Temple, TX Building Permit Fees (2026)
Actual residential building permit fees from the City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A). Temple is a Bell County city in Central Texas, between Waco and Austin along the I-35 corridor. Verified directly against the city's published fee schedule. Because the schedule carries no printed effective date, confirm current amounts with the Temple Permit Office before budgeting.
This page covers: The residential building permit fees in Temple. New single-family and duplex construction is priced per square foot at $0.135 per square foot, calculated on the total square footage under roof. A distinctive feature of the Temple schedule is that this per-square-foot fee includes permits for the structure, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, flatwork, certificate of occupancy, and plan review - so a new-home figure is genuinely all-in. Residential remodels, alterations, additions, and finish-outs instead use flat base fees: a $70.00 building permit plus $55.00 for each trade (electrical, mechanical, or plumbing). Flat miscellaneous fees include an in-ground pool or spa at $110.00, a fence at $35.00, a residential roof at $35.00, a deck or patio at $35.00, and a solar panel permit at $35.00. Each figure is exact from the City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A).
Important note on fee schedule age: The Temple Permit Fee Schedule is headed "Exhibit A" - an exhibit to a City Council fee resolution - and carries no printed effective or revision date. It is the current schedule posted on the city's live Building Permits & Inspections pages. Because no date is printed, treat the figures as the current published amounts and confirm them, along with the adopting resolution date, with the Temple Permit Office (254-298-5640) before relying on any number.
New construction is all-in: Per the schedule's own note, the $0.135 per square foot new-residential fee includes the structure, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, flatwork, certificate of occupancy, and plan review. It does NOT include permits for fences, storage buildings, accessory structures, lawn irrigation, or swimming pools - those carry their own separate flat fees.
Texas has no statewide levy: Texas adds no statewide percentage building-permit levy, and Temple adds no residential percentage surcharge on top of the per-square-foot building permit.
This page does NOT cover: Water and sewer tap fees (a Tap Administration Fee of $30.00 plus utility charges), impact fees, and fire-permit fees (a separate section) - all excluded from every residential figure on this page. Commercial construction, which is valuation- or per-square-foot-plus-base-fee based, is also outside the scope of the residential figures here.
In Temple, TX a new-construction building permit is $0.135 per square foot of total area under roof, and that fee includes the structure, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, flatwork, certificate of occupancy, and plan review together - so a 2,000 sq ft home is a $270.00 all-in building permit. That is one of the lowest per-square-foot new-construction rates in Texas. A residential remodel is a flat $70 building permit plus $55.00 per trade. Flat fees include an in-ground pool or spa at $110, and a fence, deck, roof, or solar panel permit at $35.00 each. Texas has no statewide levy, and the published schedule carries no printed effective date - verify current amounts.
- New single-family and duplex construction in Temple is $0.135 per square foot on the total area under roof - one of the lowest per-square-foot new-construction rates in the Texas set. A 2,000 sq ft home is a $270.00 all-in building permit (2,000 × $0.135 = $270).
- The $0.135 per square foot fee is genuinely all-in: per the schedule it includes the structure, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, flatwork, certificate of occupancy, and plan review. You do not add separate trade or plan-review permits on a new home.
- Residential remodels, alterations, additions, and finish-outs use flat base fees instead of a per-square-foot rate: a $70.00 building permit, plus $55.00 each for electrical, mechanical, or plumbing, and a $55.00 plan-review-only option. A remodel needing one trade permit is $70.00 + $55.00 = $125.00.
- Flat miscellaneous fees are simple and low: an in-ground pool or spa is $110.00 (above-ground $35.00), a fence is $35.00, a residential roof is $35.00, a deck or patio is $35.00, a solar panel permit is $35.00, and a demolition is $55.00. Lawn irrigation and a sign/billboard are each $110.00.
- The fees come from the City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A), which carries no printed effective date - so confirm current amounts with the Temple Permit Office (254-298-5640). Water/sewer taps, impact fees, and fire permits are separate and NOT included. Texas has no statewide levy.
Temple Building Permit Fee Structure
Temple prices new single-family and duplex construction per square foot with the fee including all trades and plan review, and uses flat base fees for remodels and miscellaneous work. There is no residential percentage surcharge and no statewide Texas levy. The tables below show the verified figures exactly as published in the City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A).
New construction & remodels (building permit)
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| New single-family & duplex construction - building permit | $0.135 / sq ft (total area under roof) |
| What the per-square-foot fee includes | Structure, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, flatwork, CO & plan review |
| Residential remodel / alteration / addition / finish-out - building | $70.00 base |
| Remodel electrical permit | $55.00 |
| Remodel mechanical permit | $55.00 |
| Remodel plumbing permit | $55.00 |
| Plan review only | $55.00 |
| Any other permit / minimum | $50.00 |
The $0.135 per square foot new-construction fee is stated to include the structure, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, flatwork, certificate of occupancy, and plan review, so it is genuinely all-in - a new home does not add separate trade or plan-review permits. Remodels instead use flat base fees per trade. Confirm the project classification (new construction vs. remodel) with the Permit Office before budgeting.
Flat miscellaneous fees
| Permit / fee | Fee |
|---|---|
| In-ground pool or spa | $110.00 |
| Above-ground pool or spa | $35.00 |
| Fence | $35.00 |
| Residential roof | $35.00 |
| Carport / shed / deck / patio | $35.00 |
| Accessory structure | $35.00 |
| Solar panel | $35.00 |
| Flatwork / driveway / paving | $35.00 |
| Retaining wall | $35.00 |
| Temporary pole | $35.00 |
| Demolition | $55.00 |
| House moving | $55.00 |
| Lawn irrigation | $110.00 |
| Manufactured home set-up | $110.00 |
| Sign or billboard | $110.00 |
| Working without a permit | $50.00 + doubling of permit fees |
These flat fees are separate from the all-in new-construction fee: fences, storage buildings, accessory structures, lawn irrigation, and pools each carry their own permit even on a new build. Contractor registration is $80.00 annually, and re-inspections after the third are $50.00.
Temple Permit Fee Components
A Temple residential project is either a per-square-foot new-construction permit that bundles all trades and plan review, or a flat-fee remodel/miscellaneous permit. There is no residential percentage surcharge and no statewide Texas levy.
| Component | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| New-construction building permit | $0.135 / sq ft | Includes structure, E/M/P, flatwork, CO & plan review |
| Remodel building permit | $70.00 base | Flat; + $55.00 each trade as needed |
| Plan review | Included (new) / $55 (remodel) | Bundled on new construction; flat option on remodels |
| Residential percentage surcharge / state levy | $0.00 | None - Texas has no statewide levy; Temple adds no residential surcharge |
| Pools, fences, accessory structures | Separate flat fees | Not included in the all-in new-construction fee |
| Impact / water & sewer tap fees | Separate schedules | Excluded - can far exceed the building permit on a new home |
For a flat-fee project - a pool ($110.00 in-ground) or a fence ($35.00) - the printed fee is the whole building-permit cost. For new construction, the $0.135 per square foot fee already covers all trades and plan review; add only the separate flat fees for a pool, fence, or accessory structure if the project includes them, and confirm current amounts with the Permit Office.
Worked Examples
Every figure below is direct from the City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A). Because the new-construction fee bundles all trades and plan review, the new-home example states a single all-in building-permit figure. Impact fees and utility taps are separate and not included.
Example 1: New 2,000 SF Home (all-in building permit)
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New-construction building permit | 2,000 SF × $0.135 | $270.00 |
| Building permit total (exact, all-in) | $0.135/SF, incl. all trades + plan review | $270.00 |
Assumptions: New single-family construction is $0.135 per square foot on the total area under roof, and that fee includes the structure, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, flatwork, certificate of occupancy, and plan review. A 2,000 sq ft home computes to exactly $270.00 (2,000 × $0.135 = $270). Because all trades and plan review are bundled, no separate trade permit is added - a pool, fence, or accessory structure would each carry its own separate flat fee. Source: City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A).
Example 2: Residential Remodel with One Trade
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Remodel building permit | flat base | $70.00 |
| Electrical permit | flat | $55.00 |
| Remodel total (exact) | $70 building + $55 electrical | $125.00 |
Assumptions: A residential remodel is a flat $70.00 building permit, plus $55.00 for each trade permit the work requires. A remodel that adds an electrical permit is $70.00 + $55.00 = $125.00; adding mechanical and plumbing would be $55.00 each more. A plan-review-only submittal is $55.00. Source: City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A).
Example 3: In-Ground Pool
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| In-ground pool or spa permit | flat | $110.00 |
| Pool permit total (exact) | flat fee | $110.00 |
Assumptions: An in-ground pool or spa permit is a flat $110.00 (an above-ground pool or spa is $35.00). A pool is a separate permit even on a new-construction lot - it is not included in the all-in $0.135 per square foot new-home fee. Source: City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A).
Example 4: Fence, Roof & Solar Permits
| Project | Rule Applied | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Fence | flat | $35.00 |
| Residential roof | flat | $35.00 |
| Solar panel | flat | $35.00 |
Assumptions: Each of these is a flat $35.00 permit with no residential surcharge, so the figures are exact: fence $35.00, residential roof $35.00, and solar panel $35.00. A deck or patio is also $35.00, and a demolition is $55.00. Source: City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A).
Read before you budget from these examples
- Source age: the schedule (Exhibit A) carries no printed effective date. It is the current published version; confirm current amounts and the adopting resolution date with the Permit Office before relying on any figure.
- New construction is all-in: the $270 figure already includes the structure, all trades, flatwork, certificate of occupancy, and plan review - you do not add separate trade or plan-review permits.
- Separate items on a new build: a pool, fence, storage building, accessory structure, or lawn irrigation each carries its own flat fee even on new construction.
- Flat fees are the whole permit cost: for a fence ($35), roof ($35), solar ($35), or pool ($110 in-ground), the printed fee is the entire building-permit charge with no surcharge.
- Excluded fees can dwarf the permit: impact fees, water/sewer taps (a $30 Tap Administration Fee plus utility charges), and fire permits are separate and not in any figure above.
Practitioner Insight
Temple runs one of the leanest new-construction schedules in Texas: at $0.135 per square foot - all-in for the structure, all trades, flatwork, certificate of occupancy, and plan review - a 2,000 sq ft home is a $270 building permit with nothing to add. That is dramatically lower than most Central Texas peers. Compare Temple's neighbor Killeen or nearby Waco, which price new construction on higher per-square-foot or base-plus scales.
Two cautions. First, the schedule is an "Exhibit A" to a City Council fee resolution and prints no effective date, so it is worth a quick call to the Permit Office (254-298-5640) to confirm the amounts and the adopting date before you file. Second, the all-in per-square-foot fee is genuinely all-in for the house itself, but a pool, fence, storage building, or lawn irrigation each still carries its own separate flat fee - so a new build with a pool is $270 for the house plus $110 for the pool. Remodels drop out of the per-square-foot model entirely and bill as flat base fees ($70 building plus $55 per trade).
Permit Requirements - Common Residential Projects in Temple
| Project Type | Permit Required? | Fee Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New single-family home | Yes | $0.135/SF all-in | Includes all trades + plan review; 2,000 SF = $270 |
| Remodel / addition / finish-out | Yes | $70 + $55/trade | Flat base fees, not per-SF |
| In-ground pool or spa | Yes | $110 flat | Above-ground pool/spa $35; separate on new builds |
| Fence | Yes | $35 flat | Separate from the all-in new-home fee |
| Re-roof | Yes | $35 flat | Residential roof |
| Solar panels | Yes | $35 flat | Flat solar panel permit |
| Deck / patio / carport | Yes | $35 flat | Same flat category |
| Demolition | Yes | $55 flat | House moving also $55 |
Permit trigger thresholds and project-classification determinations (which square footage counts, whether a project is new construction vs. a remodel) are set by the City of Temple Building Permits & Inspections. When uncertain whether a permit is required, contact the Permit Office before starting work.
City of Temple Building Permits & Inspections
Permit Office (Building Permits & Inspections)
City of Temple, Bell County, Texas · 254-298-5640
templetx.gov - Permit Fee Schedule
Confirm the current permit fee schedule and counter hours on the city's Building Permits & Inspections page
Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A)
No printed effective date - confirm current amounts and the adopting resolution before filing
When This Estimate May Not Apply
The schedule carries no printed effective date
The Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A) prints no effective or revision date. It is the current published version, adopted by City Council resolution, but a fee could have changed. Confirm current amounts and the adopting date with the Permit Office before filing.
Your project is a remodel, not new construction
Remodels, alterations, additions, and finish-outs use flat base fees ($70 building plus $55 per trade), not the $0.135/sq ft new-construction rate. The project-classification determination is made by the Permit Office and decides which model applies.
Your new build includes a pool, fence, or accessory structure
The all-in $0.135/sq ft fee covers the house itself but NOT fences, storage buildings, accessory structures, lawn irrigation, or pools - each carries its own separate flat fee even on a new-construction lot.
Your project is commercial, not residential
New commercial construction is $35.00 base plus $0.12/sq ft with separate trade base fees, and commercial remodels are $35.00 base plus $4.00 per $1,000 of job cost - different models from the residential figures on this page.
Site fees apply to a new build
Impact fees, water/sewer tap fees (a $30 Tap Administration Fee plus utility charges), and fire permits are separate site charges NOT in any figure on this page and can far exceed the building permit on a new home.
Source note: All figures come from the City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule, headed "Exhibit A," served as a PDF from the city's Building Permits & Inspections pages. The schedule is an exhibit to a City Council fee resolution and carries no printed effective or revision date, so treat the figures as the current published amounts and confirm with the Permit Office. Water/sewer taps, impact fees, fire permits, and commercial construction are not used in any residential worked-example total here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
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City of Temple Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit A) Temple, TX - official permit fee schedule PDF, served from the city's Building Permits & Inspections pages. Primary source for the $0.135/SF new-construction rate, the $70 + $55/trade remodel fees, and every flat fee on this page no printed date - verify current
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City of Temple - official city website City site linking the Building Permits & Inspections pages, the permit fee schedule, and the Permit Office contact information (254-298-5640). Verified July 2026.
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Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 214 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov) Texas .gov statutory context: Texas municipalities regulate building construction and adopt their own permit fee schedules by ordinance or resolution, and Texas imposes no statewide building-permit levy - which is why the Temple schedule is the whole permit cost. Verified July 2026.
See how Temple's all-in per-square-foot fees compare to other Central Texas cities, or estimate fees in covered jurisdictions.
Permit Fees Are One Part of Your Project Budget
Once you know your Temple 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 Bell County. A permitted project may change the property's taxable value. The county appraisal district determines that value and local taxing units adopt the rates, both separately from this permit fee.
Impact and utility fees for larger projects
Impact fees and water/sewer taps in Temple are separate from the building permit. These items are governed by fee schedules separate from the building permit and are not included in the figures above.
These charges are administered separately from the building permit fee, though the responsible office and billing process vary by jurisdiction. See which tool covers each charge →