Ennis, Texas Building Permit Guide

The City of Ennis issues building permits for work inside its city limits, and every application has been filed online in OpenGov since June 5, 2024, for review by Inspection Services and Planning & Development at 108 W. Knox Street. A new home costs $1.25 per square foot under the 2025-2026 fee schedule, and City plan review returns first comments within 14 business days.

What requires a permit in Ennis?

A permit is needed before you build, alter, enlarge, move, demolish or repair any home or commercial building inside the city limits. Ennis splits building work into two OpenGov applications:

The City says the list is not complete; call 972-875-6442 before starting work you are unsure about.

Ennis building department: who handles permitting

Permits are handled by the City’s Community Health & Development office, where Inspection Services and Planning & Development both review each building application. Troy Foreman is the Assistant Director of Community Health and Development and the Building Official. Commercial applications also go to the Fire Marshal and, for some uses, the Health Department.

City permits apply inside the city limits. In the Ennis extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), platting is handled by Ellis County under a 2019 interlocal agreement with the City.

Ennis permit types and contractor registration

All permits are applied for in OpenGov. Besides the Building Permit and Basic Building Permit, the portal carries applications for a Certificate of Occupancy, contractor registration, signs, driveways, irrigation and backflow, on-site sewage facilities, electrical meter releases, pre-development meetings, plats, zoning changes, variances, specific use permits and historic district certificates.

Who can pull a permit: licensed trade contractors and general contractors registered with the City. The general contractor and every subcontractor must be registered in OpenGov, with phone, email and business address, before the permit application can be submitted. Homeowners doing the work themselves can pull a homestead permit instead.

Have the plans, surveys and owner authorization ready before starting an online application. New residential and commercial buildings need a full plan set stamped by the appropriate design professionals.

Ennis permit fees (fiscal year 2026)

Fees come from the 2025-2026 fee schedule adopted by Ordinance No. 25-0916-G2, effective October 1, 2025. Homes are charged by square footage; commercial permits by job valuation, with mechanical, electrical, plumbing and pool work included.

A 2,000 sq ft new home comes to $2,500 at $1.25 per sq ft. For a new commercial building valued at $200,000, the permit fee is $848 plus $0.45 for each $100 over $100,000, or $1,298, and commercial plan review adds 30% of the permit fee ($389.40) unless an ICC or accredited review firm does the review. Remodels of commercial buildings use a lower valuation table. Work started without a permit costs an amount equal to the permit fee, with a $250 minimum, and a stop work order costs $250.

Ennis trade permits

Stand-alone electrical, plumbing and mechanical work is filed in OpenGov as a Basic Building Permit and costs $150 per trade, with $50 for a water heater or a gas pressure test. For commercial buildings, the valuation-based permit fee already includes the mechanical, electrical and plumbing work. Only licensed trade contractors and registered general contractors may do the work, unless a homeowner holds a homestead permit.

The City enforces the 2021 International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes and the National Electrical Code edition currently adopted by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Irrigation and backflow work needs its own permit, and the fee schedule lists a City irrigation licence at $75 and a backflow licence at $100. Commercial fire protection is checked against the 2021 International Fire Code, including the local sprinkler amendment for Group M (mercantile) buildings.

Plan review and pre-development meetings

When the City reviews the plans itself, first comments come back within 14 business days. For larger or more complex projects the Building Official may require an accredited third-party plan review. Public Works civil plans have a separate review, with up to 30 business days allowed for the first submittal.

A pre-development meeting with Planning & Development, Public Works, Utility Operations and the Fire Department is requested in OpenGov and costs $100, plus $50 if the Health Department attends; the fee schedule’s Public Works section also lists a $400 fee per pre-development meeting. Bring the address or location map, a concept site plan, a description of the use, ownership details and any known drainage, traffic, access or floodplain issues. The meeting is advisory only and is not an approval.

Planning & Development may let grading start before the building permit if Public Works has authorized it, erosion controls are in place and posted, and a secured portable restroom is on site. Heavy equipment, temporary offices and tanks need a site plan approved first.

Ennis permit application: how to apply step by step

Inspections in Ennis

The permit holder must schedule every required inspection, and Ennis takes inspection requests only through OpenGov. The inspections needed depend on the type of project and the scope of work. Each re-inspection for building work or a customer service inspection costs $150.

The City’s local amendments add International Energy Conservation Code air-leakage compliance inspections. Public Works inspects street driveways ($100 per inspection), and a new business, a change of use or a change of ownership needs a Certificate of Occupancy before opening.

Local Ennis details that matter

Historic districts: in the Residential Historic District and the Historic Downtown District, any exterior work visible from a public right-of-way, including additions, new buildings, fences, paint colors, lights, signs, steps and paving, needs a Certificate of Appropriateness ($75) before work begins. Building permits follow the COA. Demolishing or relocating a historic structure needs a separate certificate, and the Historic Landmark Commission meets on the third Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m.

Sewer and floodplain: an on-site sewage system is allowed only when no public sewer is available within 1,000 ft of the property. If any of the property is in the floodplain, talk to the Floodplain Administrator and City Engineer first; temporary construction and fill are not allowed there.

Site plans: site plan review costs $350.

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

Ennis permit search and official resources

• Review official Ennis permit information
• Does my project require a permit?
• OpenGov applications and documents
• 2025-2026 fee schedule (Ordinance No. 25-0916-G2)
• Pre-Development Meeting Checklist
• Adopted building codes (Ordinance No. 24-0123-G3)
• Historic district requirements

Frequently asked questions

Who issues building permits in Ennis?

The City of Ennis, through Inspection Services and Planning & Development at 108 W. Knox Street. Troy Foreman is the Building Official.

How much is a building permit for a new house in Ennis?

$1.25 per square foot under the fiscal year 2026 schedule, so $2,500 for a 2,000 sq ft house.

Do I need a permit for a fence or shed in Ennis?

Fences need a permit only when they are over 8 ft high. Accessory buildings need one over 120 sq ft; storage buildings up to 400 sq ft cost $125 and larger ones $1.00 per sq ft.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Ennis?

Yes. Homeowners doing their own work can pull a homestead permit; otherwise the work must be done by a licensed trade contractor or a general contractor registered with the City.

How long does plan review take?

When the City does the review, first comments arrive within 14 business days. Larger projects may be sent to an accredited third-party reviewer.

How are inspections scheduled in Ennis?

Only through the OpenGov portal. A failed inspection costs $150 for each re-inspection.

Simplify Ennis 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 Ennis permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.