The City of Celina’s Building Services Division issues building and trade permits for property inside city limits, and new applications go through MGO Connect. The City aims to return plan review comments or approval within 10 business days, and inspection requests made before 3:30 p.m. are done the next business day.
What requires a permit in Celina?
Inside the city limits, a building permit is needed to erect, build, enlarge, alter, repair, improve, remove, convert, move or demolish any building or structure. The City’s permit FAQ adds signs, banners, fences, re-roofs and electrical, plumbing and heating and air upgrades. Finish work such as painting, wallpaper, tile, carpet, cabinets and countertops does not need a permit.
Residential permit types in MGO
- New single-family homes, townhomes and accessory dwellings
- Additions, remodels and accessory structures
- Roofs, solar and home back-up power systems
- Flatwork, foundations and foundation repair
- Fences, pools and storm shelters
- Demolition and temporary trailers
- Electrical, HVAC and plumbing trade permits
- NFPA 13D residential fire sprinklers
Commercial and site work
- New construction, shell buildings and finish-outs
- Additions, remodels, accessory structures and pools
- Retaining and screening walls, irrigation and solar
- Commercial occupancy (Certificate of Occupancy)
- Fire sprinkler, alarm, hood suppression and fuel tank systems
- Earthwork, floodplain, right-of-way and TxDOT permits
- Signs, tree removal and zoning verification
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Celina building department: who handles permitting
Building Services, part of Development Services, reviews plans, issues permits, inspects construction and enforces the building codes for property inside the city limits. Cruz Hernandez is the Building Official. Fire protection systems, engineering work and planning cases are separate permit types in the same MGO system. Celina spans Collin and Denton counties, and the City’s checklist asks for Collin or Denton County septic approval where City sewer is not available. TCEQ lists Collin County as the septic agent for Celina’s Collin County part, but Denton County’s authority covers only unincorporated land, and TCEQ names no local agent for the part of the city in Denton County, leaving septic systems there with TCEQ’s Region 4 office in Fort Worth (817-588-5800).
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Department | City of Celina Building Services Division |
| Residential permits | 945-362-9250, permits@celina-tx.gov |
| Commercial permits | 945-362-9249, submittal@celina-tx.gov |
| Office | 112 N. Colorado St., Celina |
| Office hours | Monday–Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
| Inspector hours | Monday–Thursday, 6:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| MGO Help Desk | 985-851-0760 |
MGO Connect, MyGov and contractor registration
Celina moved residential applications to MGO Connect on December 8, 2025, and commercial applications on June 1, 2026. Anything applied for earlier stays in the old MyGov system until it is finished, including its inspections. Contractor profiles did not carry over, so every contractor has to open a new MGO account.
Every contractor working in the city must register before applying for permits. In MGO Connect, log in and choose Apply for Contractor Registration. Commercial contractors registering through MyGov upload the Contractor Registration Form with a certificate of insurance that names the City of Celina as certificate holder.
The City publishes a packet or checklist for most residential jobs, including new homes, townhomes and duplexes, accessory structures, additions and remodels, demolition, fences, flatwork, foundation repair, pools, irrigation and home back-up power. Commercial applicants use the Commercial Permit Application, the shell building and tenant finish-out process sheet, the energy plan review forms and the special inspections form.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Celina permit costs and impact fees
A roof permit costs $100 for each request. The general contractor must already be registered with the City and files the Residential Minor Permit Application with the request. Other building and trade fees are calculated in MGO Connect when you apply.
New development also pays water, wastewater and roadway impact fees. The City posts an Impact Fee Worksheet together with its Roadway Impact Fee Report (January 2025) and Water & Wastewater Impact Fee Report (July 2025). Commercial and multi-family applicants can file the Fees & Impact Fees Estimate Form, listing square footage under roof, valuation, water and irrigation meters and the expected use of the building.
Celina trade permits
Electrical, HVAC and plumbing work on homes is filed on the City’s Trade Permit Application, and MGO Connect carries Electrical Trade, HVAC Trade and Plumbing Trade permit types. Each trade contractor must hold a City registration before applying.
The 2023 National Electrical Code applies with City amendments, including Ordinance No. 2026-002, which allows copper-clad aluminum wire; new-home electrical plans must say so when it is used. Irrigation plans must be sealed by a licensed irrigator, landscape architect or licensed plumber and meet the City’s irrigation ordinance. Commercial fire sprinkler, alarm, standpipe, kitchen hood and fuel tank systems each have their own fire permit type.
New-home submittal checklist and plan review
A new-home application uploads four items: the Building Submittal Packet, the Irrigation Packet, the Utility Service Agreement and the plot plan. Every document must match the lot and the swing of the house, and the building packet goes in this order:
- City of Celina cover sheet and the A.R.C. or HOA approval letter
- Stamped engineered foundation letter
- Plot plan at about 1 inch to 20 ft with lot, block, plan and elevation numbers, water meter and storm inlet, pad and floor elevations, drainage arrows, easements and setbacks, and a driveway slope of no more than 10%
- Building plans with elevations, electrical plans and framing plans
- Engineer-stamped shear wall details and foundation plans
- Model home affidavit, where it applies
- Energy compliance path form, Manuals J, S and D, and the thermal envelope
- County septic approval where City sewer is not available
- An engineered drainage plan for any downtown lot or any lot over 1 acre
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Plans are reviewed in the order received, and the City’s goal is comments or approval within 10 business days. Other departments review the plans too, and staff will tell you if county, state or federal clearances are needed. Properly documented fences, signs and some other small projects can be reviewed over the counter.
Celina permit application: how to apply step by step
Create the account at mgoconnect.org, even if you used MyGov before.
Choose Apply for Contractor Registration in MGO and upload your credentials and insurance.
Match the job to the MGO permit type and download the City packet or checklist for it.
For a new home, upload the building packet, irrigation packet, utility service agreement and plot plan, all lot-specific.
Expect comments or approval within about 10 business days, then pay the fees and receive the permit.
Book inspections in sequence; a permit expires on day 181 without an inspection or progress, and an application with no permit issued after 180 days is treated as abandoned.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Celina
The permit holder or general contractor requests inspections in the proper order, and only the permitted contractor or an authorized agent may book them. Requests for permits filed after December 8, 2025 go through MGO Connect; older residential permits and non-residential permits still filed in MyGov are booked in MyGov. Requests made before 3:30 p.m. are inspected the next business day. To cancel, text the inspector and note the cancellation in MGO.
Inspectors work Monday to Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fire hydrostatic and fire visual inspections are not next-day inspections: request them in the system, then call a fire inspector to set the visit. The City’s Helpful Tips sheet lists what each inspection checks. A form board survey must be uploaded before the plumbing rough can be booked, and an engineer’s letter before the exterior sheathing, framing and MEP inspection.
Local Celina details that matter
Job-site rules: the City’s erosion control list for new homes calls for ground cover at the curb or alley, a 4 ft windscreen along the sides without a fence, silt fence on slopes, a 4 ft by 4 ft trash bin once the slab is poured, and portable toilets at one per 10 workers or one per two lots. Meters, cleanouts and storm inlets must be protected and the address posted.
Local code choices: Celina enforces the 2024 codes with NCTCOG regional amendments, bans air admittance valves for island fixture venting, and publishes its own policies on residential fences, wood columns, brace and shear wall fasteners, fire riser rooms and multi-family buildings.
Builders Forum: Building Services holds a quarterly lunch forum for residential tract builders in the City Council Chambers; the next dates are January 7 and March 18, 2027, at noon.
Door-to-door sales: door-to-door sales need a Solicitor Permit, which costs $100 for the background check and is valid for one year.
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
Celina permit search and official resources
- Celina Building Services
- Building permits and inspections
- Permit applications and MGO permit types
- Residential permit packets
- Commercial permit packets
- Contractor registration
- Residential New Home Builder Packet and checklist
- Helpful Tips for inspections
- Impact fees
- MGO Connect portal
Frequently asked questions
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Celina?
The City of Celina Building Services Division, at 112 N. Colorado St., for property inside the city limits. Residential permits: 945-362-9250; commercial: 945-362-9249.
How long does plan review take in Celina?
The City’s goal is comments or approval within 10 business days. Fences, signs and some small projects can be reviewed over the counter.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Celina?
Yes. A roof permit costs $100, and the general contractor must be registered with the City before filing it.
Do I need a permit for a fence?
Yes. Fences are on the City’s permit list, and the City publishes a fence packet and a residential fence policy.
Which codes does Celina enforce?
The 2024 International Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, with City and NCTCOG amendments, for applications and inspections from February 2026.
What is the inspection cut-off time?
3:30 p.m. the business day before. Inspections are done the next business day, Monday to Thursday.
When does a Celina permit expire?
On day 181 if there has been no inspection or no progress shown through inspections.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Celina permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.