Houston, TX permit applications
Working in Houston? Save your contractor license, insurance and bond details once, then produce a complete application for the next Houston job — building, mechanical, re-roof or plumbing — in under a minute, plus the OSHA paperwork your crew needs on site.
Houston permits by trade
Who pulls it, what the packet contains, and the inspection sequence — per trade.
What a Houston permit costs
Estimate the fee by trade and job value before you sign the work, and see the lines crews forget to quote.
Houston permit cost estimatorHouston inspection sequence
The order of calls by trade, what each inspector checks, and the failure that sends crews back most often.
Houston inspection guideDocuments Houston contractors generate most
Where Harris County permits are filed
Harris County Office of the County Engineer, Permits Division
Online portal: ePermits
Plans, applications, delivery and payment are all handled online through ePermits.
Jurisdiction detail confirmed from the county's own website. Cities inside Harris County may run their own building department.
Who reviews the permit in Houston
This city runs its own building department — confirm the property sits inside city limits before filing with the county instead.
Files with
Houston Permitting Center (Houston Public Works)
Online portal: Houston Permit Portal
Houston has no zoning code, but residential permits still require deed-restriction and Chapter 19 floodplain compliance checks.
What a Harris County packet actually contains
Built by the same engine the app uses — these are the forms and attachments the scope triggers in this jurisdiction, not a generic list.
Re-roof / roof replacement in Harris County
4 documents on a $12,000 job.
- Re-Roof / Tear-Off Permit
Primary roofing permit application.
- OSHA Fall Protection Plan
Jobsite safety plan kept on site for inspection.
- Client Project Proposal
Signed scope and price for the homeowner file.
- FL Product Approval / Miami-Dade NOA Sheet
TDI windstorm certification (WPI-1 / WPI-8) — seaward counties require product certification and inspection sign-off.
- Unincorporated Texas counties often issue no building permit — confirm whether the address falls inside a city ETJ before filing.
HVAC changeout in Harris County
3 documents on a $12,000 job.
- Mechanical / HVAC Changeout Permit
Mechanical permit for equipment changeout.
- OSHA Lockout / Tagout Sheet
Jobsite safety plan kept on site for inspection.
- Client Project Proposal
Signed scope and price for the homeowner file.
- Unincorporated Texas counties often issue no building permit — confirm whether the address falls inside a city ETJ before filing.
Window / door replacement in Harris County
3 documents on a $12,000 job.
- Window & Door Replacement Permit
Window / exterior door replacement permit application.
- OSHA Fall Protection Plan
Jobsite safety plan kept on site for inspection.
- Client Project Proposal
Signed scope and price for the homeowner file.
- Unincorporated Texas counties often issue no building permit — confirm whether the address falls inside a city ETJ before filing.
Get the 2026 Houston permit checklist
One page covering the forms, attachments and inspection sequence Houston contractors get held up on.
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Filing checklist for Houston
- Verify whether the property sits inside Houston city limits or in unincorporated Texas — that determines which department accepts the application.
- Bring current general liability and workers' compensation certificates.
- Match declared valuation to the signed contract amount.
- Confirm whether the scope triggers a separate electrical, mechanical or plumbing permit pulled by a licensed sub.
- Schedule required inspections before covering any work.
Other Texas metros
General guidance for Houston contractors, not legal advice. Confirm requirements and fees with the authority having jurisdiction.
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