Inside Eagle Pass city limits, building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits come from the City’s Community Development Department at 3295 Bob Rogers Drive (830-773-7781), and permits can be applied for online through SmartGov. A new house is charged $0.30 per square foot under roof plus a $93 plan check fee, a $30 base fee and a parkland dedication of $1 per 10 square feet, and inspections must be requested 24 hours in advance.
What requires a permit in Eagle Pass?
The City’s permit applications show the work it permits:
Homes
- New houses, additions, remodeling and repairs
- Pools
- Storage sheds, garages, carports and porches
- Palapas
- Fences, and moving or demolishing a structure or fence
- Fill or grading
- Driveways and curb cuts
Commercial and other
- Commercial and industrial buildings, additions and remodels
- Signs
- Certificates of Occupancy and business permits
- Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas fitting work
- Floodplain development
- Work in public right-of-way
- Tree removal and home businesses
Starting work without a permit doubles the permit fee, with a $200 minimum.
Who issues permits in Eagle Pass?
The Community Development Department administers the City’s development codes: it reviews plans, issues building and trade permits, registers contractors, inspects construction and issues the Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance. The Planning and Zoning Commission decides land use and subdivision cases, and the Zoning Board of Adjustment and Appeals hears appeals and variance requests. Eagle Pass is the only incorporated city in Maverick County; land outside the city limits is county territory.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Department | Community Development |
| Office | 3295 Bob Rogers Drive, Eagle Pass, TX 78852 |
| Phone / fax | 830-773-7781 / 830-773-7803 |
| planning@eaglepasstx.gov | |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Online filing | SmartGov |
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Permits can be applied for online through the City’s SmartGov portal, which also shows application status and inspection results, or on the paper applications from the Forms, Links & Maps page. Each application asks for the Maverick County Appraisal District (MCAD) property ID and the legal description, and staff check the address and legal lot before issuing a permit. An application is treated as abandoned 180 days after filing, and an issued permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days.
Contractors register with the City every calendar year (January 1 to December 31); new registrations after July 1 pay half the annual fee. A contractor who does not register in person signs the application before a notary.
| Trade | Requirements and fee |
|---|---|
| Master electrician or electrical contractor | State licence, $5,000 licence and permit bond, $300,000 liability insurance; $100, renewal $65 |
| Journeyman / apprentice electrician | State licence and photo ID; $100 / $75, renewal $65 / $50 |
| Mechanical contractor | State HVAC licence (Class A or B), $10,000 bond, $300,000 (Class A) or $100,000 (Class B) insurance; $100, renewal $65 |
| Master plumber | State licence and $300,000 liability insurance; no fee |
| General, pool, demolition or sign contractor | $10,000 licence and permit bond and photo ID; $100, renewal $65 |
Eagle Pass permit fees
The City’s June 2025 application forms list these building permit fees. Residential fees are based on square footage under roof; commercial fees are based on the ICC building valuation data.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential structure | $0.30 per sq ft under roof |
| Plan check, new one- or two-family home / addition or renovation | $93 / $48 |
| Parkland dedication, residential | $1 per 10 sq ft under roof |
| Base permit fee | $30 |
| Non-residential building | $2 per $1,000 of value |
| Plan check, new commercial or industrial / addition or renovation | $193 / $88 |
| Commercial valued over $1 million | Additional 1% of the building fee |
| Park dedication, commercial | $1 per $1,000 of value |
| Fill and/or grade | $193 |
| Certificate of Occupancy | $50 |
| Right-of-way curb cut | $50 |
| Moving a building or fence / demolition | $88 / $98 |
| Sign permit / business permit | $88 / $25 |
| Work started without a permit | Double the permit fee, $200 minimum |
For example, a new 2,000 sq ft house pays $600 in building permit fees, $93 for plan check, $200 parkland dedication and the $30 base fee, or $923 before trade permits and the Certificate of Occupancy.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
Each trade has its own Community Development application, filed by the registered contractor. Plumbing permits require a responsible master plumber. A gas fitting permit is signed by a master plumber, or by a homeowner doing work on a homesteaded home. Illuminated signs need a separate electrical permit from an electrical contractor.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical base fee | $30 |
| Lights and outlets / 110 V circuit / 220 V circuit | $0.75 / $1.50 / $3 each |
| Temporary service pole or single-phase meter loop | $18 |
| Three-phase meter | $43 |
| Plumbing inspection, residential / commercial | $50 / $70 |
| Mechanical base inspection fee | $30 |
| Condensing unit or furnace and coil / rooftop unit | $20 / $55 |
| Electrical or mechanical re-inspection | $30 |
| Plumbing re-inspection (1st / 2nd / 3rd and later) | $30 / $50 / $75 |
Plans and documents to submit
Residential
- Two complete sets of plans drawn to scale for a new home or major alteration (one set for other work), plus one electronic set
- Foundation plan based on an engineer’s soil test, and the soil test report
- Floor, site and elevation plans
- Plumbing and electrical layouts
- Manual J load calculation and layout
- REScheck energy report
Commercial
- Four complete sets of plans and one electronic set
- The residential items plus landscape and drainage plans
- A TAS registration number for new construction or renovations over $50,000
- An engineer’s seal for buildings over 5,000 sq ft or with spans over 24 ft, and an architect’s seal over two storeys or 20,000 sq ft
- An asbestos survey before demolition of anything other than a single-family home
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →The site plan must show every existing and proposed structure with distances to lot lines, setbacks, easements, parking, required landscaping and street names; the sidewalk is not the property line. A plat of record and address validation may also be required. Commercial plans marked “For Review” or “For Permit” are not approved.
How to get an Eagle Pass building permit
Use the City’s zoning, flood hazard and historic district maps; the lot may need a plat of record and a validated address.
File the Contractor Registration Form with the bond, insurance and state licence for each trade.
Submit the residential or commercial application with the MCAD property ID, cost of the project and the plan sets.
The electrician, master plumber and mechanical contractor each file their own permit applications.
Pay the building, plan check, parkland and base fees, and start work within 180 days.
Request each inspection 24 hours ahead, starting with the setback inspection before the foundation forms go in.
Inspections in Eagle Pass
Inspections must be requested 24 hours in advance. The first one is the building setback inspection, before foundation forms are installed, and the trash container and erosion control must be in place by then. The residential sequence continues with the temporary electric meter loop, plumbing rough-in, foundation, sheathing, framing, MEP top-out, insulation, sewer tap, driveway and sidewalk, and the final building and MEP inspection, which includes landscaping. Drainage, fencing and historic district inspections are added when they apply. Once everything passes, the City issues a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance.
Local Eagle Pass details
Historic district: work in the historic district needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, and its inspection is handled with the Main Street Coordinator.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Floodplain: building in the Special Flood Hazard Area shown on the City’s map needs a Floodplain Development Permit.
Parkland: every new home pays $1 per 10 sq ft under roof, and commercial projects $1 per $1,000 of value, as a park dedication fee.
Subdivisions: plats need utility and service certifications from the water, sewer, electric, gas, telephone, cable, school district, county and postal providers, published on the Land Development page.
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
Eagle Pass permit resources
- Eagle Pass Community Development
- SmartGov online permits
- Forms, Links & Maps
- Residential building permit application and checklist
- Commercial building permit application and checklist
- Electrical permit application
- Plumbing permit application
- Mechanical permit application
- Contractor registration form
- Commercial Development Permit Guide 2023
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in Eagle Pass?
The City of Eagle Pass Community Development Department, 3295 Bob Rogers Drive, 830-773-7781.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Eagle Pass?
$0.30 per sq ft under roof, plus a $93 plan check fee, $1 per 10 sq ft for parkland and a $30 base fee. For a 2,000 sq ft house that is $923 before trade permits.
Is a setback inspection required before foundation forms?
Yes. Request it before the forms are installed, with the trash container and erosion control already on site.
How far ahead must I request an inspection?
24 hours.
Can a homeowner do gas or plumbing work?
A homeowner can sign the gas fitting permit for a homesteaded home; other plumbing permits are pulled by a responsible master plumber.
What codes does Eagle Pass enforce?
The City’s June 2025 application forms cite the 2018 ICC codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code, along with the Code of Ordinances.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Eagle Pass permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.