses the dollar interpretation and notes the source's exact wording.
Trade permits with a building permit (per trade)
| Trade permit type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical permit (with building permit) | $100.00 |
| Mechanical permit (with building permit) | $100.00 |
| Plumbing permit (with building permit) | $100.00 |
Each trade permit is a separate flat fee added to the Table 2 building fee. A full new-home package that draws electrical, mechanical, and plumbing adds 3 × $100 = $300. Standalone (not associated with a building permit) trade permits use a $100 base fee plus itemized component fees, set by the department.
Flat residential permit fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Patio cover / screened porch / gazebo / deck | $225.00 |
| Reroof | $275.00 |
| Solar panel | $275.00 |
| Swimming pool, in-ground (spa included) | $275.00 |
| Swimming pool, above-ground | $125.00 |
| Spa, gunite in-ground | $35.00 |
| Spa, storable | $25.00 |
| Foundation repair | $150.00 |
| Portable storage / accessory building 320 sq ft or less | $25.00 |
| Fence (residential lot) | $25.00 |
| Swimming pool barrier fence | $25.00 |
| Window / door replacement (2 or more) | $100.00 |
| Temporary construction sales office | $75.00 |
| Demolition (per building) | $200.00 |
Flat fees are exact and carry no surcharge. The in-ground pool fee ($275) includes the spa. Permanent storage/accessory buildings over 320 sq ft, detached garages, retaining walls, and boat docks are priced by valuation (Table 1) rather than as a flat fee, and commercial or multi-family work is valuation-based - both are set by the department and outside the one- and two-family scope of this page.
Arlington Permit Fee Components
An Arlington one- and two-family building permit total stacks a few separate components: the Table 2 per-square-foot building permit fee, any separately priced trade permits, and - only when City staff (not a third-party organization) review the plans - a conditional plan-review fee. There is no technology fee and no percentage surcharge. Impact, zoning, and utility fees sit outside this stack entirely.
| Component | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit fee (Table 2) | $0.80 / $0.64 / $0.53 per SF by bracket, or flat fee | Exact schedule figure |
| Trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) | $100 each | Separate - added to the Table 2 building fee |
| City plan-review fee (conditional) | Valuation-tiered ($150 and up) | Only if plans are reviewed by City staff, not a TPO |
| Technology fee / percentage surcharge | $0.00 | None - Arlington adds no surcharge |
| Impact / zoning / platting / UDC fees | Separate schedules | Excluded - can far exceed the building permit on a new home |
| Fire / irrigation permits | Separate permits | Excluded - irrigation (residential potable) is $125 |
There is no add-on to an Arlington building permit beyond the components above - no percentage surcharge and no statewide Texas levy. The plan-review fee is conditional and only appears when City staff review the plans in place of an approved third-party organization, so it is not folded into the headline worked examples below.
Worked Examples
Every figure below is direct arithmetic from the published fee schedule effective September 1, 2025. Building-permit figures use the Table 2 flat-by-bracket rate on the full square footage; new-home totals add the separate $100 per-trade permits. None of these totals include the conditional City plan-review fee, which applies only when City staff (not a third-party organization) review the plans.
Example 1: New 1,500 SF Single-Family Home
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | 1,500 SF × $0.64 (1,201-2,000 bracket) | $960.00 |
| + Trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) | 3 × $100 | $300.00 |
| Full new-home package | $960 + $300 | $1,260.00 |
Assumptions: 1,500 SF home. The whole 1,500 sq ft bills at the 1,201-2,000 bracket rate of $0.64/sq ft (flat by bracket, not marginal), so the building permit is 1,500 × $0.64 = $960.00. Adding the three separate $100 trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) gives $300, for a full package of $1,260.00. This total does not include the conditional City plan-review fee (which applies only when City staff review the plans instead of a TPO), zoning/platting/UDC fees, or impact fees. Source: City of Arlington Fee Schedule, effective Sep 1, 2025 (Res. 25-213).
Example 2: New 2,400 SF Single-Family Home
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | 2,400 SF × $0.53 (2,001+ bracket) | $1,272.00 |
| + Trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) | 3 × $100 | $300.00 |
| Full new-home package | $1,272 + $300 | $1,572.00 |
Assumptions: 2,400 SF home. At 2,001+ sq ft the whole area bills at $0.53/sq ft, so the building permit is 2,400 × $0.53 = $1,272.00. Adding the three separate $100 trade permits gives $300, for a full package of $1,572.00. Note the larger-home discount: the $0.53 rate on 2,400 sq ft ($1,272) is only modestly above the $0.64 rate on 1,500 sq ft ($960) because the top bracket rate is lower. Excludes the conditional plan-review fee, zoning/UDC, and impact fees. Source: City of Arlington Fee Schedule, effective Sep 1, 2025 (Res. 25-213).
Example 3: New 1,000 SF Single-Family Home
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | 1,000 SF × $0.80 (0-1,200 bracket) | $800.00 |
| + Trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing) | 3 × $100 | $300.00 |
| Full new-home package | $800 + $300 | $1,100.00 |
Assumptions: 1,000 SF home. At 1,000 sq ft the home is in the 0-1,200 bracket, so the whole area bills at $0.80/sq ft: 1,000 × $0.80 = $800.00. Adding the three separate $100 trade permits gives $300, for a full package of $1,100.00. The smallest homes carry the highest per-square-foot rate ($0.80), so a compact home is not proportionally the cheapest. Excludes the conditional plan-review fee, zoning/UDC, and impact fees. Source: City of Arlington Fee Schedule, effective Sep 1, 2025 (Res. 25-213).
Example 4: Flat-Fee Projects - Deck, Reroof, Solar, Pool, Demolition
| Project | Rule Applied | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Deck / covered patio | flat | $225.00 |
| Reroof | flat | $275.00 |
| Solar panel | flat | $275.00 |
| In-ground swimming pool (spa incl.) | flat | $275.00 |
| Demolition (per building) | flat | $200.00 |
Assumptions: Each of these is a flat permit fee with no surcharge, so the figures are exact: deck/covered patio $225.00, reroof $275.00, solar $275.00, in-ground pool $275.00 (spa included), demolition $200.00 per building. By contrast, additions bill from Table 2 with a $225 minimum - a 400 sq ft addition computes to 400 × $0.80 = $320.00, above the minimum. Above-ground pools are $125.00. Source: City of Arlington Fee Schedule, effective Sep 1, 2025 (Res. 25-213).
Read before you budget from these examples
- Flat by bracket, not marginal: the whole square footage bills at the single bracket rate, so crossing a bracket boundary changes the rate on the entire home, not just the marginal footage.
- Trades are separate: Arlington prices electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits at $100 each, added on top of the Table 2 building fee - $300 for all three on a new home.
- Plan review is conditional: the City plan-review fee (valuation-tiered, $150 and up) applies only when City staff review the plans in place of an approved third-party organization, so it is not in any headline total above.
- No surcharge: Arlington adds no technology fee and no percentage surcharge, and Texas has no statewide levy.
- Excluded fees can dwarf the permit: zoning/platting/UDC fees, impact fees, and separate fire and irrigation permits are not in any total above; on a new home they can far exceed the building permit.
Practitioner Insight
Arlington's residential permit math has one quirk worth internalizing: the per-square-foot rate is applied flat by bracket, so the rate steps down as the home gets larger ($0.80, then $0.64, then $0.53). A 1,500 sq ft home's building permit is exactly $960, and a much bigger 2,400 sq ft home is only $1,272 - the larger home costs less per square foot. Add the three separate $100 trade permits and a typical new-home package lands around $1,260 for a 1,500 sq ft home. That is broadly in line with the DFW pack: down the freeway, Irving prices a 2,000 sq ft home at $1,000 on the building side ($0.50/sq ft combined), Dallas is about $991 on its per-square-foot scale, and Plano charges $0.48/sq ft plus fixed fees.
The two things to watch are plan review and the excluded site fees. Arlington only charges a City plan-review fee when its own staff review the plans instead of an approved third-party organization (TPO) - many production builders route plans through a TPO and skip the City fee, which is why it is not baked into the numbers here. And on a new home, the zoning, platting, impact, and utility fees that this page excludes can exceed the building permit itself, so price them early. For a deck, reroof, solar, pool, or fence that draws no separate trade permit, the fee is flat and exact.
Permit Requirements - Common Residential Projects in Arlington
| Project Type | Permit Required? | Fee Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New single-family home | Yes | $0.80 / $0.64 / $0.53 per SF by bracket | Trades $100 each separate; 1,500 SF = $960 building |
| Addition / alteration / garage conversion | Yes | Table 2 per SF (min $225) | Same tiered rate as new construction; $225 minimum |
| Deck / patio cover / screened porch | Yes | $225 flat | Gazebo also $225 |
| Swimming pool (in-ground) | Yes | $275 flat | Spa included; above-ground $125; barrier fence $25 |
| Reroof | Yes | $275 flat | One- and two-family |
| Solar panel | Yes | $275 flat | Residential rooftop |
| Fence (residential lot) | Yes | $25 flat | Pool barrier fence also $25 |
| Foundation repair | Yes | $150 flat | Per building |
| Demolition (residential) | Yes | $200 flat | Per building |
| Trade work with a building permit (E / M / P) | Yes | $100 each | Added to the Table 2 building fee |
Permit trigger thresholds and chargeable-area determinations (which square footage counts for garages, porches, and covered patios) are set by the City of Arlington Planning and Development Services department. When uncertain whether a permit is required, contact the department before starting work.
City of Arlington Planning and Development Services
Planning & Development Services
City of Arlington, Tarrant County, Texas
ap.arlingtontx.gov
Confirm counter hours and current phone on the city's Planning & Development Services pages
Fee Schedule (Res. 25-213, Exhibit A)
Effective September 1, 2025
When This Estimate May Not Apply
Your plans are reviewed by City staff, not a TPO
A conditional, valuation-tiered City plan-review fee (starting at $150) applies only when plans are not reviewed by an approved third-party organization and must be reviewed by City staff. If that is your path, add it to the building-permit totals on this page.
Your project has chargeable-area questions
Which square footage counts (garage, porch, covered patio) is a Planning & Development Services determination the schedule does not spell out for the Table 2 rates, so a computed figure can shift once the counted area is set - and crossing a bracket boundary changes the rate on the whole home.
You are building a new home - site fees are separate and large
Zoning, platting, and Unified Development Code fees, impact fees, and water/wastewater tap and meter fees are separate site charges that are NOT in any total here and can far exceed the building permit.
A minimum fee governs your small project
Small additions, alterations, remodels, and garage conversions bill at the $225 minimum, so the computed per-square-foot figure will not apply until the project is large enough to exceed the minimum.
The city amends its fee schedule
Arlington adjusted permit fees in a phased 2025 update; the current schedule is effective September 1, 2025 and can change by a later resolution. Confirm the current schedule before filing.
Source note: All figures come from the City of Arlington Planning and Development Services Fee Schedule, effective September 1, 2025 (Resolution No. 25-213, Exhibit A), a 17-page machine-readable schedule that is part of Arlington's phased 2025 permit-fee adjustments. The live official PDF is served behind a web application firewall that blocks automated tools; the schedule was extracted from the Internet Archive snapshot captured days after the September 1, 2025 effective date, and the effective date is taken from the schedule's own printed heading. The live PDF renders normally in a browser. Table 2 rates are recorded as dollars per square foot despite the source's "cents" wording (see the note below the fee table).
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
-
City of Arlington - Planning and Development Services Fee Schedule (Effective September 1, 2025) Arlington, TX - official fee schedule adopted by Resolution No. 25-213 (Exhibit A). Primary source for every Table 2 per-square-foot rate, flat fee, trade fee, and plan-review tier on this page. Effective September 1, 2025. Verified July 2026 Verified
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City of Arlington - Planning and Development Services / Permit Portal (ap.arlingtontx.gov) City department and online permit portal confirming Planning & Development Services as the permit authority. Verified July 2026.
See how Arlington's tiered per-SF structure compares to nearby DFW cities, or estimate fees in covered jurisdictions.
Permit Fees Are One Part of Your Project Budget
Once you know your Arlington permit cost, two related numbers round out your total budget picture:
Property tax impact after your project closes
A permitted addition or pool increases your assessed value in Tarrant County. See how Texas jurisdictions calculate the ongoing property tax impact at CountyTaxTools.com.
Zoning, impact, and utility fees for larger projects
Zoning, platting, UDC, impact, and water/wastewater tap fees in Arlington are separate from the building permit. Research zoning and site costs at ZoneFee.com.