Harker Heights, Texas Building Permit Guide

Inside Harker Heights, building permits come from the Building Official, Permits & Inspections office at City Hall, 305 Millers Crossing (254-953-5647), part of the Planning & Development Department. Applications, fees and inspection requests all go through MyGovernmentOnline (MGO). A new house costs $0.10 per square foot under roof, a figure that already covers its electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits and the standard inspections.

What requires a permit in Harker Heights?

The Building Official’s FAQ says a permit is needed to build, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building, change its use, or install, alter, repair, remove or replace any structural, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system covered by the technical codes. Maintenance and minor repairs generally do not need one. The City’s fee schedule lists the residential permits it issues:

Harker Heights building department: who handles permitting

The Planning & Development Department runs plan review, permits and inspections through its Building Official, Permits & Inspections office. Michael Beard is the Planning & Development Director and Building Official, and the office also holds periodic contractors’ meetings, most recently in July 2026.

Filing in MyGovernmentOnline

The City’s MGO help guide walks through the online application. In the MGO customer portal, set the state to Texas and the jurisdiction to Harker Heights, not Bell County. Pick the application type that matches the project, or the General Building Permit Application if none fits, then enter the owner, applicant and contractor. Homeowners doing their own work list themselves in all three places with “Property Owner” as the business name.

• Contractor registration: $75 plus a $10 technology fee, renewed every year because registrations expire on December 31. First-time applicants add a DBA, certificate of incorporation or LLC papers, and licensed trades attach their state licence; state law bars the City from charging some licensed trades a registration fee.
• Energy forms: duct leakage affidavits and spray foam insulation worksheets for the 2021 and 2024 energy codes.
• Home backup power: under Senate Bill 1202, contractors may use an authorized third party to review and inspect home backup power and battery installations; the City’s checklist sets the documents, and the $35 permit (plus $10) does not include review or inspection.
• Right-of-way work: street cutting, boring, driveway and sidewalk work has its own application.

Harker Heights permit costs

Fees come from the City’s fee schedule for October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Most permits carry a $10 technology fee on top. Payment is accepted online in MGO or at City Hall.

Square footage for a new house includes the garage, porches and patios. For example, a house with 2,500 sq ft under roof has a $250 permit fee plus the $10 technology fee; that fee covers the certificate of occupancy, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, flatwork and site plan permits and the foundation, plumbing rough-in, framing, insulation and final inspections. The schedule also lists plan review by City staff at half of the base permit fee.

Impact fees: in the City’s limited wastewater service area, a wastewater impact fee is paid when the building permit is issued. For a 3/4-inch meter the schedule lists $6,133 under the 2022 fee and $2,822 under the 2024 fee; the impact fee ordinance (Chapter 55) and studies are on the City’s Impact Fee page.

Harker Heights trade permits

For a new house, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are part of the per-square-foot building fee. Stand-alone trade jobs on existing homes are permitted separately: $75 for mechanical work, $50 for plumbing, $35 for electrical service, and $30 for a water heater or gas test. Electricians, plumbers, HVAC contractors and irrigators register with the City by sending a copy of their current state licence, and the City applies the 2023 National Electrical Code and the 2024 plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas codes.

Commercial shell buildings, warehouses and parking garages are the exception: their square-foot fee does not include the electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits.

What to submit and how long review takes

• The completed application in MGO
• A scaled or fully dimensioned site plan showing property lines, existing and proposed construction, utility easements and distances to property lines; for a shed or fence, an aerial site plan from Google Maps, a survey or the City’s GIS map is accepted
• Whatever else shows the scope and code compliance: full plans, simple floor plans, elevations, engineer letters or a description of materials

Upload PDF files, since MGO has had trouble reading JPG images. The City allows at least 24 hours for review, longer in some cases. An application missing information is returned with comments before it is accepted; once accepted it gets a project number, revision requests arrive by email, and a “Payment Required” notice is sent when the permit is approved.

Harker Heights permit application: local filing sequence

Inspections in Harker Heights

Inspections can be requested only after the permit is approved and every fee is paid. Use the tasks tab in MGO or call MGO at 866-957-3764, option 5. Requests made before 4:00 p.m. can typically be scheduled for the next business day, but the City books inspections in the order received and limits how many it does each day. After an inspection, the results and the inspector’s comments appear in MGO.

A new home’s fee covers the foundation, plumbing rough-in, framing, electrical, mechanical and plumbing (FEMP), insulation, temporary electrical pole and final inspections. Two inspections of the same item are included; the third and later cost $50 each, and a video inspection costs $35.

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

Harker Heights permit search and official resources

• Harker Heights Permits
• Harker Heights Building Official
• Harker Heights adopted building codes
• Building permits and forms
• Building Official FAQs
• MGO help guide: building permits and inspections (PDF)
• FY2026-27 fee schedule (PDF)
• Harker Heights impact fees

Harker Heights permit FAQ

How much is a building permit for a new house in Harker Heights?

$0.10 per square foot under roof, counting the garage, porches and patios, plus a $10 technology fee. The fee includes the trade permits and standard inspections.

Do I need a permit for a shed in Harker Heights?

Yes. The schedule charges $45 for an accessory building of 144 sq ft or less and $125 for a larger one.

How long does plan review take?

At least 24 hours, and longer in some cases, according to the Building Official’s FAQ.

How do I schedule an inspection?

In MGO’s tasks tab or by calling 866-957-3764, option 5. Requests before 4:00 p.m. can usually be scheduled for the next business day.

What codes does Harker Heights use?

The 2024 International codes, including the building, residential, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy, existing building, property maintenance and pool and spa codes, with the 2023 National Electrical Code, all effective January 1, 2025.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Harker Heights?

Yes. In MGO the owner lists themselves as owner, applicant and contractor, entering “Property Owner” as the business name.

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