El Campo, Texas Building Permit Guide

Inside El Campo city limits, the Inspections & Planning Department at City Hall issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, and applications go to the Permit Clerk or through the City’s iWorQ permit portal. A new home costs $40 plus $0.40 per square foot, with plan review charged at 50% of that fee, and the site plan must be approved before the building application is accepted.

What requires a permit in El Campo?

The City’s building permit packet lists common jobs that need a permit and says the list is not complete, so ask before starting anything not on it. Repairs to electrical, plumbing or HVAC systems need their own separate permits.

El Campo building department: who handles permitting

The Inspections & Planning Department issues and inspects all construction permits in the city and also issues Certificates of Occupancy and sign permits. It handles platting, zoning and floodplain management as well. Keith Rod is the Building Official. Public Works reviews site plans for drainage, utilities and paving, and the City’s Fire Marshal reviews fire access and hydrants.

The City’s zoning ordinance stops at the city limits: property in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is exempt from zoning but can still fall under City platting and sign rules. The City’s pages do not describe building permits in the ETJ.

El Campo applications, forms and contractor registration

Most forms can be filed online in the iWorQ portal, or printed from the Permits & Planning Document Center and handed to the Permit Clerk. The City publishes separate applications for building, electrical (E), mechanical (M) and plumbing (P) permits, a fire permit application, a plan review (site plan) application and a Permit Application Authorization Form. Zoning verification, rezoning, variance, planned development, special use permit and plat applications are in the same library.

Contractor registration: every contractor must register with the City on the Contractor License Application, attaching any state licence and a certificate of insurance with at least $100,000 of liability cover that names the City of El Campo, 315 E Jackson, as certificate holder. The City licence costs $150 and expires on December 31 each year; renewing before then costs $75, and a late renewal $150. State-licensed contractors pay no fee but still have to register.

The electrical, mechanical and plumbing applications include a box for a property owner to request a homestead permit.

El Campo permit cost

These fees are printed in the City’s building permit packet (revised June 2024). Plan review fees are paid when you submit, and the building permit fee when the permit is issued.

For example, a 2,000 sq ft new home has a building permit fee of $840 ($40 plus $800) and a plan review fee of $420, before trade permits. Floodplain development, planned development districts and multi-lot developments are priced by the City on request. Any unpaid engineer review costs must be settled before permits are released. The City’s older Development Guide (February 2023) still shows $25 base fees; the 2024 application packet is the newer document.

El Campo trade permits and fees

Inspections & Planning issues electrical, mechanical, plumbing and gas permits on their own application forms, and the Building Official, Fire Marshal and the electrical, mechanical and plumbing inspectors each sign off their part of the work.

When adding or repairing an HVAC system in an existing building, the mechanical application asks for photos of the drip pan, primary and secondary drain lines and vent seal.

What to submit for a new building

A new-construction application includes the building permit application, the application and plan review fees, one complete digital plan set and one full-size 2 ft by 3 ft paper set; a second paper copy is needed once the plans are approved.

Remodels need a site sketch on the application showing the work in relation to property lines, and additions need a concept plan plus a full site plan or engineered plans depending on the stage of the project.

El Campo permit application: how to apply step by step

Inspections in El Campo

Request inspections by phone at 979-541-5020 or online in iWorQ with your permit number, before 5:00 p.m. on the day before the inspection you want. The City does not inspect on Saturdays. Keep the approved plans and permits on site, and post the address where it can be seen from the street in figures at least 5 inches high. Do not cover any work until it has been approved.

After every final inspection and department approval, the owner or tenant requests the Certificate of Occupancy; a building cannot be occupied before it is issued, and tenants of existing buildings need one too.

Local El Campo details that matter

Floodplain: the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (No. 2006-02) requires a development permit to build, excavate, grade, fill or pave in the floodplain. The City asks for elevation certificates with the construction drawings, during construction and at completion. Flood maps can be viewed at the department or on the City’s interactive flood map, and the Stormwater Management Code (Ordinance 2020-12) also applies.

Setbacks: in the R-1 single-family district, buildings sit at least 25 ft from the street right-of-way, 20 ft from the rear line and 6 ft from the sides, with 15 ft on a corner. The R-1E estate district needs 50 ft front and rear.

Utilities: the City supplies water; electric service comes from Wharton County Electric Cooperative or AEP, and natural gas from CenterPoint.

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

El Campo official resources

• Inspections & Planning Department
• Permits & Planning Document Center
• iWorQ permit portal
• Building permit application, fees and checklists (2024)
• El Campo Development Guide
• Contractor License Application
• Floodplain Management

Frequently asked questions

How much is a building permit for a new house in El Campo?

$40 plus $0.40 per square foot for the first 6,000 sq ft, plus plan review at 50% of that fee. A 2,000 sq ft house comes to $840 plus $420, before trade permits.

Can I apply before my site plan is approved?

No. Inspections & Planning and Public Works must approve the site plan before the City accepts the building permit application.

Do I need a permit for a fence or a new roof in El Campo?

Yes. Both are on the City’s permit list: a fence costs $40 plus $0.04 per sq ft and may need a pre-permit consultation, and a roof $40 plus $0.02 per sq ft.

Do contractors have to register with the City?

Yes. The City licence costs $150 a year, but state-licensed contractors register for free. All must show liability insurance of at least $100,000 naming the City as certificate holder.

How do I book an inspection?

Call 979-541-5020 or request it online in iWorQ with your permit number before 5:00 p.m. the day before. No inspections are done on Saturdays.

What does a failed inspection cost?

Mechanical, plumbing and gas re-inspections are $75 each.

Simplify El Campo permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Texas. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about El Campo permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.