Denton County, TX Permit Fees (2026)
Building permit fees for unincorporated Denton County, with a free permit fee calculator. Inside city limits? Pick your city below; incorporated cities have their own fee schedules.
A note on these figures from the official schedule. Details
Unincorporated Denton County has no county building-code, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or re-roofing permit. Development, including a new home, an accessory building, a pool or an addition, needs a county development permit: $100 for a home outside the floodplain or $250 inside it, and $220 for a non-residential project outside the floodplain or $450 inside it. Builders of new homes hire their own third-party inspectors under state law. Commercial buildings, public buildings and apartment buildings of four or more units also pay the Fire Marshal's construction permit, priced per 1,000 square feet, plus a site plan fee of 20% of that permit fee. The posted schedule sets the site plan minimum at $150, while the Fire Code exhibit the Commissioners Court adopted prints a $200 minimum, so on a small project the site plan fee may be up to $50 higher than shown. Culvert and septic (OSSF) permits, when needed, are separate. Commercial projects costing $50,000 or more also register with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for accessibility review, paid directly to the state. Work inside a city's limits is permitted by that city.
Every documented fee up top, then calculate an itemized estimate for your job below.
Jump to Permit Fee CalculatorDenton County Development Services Fee Schedule (Court Order 26-0390, effective June 2, 2026) and Denton County Fire Code Permit Fee Schedule (Court Order 25-0656, August 12, 2025)
Covers building permits.
Apply online at the Unincorporated Denton County permit portal, or call 940-349-2990.
Schedule effective June 2, 2026. Last verified: November 14, 2026
Jurisdictions in Denton County
Jobs inside city limits are permitted by the city, not the county. Across Denton County's 4 covered jurisdictions, a building permit for a $50,000 remodel runs from $100.00 (Unincorporated Denton County) to $176.00 (Denton).
Unincorporated Denton County Permit Fee Schedule
Every documented rule for each permit type, straight from the official schedule.
Building Permit Fees in Unincorporated Denton County
‡ Awaiting confirmation from the jurisdiction.
Homeowners and contractors planning a project check Unincorporated Denton County building permit fees here first.
One sponsor per trade, flat monthly rate.
Unincorporated Denton County Permit Fee Calculator
Pick a permit type and adjust the job value. Total updates instantly, itemized below.
2 documented rates for this permit type; pick the one that matches your job.
‡ Awaiting confirmation from the jurisdiction.
A note on these figures from the official schedule. Details
Unincorporated Denton County has no county building-code, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or re-roofing permit. Development, including a new home, an accessory building, a pool or an addition, needs a county development permit: $100 for a home outside the floodplain or $250 inside it, and $220 for a non-residential project outside the floodplain or $450 inside it. Builders of new homes hire their own third-party inspectors under state law. Commercial buildings, public buildings and apartment buildings of four or more units also pay the Fire Marshal's construction permit, priced per 1,000 square feet, plus a site plan fee of 20% of that permit fee. The posted schedule sets the site plan minimum at $150, while the Fire Code exhibit the Commissioners Court adopted prints a $200 minimum, so on a small project the site plan fee may be up to $50 higher than shown. Culvert and septic (OSSF) permits, when needed, are separate. Commercial projects costing $50,000 or more also register with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for accessibility review, paid directly to the state. Work inside a city's limits is permitted by that city.
Estimate only. Confirm with the Unincorporated Denton County building department before applying. Apply online. Phone: 940-349-2990. Permit fees only; excludes impact fees, utility connection charges, and other non-permit charges.
Homeowners and contractors planning a project check Unincorporated Denton County building permit fees here first.
One sponsor per trade, flat monthly rate.
How to Apply for a Permit in Unincorporated Denton County
Apply to Denton County Development Services for a development permit online on the county's Civic Access portal, by email to developmentpermits@dentoncounty.gov, by mail, or in person at 3900 Morse Street, 2nd floor, Denton (call 940-349-2990 when you arrive). No fee is due when you submit: once staff find the package complete, they email you the fees and a tracking number, which goes on your check or in the Receipt field of the Certified Payments portal.
Any development in unincorporated Denton County needs a development permit, including buildings and other structures, additions to existing houses, swimming pools, grading, filling, paving and excavation. A new drive on a county-maintained road, or new development with an existing drive, also needs a culvert permit, and a septic system needs an OSSF permit from Denton County Public Health (940-349-2920).
Builders of a new home or duplex, or of a home addition that increases its size or value by more than half, file the county's notice of residential construction and have three inspections done by a qualified inspector they hire.
Commercial buildings, public buildings and apartment buildings of four or more units also need a construction permit from the Denton County Fire Marshal (940-349-2840). The application is not accepted without a current development permit for the site, and payment is due when you submit it.
Inside a city's limits, apply to that city.
Source: Unincorporated Denton County application instructions
Apply online: Unincorporated Denton County permit portal- Phone
- 940-349-2990
- Fax
- 940-349-2991
- Fire Marshal
- 940-349-2840
- Address
- 3900 Morse Street, 2nd floor, Denton, TX 76208
- Source
- Official contact page
Your name, phone and website right here, next to the building department's contact info, where people look right before they apply.
One expediter per county.