Plano, TX Building Permit Fees (2026)
Actual residential building permit fee formulas from the official City of Plano Building Inspections Department Fee Schedule (Ordinance No. 2025-11-4), the current adopted schedule that repealed the prior 2020 ordinance. Plano is a northern Dallas-Fort Worth suburb in Collin County. Verified directly against the published city schedule.
This page covers: The residential building permit fees in Plano - $0.48 per square foot under roof for new single-family construction and residential additions and alterations ($40 minimum) - plus the flat residential fees (in-ground pool $300, above-ground pool $55, in-ground spa $150, fence or retaining wall $75, accessory structure under 400 sq ft $75, photovoltaic solar $150, re-roof $75, and residential demolition $100), and the related plan-review and plumbing-certificate lines. Each figure is exact from the published Ordinance 2025-11-4 schedule.
Trade permits are SEPARATE: Each trade in an addition (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) is $0.01 per square foot with a $45 minimum each. Standalone trade permits and per-trade minimums are charged separately from the building permit.
A plan-review deposit is applied to the total: The residential plan-review deposit is 65% of the building permit fee - non-refundable and applied to the total. A new home carries a flat $80 plan review and a $75 plumbing certificate; an addition or alteration uses a $45 plan review and a $40 minimum permit.
Texas has no statewide levy: Unlike Virginia or Maryland, Texas adds no statewide percentage building-permit levy, and Plano adds no technology or automation surcharge. The only routine line-item add-on is a $10 Day Laborer Fee applied to specific permit types (fences, pools, spas, irrigation), already folded into the flat figures above where it applies.
This page does NOT cover: Impact and development fees, zoning and planning application fees, water and sewer tap and meter fees (a separate schedule), and right-of-way and engineering fees - all excluded from every figure on this page.
Plano prices a new single-family home at $0.48 per square foot under roof - a 2,500 sq ft home is $1,200.00 for the building permit, plus an $80 plan-review fee and a $75 plumbing certificate, for $1,355.00 all in. Most other residential projects carry flat fees: an in-ground pool is $300, a fence $75, solar $150, a re-roof $75, and a residential demolition $100. Texas has no statewide levy, and Plano adds no technology surcharge.
- New single-family homes and residential additions are priced at a flat $0.48 per square foot under roof; a 2,500 sq ft home is $1,200 for the building permit.
- A new home also carries an $80 plan-review fee and a $75 plumbing certificate; an addition or alteration uses a $45 plan review and a $40 minimum permit.
- Many projects are flat: in-ground pool $300, above-ground pool $55, in-ground spa $150, fence or retaining wall $75, accessory structure under 400 sq ft $75, re-roof $75, solar $150, residential demolition $100.
- A $10 Day Laborer Fee is added line-by-line to specific permits (fences, irrigation, spas, pools) - it is already included in the flat figures above where it applies. There is no Texas statewide levy and no Plano technology surcharge.
- A general building permit routed to the valuation table (Table 1) starts at a $24 minimum and rises with declared value; the residential plan-review deposit is 65% of the building permit fee.
Plano Building Permit Fee Structure
New single-family homes and residential additions use a simple per-square-foot rate. A general building permit that is not a new home or a flat-fee project is routed instead to the Table 1 valuation schedule. Small residential projects - pools, fences, solar, re-roofs, demolition - are flat fees. The tables below show the verified figures exactly as published in the Ordinance 2025-11-4 schedule.
New single-family and additions (per square foot)
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| New single-family residence | $0.48 / sq ft under roof |
| New-home plan review | $80.00 |
| New-home plumbing certificate | $75.00 |
| Residential addition / alteration | $0.48 / sq ft, $40 minimum |
| Addition / alteration plan review | $45.00 |
| Each trade in an addition (E / P / M) | $0.01 / sq ft, $45 min each |
The residential plan-review deposit is 65% of the building permit fee (non-refundable, applied to the total). Plano adds no technology or automation surcharge, and Texas has no statewide levy.
General building permit (Table 1 valuation)
| Declared value | Permit fee formula |
|---|---|
| $1 - $500 | $24 |
| $501 - $2,000 | $24 + $3.00 per $100 over $500 |
| $2,001 - $25,000 | $130 + $9.99 per $1,000 over $2,000 |
| $25,001 - $50,000 | $360 + $8.13 per $1,000 over $25,000 |
| $50,001 - $100,000 | $563 + $4.54 per $1,000 over $50,000 |
| $100,001 - $500,000 | $790 + $3.43 per $1,000 over $100,000 |
Flat residential permit fees
| Permit | All-in fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| In-ground swimming pool | $300.00 | $290 permit + $10 Day Laborer Fee |
| Above-ground swimming pool | $55.00 | $45 permit + $10 Day Laborer Fee |
| In-ground spa | $150.00 | Includes Day Laborer Fee where it applies |
| Fence / retaining wall (residential) | $75.00 | $65 permit + $10 Day Laborer Fee |
| Accessory structure under 400 sq ft | $75.00 | Sheds and similar small structures |
| Photovoltaic solar (residential) | $150.00 | Rooftop residential system |
| Re-roof (residential) | $75.00 | Residential roof replacement |
| Residential demolition | $100.00 | Per structure |
Where a $10 Day Laborer Fee applies, it is already included in the flat total shown. These line items are printed as standalone amounts on the Ordinance 2025-11-4 schedule.
Plano Permit Fee Components
A Plano building permit total stacks a few separate components: the building permit fee (per square foot, flat, or Table 1 valuation), the plan-review line, and - on a new home - the plumbing certificate. Impact, development, and tap fees sit outside this stack entirely.
| Component | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit fee | $0.48/SF (new/addition), Table 1 valuation, or flat fee | Exact schedule figure |
| Plan review | $80 new home / $45 addition; general = 65% deposit | Separate line; deposit applied to the total |
| Plumbing certificate (new home) | $75.00 | New single-family construction |
| Day Laborer Fee | $10.00 | Line-by-line on specific permits (already folded into flat figures) |
| Trade permits (in an addition) | $0.01/SF, $45 min each | Separate - priced and paid on their own |
| Impact / development / tap & meter fees | Separate schedules | Excluded - can far exceed the building permit on a new home |
The only routine add-on to a Plano permit is the $10 Day Laborer Fee on specific permit types - there is no percentage surcharge, and Texas has no statewide building-permit levy. Impact and development fees, water and sewer tap and meter fees, zoning review, and standalone trade permits are billed separately from the figures on this page.
Worked Examples
Every figure below is direct arithmetic from the published Ordinance 2025-11-4 schedule; each total is the arithmetic result of those verified inputs.
Example 1: New 2,500 SF Single-Family Home
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | 2,500 SF × $0.48 | $1,200.00 |
| Plan-review fee | flat, new home | $80.00 |
| Plumbing certificate | flat, new home | $75.00 |
| New-home permit total (exact) | $1,200 + $80 + $75 | $1,355.00 |
Assumptions: 2,500 SF home. Building permit $0.48/SF = $1,200, plus the $80 plan-review fee and the $75 plumbing certificate = exactly $1,355.00 - an exact schedule figure. This is the city permit, plan review, and plumbing certificate only. It excludes impact and development fees, water and sewer tap and meter fees, zoning review, and any other standalone trade permits - all billed separately. Source: City of Plano Building Inspections Department Fee Schedule (Ordinance No. 2025-11-4).
Example 2: Flat-Fee Projects - Pool, Fence, Solar
| Project | Composition | All-in Total |
|---|---|---|
| In-ground swimming pool | $290 + $10 Day Laborer | $300.00 |
| Fence / retaining wall | $65 + $10 Day Laborer | $75.00 |
| Photovoltaic solar | flat residential | $150.00 |
Assumptions: Each of these is a flat permit fee, so the all-in is exact: pool $300.00 ($290 permit plus the $10 Day Laborer Fee), fence $75.00 ($65 plus $10), solar $150.00. An above-ground pool is $55 and an in-ground spa is $150. See the Plano pool permit guide for the full breakdown. Source: City of Plano Building Inspections Department Fee Schedule (Ordinance No. 2025-11-4).
Example 3: 400 SF Residential Addition
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Addition permit | 400 SF × $0.48 ($40 min) | $192.00 |
| Plan-review fee | flat, addition / alteration | $45.00 |
| Addition permit subtotal (exact) | $192 + $45 | $237.00 |
Assumptions: A residential addition bills at $0.48/sq ft (with a $40 minimum). 400 SF × $0.48 = $192, plus the $45 addition plan review = $237.00 for the building side. Each trade added to the addition (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) is a separate permit at $0.01/sq ft with a $45 minimum each, so a single added trade would add $45. Source: City of Plano Building Inspections Department Fee Schedule (Ordinance No. 2025-11-4).
Example 4: General Permit by Valuation ($10,000 project)
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tier base ($2,001 - $25,000) | flat tier base | $130.00 |
| Value over $2,000 | 8 × $9.99 per $1,000 | $79.92 |
| Building permit (exact) | $130 + $79.92 | $209.92 |
Assumptions: A general building permit that is neither a new home nor a listed flat-fee project is priced off Table 1 by declared construction value. For a $10,000 project, the $2,001-$25,000 tier is $130 + $9.99 per $1,000 over $2,000: $130 + (8 × $9.99) = $209.92. The residential plan-review deposit (65% of the building permit fee) is applied to the total, not added on top. Source: City of Plano Building Inspections Department Fee Schedule (Ordinance No. 2025-11-4).
Read before you budget from these examples
- New-home and flat-fee totals are exact: the $1,355 new-home total and the $300 pool, $75 fence, and $150 solar figures are exact schedule figures, not estimates.
- Trades are separate: in an addition, each trade (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) is a separate permit at $0.01/sq ft with a $45 minimum each, on top of the building permit.
- The Day Laborer Fee is the only routine add-on: a $10 Day Laborer Fee applies line-by-line to specific permits and is already folded into the flat figures where it applies. Texas has no statewide levy and Plano adds no technology surcharge.
- Routing changes the price: a project that is neither a new home nor a listed flat-fee item is priced off Table 1 by declared value, starting at a $24 minimum.
- Excluded fees can dwarf the permit: impact and development fees, water and sewer tap and meter fees, and zoning review are separate and not in any total above.
Practitioner Insight
Plano keeps its residential permit math unusually clean: new homes and additions use one $0.48/sq ft rate, and most small projects - pool, fence, solar, re-roof, demolition - are single flat fees. A 2,500 sq ft new home's building permit is exactly $1,200; with the $80 plan review and $75 plumbing certificate it is $1,355 all in. No technology surcharge and no Texas statewide levy stack on top. For how Plano lines up against neighboring metroplex cities, see Dallas vs Plano and Denton vs Plano.
The one place to watch is routing. A project that is neither a new home nor a listed flat-fee item is priced off the Table 1 valuation schedule, where the fee tracks declared construction value from a $24 minimum upward - so two similar jobs can price very differently depending on how they are categorized. The $10 Day Laborer Fee is folded into the flat figures where it applies (fences, pools, spas, irrigation). Anyone budgeting a full build should price the excluded items early: impact and development fees, water and sewer tap and meter fees, and zoning review are separate schedules and can exceed the building permit itself.
Permit Requirements - Common Residential Projects in Plano
| Project Type | Permit Required? | Fee Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New single-family home | Yes | $0.48/SF under roof | 2,500 SF = $1,200 building line; + $80 review + $75 plumbing cert |
| Addition / alteration | Yes | $0.48/SF, $40 min | $45 plan review; trades $0.01/SF, $45 min each |
| In-ground swimming pool | Yes | $300 flat | Includes $10 Day Laborer Fee; pool electrical separate |
| Above-ground pool | Yes | $55 flat | Includes $10 Day Laborer Fee |
| In-ground spa | Yes | $150 flat | Residential |
| Fence / retaining wall | Yes | $75 flat | Includes $10 Day Laborer Fee |
| Accessory structure under 400 sq ft | Yes | $75 flat | Sheds and similar small structures |
| Photovoltaic solar | Yes | $150 flat | Rooftop residential system |
| Re-roof | Yes | $75 flat | Residential roof replacement |
| Demolition (residential) | Yes | $100 flat | Per structure |
| General building permit (other) | Yes | Table 1 valuation | $24 minimum; rises with declared value |
Permit trigger thresholds and chargeable-area determinations (which square footage counts for garages, porches, and covered areas) are set by the City of Plano Building Inspections Department. When uncertain whether a permit is required, contact the department before starting work.
City of Plano Building Inspections Department
Building Inspections Department
Plano Municipal Center, 1520 Avenue K, Suite 140, Plano, TX 75074
Phone: 972-941-7140
Online permitting portal: TRAKiT
Fee Schedule, Exhibit "A" (Ordinance 2025-11-4)
Adopted November 2025 · repeals Ordinance 2020-3-6
When This Estimate May Not Apply
Your project is routed to the Table 1 valuation schedule
A project that is neither a new home nor a listed flat-fee line is priced off Table 1 - the fee then depends on declared construction value, starting at a $24 minimum and rising by tier.
Your project triggers impact, tap, or zoning fees
Impact and development fees, water and sewer tap and meter fees, and zoning review are all billed separately from the permit and are not in any total on this page.
Your scope adds trade permits beyond the bundled lines
Each trade added to an addition (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) is a separate permit at $0.01/sq ft with a $45 minimum each, on top of the building permit.
The schedule is amended after Ordinance 2025-11-4
We use the current adopted ordinance, which expressly repealed the prior 2020-3-6 schedule. Always check for a newer schedule before filing.
Source note: Plano's ordinance number 2025-11-4 encodes the adoption year and month (November 2025); the exact effective day appears on a page of the ordinance with no machine-readable text layer, so we record the effective date at the month level (November 2025). The ordinance expressly repeals the prior 2020-3-6 schedule, confirming it is current. The $10 Day Laborer Fee is added line-by-line to specific permit types and is folded into the flat figures shown here where it applies. Verified June 10, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
-
City of Plano - Permit Application Fees Plano, TX - Building Inspections Department Fee Schedule, Exhibit "A", Ordinance No. 2025-11-4 (repeals Ordinance 2020-3-6). Primary source for every per-square-foot rate, flat fee, valuation tier, plan-review line, and Day Laborer Fee on this page. Adopted November 2025; verified June 10, 2026 Verified
See how Plano's flat-fee structure compares to nearby Dallas-Fort Worth cities, or estimate fees in covered jurisdictions.
Permit Fees Are One Part of Your Project Budget
Once you know your Plano 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 with your local appraisal district. See how Texas jurisdictions calculate the ongoing property tax impact at CountyTaxTools.com.
Impact, development, and site fees for larger projects
Impact and development fees, water and sewer tap and meter fees, and zoning review in Plano are separate from the building permit. Research zoning and site costs at ZoneFee.com.