Carrollton, TX Building Permit Fees (2026)
Actual residential building permit fees from the City of Carrollton Code of Ordinances, Chapter 31 - Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Sec. 31.01(B) Building Inspection. Carrollton is a DFW-metroplex city spanning Denton, Dallas, and Collin counties, just north of Dallas and west of Plano. Verified in October 2026 against Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026, which re-enacts the fee schedule; confirm current amounts with Building Inspection before budgeting.
This page covers: The residential building permit fees in Carrollton from the city's Comprehensive Fee Schedule. Carrollton splits its fees into "project permits" and "specific (standalone) permits." Under project permits, a new dwelling of up to four units is a flat $1,100.00 per unit, a pool or spa is $200.00, a temporary building or trailer is $75.00, and a residential remodel is a flat $125.00. Commercial, apartment, accessory-building, addition, remodel, and finish-out work is $6.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation with a $125.00 minimum. Standalone trade and accessory permits (fence, storage shed, demolition, sign, solar, and the electrical/mechanical/plumbing trades) are listed separately below. Each figure is exact from the codified fee schedule.
New-dwelling trades and the certificate of occupancy are bundled: Carrollton's code states that project permits "include plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits and certificate of occupancy fees." So the flat $1,100.00 per-unit new-dwelling permit already covers the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits and the CO - you do not add those separately for a new home.
The $125.00 application fee is separate and nonrefundable: Every project permit carries a $125.00 application fee that is nonrefundable and is not part of the $1,100.00 building permit. A new single-family home is therefore $125.00 application + $1,100.00 building permit = $1,225.00 all-in (trades and CO bundled into the $1,100.00).
Source and effective date: These fees are from Carrollton Ordinance No. 4323, passed September 1, 2026 and effective October 1, 2026, which re-enacts the Chapter 31 Comprehensive Fee Schedule, including Sec. 31.01(B) Building Inspection. eCode360 lists the ordinance as adopted legislation not yet incorporated into the codified text (codification current through December 2, 2025). The only residential building-inspection change from the prior codified schedule is the solar panel permit, which rose from $125.00 to $200.00. Confirm current amounts with Carrollton Building Inspection before relying on any figure.
Residential-remodel classification is ambiguous - and load-bearing: The flat "residential remodel $125.00" line sits under project permits, while the "$6.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation ($125.00 minimum)" line names "remodels" in the commercial/apartment context. This page reads a residential remodel as the flat $125.00 line and treats the valuation line as applying to additions, commercial, apartment, and finish-out work. Confirm which classification applies to your specific project with Building Inspection before budgeting.
Texas has no statewide levy, and some property is exempt: Texas adds no statewide percentage building-permit levy, and Carrollton adds no residential percentage surcharge on these permits. The code also charges no building permit fees for federal, state, county, city, or public-school-district property.
This page does NOT cover: Impact / capital recovery fees, water and sewer tap fees, and the full commercial permit detail beyond the $6.00 per $1,000.00 valuation rate - all excluded from the residential figures on this page.
In Carrollton, TX a new dwelling of up to four units carries a flat $1,100 building permit per unit, and that permit bundles the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits and the certificate of occupancy. A nonrefundable $125 application fee is separate, so a new single-family home is $1,225 all-in. Other project permits are flat: a pool or spa is $200, a residential remodel is $125, and a solar panel permit is $200. Commercial, apartment, addition, and finish-out work is $6.00 per $1,000 of valuation with a $125 minimum. Texas has no statewide levy. The fees follow Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026 - verify current amounts with Building Inspection.
- A new dwelling of up to four units is a flat $1,100.00 per unit, and Carrollton's code states project permits include the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits and the certificate of occupancy fees - so those trades and the CO are bundled into the $1,100.00.
- A $125.00 application fee is charged on project permits, is nonrefundable, and is separate from the building permit. A new single-family home is therefore $125.00 application + $1,100.00 building permit = $1,225.00 all-in.
- Other flat project permits: a pool or spa is $200.00, a temporary building/trailer is $75.00, and a residential remodel is $125.00. Commercial, apartment, accessory-building, addition, remodel, and finish-out work is $6.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation with a $125.00 minimum.
- Standalone trade permits (electrical, mechanical, plumbing, irrigation, fire sprinkler, fire alarm) are $4.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation with a $75.00 minimum each. Common flat accessory permits: fence $50.00, storage shed $50.00, retaining wall $50.00, satellite dish $50.00, tent $50.00, certificate of occupancy $100.00, curb cut $100.00, demolition $125.00, sign $125.00, solar panel $200.00, wind turbine $75.00, moving $75.00, and rainwater harvesting $25.00.
- The fees are from Ordinance No. 4323 (effective October 1, 2026), which re-enacts Chapter 31; the only residential change from the prior codified schedule is the solar panel permit ($125.00 to $200.00). No building permit fees apply to federal, state, county, city, or public-school-district property, and Texas has no statewide levy.
Carrollton Building Permit Fee Structure
Carrollton splits its fees into "project permits" - which the code says include the plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and certificate-of-occupancy fees - and "specific (standalone) permits." A nonrefundable $125.00 application fee applies to project permits. The tables below show the verified figures exactly as codified in the City of Carrollton Code of Ordinances, Chapter 31 (as amended by Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026).
Project permits & new construction
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application fee (nonrefundable, per project permit) | $125.00 |
| New dwellings, up to four units - building permit (per unit; plumbing/electrical/mechanical + CO included) | $1,100.00 |
| Pool or spa | $200.00 |
| Temporary building / trailer | $75.00 |
| Residential remodel (flat - see classification note) | $125.00 |
| New commercial, apartments, accessory buildings, additions, remodels & finish-outs | $6.00 / $1,000 valuation ($125.00 minimum) |
The $1,100.00 per-unit new-dwelling permit explicitly includes the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits and the certificate of occupancy - do not add those separately for a new home. The $125.00 application fee is nonrefundable and separate from the building permit. Note the classification ambiguity: the flat $125.00 "residential remodel" line sits under project permits, while the $6.00 per $1,000.00 valuation line names "remodels" in the commercial/apartment context. This page reads residential remodels as the flat $125.00 line and the valuation line as applying to additions, commercial, apartment, and finish-out work - confirm your project's classification with Building Inspection.
Specific (standalone) permit fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical | $4.00 / $1,000 valuation ($75.00 min) |
| Mechanical | $4.00 / $1,000 valuation ($75.00 min) |
| Plumbing | $4.00 / $1,000 valuation ($75.00 min) |
| Irrigation | $4.00 / $1,000 valuation ($75.00 min) |
| Fire sprinkler | $4.00 / $1,000 valuation ($75.00 min) |
| Fire alarm | $4.00 / $1,000 valuation ($75.00 min) |
| Certificate of occupancy | $100.00 |
| Curb cut | $100.00 |
| Demolition | $125.00 |
| Sign | $125.00 |
| Solar panel | $200.00 |
| Wind turbine | $75.00 |
| Moving | $75.00 |
| Fence | $50.00 |
| Storage shed | $50.00 |
| Retaining wall | $50.00 |
| Satellite dish | $50.00 |
| Tent | $50.00 |
| Rainwater harvesting | $25.00 |
| Re-inspection | $50.00 |
| Special inspection | $50.00 |
The standalone electrical, mechanical, plumbing, irrigation, fire sprinkler, and fire alarm permits are each $4.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation with a $75.00 minimum. On a new dwelling, the plumbing/electrical/mechanical permits are already included in the $1,100.00 project permit, so these standalone trade rates apply when a trade permit is pulled on its own. No building permit fees apply to federal, state, county, city, or public-school-district property.
Carrollton Permit Fee Components
For a new dwelling, Carrollton bundles the trades and the certificate of occupancy into a single flat project permit, with a separate nonrefundable application fee. There is no percentage surcharge and no statewide levy. The components below show how a residential project's fee is assembled.
| Component | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| New-dwelling building permit (up to 4 units) | $1,100 flat / unit | Exact schedule figure; includes plumbing/electrical/mechanical + CO |
| Application fee | $125.00 | Separate, nonrefundable, required with the project permit |
| Residential percentage surcharge / state levy | $0.00 | None - Texas has no statewide levy; Carrollton adds no residential surcharge |
| Standalone trade permit (electrical / mechanical / plumbing) | $4 / $1,000 ($75 min) | Applies when a trade permit is pulled on its own, not on a new dwelling |
| Valuation-based permit (commercial / addition / finish-out) | $6 / $1,000 ($125 min) | Names "remodels" in the commercial context - see classification note |
| Impact / capital recovery / tap fees | Separate schedules | Excluded - can far exceed the building permit on a new home |
For a new single-family home, the printed cost is the $125.00 application fee plus the $1,100.00 project permit ($1,225.00 all-in), with the trades and CO already bundled into the $1,100.00. For a valuation-based project, the fee is $6.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation with a $125.00 minimum - confirm the classification of your project with Building Inspection before treating any total as final.
Worked Examples
Every figure below is direct from the City of Carrollton Code of Ordinances, Chapter 31 (as amended by Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026). Flat fees produce exact totals; the residential-remodel example deliberately flags the classification ambiguity described above. Impact fees and utility taps are separate and not included.
Example 1: New Single-Family Dwelling (up to 4 units)
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | flat, nonrefundable | $125.00 |
| Building permit (plumbing/electrical/mechanical + CO included) | flat, per unit | $1,100.00 |
| New-home permit total (exact, all-in) | $125 + $1,100 | $1,225.00 |
Assumptions: A new dwelling of up to four units is a flat $1,100.00 per unit, and Carrollton's code states project permits include the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits and the certificate of occupancy - so those trades and the CO are bundled into the $1,100.00, not added on top. The $125.00 application fee is separate and nonrefundable, giving $125.00 + $1,100.00 = $1,225.00 all-in for one unit. Impact fees and utility taps are separate. Source: City of Carrollton Code of Ordinances, Ch. 31 (as amended by Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026).
Example 2: Residential Remodel (the classification ambiguity)
| Reading | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Flat "residential remodel" line (this page's reading) | flat | $125.00 |
| Valuation line, if applied ($50,000 project) | $6 × 50 = $300, min $125 | $300.00 |
| Residential remodel total (this page's reading) | flat line applies | $125.00 |
Why two figures: The flat "residential remodel $125.00" line sits under project permits, while the "$6.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation ($125.00 minimum)" line names "remodels" in the commercial/apartment context. This page reads a residential remodel as the flat $125.00 line. If Building Inspection instead classifies your project under the valuation line, a $50,000 valuation would compute to $6 × 50 = $300.00 (above the $125.00 minimum). Confirm which classification applies before budgeting. Source: City of Carrollton Code of Ordinances, Ch. 31 (as amended by Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026).
Example 3: Pool or Spa
| Fee Component | Rule Applied | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pool or spa permit | flat | $200.00 |
| Pool or spa permit total (exact) | flat fee | $200.00 |
Assumptions: A pool or spa is a flat $200.00 project permit. As a project permit it carries the separate $125.00 nonrefundable application fee, and the code bundles the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits into project permits. Pool bonding or a required barrier may involve additional review - confirm the scope with Building Inspection. Source: City of Carrollton Code of Ordinances, Ch. 31 (as amended by Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026).
Example 4: Flat-Fee Projects - Solar, Fence, Storage Shed, Demolition
| Project | Rule Applied | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panel | flat | $125.00 |
| Fence | flat | $50.00 |
| Storage shed | flat | $50.00 |
| Demolition | flat | $125.00 |
Assumptions: Each of these is a flat permit fee with no residential surcharge, so the figures are exact: solar panel $200.00, fence $50.00, storage shed $50.00, and demolition $125.00. A retaining wall, satellite dish, or tent is also $50.00 each. Source: City of Carrollton Code of Ordinances, Ch. 31 (as amended by Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026).
Read before you budget from these examples
- Source dating: the fees are from Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026, verified against the official ordinance in October 2026. Confirm current amounts with Building Inspection before relying on any figure.
- New-home trades are bundled: the $1,100.00 project permit includes the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits and the certificate of occupancy; the $125.00 application fee is separate and nonrefundable, so a new home is $1,225.00 all-in.
- Remodel classification is ambiguous: this page reads a residential remodel as the flat $125.00 line, but a valuation-line reading of a $50,000 project would be $300.00 - confirm with the city.
- Flat fees are the whole permit cost: for a pool ($200), solar ($200), fence ($50), storage shed ($50), or demolition ($125), the printed fee is the entire permit charge with no surcharge.
- Excluded fees can dwarf the permit: impact/capital recovery fees and water/sewer taps are separate and not in any figure above.
Practitioner Insight
Carrollton is unusually easy to budget a new home in because it bundles the trades and the certificate of occupancy into a single flat $1,100 per-unit project permit - you add only the separate $125 application fee for a $1,225 all-in figure. That puts Carrollton in the same flat new-home family as Grand Prairie, which also bundles a new home into a flat $1,100, and it contrasts with per-square-foot metros like Plano and Dallas, which price new construction by area. For a small residential job - a fence ($50), storage shed ($50), solar array ($200), or pool ($200) - the flat fee on the schedule is the whole cost.
Two cautions. First, Carrollton re-enacts its whole fee schedule by ordinance (most recently Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026, which raised the solar permit from $125 to $200), so it is worth confirming with Building Inspection that the amount you are budgeting from is current. Second, the residential-remodel line is the one genuinely ambiguous number: a flat "residential remodel $125.00" sits under project permits, while the "$6.00 per $1,000 of valuation" line names "remodels" in the commercial context - so anyone remodeling should confirm which line applies before trusting a figure. For everything else, the flat fee on the schedule is the whole permit cost.
Permit Requirements - Common Residential Projects in Carrollton
| Project Type | Permit Required? | Fee Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New single-family home | Yes | $1,100 + $125 app | Trades + CO bundled into $1,100; $125 app fee separate = $1,225 all-in |
| Residential remodel | Yes | $125 flat | Classification vs. $6/$1,000 valuation line ambiguous - verify |
| Addition / finish-out | Yes | $6/$1,000 ($125 min) | Valuation-based; $125 minimum applies |
| Pool or spa | Yes | $200 flat | Project permit; carries the $125 application fee |
| Fence | Yes | $50 flat | Same $50 line as storage shed, retaining wall, satellite dish, tent |
| Solar panel | Yes | $200 flat | Standalone specific permit |
| Demolition | Yes | $125 flat | Standalone specific permit |
| Standalone electrical / mechanical / plumbing | Yes | $4/$1,000 ($75 min) | Included in a new-dwelling project permit; separate when pulled alone |
Permit trigger thresholds and project-classification determinations (whether a project is a residential remodel vs. a valuation-based addition or finish-out) are set by the City of Carrollton Building Inspection division. When uncertain whether a permit is required or which fee line applies, contact Building Inspection before starting work.
City of Carrollton Building Inspection
Building Inspection
City of Carrollton, Denton / Dallas / Collin County, Texas
cityofcarrollton.com - Building Inspection
Confirm the current comprehensive fee schedule and counter hours on the city's site
Ordinance No. 4323 (Code Ch. 31)
Effective October 1, 2026 - confirm current amounts before filing
When This Estimate May Not Apply
The city amends its fee schedule by ordinance
These figures follow Ordinance No. 4323, effective October 1, 2026. The ordinance is not yet folded into the eCode360 codified text, and Carrollton can amend Chapter 31 again at any time. Confirm current amounts with Building Inspection before filing.
Your project is a remodel and classification matters
This page reads a residential remodel as the flat $125.00 line, but the $6.00 per $1,000.00 valuation line names "remodels" in the commercial context. If your remodel is classified under the valuation line, the fee changes - confirm the classification with Building Inspection.
Your project is commercial or an apartment building
Commercial, apartment, accessory-building, addition, and finish-out work is $6.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation with a $125.00 minimum - a valuation-based structure, not the flat residential project-permit figures.
You are pulling a standalone trade permit
On a new dwelling the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits are bundled into the $1,100.00 project permit. Pulled on their own, each trade (plus irrigation, fire sprinkler, fire alarm) is $4.00 per $1,000.00 of valuation with a $75.00 minimum.
Site fees apply to a new build
Impact / capital recovery fees and water/sewer tap fees 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 Carrollton Code of Ordinances, Chapter 31 - Comprehensive Fee Schedule, Sec. 31.01(B) Building Inspection, as re-enacted by Ordinance No. 4323 (passed September 1, 2026, effective October 1, 2026). The ordinance is listed on eCode360 as adopted but not yet incorporated into the codified text, which is current through December 2, 2025; the solar panel permit ($125.00 to $200.00) is the only residential building-inspection line it changed. Impact/capital recovery fees, water/sewer taps, and full commercial permit detail beyond the $6.00 per $1,000.00 valuation rate are not used here. No building permit fees apply to federal, state, county, city, or public-school-district property, and Texas imposes no statewide levy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
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City of Carrollton Ordinance No. 4323 - Amending Chapter 31, Comprehensive Fee Schedule (PDF) Carrollton, TX - passed September 1, 2026, effective October 1, 2026. Re-enacts Sec. 31.01(B) Building Inspection. Primary source for every flat fee, per-$1,000 valuation rate, application fee, and new-construction figure on this page. Verified October 2026.
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City of Carrollton Code of Ordinances, Ch. 31 - Comprehensive Fee Schedule Codified text on eCode360, current through December 2, 2025, which lists Ordinance No. 4323 as adopted legislation not yet incorporated. Identical to the ordinance for every residential line except the solar panel permit.
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City of Carrollton - official city website City site linking Building Inspection, permit information, and department contacts. Verified October 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, and Texas imposes no statewide building-permit levy - which is why the Carrollton schedule is the whole permit cost. Verified July 2026.
See how Carrollton's flat fees compare to the other DFW cities, or estimate fees in covered jurisdictions.
Permit Fees Are One Part of Your Project Budget
Once you know your Carrollton 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 Denton and Dallas counties. 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 / capital recovery fees and water/sewer taps in Carrollton 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 →