Inside Kennedale city limits, building permits come from the Building Inspections division of the City’s Community Development Department, and every application must be filed online through MyGov by a registered contractor or the property owner. A new house is charged $0.90 per square foot, trades included, plus a plan review fee of 35%, and permits that need plan review are typically issued in 5 to 10 business days.
What needs a permit in Kennedale?
The City requires a permit for new construction and for any work that changes, moves or repairs walls, floors, ceilings, windows, doors, or electrical, mechanical or plumbing systems.
Permit needed
- New homes, townhomes, ADUs and multi-family buildings
- Additions and structural alterations
- Window and door changes
- Electrical, HVAC and plumbing work
- Accessory buildings and detached garages
- Fences, retaining walls and screen walls
- Swimming pools and hot tubs, above ground or in-ground
- Driveway approaches, demolition and moving a building
- Irrigation systems and backflow devices
- Fire alarm, sprinkler, suppression and access control systems
No permit
- Cosmetic remodels: floor or wall coverings, cabinets, countertops, shelving
- Replacing plumbing fixtures
- Sprinkler work on fewer than 10 heads
- Alarm work with fewer than five notification devices or one initiating device
Every business inside the city also needs a free annual business license, and a new tenant needs a certificate of occupancy; both are applied for online.
Who issues permits in Kennedale?
Community Development runs three divisions: Building Inspections, Code Compliance, and Planning and Development. Edward McRoy is the Director of Community Development and Building Official. Building Inspections reviews plans, issues building permits and certificates of occupancy, and inspects residential and commercial work. Fire system and operational permits come from the Fire Marshal’s Office, and food and health permits are handled by Tarrant County Public Health under an interlocal agreement.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Permit desk (Development Clerk) | 817-985-2133, permits@cityofkennedale.com |
| Building Official | 817-985-2135 |
| Address and hours | 405 Municipal Drive, Kennedale, TX 76060; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Inspection requests | inspections@cityofkennedale.com |
| Fire Marshal’s Office | 817-985-2154 |
| Health permits | Tarrant County Environmental Health, 1101 S. Main St., Suite 2300, Fort Worth (817-248-6299) |
Kennedale lies entirely in Tarrant County. In its extraterritorial jurisdiction the City regulates only land division, through its subdivision process, and nuisances; it does not issue building permits or certificates of occupancy there.
MyGov filing and contractor registration
Paper applications are no longer taken. Applicants create a MyGov collaborator account, choose Request Access, search for the City of Kennedale and are granted access straight away. From the dashboard you can apply for a contractor credential or a permit, upload plans and documents, submit, and track each application.
Every contractor and subcontractor must hold a City registration before a permit can be issued. Under the City Code the registration names the company, a principal who can bind it, the licensed contractor who represents it, and includes a current certificate of insurance. A general contractor pays $100 to register and $50 a year to renew ($100 if renewed more than 30 days late); electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors register at no charge. A property owner altering or repairing their own structure does not need a registration, but still needs the permits.
Certificate of occupancy and business license applications use the same portal. Permits expire if work does not start within 60 days of issue or stops for 120 days.
Kennedale permit fees
Fees come from the schedule adopted as Exhibit A to Ordinance 779 on January 21, 2025. The minimum charge for any permit or inspection is $90 (signs excluded), and a card payment carries the vendor’s processing fee.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| One- and two-family homes, townhomes, triplexes, fourplexes and ADUs (new, alterations, additions; MEPs included) | $0.90 per sq ft |
| Multi-family | $0.52 per sq ft of gross floor area |
| Plan review, residential and non-residential | 35% of the building permit fee, or actual cost if reviewed by a third party |
| Commercial, $1 to $10,000 of valuation | $150 |
| Commercial, $100,001 to $500,000 | $1,200 for the first $100,000 + $4.50 per additional $1,000 |
| Commercial, over $1,000,000 | $6,250 for the first $1,000,000 + $2.50 per additional $1,000 |
| Residential accessory building (schedule lists a 100 sq ft minimum) | $100 |
| Detached residential garage | $0.80 per sq ft |
| Fence, retaining wall or screen wall | $100 residential; $150 non-residential |
| Swimming pool or hot tub | $200 above ground; $400 in-ground plus plan review |
| Certificate of occupancy | $150 |
| Demolition / drive approach | $110 / $120 |
| Re-inspection | $90 |
| Re-review of plans | $100 per hour, 1-hour minimum |
For a 2,000 sq ft house, the permit is $1,800 and in-house plan review adds $630, a total of $2,430 before utility charges. Starting work before the permit is issued doubles the original permit fee. Commercial valuations between the rows shown follow the City’s full sliding table.
Trade and fire permits in Kennedale
On new construction the trade work is included in the square-foot building fee. Stand-alone trade jobs on homes are permitted separately through MyGov:
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential HVAC | $55 per air-handling unit (indoor plus outdoor unit = $110) |
| Residential electrical (receptacles, switches, panel upgrades) | $90 per room or per panel |
| Residential plumbing | $90 |
| Irrigation / backflow prevention device | $90 each |
| Non-residential trade work | Commercial valuation table |
The Fire Marshal’s Office permits fire alarm, sprinkler, suppression, kitchen hood and access control systems, underground fire lines, storage tanks and tents. Fire plan review starts at $290 for a system valued under $6,250 and $440 from $6,250 to $250,000. Alarm systems must be fully addressable, not proprietary, and use cellular communicators. Hazardous operations such as hot work, high-piled storage or spray finishing need an annual $90 operational permit.
How to get a Kennedale permit
Make sure it is inside city limits; the City issues no building permits in its ETJ. The Land Use Inquiry form answers zoning, setback, floodplain and platting questions.
Conferences are held on Tuesdays; send the request form with at least a sketch plan by the Friday before.
Create a collaborator account, request access to Kennedale and apply for the contractor credential.
Choose the permit type, upload the drawings and documents and submit; jobs with plan review typically take 5 to 10 business days.
Pay the fees shown in MyGov; card payments add the vendor fee.
Send each request to the inspections inbox by noon for a next-day visit, then obtain the certificate of occupancy where one is required.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Kennedale
Inspections are requested by email to inspections@cityofkennedale.com; the MyGov portal points to the same inbox. Requests received by noon are scheduled for the next day, later requests go to the following business day, and the City emails a confirmation once the request is processed. A failed inspection that has to be repeated costs $90.
Annual fire inspections, fire re-inspections and the fire check for a certificate of occupancy carry no charge. Backflow assemblies must be tested when installed, repaired or moved and should be tested every year; since July 14, 2025, testers file their reports online through Vepo’s Envirotrax system rather than on paper.
Local Kennedale requirements
Development Review Committee: Planning, Engineering, Fire, Building Inspection, Public Works and Police staff meet developers on Tuesdays to comment on proposals. The comments are advisory and do not approve a plan.
Food and auto businesses: restaurants, food processors, auto repair shops, car washes and commercial laundries must install grease or grit traps. The interceptor goes outside the building, needs at least two compartments and two baffles, and must be fully pumped at least every 90 days by a permitted transporter.
Utilities: only the City may tap its water and sewer mains. A 5/8 x 3/4 inch meter costs $465, a 1-inch meter $563, and taps are priced per job; meter charges follow City of Arlington rates.
Land and trees: a clear and grade permit is $100. Tree removal permits cost $250 per acre, with existing residential lots exempt, and mitigation is $25 per caliper inch. A fee of $1,200 per dwelling unit is charged in lieu of parkland dedication.
Codes: the 2018 International codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code apply with the City’s local amendments, under Ordinance 691 (effective May 15, 2020). The City says it is evaluating the 2024 codes.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Kennedale official resources
- Kennedale building permit applications
- Kennedale MyGov public portal
- MyGov collaborator set-up guide (PDF)
- Building Inspections division
- Community Development Department contacts
- Adopted building codes
- Contractor registration
- Scheduling inspections
- Kennedale fee schedule, Ordinance 779 (PDF)
- Fire permits
- Pre-application conference request
- Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ)
- Grease trap requirements
- Health inspections (Tarrant County)
- Kennedale City Code (Municode)
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Kennedale permit FAQs
How much is a building permit for a new house in Kennedale?
$0.90 per square foot, which covers the electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, plus 35% for plan review. A 2,000 sq ft house comes to $2,430.
Can I apply for a Kennedale permit in person?
No. All permit, certificate of occupancy and business license applications go through the MyGov portal.
Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets or flooring?
No. Cosmetic remodels such as flooring, wall coverings, cabinets, countertops and shelving, and like-for-like plumbing fixture swaps, do not need a permit.
Do I need a permit for a fence in Kennedale?
Yes. A residential fence, retaining wall or screen wall permit costs $100.
How long does plan review take?
Typically 5 to 10 business days, depending on the scope of the project.
How do I schedule an inspection?
Email inspections@cityofkennedale.com by noon for a next-day inspection; you will get a confirmation email.
Does Kennedale issue building permits in its ETJ?
No. In the ETJ the City regulates subdivision of land and public nuisances, but issues no building permits or certificates of occupancy.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Kennedale permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.