For property inside Angleton city limits, permits are issued by the City’s Development Services Department, based at City Hall, 121 S Velasco, and every application must be filed online in MGO Connect; since December 2, 2024 the City has not accepted emailed or paper submittals. A new house is charged $0.50 per square foot plus a $30 processing fee, and both the owner and the contractor must sign the building permit application.
What needs a permit in Angleton?
Building and site
- All new buildings, including carports, garages and storage buildings
- Remodelling, except cosmetic work such as paint and carpet
- Re-roofing, and new roofing not covered by a building permit
- Structural foundation levelling
- Patios, pools, fences and other accessory structures
- Driveways, dumpster pads, patios and sidewalks
- Demolition, house moving, culverts and drainage pipes
- Signs and irrigation
Trades and fire
- Mechanical systems that are installed, enlarged, altered, repaired or replaced
- Electrical work beyond light bulbs, switch plates and simple fixture change-outs
- Plumbing for new work, new sewer and water lines and re-pipes, and every natural gas line
- Fire alarms, sprinklers, Knox boxes and emergency gate locks, magnetic locks and spray booths (Fire Marshal permits)
- A Tenant Occupancy Permit for any business moving into a commercial space
Minor seasonal levelling of manufactured homes and pier-and-beam houses does not need a permit. Any plumbing on the supply side of a fixture’s shut-off valve must be done by a licensed, registered plumber.
Who issues permits in Angleton?
Development Services brings together building permits and inspections, code enforcement, health inspections, planning and development, acceptance of public improvements and the Fire Marshal’s Office, so building, fire and planning reviews run through one department. Otis Spriggs, AICP, is the Director of Development Services and City Planner.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Development Services, City Hall, 121 S Velasco, Angleton, TX 77515 |
| Permit Department | 979-849-4364, ext. 2105 |
| Applications | MGO Connect online portal only |
| Portal technical help | MGO Help Desk, 985-851-0760 |
MGO Connect, contractor registration and City forms
Residential and commercial construction permits are applied for in MGO Connect, and contractor registrations and renewals are handled there too. The City posts a step-by-step MGO Connect instruction sheet.
- Contractor registration – anyone who needs a City permit or consent to do construction work must register and carry general liability insurance of at least $300,000 per accident, $100,000 per person and $250,000 for property damage. The City’s web page still states a $50 fee, but the schedule adopted in February and March 2025 lists $100 plus the $30 processing fee. Electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors register but pay no fee.
- Homeowners doing their own work at a lawfully homesteaded residence do not register, but still get permits and inspections; the exemption does not cover a newly purchased home or a rental.
- Other forms – swimming pool and hot tub permit, commercial building permit, development permit application, right-of-way utility permit, Fire Prevention Permit, Fire Marshal Permit and certificate of occupancy application.
Angleton permit fees
Fees come from the City’s Schedule of Fees, adopted by Ordinance 20250226-004 on February 26, 2025 and amended on March 11, 2025. Most permits carry a $30 processing fee on top of the fee below.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| New home | $0.50 per sq ft, $60 minimum |
| Residential addition, alteration or remodel | $0.40 per sq ft |
| Residential window replacement | $5 per window |
| Accessory structure over 200 sq ft or with electrical or plumbing | $0.30 per sq ft |
| Garage or carport | $75 |
| Residential fence | Processing fee only |
| Residential roof | $60 |
| Foundation repair or house levelling | $75 |
| Driveway or flatwork | $25 residential, $300 commercial |
| Swimming pool | $35 residential, $980 commercial |
| Commercial building | $15 for the first $1,000 of valuation plus $5 per extra $1,000, using at least $100 per sq ft as the valuation |
| Plan review | 50% of the permit fee |
| Demolition / moving a structure | $50 / $100 |
Work started without a permit costs twice the permit fee. A re-inspection is $20 for homes and $100 for commercial work, and an after-hours inspection is $35 or $120. Certificates of occupancy carry only the processing fee for homes, and $50 more, including the inspection, for non-residential buildings and tenant changes.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits
Each trade has its own permit with a $27.50 minimum plus the $30 processing fee, and the schedule adds item charges (outlets, fixtures and similar) on top. Irrigation and backflow permits are $10 plus the plumbing fee and $5 per device. Residential solar is a $35 flat fee.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →The City enforces the 2015 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Energy, Fire, Property Maintenance and Pool and Spa Codes and the 2014 National Electrical Code. In July 2026 it published a comparison of significant changes between the 2015 and 2024 editions as part of a code update, so check which edition applies on your filing date. Fire alarms, sprinklers and other fire systems go to the Fire Marshal’s Office for permits, inspections and fire code plan review.
Commercial plan requirements
New commercial building
- Site plan in three copies showing setbacks, parking, fire lanes, sidewalks, landscaping and irrigation
- Drawings signed and sealed by the design professional
- Documents showing compliance with state law
- An electronic copy of the plans
- Texas Accessibility Standards compliance for projects over $50,000
Remodel or tenant build-out
- Site plan showing where the space is in the building, its parking spaces and neighbouring tenants
- Storm water controls such as silt fence
- Demolition drawings and scope of work
- Asbestos survey by a state-licensed surveyor
- Floor plan showing all proposed work
No commercial building may be demolished or renovated without a recent asbestos survey, and design-professional plans may be required for a build-out depending on its scope.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to get an Angleton permit
The City encourages one meeting with every department involved before a commercial or development project is drawn up.
Complete or renew registration in MGO Connect with the insurance certificate, or confirm the homestead exemption.
Choose the residential or commercial construction permit and upload the plans.
The property owner and the contractor both sign the building permit application.
Pay the processing, permit and plan review fees, then start work.
Pass the building and fire inspections and get the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in.
Inspections and certificates of occupancy
Building and permit inspections are carried out by Development Services staff, and fire systems by the Fire Marshal’s Office. Inspections outside normal hours cost extra, and a failed inspection is charged at re-inspection rates.
A certificate of occupancy is required before a new or structurally altered building is used, when an existing building changes to a different use classification, and when land itself changes to a different use. When a tenant moves into an existing commercial suite, the Fire Marshal requires a life safety or change-of-use inspection by a Fire/Building Inspector under a Tenant Occupancy Permit, which the Building Permits page lists at $25.
Local Angleton details
Code update: the City says it is updating its building codes and has posted a side-by-side table of what changes for builders and designers between the 2015 and 2024 editions.
Monthly reports: Development Services publishes the permits it issues each month.
Signs: Class I signs (canopy, energized and neon, freestanding, and monument or wall signs over 32 sq ft) and Class II signs (wall or projecting signs of 32 sq ft or less) each need a sign permit.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Texas building code
Texas has no single statewide building code: state law makes the International Residential Code the base code for homes in cities and the International Building Code the base for commercial buildings, with each city choosing the edition and its own amendments, while the National Electrical Code and the energy code apply statewide. Outside city limits most counties issue no building permits for homes. Texas building code rules
Angleton permit search and official resources
- Angleton Development Services
- Building Permits page
- MGO Connect permit portal
- MGO Connect instructions (PDF)
- Schedule of Fees, 2025 (PDF)
- Commercial construction requirements
- Code changes, 2015 to 2024 (PDF)
- Fire Marshal’s Office
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Angleton permit FAQs
How do I apply for a building permit in Angleton?
Online in MGO Connect. The City stopped taking email and paper submittals on December 2, 2024.
How much does a permit for a new house cost in Angleton?
$0.50 per square foot (at least $60) plus the $30 processing fee, before plan review and trade permits.
Do I need a permit for a fence or a new roof?
Yes. A residential fence pays only the $30 processing fee; a residential roof permit is $60 plus processing.
Can a homeowner pull permits in Angleton?
Yes, for their own work at a homesteaded residence, but not on a newly purchased home or a rental.
What building code does Angleton use?
The 2015 International Codes and the 2014 NEC, with an update toward the 2024 editions under way.
Does a new tenant need a permit?
Yes. Any business moving into a commercial location needs a Tenant Occupancy Permit and a fire and building inspection.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Angleton permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.