College Station issues building permits through Planning and Development Services, and the document that actually governs a project here is the Unified Development Ordinance — the UDO. Site plans, design districts, development permits, and administrative appeals all live in it, and a project is shaped by the UDO long before the building code enters the conversation.
The city is blunt about the consequence: where a required site plan is not in place, College Station will not issue a building permit for any structure on that property. That makes site plan approval a hard prerequisite rather than a parallel track.
Site plan review runs on a weekly cycle. The city’s Guide to Building and Development (revised 2010, still linked from the city’s website) sets the deadline for new site plan submittals at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday mornings, with anything later rolling to the following week. Applications now go through eTRAKiT, so confirm the current schedule with Planning & Development Services before planning around it.
Applies inside College Station city limits and, for certain requirements, its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Bryan runs its own building department with annual contractor registration, and unincorporated Brazos County issues no building permit at all. Confirm the parcel before filing.
No site plan, no building permit. Where the UDO requires a site plan and one is not approved, the city will not issue a building permit for any structure on that property. Establish site plan requirements at the outset — this is the single most common reason a College Station project stalls before it starts.
What requires a permit in College Station?
A building permit in College Station is a license granting legal permission to start a construction project, and the Building Division uses it to reduce the potential hazards of unsafe construction and protect public health, safety, and welfare.
The UDO carries its own exemption list distinct from the building code. Customary and incidental grounds maintenance, landscaping, and gardening are exempt from permitting requirements, as are drainage-related improvements or modifications made by a homeowner on property used as their principal residence where that property lies outside the designated area.
Permit required
- New residential and commercial construction, additions
- Structural and load-bearing alterations
- Interior remodels and commercial finish-out
- Reroofing and exterior envelope work
- Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work
- Site plans where required by the UDO — a prerequisite to the building permit
- Development permits under Article 3 of the UDO
- Work in a design district under Article 5 of the UDO
Exempt under the UDO
- Customary and incidental grounds maintenance, landscaping, and gardening
- Homeowner drainage improvements on a principal residence outside the designated area
- Painting, flooring, cabinetry, and cosmetic work
- Routine maintenance not affecting structure or systems
College Station building department: who handles permitting
Planning and Development Services handles building permits, site plans, development permits, and the planning review that precedes them. Applications are first reviewed for completeness, a memo goes back confirming whether the submission is complete, and only then is the submittal logged and distributed to project managers for review.
That completeness screen matters. An incomplete package does not enter review, it waits — and with a weekly Wednesday deadline, an incompleteness memo can cost a full cycle before substantive review has begun.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | City of College Station Planning and Development Services |
| Phone | 979.764.3570, cspds@cstx.gov |
| Mailing address | City of College Station, 1101 Texas Ave., College Station, TX 77840 (city offices 8:00am to 5:00pm weekdays) |
| Online portal | eTRAKiT (cd.cstx.gov/eTRAKiT) — registered users only; log-in issued by city staff |
| Contractor registration | Required before a building permit (homestead owners excepted) |
| Governing document | Unified Development Ordinance — site plans in Article 3, design districts in Article 5 |
| Submittal deadline | Wednesday mornings at 10:00 a.m. for new site plan submittals (city guide, revised 2010) |
| Completeness review | A memo confirms whether a submission is complete before it is logged |
| Public hearings | Minimum two months where required, e.g. rezoning |
| Permit records | Building permit activity published and updated weekly |
| Neighbouring jurisdictions | City of Bryan; unincorporated Brazos County |
The city publishes issued building permit activity weekly, updated by Planning and Development Services. That is a useful due-diligence resource before purchasing or leasing, and a good way to sanity-check what has previously been permitted on a property.
In 2025, building permits issued in College Station authorized 1,298 new privately owned housing units, 811 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
College Station permits: record types and what each covers
A building permit is one record among many, and in College Station it sits downstream of the Unified Development Ordinance. Site plans, development permits, and design district review are the records that decide whether a building permit can issue at all — the city will not issue one for a structure on a property where a required site plan is not in place.
Residential permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | New dwellings, additions, and accessory structures over the exempt threshold | Full plan review (structural, energy, zoning) | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Structural or load-bearing changes, layout changes, substantial repair | Plan review scaled to scope | Valuation-based |
| Reroof | Roof covering replacement and most major roof repair | Local reroof inspections; TDI windstorm inspection in the coastal catastrophe area | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Rooftop or ground-mount PV installation or replacement | Structural plus electrical review | Flat or system-size based |
| Solar thermal | Passive water heating or pool heating systems | Plumbing and structural review | Flat or per-permit minimum |
| Electrical | Service changes, panel upgrades, new circuits, most wiring alterations | Trade review; filed against the building permit | Per-permit minimum or per-device |
| Plumbing | New piping, repipes, water heaters, fixtures, gas piping | Trade review; filed against the building permit | Per-permit minimum or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Changeouts that are not like-for-like, ductwork, refrigeration | Trade review; filed against the building permit | Per-permit minimum or per-unit |
| Windows and doors | Replacement units and opening protection | Windstorm review for wind-borne debris on the coast | Valuation or per-opening |
| Pool and spa | In-ground and above-ground pools, spas, barrier and enclosure work | Plan review plus barrier and electrical bonding | Valuation-based |
| Fence and accessory | Fences, sheds, decks, and carports over the exempt threshold | Zoning plus structural where applicable | Flat or valuation-based |
| Demolition | Full or partial demolition of a structure | Utility disconnect verification required | Flat |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Commercial permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | Ground-up commercial, industrial, and multifamily | Full multi-discipline plan review | Valuation-based |
| Tenant improvement | Interior build-outs and suite fit-ups | Plan review across affected disciplines | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Structural, envelope, or system changes to an existing building | Plan review scaled to scope | Valuation-based |
| Change of use | Converting a building from one occupancy classification to another | Zoning, life-safety, and accessibility review | Valuation or flat |
| Reroof | Commercial roof covering replacement | Plan review plus fire review where applicable; TDI windstorm inspection on the coast | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Commercial rooftop, carport, and ground-mount PV | Structural, electrical, and often fire review | Valuation or system-size based |
| Electrical | Service, distribution, and branch circuit work | Trade review | Valuation or per-device |
| Plumbing | Supply, waste, vent, and gas systems | Trade review | Valuation or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Rooftop units, ductwork, exhaust, and refrigeration | Trade review | Valuation or per-unit |
| Fire protection | Sprinkler, standpipe, alarm, and suppression systems | Fire prevention plan review | Valuation or per-device |
| Sign | Wall, monument, and illuminated signage | Zoning plus electrical where illuminated | Flat or per-sign |
| Demolition | Full or partial commercial demolition | Utility disconnect and environmental clearance | Flat or valuation-based |
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Residential
- Single-discipline review in most cases
- Master permit with trades filed against it
- Owners may do some work on their own home; many cities ask for a homestead affidavit
- Windstorm rules drive roofing and opening protection on the coast
Commercial — multi-discipline
- Concurrent review across building, fire, and zoning
- Signed and sealed plans for larger projects; many cities require them for all commercial work
- Accessibility and life-safety review attach to change of use
- Impact fees can apply on top of permit fees
Roofing permits in College Station
College Station sits in the Brazos Valley at roughly 105 to 115 mph ultimate design wind speed under the adopted code, far inland of the designated catastrophe area and outside any TDI windstorm requirement. Hail governs. Watch instead for the UDO overlays — a design district can reach exterior work that the building code alone would treat as routine.
Texas has no single statewide building code and no general contractor licence: state law sets base codes and each city adopts its own edition and amendments, while most counties issue no building permits for homes outside city limits. The statewide solar, HOA and roofing rules are on the Texas page. Texas rules
College Station permit cost and fees
College Station permit fees follow the city fee schedule and scale with the type and valuation of work, with separate trade permit fees and separate applications for site plans, development permits, and zoning actions.
On a project that needs a site plan or a zoning change, those tracks are the real cost in time. A rezoning requiring public hearings takes a minimum of two months for the hearings alone, before any building review.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Scales with type and valuation of work |
| Trade permits (E / P / M) | Separate fee per trade, filed by the licensed contractor |
| Site plan | Separate application; a prerequisite where the UDO requires one |
| Development permit | Separate application under Article 3 of the UDO |
| Rezoning / public hearing items | Minimum two months for required hearings |
| Certificate of Occupancy | Required before occupancy or business opening on qualifying work |
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Want a precise number for a specific College Station project? Send us the scope and valuation and we’ll return a fee estimate alongside a realistic sequence including any UDO tracks.
College Station trade permits
Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work each need their own permit pulled by the state-licensed contractor for that trade. Texas licenses the trades and does not license general contractors, but College Station requires every contractor to register with the city before obtaining a permit: trade contractors with a copy of their state licence, a certificate of insurance, the fee and the form; general contractors with the form and the fee. A homeowner working on their own homestead may take out a building permit without registering.
Electrical
Service and panel work, new circuits, solar PV, EV charging, and backup power — performed by a TDLR-licensed electrician.
Plumbing
New plumbing, repipes, water heaters, fixtures, and gas piping — performed by a TSBPE-licensed plumber.
Mechanical / HVAC
Installations, non-like-for-like changeouts, ductwork, and venting, reviewed against the mechanical and energy codes as adopted.
Planning-side records
Site plans, development permits, and design district review run under the UDO on their own tracks, ahead of the building permit.
College Station permit application: how to apply step by step
Determine whether the project needs a site plan, a development permit, design district review, or a zoning action. These precede the building permit and shape the project.
Verify the parcel is inside College Station rather than Bryan or unincorporated Brazos County, and check whether ETJ requirements apply.
New submittals are due Wednesday mornings at 10:00 a.m. Anything later rolls to the next cycle, so build the calendar around it.
A memo will confirm whether the submission is complete. Only complete submittals are logged and distributed to project managers.
Without it the city will not issue a building permit for any structure on the property.
File the building permit, clear review and inspections, and obtain the Certificate of Occupancy where the scope requires one.
Inspections in College Station
The Building Division performs construction inspections against the adopted codes, running the standard sequence with checkpoints set by the permit record — foundation, framing, rough-in across the trades, insulation, and final.
College Station publishes issued building permit activity weekly through Planning and Development Services, which makes permit history on a property publicly traceable.
Keep the permit posted and approved plans on site, and clear correction notices before requesting a re-inspection.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →College Station permit search and official resources
- City of College Station — building permits
- College Station — building permits issued
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in College Station?
City of College Station Planning and Development Services issues building permits for everything inside College Station city limits, handling plan review, permit issuance, and construction inspections. Work outside the city limits falls to Brazos County, and Texas counties have sharply limited building authority in unincorporated areas.
How do I get a permit in College Station?
Confirm the scope triggers a permit and that zoning allows it, prepare the plan set and site plan, file through eTRAKiT with contractor licensure in place, respond to plan review comments, pay fees and take issuance, then run the inspection sequence through final. Contractor credentialing is the step most often missed and it blocks everything downstream.
What codes apply in College Station?
Texas has no mandatory statewide building code. Municipalities adopt and amend model codes themselves. Since 1 January 2026 College Station has enforced the 2024 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation, Property Maintenance, Fire, Existing Building and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes, the 2023 National Electrical Code and the 2024 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, several with local amendments. The Unified Development Ordinance governs zoning, platting and site plans alongside them.
When are permit applications due in College Station?
For site plans, the city’s Guide to Building and Development (revised 2010) sets the deadline for new submittals at Wednesday mornings at 10:00 a.m., and anything submitted after a deadline is subject to the following one. Each application is first reviewed for completeness and a memo confirms whether it is complete; only then is it logged and distributed to project managers. Confirm the current schedule with Planning & Development Services (979.764.3570).
Do I need a site plan before a building permit in College Station?
Where the Unified Development Ordinance requires one, yes — and it is absolute. The city will not issue a building permit for any structure on a property where a required site plan is not in place. Site plans are covered in Article 3 of the UDO, and design districts in Article 5. Establish which UDO requirements attach to your parcel before designing, not at submittal.
Is my property in College Station, Bryan, or unincorporated Brazos County?
All three are genuinely different answers. College Station runs the UDO with weekly submittal deadlines; Bryan runs its own department with annual contractor registration and a Citizenserve portal; and unincorporated Brazos County issues no building permit at all, only a floodplain development permit that solely the property owner or a legal representative may sign. The two cities adjoin directly, and College Station also exercises certain requirements in its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Confirm the parcel first.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a permit to install solar panels in College Station?
Yes. Photovoltaic installations in College Station are permitted under a dedicated solar record type reviewed on both a structural and an electrical track. Solar thermal — passive water and pool heating — is a separate record. Under Tex. Prop. Code §202.010, a homeowners' association cannot ban a solar energy device outright, but it may still require prior architectural approval and impose reasonable placement conditions, so run the HOA submittal alongside the permit. Since September 1, 2025, Tex. Local Gov't Code §247.0025 (SB 1202) also permits third-party plan review and inspection of home backup power installations — generators and energy storage for one- and two-family dwellings at 600 volts or less — in place of jurisdiction review. Utility interconnection and Permission to Operate still run in parallel.
Does a roof replacement require a permit in College Station?
Yes, in most cases. A roof covering replacement requires a permit in most Texas municipalities including College Station, though minor repairs can fall below the local threshold. Texas has no statewide product approval system and no central product listing, so compliance runs against the locally adopted code edition and its local amendments. Hail rather than wind is the governing risk inland, and Tex. Prop. Code §202.011 bars an HOA from prohibiting wind or hail resistant shingles.
What is the difference between a residential and a commercial permit in College Station?
Residential work is generally a single-discipline review filed as a master permit with trades filed against it. Commercial work in College Station runs concurrent review across building, fire, and zoning, requires signed and sealed plans for every affected discipline, and can carry impact fees on top of permit fees. Change of use adds accessibility and life-safety review.
Do trade permits need to be pulled separately in College Station?
Yes in most cases. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work is permitted separately by the licensed contractor for each trade and filed against the master building permit. Each trade permit carries its own fee and its own inspection sequence.
What happens if I file under the wrong permit type in College Station?
Expect a delay. Planning and Development Services reviews an application under the record type it was filed as, so a filing under the wrong type usually has to be withdrawn and refiled under the correct one before review can finish. Confirming the record type before filing is the cheapest step in the entire process.
Can I apply for all College Station permit types online?
Yes for most. College Station takes projects, permits and licences through eTRAKiT, and most paper applications are no longer needed. You must be a registered user, with log-in details issued by city staff (email cspds@cstx.gov). Site plans, development permits and zoning actions follow the UDO on their own tracks ahead of the building permit. The city publishes issued building permit activity weekly. Contact Planning and Development Services at 979.764.3570 to confirm the process for a specific project type.
Simplify College Station permitting with Alliance Permitting
A Unified Development Ordinance that gates the building permit, a hard Wednesday submittal deadline, a completeness screen before review even begins, and two-month public hearing timelines on zoning — College Station rewards projects that are sequenced from the UDO backwards. Alliance Permitting is a permit expediter for College Station: we resolve the planning tracks before the building permit is ever filed.
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Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company: we prepare your paperwork, file it correctly, and coordinate with the authority having jurisdiction through issuance. We are not a contractor and do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your team and the jurisdiction.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general informational purposes and reflects publicly available information believed accurate as of July 2026. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change; always confirm current details with City of College Station Planning and Development Services before filing. This is not legal advice.