Dallas Addition Permit Cost (2026)
What the City of Dallas charges to permit a home addition, from the official Planning and Development Permit Fee Schedule (Ordinance 33080), effective July 1, 2025 and re-verified as current on November 4, 2026.
Direct answer: A home addition in Dallas adds new square footage, so it is priced per square foot under Table A-I. For a typical room addition up to 700 sq ft the rate is $1.07 per square foot - a 400 sq ft addition is $428 for the building permit. Add a $15 technology fee per document and a separate residential plan review (printed as the greater of $0.046 per square foot or $577). Texas has no statewide percentage levy.
How Dallas Prices an Addition Permit
Because an addition creates new floor area, Dallas prices it the same way it prices new single-family construction - per square foot under Table A-I, not by the dollar value of the work. The per-square-foot rate steps down as size grows, so the table below shows the verified formula for each tier.
| Addition size | Building permit formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 700 sq ft | sq ft × $1.07 | 400 sq ft = $428 |
| 701 - 2,350 sq ft | sq ft × $0.34569 + $300 | 1,000 sq ft = $645.69 |
| Technology fee | $15.00 | Per document submitted |
| Residential plan review | greater of $0.046/sq ft or $577 (as printed) | Billed separately |
| State / local percentage levy | None | Texas has no statewide levy |
Source: City of Dallas Planning and Development Permit Fee Schedule (Ordinance 33080), Table A-I new-construction tiers and residential plan review line. Effective July 1, 2025. The July 1, 2025 schedule prints the residential plan-review rate as $0.046 per sq ft - ten times lower than the $0.46 printed in the prior schedule - so confirm the rate with Dallas Development Services. The City classifies new square footage under Table A-I; remodeling existing space (with no added footage) is treated as an alteration instead - for a single-family home or duplex, the flat $181 Table B-II line plus $100 per additional trade. Confirm which path applies to your scope with the Building Inspection Division.
Worked Example: 400 sq ft Room Addition
A homeowner adds a 400 sq ft room to an existing single-family house - new conditioned square footage, priced under Table A-I.
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Building permit (Table A-I: 400 × $1.07) | $428.00 |
| Technology permit fee (per document) | $15.00 |
| Permit subtotal | $443.00 |
| Residential plan review (the $577 floor governs; $0.046 × 400 = $18.40) | $577.00 |
| Permit + plan review total | $1,020.00 |
This is the city permit and plan-review cost only. It excludes contractor labor and materials, Dallas Water Utilities charges, and any standalone trade or inspection fees. On a small addition the $577 plan-review floor is larger than the building permit itself - that is normal in Dallas. Final fees are calculated at submittal.
Addition Permit Costs in Other Markets
Addition pricing is set locally and the structure varies widely. Dallas uses a stepped per-square-foot rate with a separate plan-review floor; other markets use a single flat rate or add a statewide percentage levy that Texas does not have.
- Dallas, TX - $1.07 per sq ft up to 700 sq ft (a 400 sq ft addition is $428), plus a $577 plan-review floor; no state levy.
- Austin, TX - additions run through the per-square-foot building permit lines plus a separate addition/remodel plan-review tier; see all Austin permit fees.
- Maryland - county-set, no statewide levy; Montgomery County charges about $0.768 per sq ft and Howard County $0.25 per sq ft plus a tech fee.
- Virginia - a local fee plus a mandatory 2% state USBC levy on top of every permit; see how Virginia's 2% levy works.
Compare the full picture on the Texas hub, or read the head-to-head Austin vs Dallas comparison.
Dallas Addition Permit FAQ
How much is an addition permit in Dallas?
New square footage is priced per square foot under Table A-I. Up to 700 sq ft the rate is $1.07 per square foot, so a 400 sq ft addition is $428 for the building permit. Add a $15 technology fee per document and a separate residential plan review (printed as the greater of $0.046 per square foot or $577, so the $577 floor applies to any addition under about 12,500 sq ft).
Is an addition priced by square foot or by value in Dallas?
By square foot. Because an addition creates new floor area, Dallas uses the Table A-I new-construction tiers. Remodeling existing space without adding footage is treated as an alteration instead - for a single-family home or duplex, the flat $181 Table B-II line plus $100 per additional trade. Confirm your scope with the Building Inspection Division.
Does Dallas add a state percentage fee on an addition?
No. Texas has no statewide percentage levy. Dallas's only percentage add-on is a 10% surcharge that applies solely inside planned-development, specific-use-permit, and deed-restricted areas - not to ordinary additions.
Why is the plan-review fee larger than the permit on a small addition?
Residential plan review has a $577 floor. On a small addition the per-square-foot building permit (for example $428 at 400 sq ft) can be less than that floor, so the plan-review charge dominates. Both are real, separate line items on the Dallas schedule.
Sources
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City of Dallas Planning and Development Permit Fee Schedule (PDF) Dallas, TX - Planning and Development Permit Fee Schedule, Ordinance 33080; Table A-I new-construction tiers ($1.07/sq ft up to 700; $0.34569/sq ft + $300 for 701-2,350) and residential plan review (printed as the greater of $0.046/sq ft or $577). Effective July 1, 2025; re-verified current November 4, 2026.